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Slimer
Site Moderator
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295
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My D3 TDV6 S was booked to go in yesterday (20th July) with the dealer I bought it from to tackle the following issues:
1. Lacquer coming off the front offside alloy
2. Uncomfortable drivers seat
3. Occasional difficulty in engaging reverse gear, primarily when engine is cold
So I turned up at the dealer at 08:30, spoke to the service advisor straight away, clarified what the issues were and was out of there within around 15 minutes. So the courtesy car they gave me was a Ford Focus, I didn’t moan, it was only for one day and as I was working from home I’d only have to drive it 17 miles each way.
At 15:45 it occurred to me that I’d not heard anything from them so I gave the service desk a ring. Advisor says the car was in the workshop and he’d get them to ring me back. Got a call back within 10 minutes from the workshop supervisor:
1. Could see the issue and would see about getting the wheel repaired or replaced
2. Couldn’t find any problems with the seat which I expected them to say so I explained again (as I had when booking the car in and dropping it off that morning) that there was nothing actually wrong with the seat apart from the exceptionally poor design which made it so uncomfortable. Told him I needed them to raise it as an issue with Land Rover so something could be done about it – advised I knew that other D3 owners were having the same problem and were in the process of getting LR to sort it out. He seemed to understand and agreed to talk to LR
3. They didn’t have any problems getting into reverse, so I told him that the issue wasn’t always there and was more likely to happen when the engine is cold. Told me they’d check/change the gearbox oil to see if that resolved it
Asked what time the car would be ready, told me around 17:00.
I later set off back to the garage and arrived around 17:20, service guy told me car was just on it way back from the workshop and would only be 5 or 10 minutes. No problem I thought I’ll help myself to a coffee and flick through the copy of One Life sitting on the table by the comfy chairs.
18:20, car finally turns up but they’d left the paperwork back at the workshop! Service guy says he’ll ring me first thing in the morning with the details, I needed to get away so I left it at that.
18:25, jumped back into my D3, started the engine and tested the action into reverse – it was fine, but the engine was warm so I didn’t expect anything different. Pulled out of dealer, 1st to 2nd gear no issues, 2nd to 3rd gear felt a bit stiff, 3rd to 4th was nearly impossible. Drove down the road for a few hundred yards trying the gears, yup definitely a major problem with 3rd and 4th. Quite angry by this stage, spun the car round and drove back to the dealer, abandoned my D3 in the entrance way, stormed in the door threw the keys at the service guy and explained to him in no uncertain terms that there was no way I was driving that home and he should think very seriously before trying to get me to go home in a Ford Focus.
Asked him to explain how an occasional issue with reverse gear that the workshop couldn’t replicate is now a major issue with at least two of the forward gears, he couldn’t answer of course.
18:40, I’m on my way home in a Freelander with a promise of a call first thing in the morning
Today (21st July), stuck in meetings all morning but no missed calls and no messages.
11:45, I ring the service desk, ask for an explanation, put on hold why he checks with the workshop, workshop not answering so he’ll keep trying and call me back.
16:00, Still nothing! I call them. Was just about to ring me (like f***!). Apparently I now need a new gearbox! No he doesn’t know what’s wrong with it (not surprised by this point). How long will this take I ask, still waiting to hear back from LR on when they can get a replacement and will know tomorrow. So I’m not a happy bunny but I keep my temper and tell him that as they’re obviously going to have the car for a while they can get the alloy sorted out, he agrees. Ask about the case with LR for the seat, haven’t raised one yet, advised him that that wasn’t the right answer and to get on and do it.
So I’m expecting a call back tomorrow when I’ll find out how long I have to wait for a new gearbox and to find out what LR say about the seat. Bets on me having to call them anyone?
Si The End
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 21st Jul 2005 11:05 pm |
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KL
Member Since: 16 Jun 2005
Location: Gilling, nr York
Posts: 713
  
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I'm hoping that tomorrow brings a nice warm satisfied feeling as all your problems are promptly resolved.
However I suspect that you might be in for a bit of a battle here and this thread become a mega page monster.
Good luck! Discovery 3 tdv6 7 seat Buckingham Blue
Had it since new - sold Jun 17 after 12 years and 214,000 miles
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| 21st Jul 2005 11:11 pm |
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Martin
Site Admin and Owner
Member Since: 06 Nov 2004
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 18563
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No, sorry Si I can't imagine you angry 
Sorry to hear they're messing you about, and that they've killed your gearbox. Very strange. Also that they're being a typical dealer and breaking promises and being useless.
Have been impressed by the two I've been into recently, but reports like this show that there are still issues in the dealer network 
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| 21st Jul 2005 11:11 pm |
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freeflytim
Member Since: 18 Feb 2005
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Posts: 297
  
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| Re: So the saga begins.... |
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Im secure enough in my manlyhood to let the gears change themselves.
 Wa Hoo
-Tim
Chattanooga Tennessee USA
D3 V8HSE7HD
D1 kitted trail truck.
A Hummer is just a Hummer. A Land Rover goes all the way.
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| 22nd Jul 2005 1:27 am |
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simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296
 
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Slimer,
Sorry to hear your woes mate !!!
Time to name and shame the dealer ? or threaten too on the site... over 200 members will hear about them and possibly avoid there services and potentially purchase from them.
Keep us posted.
-s
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| 22nd Jul 2005 5:56 am |
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BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
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Si, quite rediculous. The seat issue is simple really to start, stand there as they write out the issue and take the issue number. I would also supply them with a written notice as to why you find it not good. I did have one other advantage, before I actually purchased the car I did say to the dealer that I was not happy with the seat for high distances and could they locate another seat or put an electric one in from a higher spec D3.
The dealer tried to, but failed as it did not fit into LR's system. They even tried to get a left hand drivers seat for the passenger as it has no adjustment and my guys need it in both seats. I purchased the vehicle as I needed a LR for its capabilites. I also had some luck that my dealer also suffered back problems from his demo D3 'S', which I found out later.
My points were simple:
1 After driving about 150 miles, the first time I drove any distance in one go in the D3, my spine, knees and ankles hurt due to pressure the seat caused. When I returned from the run to Italy I could hardly walk the day after, that was abround 3000 miles in long stages.
2 I purchased the car to drive long distance, carry heavy loads and be a work horse, to this point due to the seat, I have not been able to use it as such. (I had the additional pressure of course of cancelling my July orders).
3 The pressure was caused because I like to have the seat high, that is why I bought the car. As an off road vehicle a high view point is needed.
4 If I place the seat where I do not get pressure, i.e very low then I cannot see which means I cannot drive the vehicle safely. Should I have an accident I could be prosecuted.
5 The first principles a driving instructor lays down to a pupil is that the seat MUST be adjusted for:
a) Vision
b) Control
c) Comfort.
The D3 'S' fails in all counts in my case.
Re the gearbox, mine is very stiff first thing in reverse, but then all Landys have been like that and I have grown used to it. But to take your car in for an oil change and in one day require a new gearbox, either means the garage needs looking at, some heavy mechanic has been out in the car giving it grief to find the problem or they have tried to adjust something and failed. My guess is the mechanic.
Hope this helps.
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| 22nd Jul 2005 6:57 am |
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Slimer
Site Moderator
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295
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simon wrote:Time to name and shame the dealer ? or threaten too on the site... over 200 members will hear about them and possibly avoid there services and potentially purchase from them.
I've already named them on another thread and shall do so again in much larger letters if I don't get results. They are not my most local dealer but were the only one offering a decent discount which is why I ordered the car through them. Once these issues are resolved I won't be using them again
Cheers
Si The End
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| 22nd Jul 2005 7:33 am |
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Slimer
Site Moderator
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295
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BN wrote:Re the gearbox, mine is very stiff first thing in reverse, but then all Landys have been like that and I have grown used to it. But to take your car in for an oil change and in one day require a new gearbox, either means the garage needs looking at, some heavy mechanic has been out in the car giving it grief to find the problem or they have tried to adjust something and failed. My guess is the mechanic.
Agreed, I have serious doubts about their mechanical skills. My D3 was (is?) so bad that it wouldn't go into reverse at all sometimes which is why something needed to be done about it, I expected this to just be a minor adjustment. I shall be putting pressure on them to find out exactly what is wrong with the gearbox to require replacement
Si The End
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| 22nd Jul 2005 7:38 am |
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Winger
Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
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Beyond the most mundane gearbox related tasks, it seems that anything that is possibly internal immediately results in a gearbox change.
I had a similar issue with the gearbox on my D2. It was fine cold, or driving around on short runs, but a long sustained spell in 5th on a motorway resulted in the change becoming so stiff that you almost couldn't get it out of 5th gear.
That will be the spring selectors on top of the gearbox, I was told. Sure enough, in the beast went and the springs were found to be broken and the selector unit was replaced. Didn't make a jot of difference - so God knows what they actually found. So, back it went and the long and short was a replacement gearbox.
These are only reconditioned at factory level - main dealers, apparently, don't take them apart any longer. Add to that, the D3 box is sealed for life.....
There must be some degree of shift gate adjustment, and it sounds more likely that the mechanic has over compensated in some way......
As for dealers, my experience of a number of different main dealers suggests to me that the further into the sticks the dealer is, the better they are.
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| 22nd Jul 2005 7:57 am |
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Winger
Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
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Oh, and mine is tough to get into reverse, but am working on the principal that it will ease with use.
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| 22nd Jul 2005 7:58 am |
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martin4x4
Member Since: 23 May 2005
Location: Norfolk, UK
Posts: 362
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If you are not happy with the service provided by the dealer you bought the car from why not use another one?
I have had warranty work done by LR dealers on my Defender, which I bought in Germany, in the UK and Switzerland without any quibbles at all.
The best service I get is from my local LR agent in Frienbach, nr Zurich. This is a 3 mechanic, 1 salesman garage -- not a 'posh' showroom set up.
The worst was in Germany where the LR dealer was also the BMW dealer although in different premises. Every time I went there, which was quite often with a tdi300, the mechanics were different. They did not have a clue about Land Rovers - if you know what I mean! Discovery 3 XS Auto, Stornaway, Active rear diff.
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| 22nd Jul 2005 9:06 am |
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NightFox
Member Since: 02 Apr 2005
Location: Bedfordshire
Posts: 125
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I often find that service departments are totally out of touch with reality, like the way they frequently just presume that despite the fact you have spent £30-£40k+ on a vehicle, you don't actually need one.
I have lost track of the number of times I have left my vehicle at a dealer for the day, without a courtesy car, having made alternative arrangments, only to ring them at the end of the day to check all is ready only to be casually told "we need to do such-and-such, so it'll now be ready tomorrow"
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| 22nd Jul 2005 12:25 pm |
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BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
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I had that a lot before I changed dealer. I know tell them I want a company car before the service or repair and if it is not ready, I have a car. Having said that my dealer gives a car out just to go shopping if you want whilst waiting for service  .
One of the difficulties I find is that if you get a good sales department, you get a lousy service department and visa versa.
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| 22nd Jul 2005 12:29 pm |
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Slimer
Site Moderator
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295
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Winger wrote:Oh, and mine is tough to get into reverse, but am working on the principal that it will ease with use.
Exactly what I was doing but as after over 4000 miles it seemed to be getting worse so I decided (foolishly it seems) to get it sorted out
martin4x4 wrote:If you are not happy with the service provided by the dealer you bought the car from why not use another one?
This is the first time I've taken the car back to them and it'll be the last
Si The End
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| 22nd Jul 2005 12:44 pm |
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Slimer
Site Moderator
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295
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So I spoke to the dealer again today and yes I did have to phone them, twice!
They now think that I may not need a new gearbox, it may be something to do with a cross-threaded bolt. It didn't make a lot of sense but they're going to work on it tomorrow morning and let me know.
This may or not be good news, if it is just that I'll get the car back quicker but what other damage has been done I wonder? How will they fix it, re-cut the thread and use an over-size bolt maybe? What impact could/will this have in the future? When was it cross-threaded, at the factory or by the dealer?
Whatever the outcome I'm going to get them to document exactly what the problem was and what was done it fix it, including what parts have been repaired or replaced and where exactly they fit on the vehicle. I don't want this coming back to haunt me in 4 or 5 years time when the warranty has expired
Si
Hopeful but Frustrated
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| 22nd Jul 2005 11:18 pm |
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