Main dealer experience

Main dealer experience

Author
Discussion

Nick928

Original Poster:

347 posts

156 months

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
Frankly shocking.
The sales experience is good but servicing is absolutely dreadful.
Coming from mainly BMW I’d assumed JLR would be a similar level of service and customer experience if not slightly more premium.
After waiting two months for the local dealer to take a look at a problem (under warranty) they cancelled the appointment on the Friday for the Monday drop off.
A bit short notice but they gave the reason of staff sickness so it is what is. Rebooked for another month down the line, dropped the vehicle off only to be told by the service advisor there’s a bit of a rollover of work from the previous day due to staff sickness (bit of a theme emerging here!) so might need the vehicle for two days.
No courtesy car was available unless I was willing to wait yet another month so taxi required.
No communication at the end of the second day so rang to be told they haven’t even looked at it and may not manage to look tomorrow (Friday) either.
So a three month wait, been without a car for three days and looking at getting a taxi back tomorrow to reclaim the car and still no repair in sight.
How can this be even remotely acceptable for any brand, nevermind something that claims to be premium.

I’m now in a position of having a nearly new vehicle with next to no realistic main dealer service

Of all the talk of Jaguar being pensioned off due to poor sales I’d suggest the problems are predominantly as a result of frankly shocking levels of service.
I’m beginning to wonder if buying a Jaguar might have been a very bad choice.
It’s a shame as the P450 is a cracking car.

Edited by Nick928 on Thursday 9th May 19:49

jagseven

199 posts

227 months

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
I’m a Jaguar fan having owned many jags over the years but unfortunately I have to agree - the service experience has been ok at best and often very disappointing.
I’m sure there must be some good dealerships out there but I’ve yet to find one.
One example - had to wait 2 months for an appointment in order to get a courtesy car (told no charge for courtesy car but they tried to charge me). Then when time came to pick up car I was told “no fault found”. Had to wait 10minutes for technician to come out to car - I demonstrated fault immediately - car has to be re-booked in several weeks later. Hopeless.
Thank goodness the cars are so good!

Edited by jagseven on Thursday 9th May 20:33

nordboy

1,510 posts

51 months

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
I gave up on main dealer years ago. Mine now goes to an independant for it's servicing etc.

My local Jag dealer has just opened up a massive brand new dealership which must have cost a pretty penny. No way am I taking it there for sub standard customer service and top prices to fund said new building.

PhilkSVR

886 posts

49 months

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
I use an independent because they have serviced my cars previously and I trust them. I have Jaguar warranty but I prefer to stick with what I know.

Simpo Two

85,754 posts

266 months

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
The last time I went to a Jaguar dealer they fixed one sensor but broke another. The former service manager had been replaced by four girls at computers who knew nothing and a young man who was more interested in plying me with coffee and a selection of cakes than fixing my car.

The time before that they broke the power steering while doing something else and said 'It was like that when you brought it in'. No it fking wasn't.

OP - find a good independent.

Main dealers exist to sell cars; anything else they're competent at is a bonus IMHO.

ninepoint2

3,327 posts

161 months

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
My son's recent experience of dealing with a JLR dealer would put me off using them for life, and I thought Audi were bad biggrin

Dodsy

7,173 posts

228 months

Thursday 9th May
quotequote all
Im on my 3rd Jag and other than warranty work i wouldnt touch them . Hourly rate that made my jaw drop when i saw a warranty invoice .

Plenty of jag specialists around if there is a tricky issue and i just use my a local small garage for servicing.

My personal favourite , car booked in (waited a month) for auto stop start not working under warranty. After having it a full day they gave the car back and told me ‘the auto stop start doesnt work’ and charged IIRC £240 for this.

Booked back in a month later to fix the problem but after 2 days they couldnt work out what was wrong. I told them it was most likely battery replacement as its 5 years old and battery has a 5 year lifespan. New battery problem solved.

They were prepared to give me the car back with the problem ‘not able to fix’

akirk

5,406 posts

115 months

Friday 10th May
quotequote all
The sales department of the dealer (Nr London) where I bought my f-type were awful…

The service department at Cribbs Causeway N. Bristol were fantastic including at one point turning up on my drive after hours to make sure I was happy with something they had done… all depends on the franchise…

reddiesel

2,003 posts

48 months

Friday 10th May
quotequote all
Pretty crap all round in my experience , the last positive experience was with RE Cremer many years ago . I think these Dealerships now see the motorist who simply buys and services a car as an inconvenience . The whole Business now seems to be geared to the Leasing Market where high prices can be charged and the continuity of work guaranteed . Jardine Milton Keynes was my worst experience , not only useless but obnoxious as well .

Nick928

Original Poster:

347 posts

156 months

Saturday 11th May
quotequote all
akirk said:
The sales department of the dealer (Nr London) where I bought my f-type were awful…

The service department at Cribbs Causeway N. Bristol were fantastic including at one point turning up on my drive after hours to make sure I was happy with something they had done… all depends on the franchise…
Strangely enough Cribbs Causeway was the subject of my original post.

Edited by Nick928 on Saturday 11th May 19:49

akirk

5,406 posts

115 months

Sunday 12th May
quotequote all
Nick928 said:
akirk said:
The sales department of the dealer (Nr London) where I bought my f-type were awful…

The service department at Cribbs Causeway N. Bristol were fantastic including at one point turning up on my drive after hours to make sure I was happy with something they had done… all depends on the franchise…
Strangely enough Cribbs Causeway was the subject of my original post.

Edited by Nick928 on Saturday 11th May 19:49
How strange - they were superb with me - always the offer of a rental car (Europcar will deliver one to the door and you can abandon it there afterwards) if no courtesy car free… shows how different experiences can be…

Nick928

Original Poster:

347 posts

156 months

Monday 13th May
quotequote all
akirk said:
Nick928 said:
akirk said:
The sales department of the dealer (Nr London) where I bought my f-type were awful…

The service department at Cribbs Causeway N. Bristol were fantastic including at one point turning up on my drive after hours to make sure I was happy with something they had done… all depends on the franchise…
Strangely enough Cribbs Causeway was the subject of my original post.

Edited by Nick928 on Saturday 11th May 19:49
How strange - they were superb with me - always the offer of a rental car (Europcar will deliver one to the door and you can abandon it there afterwards) if no courtesy car free… shows how different experiences can be…
I was told it was a two month wait if I didn’t need a courtesy car, three months if I did.
As it turned out they cancelled the first appointment so I had to wait three months anyway and still no CC.

akirk

5,406 posts

115 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
Nick928 said:
akirk said:
Nick928 said:
akirk said:
The sales department of the dealer (Nr London) where I bought my f-type were awful…

The service department at Cribbs Causeway N. Bristol were fantastic including at one point turning up on my drive after hours to make sure I was happy with something they had done… all depends on the franchise…
Strangely enough Cribbs Causeway was the subject of my original post.

Edited by Nick928 on Saturday 11th May 19:49
How strange - they were superb with me - always the offer of a rental car (Europcar will deliver one to the door and you can abandon it there afterwards) if no courtesy car free… shows how different experiences can be…
I was told it was a two month wait if I didn’t need a courtesy car, three months if I did.
As it turned out they cancelled the first appointment so I had to wait three months anyway and still no CC.
Assume your car is on a JLR warranty? Mine was.

There was always a huge difference between phoning the official service dept. number which takes you through to a Jardine call centre where they book you in 2 or 3 months ahead... v. calling directly to the service folks in the office by the service dept. where generally there was a slot in the next day or two... I was lucky to build a good relationship with one of the staff there who was assiduous in looking after me proactively...

Nick928

Original Poster:

347 posts

156 months

Wednesday 15th May
quotequote all
akirk said:
Nick928 said:
akirk said:
Nick928 said:
akirk said:
The sales department of the dealer (Nr London) where I bought my f-type were awful…

The service department at Cribbs Causeway N. Bristol were fantastic including at one point turning up on my drive after hours to make sure I was happy with something they had done… all depends on the franchise…
Strangely enough Cribbs Causeway was the subject of my original post.

Edited by Nick928 on Saturday 11th May 19:49
How strange - they were superb with me - always the offer of a rental car (Europcar will deliver one to the door and you can abandon it there afterwards) if no courtesy car free… shows how different experiences can be…
I was told it was a two month wait if I didn’t need a courtesy car, three months if I did.
As it turned out they cancelled the first appointment so I had to wait three months anyway and still no CC.
Assume your car is on a JLR warranty? Mine was.

There was always a huge difference between phoning the official service dept. number which takes you through to a Jardine call centre where they book you in 2 or 3 months ahead... v. calling directly to the service folks in the office by the service dept. where generally there was a slot in the next day or two... I was lucky to build a good relationship with one of the staff there who was assiduous in looking after me proactively...
Yes it’s under the JLR warranty but I’ve been dealing directly with Sytner service dept.
They did manage to look at it after three days (Friday) but I’m still waiting on the warranty work to be authorised.
I’ll give them a few more days and chase it up.