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DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
  
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agreed. Ive never used Stratstones, but when I called round dealers to get a quote for a new D4 recently I didn't even bother to call Stratstones as a result of all the bad reputation they get on here.
I would never take my car to them for servicing either. the power of the internet, and they seem to be on the wrong side of it !! Duncan
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If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide
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 19th May 2014 10:17 pm |
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Beretta
Member Since: 11 Oct 2012
Location: Rochdale
Posts: 1180
 
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I had various messages left with the garage, emails sent and 'heated' discussions in the dealership, I also had Liam from here working hard to help resolve my issues. It was all very much one way though.
The final thing that got me an invitation into the service managers office was me walking around the showroom with my iphone on loud speaker talking with trading standards.
When I got into the managers office I put two options on the table.
1) resolve my issues
2) i will reject the car as unsafe, and I want my part exchange back.
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| 20th May 2014 1:22 pm |
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Dickbrowne
Member Since: 23 Apr 2014
Location: Newport Pagnell
Posts: 144
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Please excuse the short post - I'm on my ipad, but will give a longer update when I get a real keyboard 
Mail sent to dealer, cc to dealer principle on Monday night. Call from sales manager 7:15 Tuesday am. Spoke to service manager at 9:30 and he inspected the car and agreed to the bodywork repairs, and also confirmed that pureguard hadn't been applied as purchased - more on this later
Thank you for all the replies, it's good to know I'm not alone!
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| 21st May 2014 7:53 am |
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F355GTS
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: North Hampshire
Posts: 849
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Just to add I'd never use them again having foolishly done so with a certain premium Italian brand, simply shocking attitude that seemingly must stem from the top Mark
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| 21st May 2014 8:04 am |
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Discotres
Member Since: 25 Jan 2010
Location: London
Posts: 8491
 
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I can't believe that Stratstones are still permitted to be a forum sponsor having read all of this, if people power can do anything it can banish companies like this so that in the end the people at the top get the message. Problem seems to be it is at the top so they need hit in their pocket, I for one will never use them after reading this.
Sometimes you need to stand by principles, why allow them to flog their wares including abysmal service on the forum to more unsuspecting forum members?  If any old rogue company can advertise on here subject to paying then it could be seen as an income earner, rather than a vetted service for members meaning companies need to earn the right to advertise here and more importantly forum members can trust them! I know income is important to fund the forum but I for one would rather we helped in other ways and kept standards high.
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| 21st May 2014 8:24 am |
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Discotres
Member Since: 25 Jan 2010
Location: London
Posts: 8491
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As far as I am concerned I have read enough, bunch of shysters in my opinion if what has been posted is the truth.
What has happened (that has been posted on here) is unacceptable and from what has been said its not the first time, I would expect the boss of Stratstones to post on here and explain fully what has happened and apologise to those concerned or kick Stratstones off, that will soon get the message across.
It works both ways, good service should be praised and companies who offer great service promoted, but the bad, boot them out!
This IS the ELITE LR Discovery forum in the world, keep standards high, make people earn the right to advertise on here 
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| 21st May 2014 8:45 am |
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Dickbrowne
Member Since: 23 Apr 2014
Location: Newport Pagnell
Posts: 144
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I do agree with you Mikey - there are people at the extreme ends of the satisfied/dissatisfied curve who feel strongly enough to make comment, there are many times more in between who really couldn't be bothered.
If you think about your TV at home, chances are that you're happy with it, just happy, nothing more and nothing less. As a result of this state of mind, you are unlikely to mention it on the internet to people you don't really know.
This is the state I am in with just about everything I own and surround myself with. It takes a really good or bad experience to convince me to get off my carcass and make the effort to comment, sadly my experience in this case has given me cause.
That said, when the experience is turned around, I will also mention that - I feel I owe the people working at Stratstones, and the company itself that much.
I've worked with some very likeable and charming people during this process - the salesperson I dealt with, his manager, the service adviser and her manager have all been very good, when I can get hold of them, and that's where it all falls down.
Being charitable, I'm assuming that there is so much business running through the dealership that there are just too few hours in the day to return all of the calls, and as for the limit of £350 to prepare a car, I can't comment on that, but the fact is that this dealer, along all others, is there to make money and I'm sure that there are discretionary limits. That's sensible business practice.
When I manage to speak to the right person, the job gets done and, with the exception of the transfer box seal, it has been done without question. Even the bodywork damage, without proof that the damage had been caused during their time of responsibility.
It's a shame that the good points of their customer care package are shadowed by the frustration of not being able to make contact.
There's another issue, one which I am going to open a thread in the general section about as I feel it's worth bringing to the attention of all potential customers of all dealerships, and not just Land Rover ones, at that.
I bought the PureGuard package when I bought the car. When I collected it, I didn't think the protection had been applied and it was confirmed that it hadn't been applied correctly. I dropped the car in for remedial work, and requested that PureGuard be applied whilst the car was in the workshop, upon collection I was told that it hadn't been applied as I hadn't given them enough time (it was sat in the workshop for an entire day with nothing happening to it, so I dispute this). It went back last week for the transfer box seal to be replaced. I asked to collect the car myself after my short holiday so I could inspect the car. It was delivered back to my house, which was nice, but not what I requested. The email sent to confirm the delivery also confirmed that the PureGuard had been applied.
Imagine my dissapointment when I opened the door and found no tell-tale odour of application, no accesory pack and no guarantee paperwork. Further investigation eventually revealed the truth. If you pay for the full PureGuard package (as I did) then the paintwork is properly protected (let's leave out of the convversation wether you personally consider it worthwhile, if it works, is it worth the money etc), the interior is also protected and the pack and paperwork are left.
If, however, you negotiate the protection into your deal when buying the car, you get a lower-level of paint protection, and that's it. No more.
That's what I got - I do believe that the reason I didn't get the full package was entirely due to lack of communication between the workshop and sales, but had I not known what to expect, I would have accepted the job had been done properly and not investigated further - effectively paying for a service which I didn't receive.
I question how many people have paid for paint protection systems and only got a cursory application such as would be thrown in for free if negotiated for hard enough.
In summary, there are many points of frustration in my deal, many points where small points are blown out of all proportion, but almost without exception a decent level of communication would have stopped the frustration in its tracks.
Succesful they may be, but neglecting customers will limit that success, and probably curtail it also.
What saves the day every time is the car - simply driving it is enough to convice me that I have made the right decision, and long may that continue.
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| 21st May 2014 3:45 pm |
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