Took a day off work on Monday to take my 2 week old FL2 into the dealers to get a few niggles sorted out, as I've detailed before. I mentioned in passing that I'd had to have LR Assist out when the car was 3 days old as the battary had gone flat, but the alternator and battery had tested OK, so we'd put this down to the fact that the car had been sat around a while between production and delivery, and it just needed a good charge. This seemed to have been the case, as it hadn't given me any trouble since. Still, may as well mention it, I thought.

So I got to collect the car at 4:00, only to be told that the battery is totally dead and won't charge, so they'll need to order a new battery so come back tomorrow and pick it up.

NOTE TO ALL GARAGES EVERYWHERE - THE REASON I HAVE A CAR IS BECAUSE I NEED ONE. WHY DO YOU ALWAYS JUST ASSUME THAT I CAN DO WITHOUT IT FOR ANOTHER 24 HOURS AT NO NOTICE???

So I told them I needed the car to drive back down to Bedfordshire that night, and I wouldn't be back till the weekend. at this point they had the audacity to offer to lend me a Ford Fiesta until the weekend.

I told them I needed my car that day, and would be back at closing time. So I returned at 5:30 to be told that the car is basically draining the battery as quick as it charges, and they can't work out why. Plus, everyone's now gone home so it's poxy Fiesta or nothing. Refusing to be stuck with a sh!tty Fiesta for the rest of the week, I've also taken today (Tuesday) off work in the hope that they'd get it sorted today. Basically, it seems like they've tried everything they can think of themselves and they're now working through a list of options with LR Technical. From what I can understand though, the car won't even communicate with Testbook.

They've promised to keep me updated (still waiting guys...) but at 4:30 I'm going to call them to see if I'm getting my car back tonight or if I've got 140 miles in a cheap pokey horrible Fiesta to look forward to tonight and Friday night. By virtue of the fact that they've not phoned me, I can guess the answer already.

If this thing isn't sorted by the weekend and they think I'm going to put up with their Fiesta next week, they can think again.

Nightfox, what's wrong with a Fiesta ? (my wife drives one)

It belongs to Ford as well you know...

I had a similar problem with LR Recovery when they initially refused to give me a car of equal status. After complaining to LR Customer Services I ended up with Jag S Type - only problem was it only did 18 mpg!

Notwithstanding the above, it maybe worthwhile a call to LR Customer Services, particularly if the dealer can't give you a date for completing the fix.

Also, I would always advise requesting a courtesy car when booking in for any work and make sure you know what you are getting. I learnt that lesson several cars a go when the local Ford garage were trying to use the Daewoo Matiz as courtesy - now that is a bad car!

When my FL2 went in for repairs yesterday i got a FL1 HSE Auto to drive sounds good but what a pile of its like comparing the space shuttle to the Enterprise !
i would almost have prefered a fiesta ....almost.

Sounds like your dealers not much good suggest you talk to someone more senior at the dealership or fire off a letter to Landrover Head Office address it to one of the directors that usually stirs things up.

Good luck

Cripes Nightfox sorry to hear this...seriously I am!! Sounds really crap service, where did the car come from originally?? For all of Marshall of Bedford's faults, I was never without a car of equal standing from FL2 to Disco 3 to RR, even sales would give me the demo cars if service didn't have a loaner to give me....so for that they do deserve top marks despite their other short comings.

I gentle reminder to Dealer Principle is required as to who the customer is I think!! Last thing he would want on the forum is 'bad press', as prospective buyers read our threads!!!!!

Tell the dealership that you can only drive cars with auto gearboxs.... you tend to find that these are reserved for the more upmarket cars eg. Range Rovers and Jags

They might get a big suspicious though when you roll up in and hand in a manual...  "CY from DISCO3"

Discovery 3 TDV6 SE

carlfraz wrote:

I gentle reminder to Dealer Principle is required as to who the customer is I think!! Last thing he would want on the forum is 'bad press', as prospective buyers read our threads!!!!!

Paul wrote:

Nightfox, what's wrong with a Fiesta ? (my wife drives one)

It belongs to Ford as well you know...

The last time they did fix my car on time I had a defender loaned to me, good laugh I must say,


The time prior to that I got the service managers car, by kicking off with them, (not like me, but i had, had a bad day)

Its the same dealer I bought the car from - Sales are absolutely excellent. Service, however, appears to be a totally different story. As expected I ended up phoning them. Rather than a "We're really sorry, but we still haven't found the problem and I'm afraid we're going to need to try again tomorrow", I got a casual "nah, we've still not found out whats wrong with it". I think these people maybe forget just how important and personal a car is, notwithstanding the fact that its probably the second most expensive thing people buy. I think they just get used to dealing with perhaps fleet managers for whom it's just another inconsequential vehicle. WAKE UP GUYS, THIS IS MY £29,000 CAR!!!

They did actually offer a courtesy car when I booked it in, but it would have meant another weeks wait and because it's difficult for me to get time off work I said I would do without. After all, when you take a fully working car into the dealer for some remedial work, you don't expect to be told they can't even get it running any more when you go to pick it up.

I'm stuck with the Fiesta for the rest of the week then, but if this runs into next week then I'm not accepting it, especially as I know they've got a FL2 courtesy car. Besides, as far as I'm concerned, a "courtesy" car is what you kindly offer to lend people when they've brought the car in for a routine service or something - providing a replacement for a 2 week old car that's "died" whilst in your care is way, way beyond a "courtesy", it's a moral obligation at least.

I have a Smart car spare at work if you would like something a little smaller....

npinks wrote:

I have a Smart car spare at work if you would like something a little smaller....

Just worked something out. As of this coming Saturday I will have owned an FL2 for 16 weeks, during which time I will have been off the road (and I don't mean in a 4x4 sense) for 8 weeks; i.e. 50% of the time.

I agree NightFox!! It was my dealers Service Managers apathy that caused me to play the buy back card. I don't want my backside licked clean, but as you say some sympathy and concern, and a simple 'sorry' goes so, so far, it shows concern, and that they care. The off the cuff, "nar' we dunno whats wrong, so yer can't hav' it back yet!!" makes my blood boil

NightFox, let me say I know exactly how you feel and you have all my support.
I have similar problems (as you may have read) but I have to stress this: I NEVER FELT THIS APATHY FROM MY DEALER OR SERVICE DEPT. They were helpful since day one! I always loved Land Rovers and this is my second one. And Land rover North are the guys where I'll go for my next one. They are the guys I recommend to all my friends when they look into buying one. And the reason is that no matter how many problems I might have with mine, Kostas, Kostas, Irine and Anastasia are always cheerful, helpful and supportive when I go there. Same applies for Spyros and Giannis for the service. I feel like they are my friends and sincerely hope they feel they same way. What happened in my case is certainly not their fault. And honestly I don't think it's an LR2 everyday situation. Hence I truly believe that we'll soon find a way out of this. After all, of any people involved in this, I wouldn't think that there is even a single one hoping for the opposite.
So my advice, is find the proper dealer. We spend quite a few quid for our cars, let's just make sure that the proper persons get it!