Land Rover
reviews and complaints

Like everyone who buys a Land Rover we felt we were purchasing a vehicle that was top of the line. It is a 2003 Land Rover Discovery we purchased fully loaded off the showroom floor. As of today, this vehicle only has 23,000 miles on it. It is stored in a temp. controlled garage. We are 60 years of age with no children. When the vehicle had less than two thousand miles on it we took a road trip from Colorado to California. When we returned we found grease all over the back rear wheels. Took it into the dealership since it was still under warranty and had to have the bearings and seals replaced. Then we had a oil comsumption problem. Then the high priced Harmon Karmon stereo had to be repaired twice and finally replaced. To this day, the stereo display light does at times does not come on unless (we found out ourselves) we open and close the navagation CD holder. Our BIGGEST complaint now is at 23,000 miles and six months past the 4 year - 50,000 miles warranty, both the passenger window and driver's window started popping whenever the window was opened. It is/was a LOUD popping sound. Finally, the passenger window gave out one loud pop and we found we could not raise the window back up. We can hear that the motor mechanism is still working, however what raises and lowers the window inside the door panel snapped. To make a long story short, we feel a vehicle priced at almost $50,000 and with only 23,000 miles on it should NOT have the cables break that operates the windows. We know from the sound the driver's window is on its way out. We feel strongly this problem is a mfg defect. There has absolutely been no abuse with the opening and closing of these windows. We called Land Rover Customer Service and they were of no help. They could have cared less. We then took our complaint to their Board of Appeals and got a "unsigned" letter back telling us that since the vehicle was 6 months past the warranty - 4 years - and taking into consideration this vehicle does not even have 1/2 the mileage - 50,000 miles - they would not participate in the repairs. We are so disappointed and feel taken by Land Rover. After the warranty period, their customer does not exist. They definitely do not stand behind their workmanship. This is not a problem that has been caused by "normal wear and tear." Their people even admitted something like this should not have happened, but they will do nothing to fix this obvious mfg defect/problem. I would NEVER recommend a Land Rover to anyone. Now we are stuck paying someone to fix this problem.

In July of 2007, I purchased a 2007 Land Rover LR3 from the Rio Grande Valley Land Rover dealership in McAllen, Texas. The entire purchase price of the vehicle is over $60,000. During the course of the sale, I discussed the tow capability with the salesman. I specifically asked about a receiver hitch and was told “It all comes together with this package.” We spoke at length as to why I needed the hitch and what my plans were. At a sticker price of that amount, I had no reason to think otherwise.

6 months later as I am preparing for a Christmas trip, I purchase an after- market basket to place on the rear of the LR3. When I go to install the basket, the hitch requires and tow ball adapter. I look all through the vehicle and cannot find the adapter. I call the Land Rover dealership in Houston, drive to pick up my part and am told “That will be $351 dollars”.

Thinking this must be a mistake, I call the Rio Grande Valley Land rover dealership and speak with the salesman who sold me the vehicle and receive apologies and an offer for a possible “employee discount”.

I call and speak to the sales manager on duty. He advises me that I am out of luck, sorry for the inconvenience, but I will have to pay like anyone else. I tell him that it was not my misunderstanding; I was given incorrect answers when I asked about the package. The answer: “That’s too bad, we are very sorry.” In the end, management of Land Rover of the Rio Grande Valley discerns that it is okay to alienate a potential bi-annual $60,000-$70,000 customer over a $350 part that was their mistake in the first place.

I have purchased several luxury, high-end vehicles over the years, including Lexus and BMW. I have had similar situations, but the other dealers stood by their promises and understood customer service and repeat business practices. My mistake? Buying a vehicle from Land Rover of the Rio Grande Valley. I assumed that I was dealing with a business that understood customer service a bit better than “Joe Schmo’s used car lot”.

I was wrong. I will not make the same mistake twice.

1. I leased a brand new LR2 a few months ago and 2 weeks later found out is was a lemon--the car would die as I was driving. The dealership was going to sell me another car at a "good price" and was instead trying to upsell me and went back on their deal. I finally asked them to just switch me to another LR2. The previous one is still in their repair shop up till now (its been almost 7 months).

2. I went in for my first car service. I asked if they could let me know when my car would be ready b/c I have to go to work the next day. I have left numerous messages in their service dept and NO ONE is there.

Beware consumer!

I am writing to describe our purchase and service experiences this far with Land Rover. As background, I am a foreign service officer who lives/works in Africa and have owned and driven several Landrovers in Africa.

Regrettably, we have had a horrible experience both with the Landrover in Albuquerque, NM and in Chantilly, Virginia. Not only are the services associates rude and unhelpful, but they have cost us money and time that is simply unacceptable.

After buying our car in Chantilly, VA in August 2006, we found out that they did not have a second key as promised (we were only given one key), that they did not (and still have not) entered the extended warranty we paid for into the computer system and, to add insult to injury, the engine had to be replaced after 400 miles. and Chantilly did not have time for us so we had to take it to Rosenthal in Vienna, VA (who did a good job but they scratched the hood of the car while in the shop). We had to delay our move from Virginia to New mexico by two weeks and take leave from our jobs to wait for the engine to be put in (1 week after buying the "certified pre-owned car"). We called the service associate Richard Grzesiak dozens of times about the key and warranty and only once received a return call from him. His supervisor, Andy Levin, while somewhat better at returning our calls has not contacted us in weeks about our extended warranty.

In Albuquerque when they reprogrammed the new key that we finally received from Chantilly after 3 months and over 15 calls to the associate Richard Grzesiak, they deprogrammed our old key and made us pay to program the new one. Now we have one key that is not cut but is programmed, and another that is cut but is not programmed, so we have to carry around two keys. When we complained to the service associate (who charged us for the programming) he said that we should just go to a key shop to have it cut, but most shops don't cut that kind of key and clearly we should not be the ones paying for this to be done as it was not our mistake.

Overall, we have spent in excess of 15 hours dealing with Landrover, delayed our move from Virginia to New Mexico by weeks and made dozens of phone calls. We are absolutely disgusted with the service provided by landrover and the absolute lack of care or consideration given to us by Landrover employees (however, to be fair, at Rosenthall one employee, Jack, stood out as the only person who appeared to care about the shoddy service we received.) We are looking to sell our Landrover and will never buy one again. Also, we plan to tell everyone we can about our experience. If it had been one error or one service associate we would have let it go, unfortunately, it has been in two locations with numerous employees.

Please find below a letter to Land Rover Richmond B.C. Canada who sold and serviced the vehicle and the dealer J.W. Auto also in Richmond who sold me the vehicle, as well as a complaint registered and filed as warranty void so no compensation is pending.

I've been instructed to respond to Land Rover Canadian Customer Relations with regards to my issue. My name is Audra Rosendale and I purchased a used Freelander from J.W. Auto in Richmond B.C. Canada, in August. I thought it was the cats meow at 33,000 kms and $20,000 CAD I thought I had hit the jackpot. Being in the market to purchase a new vehicle I was very pleased. What a stroke of luck. This all changed on Wednesday October 11, 2006 when it left me stranded (good thing I had not picked up my 1 1/2 and 3 year old from daycare yet) on the Sherwood Park Freeway. I have roadside assistance with AMA and had to have the vehicle towed to Land Rover of Edmonton, AB. When I received the call back on the repair status, I was told the transmission was shot. Not only did my jaw hit the ground with disbelief, I was told the repair cost would be $5200.00 plus tax as the vehicle was rendered inoperable. The waranty is for 50,000 miles or 4 years which ended June 22, 2006. With extremely low miles, I feel as a consumer stuck and suckered with an obviously faulty or inferior product. Reqardless of the warranty, this is an extreme situation. I am extremely frustrated and bewildered. What I thought was going to be a luxurious and worry free purchase has been met with a laxidazical attitude that anything mechanical is prone to breaking down frustrating as this may be. This I understand, but as a consumer I feel that reputation and comitment to customer satisfaction should be a priority. I am asking for some assistance with regards to the financial responsibility that has been placed upon me to fix the vehicle. Your assistance with this matter and fair business practice is all that I am asking for.

Sincerely,
Audra