Something very strange has happened with my order for new Range Rover Sport from my local UK dealer.

I placed my order and paid deposit for a P440E Dynamic SE at 9am on the first day you could order (11th May). I was told mine was first order at the dealership. I went to the dealership today to change one of the options. My salesman wasn’t in but someone else searched my order on the Vista system.

Strangely, two orders came up in my name even though I’ve only placed one order. The first was from when I actually placed my order on 11th May and had a delivery date confirmed for early next year. However, although it was still in my name the order had been significantly changed including exterior colour and completely different options. I was also told this wasn’t actually my order and the name is a mistake.

The second order in my name was the exact spec I originally ordered in May but was only placed three weeks ago. I questioned this and the salesman became very flustered at what I’d seen and said I had to come back tomorrow when my salesman and the General Manager would be in.

It appears to me that my original order has been given to someone else who has changed it to their spec and then a new order placed for me. This puts me as a new order with at least another year to wait.

Can genuine dealers do this or could there be another explanation? I’m fuming given that I was the first order at the dealership.

That does not sound good.

Is this your first time you have ordered from this dealer and maybe an established customer has been allowed to take your slot? 2023 P440e SE Dynamic on order -cancelled

2022 HSE Dynamic P400e

2017 Discovery 3.0 HSE Silicon Silver Nimbus interior and a few extra toys SOLD

2013 HSE Black, Orkney Grey, Ebony Seats and Ivory Interior SOLD

2006 HSE

Plus a few other cars inbetween!

This is my 6th new Range Rover Rover Sport since 2009 and three of these have been from this dealership. I really can’t understand it but I’m fuming. The meeting tomorrow with the salesman and General Manager will be interesting. I imagine the salesman who showed me the Vista system today will be in a bit of trouble.

I knew something strange was going on because P440E Dynamic SE’s have been coming through in fact there was one at my dealership about a month ago with the same wheels, interior and colour as the one I ordered. I have photos of it at the time but they just said deliveries are random when I questioned why this had been delivered before mine even though mine was the first order at 9am on 11th May. It’s all very strange.

Blimey, we’ll if that does turn out to be the case it just reinforces the suspicion at Dealers. Do you actually think you’ll get the true story?. Good luck and be persistent “court room” as we call it, ask direct questions only requiring yes or no.Keep us updated. 2006 2.7 TDV6 HSE in Cairns Blue.

It sounds very much like " money talks" someone at the dealership has taken a backhander and moved a buyer up the queue , just my opinion personally I'd never use them again.

I bet the fine print allows the dealer to move orders around at their discretion. 2020 SVR / R.I.P. 2019 SVR / 2016 D4 Landmark / 2005 D3 HSE

Similar thing seems to have happened to me. I put down a deposit in January with my dealer and was assured I would be one of the first customers in the queue when their order book was officially opened. At the time I was given a delivery date of Sept/Oct this year. Subsequently that went out to early 2023 and recently I was told my car would not be delivered until July 2023 at the earliest.

I have no way of proving I have been shafted but what makes my blood really boil is that a number of independent dealers seem to have L461s for sale and even worse they are now appearing on L-R's own used car website being sold by official dealers at a premium over list. The obvious question is whether cars ordered by genuine customers have been diverted by L-R dealers so that they and independent dealers can make a killing whilst the market is willing to pay a premium for them.

I should say that this would be my 5th new RR/RRS in 10yrs although not all have been ordered from the same dealer

Some specification s are in such short supply that perhaps the spec you want is unavailable so they are just shifting order numbers around to ensure they can supply (and get paid for) cars in a suitable sequence. So I would not over-think this, personally. It is true Land Rover are prioritising higher spec, higher profit-margin vehicles. Supply and demand, I guess. Perhaps the question you can pose to the dealer is, what spec can you upgrade to that might ensure a faster delivery. And then splash the cash. Or wait. L405 P400e Autobiography (MY2020)... Silicon Silver / Espresso
RRS TDV6 HSE Lux (MY2011)... Nara Bronze / Arabica - now gone!

I questioned my dealer about the number of L461s they are advertising for sale on the L-R website and they told me that all cars advertised had been repurchased from customers and that the reason the cars are priced at a premium is that they had to pay over list price to get them. Well that raises a number of questions in my mind. Firstly it seems awfully convenient that so many early customers want to get rid of their L461s so quickly after purchase. Secondly as we know those customers are obliged only to sell their cars back to the dealer so why does the dealer have to pay a premium to get them? Thirdly one of the vehicles looks suspiciously like the demo car I tried a few weeks ago. I wouldnt mind betting that most if not all of these cars are ex demo cars which the dealers are trying to make a killing on whilst they can

Whatever the truth for me it doesnt do L-R's or the dealer's brand image any good to be selling cars at a premium when so many loyal customers like me have been waiting months for their cars and are likely to be waiting many months more. And yes I know its a free market

The story about an L461 on the dealers website over list being a customers car echoes exactly what I was told by my local Porsche dealer when I had a Macan GTS on order. I didn't believe him either unless the customer he was talking about was the Manager's wife. I have cancelled it now as I've decided the L461 is what I really want and I am not a flipper, just somebody who wants to replace a 4 year old car.

I am not sure exactly what the best plan is to ensure I am not the guy whose order gets bumped because the sale has no premium in it for the dealer.

However I have some ideas.

1. Make sure you are always asking.
2. Ask another sales person at the same dealer to check the system so they find it too much trouble to keep their stories straight.
3. Ask another dealer to look at your order on their access to the JLR system to cross check what you are being told. They only need your name and Post Code, not even your JLR CSO number, though that makes it quicker.
4. Phone JLR's Solihull experience team and ask whether you can have their VIP experience tour and they will check your build date so you can tell your dealer you know. You don't have to then do the tour necessarily as the date may be inconvenient.

Good Luck!

Thanks. I've been far more on the dealer's case in recent weeks and I think they're getting off with me! Maybe so much so that they'll deliver my car sooner

Just one more question. I did receive an email from them recently with an Event History Log showing that my order was 'created' on 21st June this year. I actually verbally agreed the configuration of my car with the salesman on 14th May and signed the order form on 19th May. Is this delay between 19th May and 21st June significant?

Have been told the official date applies of when the original Deposit is paid .
Is this correct as I have since amended spec and resigned contract.
Would appreciate any good and correct advice .

I put my deposit down on 22nd Jan. In retrospect I'm not sure putting down a deposit early made any difference because my order still wasnt created until 21st June despite the fact I signed it on 19th May. The most recent delivery date I've been given is July 2023. Not sure whether thats good or bad?

Mike — it’s all very confusing — plus it may be that dealerships have their own ruling .

mikef wrote:

Secondly as we know those customers are obliged only to sell their cars back to the dealer so why does the dealer have to pay a premium to get them?