Any good experience with a Land Rover Salesman?

[RJE1966]

BoostMonkey said:

DO NOT what ever you do go to Guy Salmon Staford-Upon-Avon.

Persistent lying, and its took many heated phone calls (to business mangaer/ sales manager / dealer principal) to get a delivery date near what they promised when we originally ordered the RRS.

Over the past 10 years, we will not be going back to:
1) Stratstone Solihull - Uninterested sales staff "we don't need your business our order book is full"
Service side is very good and we use if for both the Freely and current RRS
2) Colliers Birmingham - Absolute shysters - Even LR customers service could not get them to fix the issue, and send us to Strastone Solihull to get the issues sorted.
3) Guy Salmon Coventry - Shocking sales service and almost lynched the transfer box by forgetting to fill it with oil.... Thank goodness I check all vehicle's from top to bottom after a service
4) Guy Salmon - Stratford - As above, current sales experience is shocking. If I could go to another dealer and get the same July build date I would.

I'm running out of LR dealers in the Midlands.

Compared to my experience at Skoda, BMW, Porsche Lotus & Ironically Jaguar they highlight all LR problems, and make me want to buy something else.

Even the guys at the LR Experience know the dealers are utter crap, and just say hang in there the cars are worth it.

Edited by BoostMonkey on Thursday 22 May 14:40

I've not been on here for some time, I know it wasn't your intention, but I feel relieved reading this, I had begun to feel that it was me. Colliers Erdington have ignored, looked at me as if I'm a peasant for wanting to set a max for finance terms, turned up for a pre booked test drive to be greeted with 'sorry, haven't got time, can you wait an hour or so?'.

Booked another with another salesman, he seemed 'better' but has failed to respond to my emails and on reflection telling me to go and have a play with the online spec-er when I started asking about options isn't perhaps the best way forward.

He also replied when I commented that I had not had a good experience before that his sales director gets quite vocal with the salesmen and accuses them of being order takers and not sales men.

I think he may have a point.

Guy Salmon Coventry weren't any better, trying to renegotiate the agreed P-ex on the day I arrived to collect the new car, told them to pi55 off, so annoyed.

[Eleven]

At the risk of appearing negative, most LR dealerships appear to be feckless in the extreme. However they are, I feel, a product of the manufacturer they work for who are dishonest, arrogant and useless in equal measure.

The products, in my experience, are pretty unreliable and always have a lengthy snagging list from new. I cannot fathom how they do so well on customer satisfaction surveys - can these things be fiddled?

However, when a Range Rover is working correctly there is nothing quite like it. Which is why I and presumably many other people keep buying them.

[BoostMonkey]

I feel like I've hit a nerve.

I was so pissed off after my order debacle (prior to them magically pulling out a build slot of a hat).
That I asked for the LR (Customer Care) complaints procedure, strangely they were not forthcoming with this request and completely ignored this part of my emails and phone calls.

My one concern is the trade-in of our current 2010 RRS, they have originally quoted 27k after full inspection.
I'm expecting a fight, but we are not taking a penny less. If they say more time has passed than what the quote would be valid for then, well that is there fault and they knew about the long order delay, but failed to communicate with this.

Of note to others, my best friend has just began work for JLR and was informed only last week (by the big big boss as he calls it) that the UK order book for the sport is now verging on 12 months...
US, Russian & Chinese orders are taking precedent as that is where they see the growth. No chance getting a UK car with the 5.0 SC as they are all destined for non-Eu. Until the Hotfire engine plants open, the UK is playing 2nd fiddle.

[bakerstreet]

Eleven said:

At the risk of appearing negative, most LR dealerships appear to be feckless in the extreme. However they are, I feel, a product of the manufacturer they work for who are dishonest, arrogant and useless in equal measure.

The products, in my experience, are pretty unreliable and always have a lengthy snagging list from new. I cannot fathom how they do so well on customer satisfaction surveys - can these things be fiddled?

However, when a Range Rover is working correctly there is nothing quite like it. Which is why I and presumably many other people keep buying them.

Errr...some of the satisfaction surveys have been far from glowing. DO you remember the Top Gear episode when Clarkson read a bit about LR. It read something like this:

'dealers were terrible and car riddled with problems'

'Would you buy another Land Rover?, Yes!'

I rest my case.

LR have been making a mess of it for years. I will never buy a new LR, but I find it quite interesting reading about people's buying experiences.

[2Hooky]

I also believe there is a two tier system on customer service, mainly that Defender owners get treated like crap (in the main) compared to RR Sports,etc. I have had bitter experience with both Stratstones and Guy Salmon who couldn't be bothered until RR Customer support were brought in. And regards complimentary gifts as a means of easing the pain with the vehicle with them for 5 weeks- bugger all!
very unimpressed!!!!!!!

[beoman69]

Lloyd landrover in carlisle really look after you,none of the big plc company crap,as they are family company.Decent deals to be had aswell.

Edited by eybic on Tuesday 17th June 13:09

[3Dee]

BoostMonkey said:

DO NOT what ever you do go to Guy Salmon Staford-Upon-Avon.

Persistent lying, and its took many heated phone calls (to business mangaer/ sales manager / dealer principal) to get a delivery date near what they promised when we originally ordered the RRS.

Over the past 10 years, we will not be going back to:
1) Stratstone Solihull - Uninterested sales staff "we don't need your business our order book is full"
Service side is very good and we use if for both the Freely and current RRS
2) Colliers Birmingham - Absolute shysters - Even LR customers service could not get them to fix the issue, and send us to Strastone Solihull to get the issues sorted.
3) Guy Salmon Coventry - Shocking sales service and almost lynched the transfer box by forgetting to fill it with oil.... Thank goodness I check all vehicle's from top to bottom after a service
4) Guy Salmon - Stratford - As above, current sales experience is shocking. If I could go to another dealer and get the same July build date I would.

I'm running out of LR dealers in the Midlands.

Compared to my experience at Skoda, BMW, Porsche Lotus & Ironically Jaguar they highlight all LR problems, and make me want to buy something else.

Even the guys at the LR Experience know the dealers are utter crap, and just say hang in there the cars are worth it.

Edited by BoostMonkey on Thursday 22 May 14:40

In total agreement with you. 6 years ago I bought a Disco from Guy Salmon, and the Sales and service were just 'OK'. Went back last year for a newish RRS, and got lied to by the Salesman in ref to pricing and I just didn't like his sneering demeanour, so batted over to Listers in Droitwich and it was like a breath of fresh air.. Helpful, attentive, couldn't do enough for me, realistic on price... explained how to get free servicing for the next 2 years and even went to his boss to try to get a better deal without being prompted or asking... I was impressed!

[Mustang Baz]

Positive experience here with Marshall Peterborough; I did not buy the car through them, but they have been good on servicing, found me a loaner at short notice when a warranty issue arose and respond quickly.

[georgewilliams]

3Dee said:

In total agreement with you. 6 years ago I bought a Disco from Guy Salmon, and the Sales and service were just 'OK'. Went back last year for a newish RRS, and got lied to by the Salesman in ref to pricing and I just didn't like his sneering demeanour, so batted over to Listers in Droitwich and it was like a breath of fresh air.. Helpful, attentive, couldn't do enough for me, realistic on price... explained how to get free servicing for the next 2 years and even went to his boss to try to get a better deal without being prompted or asking... I was impressed!

Iv just ordered a Disco at Listers Droitwich. So far they have been very attentive and they gave me a very good price over other dealerships.

[Phil.]

I have quite the opposite experience with Listers Droitwich. I get cold calls from their sales people, and they never follow up. Or I call/visit them, leave my details and they never follow up, even when it's obvious I'm about to place an order. The latest was yesterday, the receptionist couldn't wait to get me off the phone. No one was available so I sent a polite email to two named people. No response whatsoever. A couple of weeks ago they called me after I downloaded a brochure from LR and promised to provide me with a price for my trade against a new RR and never called back. I live 2 miles from them, pass them every day and in the past 3 years they have lost out on selling me a new Evoque, Discovery Sport, F-type, a nearly new FFRR and I am about to order a new FFRR. I assume Listers have sufficient business already to pay for their new shiny facia that they don't need mine. The person getting my business for the past few years is Andy Passey at Guy Salmon in Stratford upon Avon. Top guy, delivers what he says he will on time and is responsive throughout the buying process.

[Shaw Tarse]

georgewilliams said:

Iv just ordered a Disco at Listers Droitwich. So far they have been very attentive and they gave me a very good price over other dealerships.

Why the change of dealer?

[anonymous-user]

yeti said:

Mike North and Jeremy Jackson at Hadley Green in High Barnet having been nothing short of outstanding in sorting out a 110 for me. Nothing is too much trouble for them, great service.

+1 for JJ.

We've had three Discos in a row from him and will get our next from wherever he is too I suspect.

[mikeh501]

I bought a D4 from this chap and would highly recommend him. Very attentive throughout, very decent discounting, follow up calls, pickups and just couldnt do enough for me. Every single thing he promised on, he delivered. The best new car sales experience ive ever had. I live in Staffs and dealt with him via email and phone until day of pickup - so could have been high risk of going wrong, but it was all good.

Mohammad Gholami
Sales Executive

Beadles Land Rover Sidcup
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.beadles.co.uk

[jakesmith]

Just bought the wife an approved used Evoque and spoke to about 8-10 LR dealers, here are my observations

• Trade in ws truely terrible, sold privately in 1 week and got £4k more than trade offer - probably not a unique issue to LR though
• Tonbridge - the guy I dealt with - truely awful - hardly ever returned calls or followed through on things he said he'd do
• Cardif - never called back with a trade in value
• Lincoln - Really polite & helpful but turned out halfway through the transaction that the car I was buying had missed it's first service by 7000 miles & 12 months! No quibble onreturning my deosit though
• Huddersfield - Great service and sent flowers twice, once with the ca & once on my wife's due date 2 weeks later however forgot to service the car prior to delivery so am having to do that loclly which they are paying for again with no quibble but it's still hassle

By comparison the previous car I bought was a Porsche 911 from a well regarded independent specialist and I had a list of about 15 things I wanted done before taking posesion of the car and guess what, all done perfectly

[Rowley Birkin]

jakesmith said:

Just bought the wife an approved used Evoque and spoke to about 8-10 LR dealers, here are my observations

• Trade in ws truely terrible, sold privately in 1 week and got £4k more than trade offer - probably not a unique issue to LR though
• Tonbridge - the guy I dealt with - truely awful - hardly ever returned calls or followed through on things he said he'd do
• Cardif - never called back with a trade in value
• Lincoln - Really polite & helpful but turned out halfway through the transaction that the car I was buying had missed it's first service by 7000 miles & 12 months! No quibble onreturning my deosit though
• Huddersfield - Great service and sent flowers twice, once with the ca & once on my wife's due date 2 weeks later however forgot to service the car prior to delivery so am having to do that loclly which they are paying for again with no quibble but it's still hassle

By comparison the previous car I bought was a Porsche 911 from a well regarded independent specialist and I had a list of about 15 things I wanted done before taking posesion of the car and guess what, all done perfectly

Ah, what you experienced there was the difference in ethos between Porsche and Land Rover.

Porsche can be arrogant as hell, but they basically sell good quality products and put their dealers under immense pressure to make sure that customers get a good experience. Porsche understands that products don't breed loyal customers, a great experience of their product does.

Land Rover, on the other hand, is lazy, complacent, sells poorly assembled products (that are basically well designed) and broadly doesn't give a st that they have masses of failures. This ethos is shared with the dealer network, which in turn doesn't give a st about any sort of customer experience.

And yes, I have extensive experience of LR and Porsche.

[V40TC]

Stuart Hopkins Matford Land Rover Exeter
Best I have dealt with
the very worst being Lakeland Land Rover Names and Details are available if required.
this was some time ago
but I have a long memory and the person in question is still there.

[RammyMP]

jakesmith said:

Just bought the wife an approved used Evoque and spoke to about 8-10 LR dealers, here are my observations

• Trade in ws truely terrible, sold privately in 1 week and got £4k more than trade offer - probably not a unique issue to LR though
• Tonbridge - the guy I dealt with - truely awful - hardly ever returned calls or followed through on things he said he'd do
• Cardif - never called back with a trade in value
• Lincoln - Really polite & helpful but turned out halfway through the transaction that the car I was buying had missed it's first service by 7000 miles & 12 months! No quibble onreturning my deosit though
• Huddersfield - Great service and sent flowers twice, once with the ca & once on my wife's due date 2 weeks later however forgot to service the car prior to delivery so am having to do that loclly which they are paying for again with no quibble but it's still hassle

By comparison the previous car I bought was a Porsche 911 from a well regarded independent specialist and I had a list of about 15 things I wanted done before taking posesion of the car and guess what, all done perfectly

Bought the wife's Evoque from Huddersfield, they were very good, one or two hick ups but they sorted them out. I'd buy from them again.