I think dealers are a bit hit or miss, it certainly doesn't go with brand or even branches within the same dealership. In recent years I've been through Mercedes, Porsche & Landrover. With Mercedes I've dealt with 3 branches of the same dealership all within 10 miles of myself. 1, the biggest was worse than useless, another was barely better, the 3rd which happened to be the smallest was absolutely 1st class, probably the best for service & sales I've ever dealt with. Courtesy car (Mercedes of course) no problem, test drive (what version would you like sir, take for the whole day if you like), problem sir? come straight round we'll fix it now & don't worry no charge for that or the parts. Porsche 2 branches of the same group. Bit mixed but overall OK, more incompetent than anything else, but friendly try to help (ace coffee & danishes). Landrover, very good until getting your signature on the dotted line, awful since, and still don't know when I'll get it!!! HSE TD6 (Java Black/Ivory)
911GT3 (Guards Red, carbon interior)
ElanSE (BRG)
Panamera Turbo S
Boxster S

I assume being, where you are, that the LR dealer that you use is part of a large multifranchise company then Rob.
The dealer here is still a family run show with franchises for Tata(Indian built cars......), SEAT, MG Rover,Daihatsu cars and Land Rover from the same location. Only the Land Rover end of it has it's own separate and purpose built showroom and service centre on a new site across the lane from the others. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Correct Tim, part of a a pretty big plc, they seem to cover most all brands & have 4 landrover dealerships! HSE TD6 (Java Black/Ivory)
911GT3 (Guards Red, carbon interior)
ElanSE (BRG)
Panamera Turbo S
Boxster S

OK, so my car went back to the bodyshop yesterday to have the errant bonnet badge removed and a new one fitted correctly so that the Venture Tape bonnet film can be reapplied (They got the spacing totally wrong last time)

Would you Adam and Eve it, the SAME man fitted another badge incorrectly AGAIN, despite having been given measurements to work to. He is an Arse.

End result being, no film applied and my car needs a 3rd badge replacement next week.

I am stunned. When I picked the car up last night one of the Service chaps and I looked at mine and compared it to 3 others on the forecourt, measured all the badges, they were all identical, save mine, which looked very wrong. How hard could it be we thought?

We then looked at the badge packs, to see if they seem complicated to fit, however a child could do it, and we were both amazed this person could get it wrong (This person being Paul Bates, the Bodyshop manager for Larklands Accident Repair Centre)

Gary Phipps, Dealer Principal at Stratstone called me today, he was as exasperated as I was, and apologised once again, and we are arranging for another trial next week, where he says he will PERSONALLY watch the process to ensure it goes as planned. (It's not his fault really but at least he is helping me solve the issue)

Now that's what I call customer service!

Ten out of ten for Gary Phipps

Zero for Paul Bates, who I am surprised can dress himself in the morning.  L319 D4 HSE

1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF

1982 Series 3 SWB

Quote:

We then looked at the badge packs, to see if they seem complicated to fit, however a child could do it

Will happily lend you a small child if needed. Choose between 8 years, 6 years or 7 months!  2005 Zambezi TDV6 - Gone but not forgotten
2009 Alaska TDV8 - Gone and much missed.



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Very annoyed wrote:

Quote:

We then looked at the badge packs, to see if they seem complicated to fit, however a child could do it

Will happily lend you a small child if needed. Choose between 8 years, 6 years or 7 months!

Ahhh Haaa maybe this is how LR developed the Logic 7  
" WITH MORE EXTRAS THAN A HOLLYWOOD EPIC "

MDP wrote:

Very annoyed wrote:

Quote:

We then looked at the badge packs, to see if they seem complicated to fit, however a child could do it

Will happily lend you a small child if needed. Choose between 8 years, 6 years or 7 months!

Ahhh Haaa maybe this is how LR developed the Logic 7

Did you not read LRO magazine, they show a picture of a dummy sat in an actuall sport doing the testing.  Its out there somewhere. Second V10 Treg on the drive at the moment.

RRUK wrote:

Zero for Paul Bates, who I am surprised can dress himself in the morning.

..and that's being optimistic. Good to see at least the DP has some sense of customer service even if the rest of his staff don't. 

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RRUK SOUNDS LIKE MASTER BATES IS ALL OVER THE PLACE INCREDIBLE RRS TDV6 HSE BUCKINGHAM BLUE BLACK LEATHER INTERIOR RHODIUM TASMOD SILLS PARROT 3000 EVOLUTION WHITE SIDE REPEATERS RRPORT.CO.UK BROLLY & STICKER
HOW GOOD IS THIS CAR!!!!
8 YEARS AND STILL GETTING LOOKS

RRUK wrote:

Zero for Paul Bates, who I am surprised can dress himself in the morning.

The bonnet badge has been refitted once again today and the Dealer Principal oversaw the whole event himself to ensure it was done correctly.

It now looks as it should.

Thank you Mr Phipps!  L319 D4 HSE

1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF

1982 Series 3 SWB

shmoogle wrote:

Good to see at least the DP has some sense of customer service even if the rest of his staff don't.

Fair point! It all sounds a little too familiar to me, especially when connected with the muddy name of Stratstones. The wife's Freelander comes from Stratstones of Mayfair and their service/bodyshop staff really do leave a lot to be desired. They'll overcharge you for your service, never do what they say they are going to do and then (totally inexplicably) send your service book to some bloke that lives in Southampton!

I appreciate staff across all the Stratstones franchises will be different but you wouldn't get me going near them again if you paid me. A case of once bitten, twice shy I'm afraid. In fact, my broker no longer deals with them as we're one a long string of his customers that have complained about how crap they are. Glad to hear you are all sorted though, at long last!  

2009 Outstanding Contribution Award - Joint Runner Up
2009 'Tech-Head Of The Year' Award - Runner Up

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