Are Land Rover dealers struggling?
Discussion
Sheepshanks said:
Butter Face said:
No, it's franchised, but if the franchise wasn't making money, or expect to continue making money, they wouldn't be spending the small fortune they are!
Sure - but I wouldn't have expected someone in the business to say "JLR" in that case. Some brands do own some of their dealerships, but I didn't think JLR did.Apologies for the confusion though.
Sheepshanks said:
Butter Face said:
JLR near me are cracking on with a brand new 3500sqm showroom, costing many many millions. Obviously still making a lot of cash!
Genuine question - does JLR own the dealership? If not, then would they be investing in it directly?The group pulling out is indeed Stratstone/Pendragon hitherto the largest dealer group in the network but ben gradually unwinding and exiting individual sites over recent years.
Over approx 12 years we have had a Disco 3, three D4s and two FFRS and only one has had serious issues (the very first D3) the others have behaved very well.
The most difficult dealer to deal with has been Stratstone. The most enjoyable Grange.
JLR in general are finding the market tough. Discounts on Jaguars are huge (+30% available on some models). LR is faring better but the smaller stuff up to Velar can be discounted beyond 10% in some cases. The big stuff, Disco, RRS and FFRR you'll be lucky to get 4%.
Brooking10 said:
JLR have mandated that all dealers need to move towards a brand standard identity and that means upscale dual brand J and LR showrooms. If you want to keep selling the brands then you need to invest and fall into line. There is, I believe, some support being provided from JLR with this transition but it is nonetheless a very sizeable investment on behalf of the dealer groups.
The group pulling out is indeed Stratstone/Pendragon hitherto the largest dealer group in the network but ben gradually unwinding and exiting individual sites over recent years.
Over approx 12 years we have had a Disco 3, three D4s and two FFRS and only one has had serious issues (the very first D3) the others have behaved very well.
The most difficult dealer to deal with has been Stratstone. The most enjoyable Grange.
JLR in general are finding the market tough. Discounts on Jaguars are huge (+30% available on some models). LR is faring better but the smaller stuff up to Velar can be discounted beyond 10% in some cases. The big stuff, Disco, RRS and FFRR you'll be lucky to get 4%.
Interesting stuff. Stratstone are indeed very difficult to deal with on any level. It will mean though that the nearest place to get service (if it can be called that) will be some way away.The group pulling out is indeed Stratstone/Pendragon hitherto the largest dealer group in the network but ben gradually unwinding and exiting individual sites over recent years.
Over approx 12 years we have had a Disco 3, three D4s and two FFRS and only one has had serious issues (the very first D3) the others have behaved very well.
The most difficult dealer to deal with has been Stratstone. The most enjoyable Grange.
JLR in general are finding the market tough. Discounts on Jaguars are huge (+30% available on some models). LR is faring better but the smaller stuff up to Velar can be discounted beyond 10% in some cases. The big stuff, Disco, RRS and FFRR you'll be lucky to get 4%.
I use Grange in High Barnet for MRs AD's Ewok. The showroom is the business - glitzy furniture, fittings, lighting, easy-on-the-eye receptionist, expensive coffee machine etc. Regrettably it all rather falls to pieces when you approach the service desks manned by miserable blokes giving you the "Oi! You just spilled my beer" look.
audidoody said:
easy-on-the-eye receptionist, .
Our local Stratstone has had a few who believed they were easy on the eye, when in fact they looked like third-rate pole dancers. As is often the case with girls who take these jobs, they ate rather too many of the complementary biscuits and ballooned, but didn't want to invest in bigger dresses because the originals were lyrca anyway. So they waddled about like massive turkeys in six-inch stilettos, with outfits so tight they almost became transparent..
isv said:
Well as someone who arranged a test drive for a new Disco HSE recently and got to the dealer only to find they weren't expecting me I'd say they were s
t. Not only that they act like they are doing you a favour...plus piss poor discounts
Why do you expect a discount?t. Not only that they act like they are doing you a favour...plus piss poor discounts I can't see why dealers should be struggling. Here in the USA I know we just had the best ever October, up 43% from 2017. Both Sport and Disco had stellar months. Having said that we don't sell a lot of diesels so are unaffected by the issues relating to that sector and we don't have Brexit to deal with. (We do have Trump though...) Velar continues to perform well and the new Evoque will be huge when it arrives next year. All in all a good time to fly the flag for good old blighty.
Butter Face said:
JLR near me are cracking on with a brand new 3500sqm showroom, costing many many millions. Obviously still making a lot of cash!
Arch concept stores going up all over the USA too Butters. We have just demolished our old building and the new store is emerging before my eyes. Should be in by May. Can't wait!I had a road test in a RRS in August at our local dealership beginning with S
No follow up call at all.
Had a couple of more test drives and made my mind up to buy a new RRS , I made the mistake of wasting my time calling in at the same dealership, salesman nowhere to be seen , I left my name and number and asked the receptionist to pass a message on which she took after putting her phone down , Facebook having the priority obviously.
Three days later received a phone call from the same salesman, who proceeded to tell me all the negatives he could after I told him I was in the market and gave him the general spec but happy to take something close to it.
Heard nothing.
Made contact with another dealership 70 miles away , the difference was unbelievable, haggled over the phone and subject to confirming the car was exactly as he described and likewise my px a deal was done and I picked up my new car the next day.
Eight days after I took delivery , I received a phone call from the salesman I originally contacted who then proceeded to tell me that there was no stock available and it would have to be a factory order , stopped him there and told him I’d bought one eight days ago and he was a touch late in coming back to me.
If some LR dealers are having a hard time , they need to start looking closer to home at some of the reasons why , apathy at best.
No follow up call at all.
Had a couple of more test drives and made my mind up to buy a new RRS , I made the mistake of wasting my time calling in at the same dealership, salesman nowhere to be seen , I left my name and number and asked the receptionist to pass a message on which she took after putting her phone down , Facebook having the priority obviously.
Three days later received a phone call from the same salesman, who proceeded to tell me all the negatives he could after I told him I was in the market and gave him the general spec but happy to take something close to it.
Heard nothing.
Made contact with another dealership 70 miles away , the difference was unbelievable, haggled over the phone and subject to confirming the car was exactly as he described and likewise my px a deal was done and I picked up my new car the next day.
Eight days after I took delivery , I received a phone call from the salesman I originally contacted who then proceeded to tell me that there was no stock available and it would have to be a factory order , stopped him there and told him I’d bought one eight days ago and he was a touch late in coming back to me.
If some LR dealers are having a hard time , they need to start looking closer to home at some of the reasons why , apathy at best.
Buster73 said:
I had a road test in a RRS in August at our local dealership beginning with S
No follow up call at all.
Had a couple of more test drives and made my mind up to buy a new RRS , I made the mistake of wasting my time calling in at the same dealership, salesman nowhere to be seen , I left my name and number and asked the receptionist to pass a message on which she took after putting her phone down , Facebook having the priority obviously.
Three days later received a phone call from the same salesman, who proceeded to tell me all the negatives he could after I told him I was in the market and gave him the general spec but happy to take something close to it.
Heard nothing.
Made contact with another dealership 70 miles away , the difference was unbelievable, haggled over the phone and subject to confirming the car was exactly as he described and likewise my px a deal was done and I picked up my new car the next day.
Eight days after I took delivery , I received a phone call from the salesman I originally contacted who then proceeded to tell me that there was no stock available and it would have to be a factory order , stopped him there and told him I’d bought one eight days ago and he was a touch late in coming back to me.
If some LR dealers are having a hard time , they need to start looking closer to home at some of the reasons why , apathy at best.
Much the same experience with my local Gloucester...sorry I mean Cheltenham (even thought it is in Gloucester) dealer that began with an S.No follow up call at all.
Had a couple of more test drives and made my mind up to buy a new RRS , I made the mistake of wasting my time calling in at the same dealership, salesman nowhere to be seen , I left my name and number and asked the receptionist to pass a message on which she took after putting her phone down , Facebook having the priority obviously.
Three days later received a phone call from the same salesman, who proceeded to tell me all the negatives he could after I told him I was in the market and gave him the general spec but happy to take something close to it.
Heard nothing.
Made contact with another dealership 70 miles away , the difference was unbelievable, haggled over the phone and subject to confirming the car was exactly as he described and likewise my px a deal was done and I picked up my new car the next day.
Eight days after I took delivery , I received a phone call from the salesman I originally contacted who then proceeded to tell me that there was no stock available and it would have to be a factory order , stopped him there and told him I’d bought one eight days ago and he was a touch late in coming back to me.
If some LR dealers are having a hard time , they need to start looking closer to home at some of the reasons why , apathy at best.
First Disco I bought through them was fine. The second was an appalling experience from start to finish...to such a point that when they presented me with my brand new Disco 4 I pointed out a massive panel gap between the boot and the rear quarter. I then touched the rear quarter and found it wasn't even attached to the car!!! This was after sitting eat the dealers for 6 hours while they prepared my car and swapped the steps over from old one onto the new one.
They are now Heritage instead of S.
Have moved away from JLR cars now so have no idea how Heritage compare to S.
So said:
Sixpackpert said:
So said:
Sixpackpert said:
Have moved away from JLR cars now so have no idea how Heritage compare to S.
To what?Sixpackpert said:
So said:
Sixpackpert said:
So said:
Sixpackpert said:
Have moved away from JLR cars now so have no idea how Heritage compare to S.
To what?PrancingHorses said:
MRPULLHARD said:
i think if you leave the Land rover brand , you will get better reliabilty and wont need such good aftercare and warranty goodwill.
the FFRR is the only desirable model in current range , all the others face stiff competition from better priced and better built rivals
You forgot to say IMHO...as for me the Range Rover Sport is the best in it's class...they Cayenne maybe a sportier drive but as an all rounder it would be hard to beat a RRS AB at that price range, the FFRR is the only desirable model in current range , all the others face stiff competition from better priced and better built rivals
It’s a shame LR servicing is so poor. Why is it so difficult to engineer them to be more reliable. Maybe the FF us so ‘nice’, owners forgive their niggles.
Mates 10 month old RRS stopped working again for the umpteenth time last week.
Same old problem - completely flat battery after leaving it for a few hours.
Although, it’s not completely dead as yet again, it decided to start as if nothing was wrong.
Dealer had it for a week, and JLR sent someone from the factory to install yet more updates.
Something wasn’t shutting down in the system so drained the battery.
This is what they said last time they fixed it....
Same old problem - completely flat battery after leaving it for a few hours.
Although, it’s not completely dead as yet again, it decided to start as if nothing was wrong.
Dealer had it for a week, and JLR sent someone from the factory to install yet more updates.
Something wasn’t shutting down in the system so drained the battery.
This is what they said last time they fixed it....
We have a FFRR, a D4 and a couple of Jags.
Touch wood so far no problems and we find Westover Christchurch one of the best motor dealerships we’ve ever dealt with.
They are friendly, efficient and easy to deal with.
Clearly, from the reviews, JLR products can have issues but I wonder if it’s a minority rather than a majority?
Touch wood so far no problems and we find Westover Christchurch one of the best motor dealerships we’ve ever dealt with.
They are friendly, efficient and easy to deal with.
Clearly, from the reviews, JLR products can have issues but I wonder if it’s a minority rather than a majority?
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