My TDV8 is due its first service and I have broken with the tradition of using the supplying dealer for service. This has not been done for financial reasons, or because of any problems with the dealer. The fact is that I have a specialist LR independent on my doorstep and my dealer involves a 500+ mile round trip. There is no way that I would use the two local(ish) LR franchised dealers for service because one is Strat and the other has 'lost' my business many moons ago.

So have I committed the ultimate act of stupidity?

The fact is that the guys running the independent are all ex-franchised dealer chaps. They only use genuine LR parts and they are thoroughly approachable. They left the main dealers because they were treated like when they had something like 100+ yrs of LR knowledge between them.

The fact that they are charging £39/hour for labour against over £100/hour at their previous employer had no bearing on my decision to use them for a service - but it certainly brightened my day when they told me this (after I was booked-in)!

What do you think? Mistake?? The older I get, the more I realise that people confuse wrinkles for wisdom

Either getting it done by an Independant or Dealership should not effect your warranty as long as you can prove Genuine LR parts have been used in the event of a claim .......

Laughed at poll question 4 ............. Never came across one yet always seems to be over Hadrians you get them ...

I can help but think it can't help residual values....

I.e. If you have two cars of same miles, spec etc and one has been serviced at a Land Rover Main Dealer, the other at an Independant I'd take the main dealer serviced car.

I feel the same way about imports too.

Just my 2p '09 Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Auto for the Mrs

Using the works Fiesta 1.6 TDCI Sport Van - CHROME FREE THOUGH

Searching for a nice E63 AMG or S8 V10 to replace my "wonky" TDV8

again as above, residual values. If you are keeping the car for 3 to 4 years and intend trading with a main agent when the time comes to change then I would think twice about independent servicing.

If you intend running it for over 5 years then it doesn't matter much as a main agent wouldn't usually be interested in retailing a vehicle of this age and wouldn't give you top dollar anyway...

plus a main agent gets all the modern and latest software upgrades and staff training etc and usually more recourse and backing from LR if things go wrong

I used to think the same way doc/vogue, but I'm less sure now. I know these guys and they know me. In fact, they bought my old 300TDi commercial off me when I got my D3 a few years ago. I used them occasionally for D3 stuff and often wondered why I didn't use them more. I'm still in love with the TDV8 so I don't feel concerned about any perceived drop in value come sale time. At the moment, I'm of a mind to keep it for 20yrs!  The older I get, the more I realise that people confuse wrinkles for wisdom

OK....... Who pressed the cheapskate Jock button!




 The older I get, the more I realise that people confuse wrinkles for wisdom

european legislation was past on this matter, that is as long as the service plan provided by the Manufacture is followed then the warrenty is up held and not become void  02 Range Rover HSE Zambezie silver 4.4

Personally ive used awesome-gti to service my VW's over the years as I'd rather see their stamp on the book than VW as i know its been taken care of!

Same goes for the LR dealers too, As long as its a decent approved specialist then it wouldn't bother me on a car i was buying. TDV8 HST Sport **Current**

4.4 V8 Autobiography and 22" wheels **Gone**

Sometimes those guys know someone who knows someone who has a cousin at the LR dealer that can stamp your service book.

This way you can have it all....cheap and good service, and no drop in the car's resale value.

Make some questions about that.........

PS: another one will press the fourth button....

Not interested in faking the service book. As has been said already, I wouldn't be doing t if I wasn't happy with them and I'll be much happier than I would be with the local dealers (and ex-employers of the guys I'm using). I must say that I'm surprised at the results of the poll so far (though it's hardly a large sample). Thanks for your input - even the name callers!  The older I get, the more I realise that people confuse wrinkles for wisdom

Well, you wouldn't be really faking it, more like ''bending'' the service book.....

The parts are there, the manpower is there, it just needs a stamp....

Don't know if you guys in Britland do check service books against invoices, phones to the ''stamper'' etc...but here nobody cares about that...As long as its got a stamp its good....

And besides that, the stamp only matters for the first 5-6 years of ownership, after that its the invoices that count to your car value.

So, as it's been said, for your estimated ownership of 30+ years , it really doesn't matter. Only the safeguard of the warranty for these first 3 years is important.

There are some buyers who will value the Indie servicing far above the monkeying at a main dealers. Any residual value that may or may not be lost when selling will be more than compensated for by the lower cost of going to your Indie.

Don't forget, you'll probably be going to your Indie once per fault/service rather than the constant to-ing and fro-ing you get with a main dealer as they replace components as part of their 'Fault Finding'. That's a tank of fuel saved each trip! Not sure you should be reading this bit.

hey jmc,
interested what indie your using as it looks like we're in the same boat regards our local dealer,burnt their bridges with me too,personally i dont think it matters who services the car as long as its done properly,also like its been said if you go to an independent you usually only go once.

Hi doug - judging by your location, I'd say you will have an 01674 code - same as me!

Going to Mann Automotive in Laurencekirk. Richard and Barry are good lads and know their stuff. They both own and work on Solihull products (Barry runs a FFRR V8 ) and they have probably forgotten more than 'that' local dealers latest 'technician' has ever learned.

They are over-run with full fats and D3's getting worked on every day. Just don't expect warranty work, a courtesy car or a follow-up questionnaire.  The older I get, the more I realise that people confuse wrinkles for wisdom

1st service done today. 14997miles on the clock. ALL LR genuine parts and 1.8 hours labour rounded up to 2.0......... Total cost.......






























£210 inc VAT!  The older I get, the more I realise that people confuse wrinkles for wisdom