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I wish I'd never bothered.

Main dealers - who'd have 'em? To cut a long story short(ish) I've never been too happy with the 2001 TD5 90 CSW I purchased from a main dealer back in April for £15,400. I had a string of issues with the vehicle and the dealer has had it back several times in an attempt to put them right. The last time they had it for a week but upon its return I was still not satisfied. Frankly I thought the dealer was not being quite as helpful as they could plus being on the receiving end of some quite dire service from their service dept I wrote to the MD of the dealer with a copy to the MD of Land Rover informing them of my disatisfaction.

Soon after a replacement vehicle was authorised(this around was mid June) but was told that as Defenders were in short supply I would have to be a little patient in order for them to track something down. Soon after that I had a call from Land Rover Customer Service enquiring how I was getting on and promising to assist the dealer in sourcing another vehicle. I had already stated that in order to make sourcing a vehicle easier I was quite prepared to accept another spec model, even a 110 but no matter what it was I wanted a 2002 model.

Weeks passed.

I contacted the dealer to be told that the sales manager was off for two weeks and nothing could be done until his return.

I e-mailed & hard copied the big man at Land Rover Customer Service with my concerns and disatisfaction and was told the dealer was having trouble locating a suitable vehicle (the dealer is part of a large LR franchise BTW) within the agreed price range. I said that no price range had been agreed and also stated that I had been told that Land Rover themselves had stated that it would assists the dealer in locating a vehicle.

A couple more weeks passed. I contacted customer services again - no reply. I resent the same e-mail to them again yesterday and today received a response saying that the dealer could now offer me a vehicle that met my spec.

The sales manager duly rang to tell me that they can get hold of an immaculate Nov 02 90 CSW with 11,000 on the clock ...but if I wanted it it would cost me a further £3,995 - he also added that they would not be making a penny out of it.

Bearing in mind the intermidable letters, e-mails, faxes and phone calls of complaint, the fact that they delivered an approved used vehicle with numerous obvious faults, the poor service received when trying to fix said faults, not to mention the damned inconvenience of it all - do you think I am right in feeling a little peed off about this invitiation for me to give them nearly four grand more? I've owned enough Land Rovers over nearly thirty years to get into double figures but this is the first time I've personally purchased one from a main dealer and I think it will be my last.

Steve. Suffolk. remove 'knujon' to e-mail

Reply to
AN6530
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One of your options here is that if the delaer has not been able to=20 provide a product that is working/fits the description etc is to return=20 it for a full refund. Note that they may take some off for fair use,=20 though you should be able to argue this if it's spent large amounts of=20 time in the workshop.

If you have hassle with this talk to your local CAB, or subscribe to=20 Which? magazine and call their help line. :)

Cheers, Aled.

Reply to
Aled

In message , Aled writes

Also talk to your local Trading Standards people.

Reply to
hugh

On or around 18 Aug 2004 21:56:23 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@aol.comknujon (AN6530) enlightened us thusly:

dunno why it's so hard for them to find one, really. And yes, I guess you have some cause to be teed off, although in fact you're asking them to supply a replacement a year younger than the one you bought, at a time in its life where there's a fair amount of depreciation.

Is there any scope for doing a deal with them to split the difference, or such? I doubt you actually have a legal right to get a newer one than the one you bought originally, meself - mind, IANAL.

How does the value (15K you paid originally + 4K) add up compared with the current market value of the '02 model? That will give you good bargaining power - if you can, for example, point to an 02 model on a forecourt for e.g. 16 grand, then you're in a good position to debunk their "not making anything on the deal" line. In fact, if you can find an 02 for 16 grand, I'd hassle them for a refund of your 15K and go and buy it yerself :-)

hmmm. Searching for Land Rover Defender up to 3 years old finds quite a bunch. Searching "up to 2 years old" finds 144 nationwide.

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might work. prices start at about 11K...

ah, just noticed yours is a CSW...

that finds just 10

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cheapest is an 02 private one with 25K on the clock, but with all the extras, inc aircon, for 16500.

There's also a 2003 one for 18500 with similar spec.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

if you can, for example, point to an 02 model on a forecourt for

There's currently a Dec 03 90 CSW at a localish main dealer for £19995.

Steve. Suffolk. remove 'knujon' to e-mail

Reply to
AN6530

On or around 19 Aug 2004 20:45:28 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@aol.comknujon (AN6530) enlightened us thusly:

which ties in fairly well with what I found on Auto trader - you can find a few 02 and 03 CSW but not many under that sort of money.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

"AN6530" wrote

.......

would cost me a

Steve, £19,395 is more than I paid for my new 130 MY2002 double cab!

Reg.

Reply to
Reg

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