The ongoing saga....

Went to the dealer last night to collect my car. The service manager came out and asked if I needed to talk to anyone. We had a long talk. Basically I explained that the point raised that "no one could replicate the issue" was a bit strange as one of the technicians had been in the car blah blah blah. They told me that he was on holiday. (I knew that) Anyway I don't want to bore you with the same detail, it is all in posts above somewhere...

I went through the road test that I had with the first technician, again. Vibration, about 1500 to 1900 rpm... and I demonstrated to James, that when i changed from 6th to 5th the vibration went away.

The service managers face changed. "So you are saying that the RTM did not experience the problem that you have had with the car"... (Obviously not...) "Well that is a gearbox issue." (?!) "The problem is, we thought that it was a drive shaft issue and were investigating as such"

I pointed out that it wasn't the first time that the gearbox affecting the vibration had been mentioned.

Anyway, to cut to the quick. The garage are going to get the Regional Technical Manager back and I am going to go out in the car with him at the suggestion of Customer Services. Before I do I am going to drive the car for about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours, to make sure that it is good an hot and all the lubricants are where they should be. (Basically I am going to get the car to a point that the RTM cannot say "It is within LR operating limits")

Left somewhat happier than when I entered, but WHY do I have to go through the same thing 150 times to get something done.... Hi Darling, I'll be home in 10 mins. If I'm not back, please read this message again...

Round and round in circles, like a off bear.... one step, two step, it I'll buy a different car...

Back to the dealer. Friday afternoon at 4.30 to find that the technicians had all left. Well all but one. The guy that came out with me when I originally described and demonstrated the problem. I laughed... didn't see any point in showing him what he already knew. So we had a chat, and left it that the car would need to be in for an extended test....

Email the Service Advisor, my contact, then call him because he hasn't got back to me. "I've got your email, I'm going to forward it to the RTM to see is he can comment, maybe he has experienced this before and knows a fix"

Ok, so I leave it with him. And then I get to thinking. RTM is going to get the email. "I've driven that car, there is nothing wrong with it" (or there is something wrong with it, we know what it is (torque converter - read the thread about vibration on the Disco 3 forum) and it costs a fortune to fix as we have to take the front of the car off to get to it) "if we can move this around long enough, the warranty will run out" He'll contact the dealer. "There is nothing wrong with the car". They'll get the car in, I'll go out with someone who will declare "there is something wrong with this car". The RTM will then come in. He'll drive the car on his own, ignore the vibration.... and around we go again...

September 2011 will come. "Oh Mr T, we've found a problem with your car" or the gearbox will just fall out...

Maybe I'm being a little melodramatic.

So where do you go. You trade it in against another car. It might cost me a bit, but at least I won't spend my time walking around wishing I'd never sold my bloody Smax.

The Sales manager is looking at options.

If you've got a dud, LR are a bunch of end of.... Hi Darling, I'll be home in 10 mins. If I'm not back, please read this message again...

It goes from bad to worse. No contact from the dealer although I have asked them to look into pricing another car. No contact from servicing, I have asked them to check into the situation about the Regional Technical Manager.

It is great to read posts about people enjoying their cars. I don't, it is a 25K thorn in my side.

So, I've taken an executive decision and will be selling the P.O.S. Land Rover have shown me nothing but contempt and my life is far too valuable and too bloody short to be wasted trying to verify an issue that they are not prepared to acknowledge.

Well done Land Rover. I was a potentially long term customer. I had thought that perhaps I would get a RRS after this, but no, I will not. I shall trade it in and buy something that works...

Really should never have got rid of the S-max... Hi Darling, I'll be home in 10 mins. If I'm not back, please read this message again...

I hope that the lack of witty retorts does not mean that I am in fact correct about these little cars.... anyway, it gets better, or more absurd.. I had a quote for trade in from the dealer.... and yet, I have had a trade in price from Audi that exceeds the offer from LR....

How very strange....

After all, there is "nothing wrong with the car. it is within parameters...."

I've written a 3 page letter to customer services, it details dates, conversations and an acceptable remedy. I look forward to a response.

I'd love a proper response, I guess that it will be a half arsed attempt at an apology, explaining that LR have procedures in place... blah blah blah....

Anyway for those that are interested, I'll keep you posted on LR Customer Service, which in the words of the Sales manager of Marshalls Cambridge, " that is not what I would call customer service" is non existent.

Enjoy your cars kids.... Hi Darling, I'll be home in 10 mins. If I'm not back, please read this message again...

Final post on this subject... Just had a call from Land rover replying to my letter.

To cut a long story short, tough s t. Is their reply.

If you buy one of these and it develops a vibration issue in gear LR WILL WALK AWAY. They will not honour the warranty. Druand has had the same.

I'll never buy another Land Rover again, not that they give a toss... they don't even pretend to... Hi Darling, I'll be home in 10 mins. If I'm not back, please read this message again...

xtattsbox, sounds like you've had a real experience with LR. I've been down that route in the past with Honda (although to be fair the dealer were very good and Honda ended up replacing our CRV), but it's an incredibly stressful time when something you (used to) really enjoy the ownership of turns very sour and it puts you off that manufacturer completely.

I'm not very active on these forums, but we came across this thread because.... guess what... vibration under light engine load at low revs. Going to head out tomorrow and see if we can nail down just exactly when the vibration happens. TBH, it doesn't sound like it's anything as bad as you had it -certainly the car isn't "shaking itself to bits", but there's a vibration there all the same. Just a bit worried it's the start of a bigger problem.

A.

Andy, to clarify the problem that I had, it was at 1400 to about 1950 rpm. Basically from 50 to 70mph... perfect... The vibration was felt through the seat.

Car is gone now, not a problem anymore. Hi Darling, I'll be home in 10 mins. If I'm not back, please read this message again...

I'd love to know what happened to my car. Never appeared on the Website for sale. It has just vanished.... Hi Darling, I'll be home in 10 mins. If I'm not back, please read this message again...

Guys see this post 'Vibration when accelerating in 4th 5th and 6th gears', hope it helps. And the way I understand it, Land Rover Assist through your warrenty provide you with the same product or better, ie a freelander or better from thier rental company untill the problem is resolved.

Mine has the issue, not rev related, but speed related. I got my lawyer involved with the issue. Suddenly they were ready to replace my car.

I am getting a MY 11 sometime end of this month.

So if you are not happy with what you are getting, talking to a lawyer helps.  2010 Freelander 2 Select TD4 auto....gone
2011 Freelander 2 TD4 auto ...current