So I went to the dealership today...

[34RoveR]

Made an appointment a few weeks ago to get my tail lamp guards installed and to check out why my LR3 is only getting 8-9mpg local and 11-12mpg highway. The appointment took two weeks due to the dealership telling me that's the first day that they would have an availible loaner car for me. NP there, I didn't mind waiting as none of the things I was bringing the car in for was urgent. I only mention this because of what followed this morning.

I show up at the dealership (Massapequa Land Rover, NY) at 8am to drop it off. They advise me that there are no loaner cars availible and that I would be getting a rental car from Avis, who was onsite. Slightly annoying, but whatever. Secondly, I explain the problem I'm having with the gas mileage on the vehicle and ask if they would please, if nothing else was wrong with the truck after they inspected it, perform the "transportation mode" fix noted numerous times on this and other LR forums. Not only did the service manager look at me like I was some freaking nut job after that request, he told me he would check the vehicle for any problems but he would not perform the transportation fix and if I insisted that they do it they would charge me for it.

Now mind you, I'm not some garage monkey. I can change the oil in my cars and a few other minor things but I couldn't imagine that placing the vehicle into transportation mode and taking it out of that mode would be some major ordeal. With the lack of anything evident being "wrong" with the truck, is it too much to ask that they perform this possible fix, even if it doesn't work, just to rule it out?

OK, now I'm getting kinda ****** so I tell him to just check the vehicle out and let me know if he finds anything that might be causing the problem. I'll bring up the trans fix again if he doesn't find something else. So now we move on to the rental car for the day. I start filling out the papers with Avis and they want my credit card for deposit.....well guess what Johnny, I didn't bring my credit card with me. A) Nobody told me I'd be renting a car today (I even called to confirm the appointment before I left the house, good time to tell me) B) I don't own any credit cards (Long story, I only use debit / cash for everything in life). So the service dept tell me, oh well, guess you better look for someone to pick you up.

I'm a really easy going person, but this was really pushing me over the edge. I asked for the service manager and after a half hour of total nonsense he finally pulls a piece of crap Freelander out of his butt to loan me for the day. I realize all LR dealerships are an entity unto themselves, but I must say this is totally unacceptable customer service considering the product. When I plunk down 50k cash for a car, I expect at least a moderate amount of pampering. Speaking of pampers, they're prolly taking a dump on my drivers seat after my little tantrum.

 

[toddjb122]

You paid for this car in cash?

Do you have all your money buried out back in mayonnaise jars? What part of NY do you live in again?

...sorry, I don't need to hear the long story, that just seemed kind of odd to me. I know people pay for cars in cash, just didn't know that people who'd buy $55,000 cars also paid for them in cash....I think even Trump finances his cars!

 

[texas911]

Forget what toddjb posted. You're right to be upset with your dealer. This is the weak link for Land Rover. They are such a small volume company that they don't have a lot of dealerships, so there is no competition between them. Thus they are run like a communist bureaucrat.

 

[tommithy]

Todd, My wife and I paid for our LR3 HSE in cash as well. Why pay interest? It's wasted money.

 

[roverdawg]

34rover,

Don't feel bad, I paid cash for mine, too. Whether we financed or bought outright, a certain level of service for a luxury vehicle is expected.

1. I expect there to be loaners. Unfortunately, my dealer goes through an off-site Enterprise rental agency with crappy cars.

2. I expect a level of customer service. Doesn't have to be swanky how 'bout truthful for starters. I don't know how many times I've had to stifle laughing out loud in my service writer's face for some of the garbage they've been dispensing. What ****** me off the most, however, was sitting in the waiting area at the dealership and hearing an employee on a break whine about the $ that they get to keep on the Range Rover and LR3s and how it was unfair that only one person at their dealership got to sell the coveted Bentleys and "make any real money". Said employee then proceeded to do some rude impersonations of well-heeled customers that come in and, you guessed it, pay cash for their vehicles. Also had some not very nice things to say about financing customers such as "with that credit shouldn't you be buying a Camry or some new teeth"! Yikes.

Mom drives a Lexus and the level of customer service and concern is night and day compared to the LR dealers I've dealt with. Now, I know that there are some great dealers out there (just not in my area) and I've even found some great people at my dealer BUT they don't seem to stay in the service dept. very long.

 

[toddjb122]

Well...you have a right to be upset at the dealer, sure, but I have to understand his side of it as well. They do run out of loaners and sometimes have to offer rentals. It sucks, I'd rather be put in an LR3 for sure but it happens. And you have to understand that someone not having a credit card to get the free rental is an odd occurance. Sure it happens, just is far from the norm, and not the dealers problem. And then when he goes out of his way to get anything for this customer there is still a complaint about the freelander? Just pointing out that you both probably could have handeled things better IMO.

And why pay interest? Because you can usually get low interest rates on a car loan and then take that $55,000 that is burning a whole in your pocket and invest it in something that pays off a higher interest rate. So you make money.

To each his own, just no need to "forget what toddjb posted," we're all entitled to our opinion and that post struck me funny.

 

[racingdc9]

34rover: I know how you feel, same thing has happened to me(but i had a credit card). Go figure, you would think they would keep track of how many ppl are bringing in their cars for service and would know how many loaners they have. I wonder if RR owners go through the same problems(just thinking to myself). Toyota dealerships have better courtesy then this.

On the topic of the service guy going out of his way to find him a Freelander, is bs, they know what they have and what they don't have, same thing happened to me, right when I made a notion to go look for management since I was ****** for not having a loaner car, they surprisingly had a loaner car available. A BUNCH OF BS!!!

Hate to say it, but this is my first LR and might be my last, due to what i've experienced.

 

[askewed]

Putting the truck into and taking it out of Transport takes 10 mins... It done through a laptop plugged into somewhere under the dash. I 've watched it done...

 

[SChargedRRS]

My take on this is they should have loaners ready and there FOC there should be no excuse for this.....PERIOD! My wife and I are not that picky, just a good reliable car is just fine. Do not need another LR/RR vehicle. just a good sound clean car.

Here is an example of EXCELLENT customer service. We have a Mercedes dealership about 5 miles from us. If you bring in a car for service(warranty or not) you get a Mercedes loaner...Once they take your keys for your car in the morning, they bring the loaner right up. When you return to pick up your car, it is washed and ready to go. We had a E55 and they treated you like we felt we should be treated for the price we are paying for these cars. this not a $8500 Hyundai....

Our Rover dealer is also a Jaguar dealer. we will see what happens with our first service.

 

[lacarruk1]

Did the Mileage problem get fixed and how?

Made an appointment a few weeks ago to get my tail lamp guards installed and to check out why my LR3 is only getting 8-9mpg local and 11-12mpg highway. The appointment took two weeks due to the dealership telling me that's the first day that they would have an availible loaner car for me. NP there, I didn't mind waiting as none of the things I was bringing the car in for was urgent. I only mention this because of what followed this morning.

I show up at the dealership (Massapequa Land Rover, NY) at 8am to drop it off. They advise me that there are no loaner cars availible and that I would be getting a rental car from Avis, who was onsite. Slightly annoying, but whatever. Secondly, I explain the problem I'm having with the gas mileage on the vehicle and ask if they would please, if nothing else was wrong with the truck after they inspected it, perform the "transportation mode" fix noted numerous times on this and other LR forums. Not only did the service manager look at me like I was some freaking nut job after that request, he told me he would check the vehicle for any problems but he would not perform the transportation fix and if I insisted that they do it they would charge me for it.

Now mind you, I'm not some garage monkey. I can change the oil in my cars and a few other minor things but I couldn't imagine that placing the vehicle into transportation mode and taking it out of that mode would be some major ordeal. With the lack of anything evident being "wrong" with the truck, is it too much to ask that they perform this possible fix, even if it doesn't work, just to rule it out?

OK, now I'm getting kinda ****** so I tell him to just check the vehicle out and let me know if he finds anything that might be causing the problem. I'll bring up the trans fix again if he doesn't find something else. So now we move on to the rental car for the day. I start filling out the papers with Avis and they want my credit card for deposit.....well guess what Johnny, I didn't bring my credit card with me. A) Nobody told me I'd be renting a car today (I even called to confirm the appointment before I left the house, good time to tell me) B) I don't own any credit cards (Long story, I only use debit / cash for everything in life). So the service dept tell me, oh well, guess you better look for someone to pick you up.

I'm a really easy going person, but this was really pushing me over the edge. I asked for the service manager and after a half hour of total nonsense he finally pulls a piece of crap Freelander out of his butt to loan me for the day. I realize all LR dealerships are an entity unto themselves, but I must say this is totally unacceptable customer service considering the product. When I plunk down 50k cash for a car, I expect at least a moderate amount of pampering. Speaking of pampers, they're prolly taking a dump on my drivers seat after my little tantrum.

Did they fix the mpg problem and how? Did not know this was also an issue on RR Sports...