Just starting looking for a used 2014 LR4 and I am being tempted by a Lemon/Buyback...is that insane?

I can see that repairs/replacements have been completed on previous complaints regarding the fuel pump and the fuse block. Also, the computer was reprogrammed a couple of times one of which was the engine/powertrain computer/module. That's all from the Carfax report.

As I am totally in the dark here regarding mechanical issues. Can someone please provide any input on this situation?? As much as I would like to get a better deal on this vehicle I do not want to have to have this vehicle shopped repeatedly.

 

What sort of warranty to you get that the problems are really solved? And are you patient enough if it takes a few dealer visits to get it right??

 

A buyback means the dealer couldn't fix whatever was wrong with it. So the question remains, did it go back to Land Rover for analysis and possible repair or did it just get dumped into an auction and recycled through the used car market?

 

Thanks for your reply.

According to the dislcosure the nonconformity was the Entertainment System Sirius & the starting - cranks/no starting. The items I mentioned in my first post were what I saw being done at the dealership per the Carfax report.

According to the dealership now selling this vehicle when a Land Rover is declared a lemon and bought back is sent to Land Rover repair center to for a complete inspection where they determine the cause of the problem/s and make all necessary repairs.

The repairs that were completed and attached to the disclosure said they replaced a remote cover & the secondary battery because the eco stop was inoperable.

Warranty still has 18 months/32K miles.

I am concerned that a car with less than 20k miles has had all these issues and repairs already. Is this an indicator that this is a true lemon from which I can expect more problems to come? It doesn't appear that the complaints were cosmetic only. And what Land Rover dealership wouldn't be able to find and properly repair those 2 items? Total cost was only $320.

 

The vehicle was then sold in auction to a Land Rover dealership who is now offering it publicly.

 

If the vehicle was documented as "fixed" and also carries a warranty, then I would feel better about purchasing it.

As far as the dealer not being able to fix it, keep in mind that the idea "dealer knows all" isn't true. There are varying caliber of techs working there, just like an Independent shop. New models come in with systems and problems nobody has seen before. Some techs learn the systems and can do systematic diagnostics, and some don't learn the systems and throw parts at a problem. Even good techs can get stumped, its the nature of the business. When I said the dealer couldn't figure it out, I meant that as, for whatever reason, it just didn't get rectified at the dealer level. That doesn't imply the dealer is dumb or the car is impossible. It could just be a system nobody was familiar with at the time or maybe it was an intermittent problem they couldn't replicate at the shop.

 

I can see how the mechanic issues would happen. However, I am a little unclear still. Are you saying that, possibly, the multiple computer reprograms/checks and other repairs done on this car(per the Carfax report) could just be the mechanics lack of experience. And that the actual 2 items repaired were the root cause which turned out to be a relatively simple repair?

 

Possible that carfax doesn't see everything done to fix it at the oem level?

Whatever they claim about it being fixed clearly wasn't able to be done for the previous owner so always a possibility that issues persist. You have a warranty so can work through it / but you might need patience. Or it might be perfect. It's a risk

How good a deal are you getting - how much of a discount vs what it should go for? Remember values likely to drop in the summer when the new LR4 replacement comes out and some people trade in.

If it were me and I had patience for it, I'd push very hard on the purchase price. Then ask them to give you an extended warranty - worth a couple of thousand dollars and more peace of mind...

 

I'm trying to tread lightly because I only know about what has happened from what you posted. Its easy to sit behind a keyboard and point fingers and speculate, but without actually having worked on the vehicle or been "in the loop" during the process, nobody can actually say what transpired or if its really fixed. All I can say, is that I worked for various dealers for 15 years and I know there are some really GOOD service departments and some I wouldn't let put air in my tire.

I like BritCars advice. The vehicle was branded a "lemon", so take it at face value. Use that to negotiate the price further or get a longer warranty.

 

Lemon/Buy Back Title & Salvage are nothing alike. Lemon/Buy Back means it had a problem that wasn't fixed and the manufacturer bought it back. They either repair it or scrap it.

A salvage title means it's either a flood car, or it's been in such a bad wreck it was just written off.

Pretty sure with a Lemon/Buy Back Title you can still get full coverage insurance vs a Salvage title that can not unless you get a Rebuilt Salvage Title (depends on the state), and even then it's only Liability insurance coverage.

My friend bought a 2016 Escalade that had a buy back title. It was bought back because the entertainment stuff wouldn't work properly..... They took that Escalade and completely replaced the wiring harnesses, screens, headsets, and all the NAV/DVD units and then put it back on the lot for sale with a massive 20k price cut.

To this day my friend hasn't had a single issue with it.

I'd buy a Lemon/Buy Back titled vehicle anyday vs a Salvage title!! At least it wasn't in a wreck and was just cheaply repaired leaving it's safety on the road a guess/chance..