So had my car booked in to Lancaster Land Rover, Burnham, Slough for warranty work yesterday and am simply appalled at the service received.

The car was booked in for the following:

1) Squeaky brakes
2) Boot Gap
3) Fuel slosh/slap
4) SPORT badge – losing its red colour.
5) Noise from boot area – severely irritating rattle
6) Recall work – doors may open whilst car in motion
7) First Service

First and foremost – for almost all cars I have owned from various manufacturers I always receive a confirmation call or text message to reconfirm the booking. Nothing from this dealer at all. I called a day before to check and was told – yes all good for tomorrow but surely the dealer should be sending out this reminder!?

Upon reaching the dealer at 8.30am I was greeted by the service advisor with a very cold attitude – no hand shake no eye contact – felt like I was almost unwanted...fair enough maybe he had a bad journey in – it was really foggy...I’ll give him the benefit of doubt. He then proceeded to book me in and asked if I bought the spare key with me – I replied no and asked if it was required. He answered that to complete the recall work he needs both keys.

I was never told his when booking in – in a very rude tone he told me that the recall letter mentioned that I need to bring both keys in – I have checked and my letter does not say this!

Picked up the courtesy car evoque and he made me go round it with a fine tooth comb to identify any marks I can see – not easy in the fog and the car covered with condensation – I was never asked to go round my car and confirm the same for my car – seems to be a case of “we care more about our cars than yours”!!! BMW and Porsche always check customers cars for damage upon check in – at least the dealers I have used have done.

I popped in after work to drop the spare key off and the service advisor said – “oh I have an update for you” – here are his findings in order above “inverted commas exactly the service advisors words”:

1) Squeaky brakes –“the wheels and brake area have been over exposed to acid based washing materials so these have caused the squeaky brakes – we can replace all 4 pads and discs at your cost”. Frankly this is bullshit. My car was bought brand new and has always been valeted by a very professional valeter (pro valets approved!) who visits my house once every 3 weeks. I know every product used on my car and it has never seen acid in its 7 months of life so far. I offered to show them the datasheet for the products used but was told “sorry sir can’t do anything you will have to pay for new brakes all round to cure the squeaks”

2) Boot Gap – “your car has had the bumper taken off to have the corners painted – you need to take your car back to whoever did this as they have not fitted the bumper correctly” I then asked him to follow me to the showroom where they had 2 RRS and I showed him the gaps. “I see but your gap is much more than this – these are nominal so your bumper needs to be refitted – we can do it but will charge you” I explained that Land Rover must have improved things to make the gap smaller but all vehicles have this gap and I want mine sorted – “sorry you will have to pay to have this sorted out it’s not warranty work”.

3) Fuel slosh/slap – “The technician has said he needs to speak to head office to see what needs to be done about this” I mentioned there is a bulletin that I can send in – “sorry we can’t take that from a customer has to come via Land Rover”

4) SPORT badge – losing its red colour – “the badge has been exposed to a pressure washer so this can’t be replaced under warranty”

5) Noise from boot area – severely irritating rattle “you had your locking wheels nut loose that was the noise; the technician took your car for a 15 mins drive” I knew this was not the noise as it sounds more like something like loose tools but I just can’t find the source of it – so I check my in control app and the car has not been out of the dealer at all since I dropped it off!!!!!

6) Recall work – doors may open whilst car in motion – “Need to order a module for this which we shall do today” When asked why they had not ordered this already since they knew the car was booked in over 3 weeks ago I was told this was their “standard practice to order when the car is in and not before” I asked how long “it can take up to 3 days for it to come in” When I am paying £15 a day for their courtesy car why should I be subjected to paying for 2-3 extra days courtesy car insurance when they could have had the parts ready for me!!!!!!?

7) First Service – Decided to take my car away

After listening to point 5 I think I had had enough of this dealer and told him to give me my car back as I don’t trust them anymore. How can I trust a dealer who has just told me the technician has gone on a test drive but in control shows my car not leaving the dealership I man W T F !?!?!?

I now have my car booked in to Park Royal and am hoping for a better result with them.

I have read a lot on here about squeaky brakes – have your dealers not used the “acid excuse” on you? How was this issue resolved – my squeak brakes are doing my head in!!!!!

LandRoverPete – if you read this can you tell me how to make an official complaint against this dealership as I am utterly disgusted at what has happened? The service manager seemed uninterested as when I asked for him was told he was in a meeting.

There is poor customer service, and then there is this

What a bunch of You should get better service at Park Royal Make sure you mention the forum ... they are not active here these days but many of the staff know about this site. I tried to book mine there (even though I bought from a different dealer less than 2 months ago) for the AHBA, seat leather etc. work but the wait was over 2 months. The supplying dealer has been good at offering better deals for buying and part exchange but LPR is better (and nearer to me) for aftersales, from my personal experience. Current: Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription Pro PHEV with some optionals on top
Gone: MY16 RRS2 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic, Carpathian Grey & Santorini Black Sliding Pano/Ebony & Ivory 2 Tone
Gone: MY13 RRS 3.0 SDV6 HSE Black Edition, Orkney Grey/Ivory
Gone: MY09 RRS 2.7 TDV6 HSE, Santorini Black/Almond

I'd be on the phone to LRCS!!!! takes the edge of ownership especially on a car north of £75k!!!

Brakes - same issue - resolved - replaced under warranty (11kmiles) - no issues; replaced wipers too as they were smearing; Stratstone.

Mine is up for sale post Xmas..

There definitely seems to be good dealers and bad dealers. Let us hope we can keep track of the good ones here. MY16 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography in Aleutian silver, stealth pack and toys.

What terrible service, you should complain to the main man there. These people should not be in business.  SVR 2018 in Santorini Black.

Ten out of Ten and a Gold Star for Caffyns of Lewes.

I have only bought one car from them, but I did look around three other local dealers before ordering. Caffyns gave me a very warm welcome and a realistic and ultimately accurate delivery date. There were no errors in the order, excellent advice on colour coordination, and excellent technical knowledge. I asked them to be careful with the black plastic door pillars etc. and they are totally unmarked. The car was ceramic coated and detailed at their premises before hand over, which included a very nice bottle of Veuve Cliquot.

My after sales experience has been the software update to activate the AHBA and an outstanding DPF update. All done while I waited, and booked less than two hours before I arrived.

Excellent receptionists and unlimited coffees, biscuits or fruit, and an unending invitation to pop in and have the car washed if I'm shopping in the area.

After reading so many horror stories on this site, I feel I have been very lucky and the experience is all I hoped it would be.

Well done Caffyns.

H.

Shocking service.

I had a pleasent experience with Lancaster Burnham, although the it was the sales department (i was having a look at a few Sports), but this sounds absolutely dreadful.

Lookers Park Royal were awful(IMO) I'm afraid to say. I went to have a look at an Aruba Sport. I phoned to make sure the car was in stock, I was told they weren't sure and would ring back when they found it. Guess what, never heard back and I ended up ringing them again. Car was ok but I was ignored, and ended up leaving without speaking to anyone.

Guy Salmon Thames Ditton were fine when ordering my first Sport and the first service., Hardwoods Croydon for the second one this time.

Hope you get it sorted. Arrived: MY16 A/B SDV6 in Aruba, Ivory interior, piano black trim, black panoramic roof, spare wheel, blind spot monitoring, mudlaps and more...

Gone but not forgotten:
2014 RRS2 SDV6 HSE in Loire Blue
2011 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE in Santorini Black

You had to pay for a courtesy car???

We were asked to pay for a loan car when taking our new car back for the ahba update, the wife normally quiet and happy to keep the peace said " you are joking £100,000 on a new car that needed mending before we drove it out from the show room " . The dealer said they could wave the fee on this occasion.

My Dealer did it in an hour while I waited!

With all that went on I did not pay for the courtesy car on that day - don't think they had the "balls" to ask me to pay for it! But yes they do charge - Park Royal have also asked for me to pay £15 a day.

Hmmmmm.....I have never, and never will, pay for a courtesy car whilst the car I am driving is under the manufacturers warranty.

Easier said than done mate...Where in the UK are you? Down here around London they all charge....

Not all RRSman. Grange Barnet do not charge and offer both courtesy car and collection & delivery. With LPR it's either one or the other and courtesy car is £15 per day per driver as you say. Current: Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription Pro PHEV with some optionals on top
Gone: MY16 RRS2 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic, Carpathian Grey & Santorini Black Sliding Pano/Ebony & Ivory 2 Tone
Gone: MY13 RRS 3.0 SDV6 HSE Black Edition, Orkney Grey/Ivory
Gone: MY09 RRS 2.7 TDV6 HSE, Santorini Black/Almond