Member Since: 12 Aug 2010
Location: Fife
Posts: 2061
Is Land Rover just a Bit 'Ratner' these days... Discuss!
So Today we see Kate The Queen in waiting driving a Land Rover 'Off Road' (while pregnant,, oh how so very irresponsible.. will she endure the wrath of Netmums..)
Is Land Rover just kind of loosing it?
I Now see no vehicles I personally would want to buy, even IF I could afford them.. Unreliable (as ever?) bloated Euro (designed by committee and the PC brigade) boxes that are Fuggly and over priced for what they are (IMHO)..
Its all gone Yummy Mummy/School Run/Gangsta wanna b stylee...
A Land Rover owner used to be all about hard work, perspiration and making mechanics out of owners..(reliability ass never a strong point when you think about it really was it? )
They appear to be marketing to Aspiration, brand driven, Selfie obsessed, Yummy Mummy, Never be debt free Wannabe brigade..
Has LR gone a bit Ratners?? Too Often companies forget their core consumers, people who put them there, focus on the 18-35ys old ABC1 demographic (other corporate can be used..)
So is it just me..
Am I just getting to be a grumpy old man with a (last of the proper) Land Rover 1 TR6 Rusting away quietly
1 FARR UTV SOLD
1 International Harvester SOLD
7 x D3 all SOLD
2 x D4 both SOLD
1 x Mrs D4 'Panther' SOLD
1 x Outlander van SOLD
1 continual stream of car parts and me living in the garage...
Last edited by G_Cam on 22nd Nov 2017 9:29 pm. Edited 1 time in total
22nd Nov 2017 9:05 pm
sean 471
Member Since: 26 Apr 2011
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 2990
Just a thought but the discovery is such more comfortable car than the defender and I wonder what the opinion was by some of the defender diehards on the discovery.
22nd Nov 2017 9:08 pm
Tanglewood
Member Since: 27 Feb 2011
Location: Wilts
Posts: 1376
You dont want to know!!
22nd Nov 2017 9:32 pm
euangibson
Member Since: 24 Dec 2010
Location: Borders
Posts: 11027
My personal belief is that every model across the range is about £10k - £15k overpriced....just my opinion and I’m sure others will diasagree"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool,than to speak out and remove all doubt" ?.....what rubbish...
Locking rear E-diff
RLD spare wheel protector & sump guard
Extended roof rails
Series 111 mudflaps
Black side tubes,grill and vents
Timed climate remote
Hids4u interior lights
D4 Firenze my2012 HSE
D3 Java 2005 SE manual (sold,sadly,thanks for the memories)
1966 '88 Series 2a....still starts in the morning better than I do...
I am a Defender die hard after 30 + years of driving and owning them lol.
I always kept away from the disco 1, 2 even after driving a 2 on its launch down green lanes for a press release.
Then at 53 i bought a disco 3.
Do i love it yes.
Will it replace the defender in my life.
Hard to say.
I use the 3 as i do a defender, yes chuck engine's in back, stone sand, anything, not that fussed it's a bloody Land Rover.
It goes off Road, Green Laning, towing what ever i need it to, when i need it to.
Its kept clean, fully serviced, wants for nothing.
It's not highly polished every week, and detailed like some are.
It's a Land Rover, and used like a Land Rover!!!!
I may be wrong.
After the D4, i can't see the new line up being used in the same way.
Regards
Ray
__________________
2012 Discovery 4 XS
Fuji White
22nd Nov 2017 9:42 pm
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
I used to work at Ratner's in Brighton....Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Unless I go down the high mileage second hand route, I'll never be able to afford another Discovery... ------------------------------
"Ruby"
Rimini Red 06MY TDV6 S
Xenons, Bright Pack, Climate Pack,
BAS Magic Box and Remap
ITG Air Filter
ERG's Blanked (Woody32)
Huge Permagrin
Member Since: 12 Aug 2010
Location: Fife
Posts: 2061
My own personal opinion was that both had and still have their place.. I'm just not sure where all the Models now fit in.. ie all in the same upper quartile of Desirable, elite, NON workhorse for everyday folks who need a 4x41 TR6 Rusting away quietly
1 FARR UTV SOLD
1 International Harvester SOLD
7 x D3 all SOLD
2 x D4 both SOLD
1 x Mrs D4 'Panther' SOLD
1 x Outlander van SOLD
1 continual stream of car parts and me living in the garage...
22nd Nov 2017 10:09 pm
Tanglewood
Member Since: 27 Feb 2011
Location: Wilts
Posts: 1376
Hence the reason why I have flown the nest. I feel positively liberated!
Last edited by Tanglewood on 22nd Nov 2017 10:25 pm. Edited 1 time in total
22nd Nov 2017 10:11 pm
Vanguard
Member Since: 18 Mar 2006
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 127
The problem as I see it is the company can't produce too many utility vehicles or they will be uneconomic. If they go to the other extreme and produce too many luxury euroboxes they can potentially make lots of money but they risk losing their USP and possibly become uncompetitive especially re price v quality. The issue is getting the balance right. Have they got it right? I'm not convinced but lets wait until we see the new Defender.
22nd Nov 2017 10:12 pm
G_Cam
Member Since: 12 Aug 2010
Location: Fife
Posts: 2061
The Utility market is a very interesting point.. Around here it looks like a lot of the 'Core' consumers of Land Rover of the past decades are ALL now driving Toyota Hilux/Ford Ranger/Isuzu Rodeo these days...1 TR6 Rusting away quietly
1 FARR UTV SOLD
1 International Harvester SOLD
7 x D3 all SOLD
2 x D4 both SOLD
1 x Mrs D4 'Panther' SOLD
1 x Outlander van SOLD
1 continual stream of car parts and me living in the garage...
22nd Nov 2017 10:31 pm
Red Merle
Member Since: 30 Aug 2014
Location: Liskeard
Posts: 7441
The original question is one that is often posed by people that do okay out of buying used Land Rovers and running them into various stages of old age. Nothing wrong with that of course, although when they start ripping in to those that buy the new ones, it grates a bit!
Land Rover have to make their living out of selling new ones and building a utility vehicle to suit owner number 2, 3 or 4 isn’t going to get them anywhere, especially when a decent utility vehicle for people who don’t give a stuff what they (or their employees) drive and it can be built for <2/3rds of the price by any number of Far East manufacturers.
To be able to sell at a price that means that the can design and manufacture in the U.K., they’ve got little choice but to build a car that justifies the high price and that’s going to mean something that’s cutting edge that will sell against the (so called) Premium stuff from Germany.
I’m not wealthy, but I managed to buy what I wanted new through sheer dedication (and a degree of madness!); I hope I don’t fit in with any of those generalisations about people that buy them new 2011 - 2015: 3 x FL2
2015 - 2017: 2 x D4
2017 to date: FFRR SDV8
2023 to date: 2 x FL2 as “second” cars 🙄
2021 to date: Hinckley built ‘14 Triumph Trophy 1200
2022 to date: Hinckley built ‘14 Triumph Trophy 1200 & sidecar!
(One of only two known to exist in the world!)
22nd Nov 2017 11:02 pm
tayaste
Member Since: 15 May 2013
Location: Chester
Posts: 7633
But, they haven’t got a clue how to ‘Build in Quality’.
22nd Nov 2017 11:24 pm
Mr.Tom
Member Since: 01 Jun 2014
Location: St Neots
Posts: 1641
Talking to some LRE chaps the other day, they claimed LR market research said that only 10% of D3 and D4 owners would move to a D5 in the first year.
I suspect this is correct, they are changing the demographic as they compete for a wider and more profitable market.
I suspect I am not alone in not wanting a D5, it doesn’t appeal, looks like everything else, boot compromised compared to D4, etc however the LRE blokes also stated the the Defender replacement which should be launched next year and available to own the year after would be what floats my boat.
They claimed it will be like a D4 on steroids but based on the RRS or similar chassis. Let’s wait and see. It’s one of the reasons I got a runout model D4....Sill protection - LED internal lights - LED reverse lights - boot liner - Dog Guard - Rock sliders
MY12 D4 HSE - been and gome
MY16 D4 Landmark
22nd Nov 2017 11:31 pm
G_Cam
Member Since: 12 Aug 2010
Location: Fife
Posts: 2061
I was not ripping in to new buyers.. My question was who are Land Rover marketing their Products at?
Everyone is free to choose to buy what the like (Although Marketing companies and product placement specialists may argue that point with me?)
LR have changed the Demographics of the 'typical' target buyer (which you are not I am sure). Long term die-hards are being replaced with many owners who are more 'fickle' and play more to celebrity endorsement and on trend things. This might just be the New world of consumerism... a different world.. not right or wrong.. just different! It could be they are SPOT ON.. After all us oldies are, by definition, a dying breed...
In my own opinion.. Be it New OR in 5, 10 or 15 years from now I would personally not purchase any of the current Land Rover range. I might be a bit traditional .. hence my question... Is it Just me? But I look around and see many of the locals that used to Drive Land Rovers are just NOT buying them now.. (overpriced, poor service, poor reliability, not up to the job etc.. usually being the apparent reasons)
Moving your consumer base IS OK .. however its generally best to try and take people with you as well as trying to retain the core purchasers. And you can grow the new markets etc.. Many companies are very good at this through development and acquisition.
I can think of some great marketing and some poor marketing.. Im just wondering where everyone thinks LR are at right now...1 TR6 Rusting away quietly
1 FARR UTV SOLD
1 International Harvester SOLD
7 x D3 all SOLD
2 x D4 both SOLD
1 x Mrs D4 'Panther' SOLD
1 x Outlander van SOLD
1 continual stream of car parts and me living in the garage...
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