When you've had your sport back in for a problem to be put right do you ever think they may have used it for a demo or sample off-roading before handing it back, washed?
On one occasion a while ago there appeared to be a prolonged delay at my dealers and I admit it did cross my mind they may have used it for a demo, they often didn't have a sport demonstrator available.
But now I'm a bit concerned, I've just read a post left yesterday about poor dealers and treatment they give/receive and it makes you wonder??

If you are suspicious that it has been used for those sort of things note the mileage when you leave it with the dealer for servicing (not the trip as that can be reset - the main odo reading) If there are more than a couple of miles (they do have to road test cars sometimes if you have a specific problem like a rattle to cure) then ask them to justify the mileage when you get it back. I don't know how you would prove it had been taken offroading though without getting the car up on a ramp to view the underside - look on the inside of the alloys for mud lumps (turn the wheels full lock one way and take a look inside the rims and then turn to full opposite look and repeat) would be the only way to do it without going to extremes.
The other thing is that you should get a questionaire from Land Rover (not the dealer) a few weeks after a service. You are asked to comment on how you were treated and how you felt about the service your vehicle received. Fill it in and comment that you felt the car had been used for whatever and quantify your comments. Those customer surveys go to Land Rover and then get copied to the dealer for their comments. Otherwise I would find a different dealer.

Years ago I had an MG Metro serviced at a main dealer who had a really good reputation................ when I got it back it stank of vinegar/ cooking oil and had big oily footprints on the red carpets in the rear footwell. It had been used as the lunch time run about to get the lads chips........... what they didn't realise was the car was not taken into the dealer or returned from them by me, my next door neighbour was the sales director for the garage and I would book the car in and he would collect it and redeliver it after work. He was horrified when he drove my car home 18 miles from work at the state it was in, called in to say what had happened and took it in to work the next morning and had it fully valeted for me at no cost to me. A few days later I also got a letter of apology from the service dept and it was also signed by the guys who had serviced the car. It wasn't enough to stop me from using that dealer for servicing though until another MG that I had went in to the shop to have remote operated wing mirrors fitted a few years later. When the bill came back (it had been quoted as a full job originally, parts and labour included) there was list of parts used which included a new side window and an ECU so I queried them as I wasn't going to pay for broken windows or parts not originally quoted for. When the service manager investigated the part numbers that were itemised it turned out they were not mirror or window parts at all, let alone bits for an MG Maestro.......... The mechanic assigned to do the job, it transpired, was working homers and getting the parts he needed by putting them clients bills - he lost his job and I stopped using that otherwise excellent dealer. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Last edited by Tim in Scotland on Sun Oct 16 2005 8:27pm. Edited 1 time in total

Tim,
My dealer clocked up 300 miles in 4 days road testing, I'd love to give more details but I think I've now got the service manager at Guy Salmons on my side so I don't want to jepordise a future understanding between us ,especially after just reading the post Tina refers to, have you read it? I have and I must say I fear it could be true, when I think back the more complaining I did the longer it took to fix and when it was finally returned there was evidence of misuse, again I wouldn't like to upset my recent relationship with GS so best not say much,....for now.

If you can afford to, fit a Navtrak unit and you can get print-outs of where the car has been, how fast etc. Proof positive. L319 D4 HSE

1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF

1982 Series 3 SWB

Agree with RRUK on this, best way of proving the activity of your car when you're not with it is with some kind of tracking system. It's not a cheap thing to fit (esp one with all the bells and whistles) but it can pay for itself in spades if you have to use it. Not sure if similar incidents are still occurring but when I got my M3 I remember a couple of threads on BM3W were reporting that the Tracker control centre would phone them up and advise them that their car was heading north up the M1 at over 100mph or some such while it was meant to be booked in for service.

It's a sign of the times that it seems you can't trust the service profession these days - if it's not car dealers, it's plumbers or roofing "specialists" breaking your tiles and guttering so they can "fix" them and charge you another couple of hours work. And as usual, it's the minority that ruins it for everyone else...

In the immortal words of Alan Partridge, "This country!!"

Cheers
Steve 

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Can anyone explain why I get a smell of fish when I squiwt my fwont wipewz.
I wonder what they topped up my windscween wipew washew wesewoiw with?

jonathan-woss wrote:

Can anyone explain why I get a smell of fish when I squiwt my fwont wipewz.
I wonder what they topped up my windscween wipew washew wesewoiw with?

Deleted