Missed Services - Defender 90?

[MiniMan64]

SWMBO occasionally reads a women's pregancy forum since the birth of our first little terror last year. It was useful at first but now serves up great entertainment in our household.

Think of it as Mumsnet-lite.

Anyhow, this popped up this morning on there this morning and the wife was laughing and asked my opinion as a "car person" and now I put it to PH

Short version is, new 2012 Defender 90, 12k/yearly service interval, 30k mileage completed in year (!!!!) before first service, engines gone pop, warranty invalid, £4k repair. Thoughts from PH?

Linked Post said:

oK, we're idiots - we have never had a car with a warranty before and didn't realise we need to follow service schedule or its not valid. Car was serviced after first year and now 8 months later has had a catastrophic engine failure and entire engine needs replaced.

Dealer says not their prob as service schedule is once a year or every 12k miles whichever first and we we're at 30k so have effectively missed a service out. Oops...

Fair enough we're in the wrong but not sure what to do now. They won't tell us what's wrong with engine as there's too many things to list apparently and they don't strip them down to find the specific cause in cases like this because its apparently pointless and irreparable. Its £4k to replace engine.

Am I right to think that, regardless of warranty, a new car engine shouldn't just die like this if its a bit late for service? Every other car we've had has only been serviced once a year... Wyoo this situation? Is there anything we can do?

http://community.babycentre.co.uk/post/a26774675/missed_service_on_car_voided_warranty?cpg=1&pd=-1

[LouD86]

Ooooh dear. Fair you would hope it wouldn't fail, but the manurfacturers normally cover themselves with the fact of Fail to Service, Warranty void.

£4k for a new engine seems pretty cheap, wonder if the dealership or Landrover have made an offer to them? Either way, I think its about learning from your mistakes here

[andburg]

Harsh...but shes missed the first 2 services, not just one if its gone at 30k with no servicing complete.

First service being probably the most important as all the new parts bed in, who knows how much metal was floating round in the oil system.

[MiniMan64]

The bit I don't get is that 90 is a fairly niche vehicle, surely someone running one would know enough to get the damm thing serviced!

[hornetrider]

MiniMan64 said:

SWMBO occasionally reads a women's pregancy forum since the birth of our first little terror last year. It was useful at first but now serves up great entertainment in our household.

Think of it as Mumsnet-lite.

Anyhow, this popped up this morning on there this morning and the wife was laughing and asked my opinion as a "car person" and now I put it to PH

Short version is, new 2012 Defender 90, 12k/yearly service interval, 30k mileage completed in year (!!!!) before first service, engines gone pop, warranty invalid, £4k repair. Thoughts from PH?

Linked Post said:

oK, we're idiots - we have never had a car with a warranty before and didn't realise we need to follow service schedule or its not valid. Car was serviced after first year and now 8 months later has had a catastrophic engine failure and entire engine needs replaced.

Dealer says not their prob as service schedule is once a year or every 12k miles whichever first and we we're at 30k so have effectively missed a service out. Oops...

Fair enough we're in the wrong but not sure what to do now. They won't tell us what's wrong with engine as there's too many things to list apparently and they don't strip them down to find the specific cause in cases like this because its apparently pointless and irreparable. Its £4k to replace engine.

Am I right to think that, regardless of warranty, a new car engine shouldn't just die like this if its a bit late for service? Every other car we've had has only been serviced once a year... Wyoo this situation? Is there anything we can do?

http://community.babycentre.co.uk/post/a26774675/missed_service_on_car_voided_warranty?cpg=1&pd=-1

I make it 30k miles after approx 20 months. So maybe 18k after a year? Like above, I'd be disappointed in an engine letting go at that age/mileage but then again I'd also be aware that if you don't stick to the manufacturer specified intervals then you are in the lap of the gods.

4k sounds cheap - I expect that has some goodwill in it?

[thatdude]

When someone buys a new car, does the salesman generally run through the servicing requirements?

just wondering

[andburg]

Not cheap either so you'd hope the owner could afford a service!

[0llie]

The TDCi Defenders have a service light which comes on, was this ignored or did it not light up?

[Liszt]

I would argue.

They need to establish cause. If it was becasuse there was no oil or water, then fair cop.
If it was due to a manufacturing defect then changing the oil would be of bugger all consequence.

Many years ago my Mum had a polo which had the engine break. This was traced to a nut in the sump which shouldn't have been there. It was a month over due the first service. Dad paid for the cost of a service and VW replaced the engine.

If they do end up spunking for a new engine, look to a specialist to fit a second hand or reconditioned.
Cheaper than new and the diesels are good for interstellar mileage (with proper servicing).

[Sheepshanks]

thatdude said:

When someone buys a new car, does the salesman generally run through the servicing requirements?

just wondering

No. And if you ask they usually tell you the wrong thing.


In the case of the linked story, they apparently did have it serviced after 12 months and if their mileage was linear, it would have been on 18K so the dealer ought to have flagged up it was late - although it would have been too late by then.

I guess they should be thankful they bought a vehicle with a relatively cheap engine - on many other cars they could easily have been looking at double the cost.

[Triumph Man]

MiniMan64 said:

SWMBO occasionally reads a women's pregancy forum since the birth of our first little terror last year. It was useful at first but now serves up great entertainment in our household.

Think of it as Mumsnet-lite.

Anyhow, this popped up this morning on there this morning and the wife was laughing and asked my opinion as a "car person" and now I put it to PH

Short version is, new 2012 Defender 90, 12k/yearly service interval, 30k mileage completed in year (!!!!) before first service, engines gone pop, warranty invalid, £4k repair. Thoughts from PH?

Linked Post said:

oK, we're idiots - we have never had a car with a warranty before and didn't realise we need to follow service schedule or its not valid. Car was serviced after first year and now 8 months later has had a catastrophic engine failure and entire engine needs replaced.

Dealer says not their prob as service schedule is once a year or every 12k miles whichever first and we we're at 30k so have effectively missed a service out. Oops...

Fair enough we're in the wrong but not sure what to do now. They won't tell us what's wrong with engine as there's too many things to list apparently and they don't strip them down to find the specific cause in cases like this because its apparently pointless and irreparable. Its £4k to replace engine.

Am I right to think that, regardless of warranty, a new car engine shouldn't just die like this if its a bit late for service? Every other car we've had has only been serviced once a year... Wyoo this situation? Is there anything we can do?

http://community.babycentre.co.uk/post/a26774675/missed_service_on_car_voided_warranty?cpg=1&pd=-1

I don't know, but on the basis of what I've put in bold, don't help.

[MiniMan64]

I should point out that this is absolutely nothing to do with me or the wife, it shown to me and the wife had very little sympathy indeed but then asked me if she was being overly harsh. Im not allowed anywhere her car and she religiously takes it to be serviced on the dot.

You lot have been kinder than I expected but then again I'd also expect a Defender engine to be more reliable, serviced or not.

[xRIEx]

I can't be too judgemental, I did something similar - company Civic, needed first service at 12k, it went in on about 17.5k; in my (very poor) defence, the Passat I had previously had 20k service intervals (and a very convenient spanner symbol and mileage countdown to service on the dash).

[thatdude]

Sheepshanks said:

No. And if you ask they usually tell you the wrong thing.


In the case of the linked story, they apparently did have it serviced after 12 months and if their mileage was linear, it would have been on 18K so the dealer ought to have flagged up it was late - although it would have been too late by then.

I guess they should be thankful they bought a vehicle with a relatively cheap engine - on many other cars they could easily have been looking at double the cost.

What's the best thing to do then when at the dealers buying a car? Speak to the service manager? I'd want some advice from the horses mouth (so to speak) before parting with cash for a new car on that sort of thing. Preferebly I;d want it in writing (I supose it is usually in the handbook)

[Sheepshanks]

thatdude said:

What's the best thing to do then when at the dealers buying a car? Speak to the service manager? I'd want some advice from the horses mouth (so to speak) before parting with cash for a new car on that sort of thing. Preferebly I;d want it in writing (I supose it is usually in the handbook)

It's more available on line now than it used to be, or you can ask on marque specific forums.

Before I got my Merc I rang a couple of dealers and asked service advisors. In practice they exaggerated - the car has needed much less servicing than they suggested.

It's probably more of an issue these days if you intend to keep the car for a long time or if you're buying at 3yrs old - often they have 3yrs of oil and filter changes then at 4yrs old there's a massive bill.

[tonygt3]

I believe that many cars do not get the bonnet opened or tyres checked between services these days. If this was the case, then I wonder what the fluid levels were ?

[Spangles]

Although the same engine in the Transit has 20k mile service intervals. I suspect Landrover may have trouble justifying themselves in court.

[jhonn]

Hhmm - I wonder what catastrophic engine failure means - seized? con-rod through block? big-ends gone?
I've experienced camshaft failure on this engine (one of the lobes came adrift); it still ran (barely) and it sounded terrible, but it was repairable.
If it's still in one piece, they should get a decent independent to look it over and have a listen - it might not be as bad as LR are making out.

[powerstroke]

MiniMan64 said:

SWMBO occasionally reads a women's pregancy forum since the birth of our first little terror last year. It was useful at first but now serves up great entertainment in our household.

Think of it as Mumsnet-lite.

Anyhow, this popped up this morning on there this morning and the wife was laughing and asked my opinion as a "car person" and now I put it to PH

Short version is, new 2012 Defender 90, 12k/yearly service interval, 30k mileage completed in year (!!!!) before first service, engines gone pop, warranty invalid, £4k repair. Thoughts from PH?

Linked Post said:

oK, we're idiots - we have never had a car with a warranty before and didn't realise we need to follow service schedule or its not valid. Car was serviced after first year and now 8 months later has had a catastrophic engine failure and entire engine needs replaced.

Dealer says not their prob as service schedule is once a year or every 12k miles whichever first and we we're at 30k so have effectively missed a service out. Oops...

Fair enough we're in the wrong but not sure what to do now. They won't tell us what's wrong with engine as there's too many things to list apparently and they don't strip them down to find the specific cause in cases like this because its apparently pointless and irreparable. Its £4k to replace engine.

Am I right to think that, regardless of warranty, a new car engine shouldn't just die like this if its a bit late for service? Every other car we've had has only been serviced once a year... Wyoo this situation? Is there anything we can do?

http://community.babycentre.co.uk/post/a26774675/missed_service_on_car_voided_warranty?cpg=1&pd=-1

Good and serves them right no sympathy what so ever!!
My mum bought a car was promised service history which never came the car was just in warenty and started burning oil turned out the bint that previously owned it had never bothered to have it serviced i its 40k miles so no warranty and a bill for engine work. So I'm glad this idiot suffered not a second owner

[tony wright]

Spangles said:

Although the same engine in the Transit has 20k mile service intervals. I suspect Landrover may have trouble justifying themselves in court.

This. How do Landrover justify their decision to opt for 12k instead of 20k to a Judge.