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My OCTA has arrived after I anxiously waited just over 12 months since we first saw one at the Los Angeles preview event, we took delivery on Saturday.
I've been buying and servicing vehicles at Land Rover Bellevue for 19-years and once again they provided a great experience. They have always been good and under the ownership of the Fields group the process has gotten even better.
I can't thank our Sales Guide Sami Alamran enough for his attention to detail and hospitality. Shout out to Michael Franzi their Customer Service Manager and Leon Decanay the New Vehicle Director for their interest in my purchase.
JLR at some point (I think at the port) dropped the deployable running boards from my order. Sami and Leon at Land Rover Bellevue were all over it and were prepared to install them at the dealership for just the cost they would have been had they been installed and listed on the MSRP. Turns out after Sami pulled around 110's with deployable running boards and tubular with side steps to compare, we decided to go with the tubular style as to us they looked proper on the OCTA.
In a flash Leon was on the phone with the Service Manager, who was at home being a Saturday, and he gave the okay to have a tech jump on it right then to install the tubular side steps so we wouldn't have to make a 6 hour round trip at a later time. During the 3 hours for their installation our Sale Guide Sami took us and our dog just down the road to Kirkland where he moors his boat, we had a great cruise out on Lake Washington and some refreshments at a nice waterside restaurant.
We love our new ride and the sales process exceeded our high expectations.
Glamour pic our sales guide Sami sent after PDI and detail was completed.
At home after the 3 hour drive back.
Our Bernese Mountain Dog, Fritz, loves the high roof compared to a full size Range Rover and not having to crouch while looking out the rear window.
With a 3 hours to kill for the side step install, our sales rep Sami took us 4 miles to his boat in Kirkland for a cruise on Lake Washington and over to a waterside restaurant for a bite and beverage.
Another great experience at Land Rover Bellevue with a fun side trip.
Congrats on the new rig. Looks stellar. Next time you're in Kirkland holler.
Sounds like you had a great experience at that dealer. Great weather to pick up a new ride and have a lake cruise. That's a real nice spot for a cold one.
I think I met your sales-bro once. I was in kicking the tires on an OG Defender some years back. Nice bloke.
Congratulations, I thank we ordered at the same time and mine was received end of March. The only delivery issue I had was that I ordered the Duratracs and got the. BF Goodrich. Dealer did not have any of the Duratrac RT’s in the shop. I kept the BFG’s and have no regrets. Afterall I can go faster than you! (You’ll find OCTA specific inventory to be an issue). Follow the breakin instructions. You’ll love the vehicle. I have gap tool and only reconfigured the auto/stop. Nothing else seemed important. Enjoy..
Please enjoy! Mine has been grounded at the dealership for a month and I now have put 2k more miles on the loaner car than I did on the Octa that I had for a short time before the check engine light bricked it. They say probably another 3 weeks before I get the Octa back. By then, it’ll be outdated with 2026’s rolling around, surely.
PNW Rover, glad you have a good dealer, so do I. I’ll share some of my limited experience: the sales department was all over the OCTA, for good reason. Most of the others (including the sales) kind of assumed it is an upgraded Defender! Well it is but with very different parts and needs. Very little OCTA specific parts are in inventory, unfortunately this is not limited to the dealers. You need to be very specific with parts and service to double enforce the OCTA thing. Don’t get me wrong, everybody has been great, their thought process turns off after they hear defender. For example the OCTA has a different lug nut locking key code than my defender (letter in the middle). After some research I found out only the dealer has the code. If only the dealer knew! Easier to remove the lock nuts while we still have the ability. Little things I know and at least in my case it will take some more team experience then delivering the first two. I have had zero problems and get my first oil change next month. Enjoy, it was worth the wait.
Please enjoy! Mine has been grounded at the dealership for a month and I now have put 2k more miles on the loaner car than I did on the Octa that I had for a short time before the check engine light bricked it. They say probably another 3 weeks before I get the Octa back. By then, it’ll be outdated with 2026’s rolling around, surely.
That’s an easy win for a Lemon Law case if you want to Lemon it and get a MY26. Depends on your country or state but in CA that’s an auto-lemon or buyback.
Delivered - OCTA Edition One
