It’s a huge lesson for everyone in the consumer manufacturing industry that JIT has a major flaw when the chain is broken. It wasn’t in anyone’s planning unfortunately.

Maybe JLR will adjust delivery price or communicate a solution but I’m sure they don’t have a playbook on hand and it’s simply chaos.

I really wish things would be back to normal. So many other plans I had are on hold for the foreseeable future.

I read the other day that Mercedes canceled all US V8 AMG models for MY2022. That’s a massive hit not only to Mercedes but customers. Toyota is reducing output by 40%. The list goes on and on.

The other lesson at least for me, is that a customer is very different from a consumer. Customers have a choice, whatever it that may be, but a consumer has no rights.

 

I think I may be in your camp. These high-priced city cruiser builds I don't think fit the vehicle's persona much IMO. I mean don't get me wrong it looks cool and all and if that's what someone wants I applaud it, but I don't care how much anyone spends on the current Defender it's never really going to be posh. It's neoprene and rubber coated from stem to stern.

 

I think what drew us to the Defender was that blend of a decent amount of tech and comfort but with a significant amount of capability.

We weren't looking for posh just for posh's sake. Anyone can make a comfortable SUV. We wanted something that was comfortable but capable.

And in this it's definitely met our expectations plus so far.

 

FWIW: I have the digital display and wouldn’t spend a dime for it let alone drop my 110 because it was analog. I’ve run thru all the options and there’s really nothing there distinguishing, useful or unique. I keep the two displays on either side and never change them. The middle, I dislike all the options as redundant to the PiviPro and rarely glance at them. I do like checking the outside and temp down there, so if those are in analog - If be all in. My vote is don’t pass just for that time. It would never be a deal breaker for me and heck If be just as happy without it. BTW: you will have a very rare Defender in a low production year. The NPV of the lower depreciation rate / higher resale value should offset the amount that they are pocketing re it. So my vote: wouldn’t pass in a Defender for a lack of digital dash as it really isn’t that special. I’m a whole lot more posed that they dropped my ClearView when they switched me to MY22. At the time they were building them and they went from Standard to Option and never asked if I’d up pay. I would have! In fact I feel sorry for anyone in the future trying to buy or repair one of these snowflakes being produced. Every one is different!

 

Lol. That’s so true. My major problem with the analog gauges, as I mentioned earlier, is that two of them failed on my old disco. I had to use an app on my phone as my speedometer as it didn’t move and the fuel gauge was actually empty when it showed a quarter of a tank. I keep cars for a long time. It seems to me that gauges are just more moving parts that are prone to failure. Seems like it would be easier to replace a screen than a gauge. Eventually, I got the gauge fixed for around $500 which is incidentally close to the price of the whole upgrade to the interactive digital display.

 

That post just came off as some entitled piece of fluff that neither addresses what I said or its relevancy to the typical consumer. If you are trying to make some sort of point about expectation that is fine, but it doesn't escape JLR from having the ability to provide a better buying experience and it sure doesn't help curb disappointment.

My buying process started last October and that was before any of the issues with production starting really becoming significant. I have no idea if JLR informs the local dealers of what is occurring or if they just simply chose to hide it. When my vehicle was delayed several times my sales rep had no explanation.

 

I hear you mate. That would really grind my gears too.

Land Rover seems to be The Cheesecake Factory of the auto world. An options menu as long as your arm but nothing done quite right.

I don't understand the added complexity of offering two dash types. Perhaps in the short term it nets a higher revenue but it's got to be tempered by the additional logistics.

I'm waiting on an P400 SE (already built and have not heard of any changes to spec) but if something important to me was suddenly pulled from the build I took a long time to finalize and think through, I'd be less than pleased. Would I bail and go elsewhere? Depends on how important the feature is to me.

I suppose that makes me an ingrate who should quietly handover my hard earned coin for a contract-breaking truck and be thankful JLR execs didn't pillage my home, slaughter my first born and give me herpes. I suppose I could spend more time reflecting on the desertification of sub-saharan Africa or the genocide of the Uyghurs, and less fixating on vehicle options that have little to no impact on the promotion of women's rights. Sadly, I'm just that type of shallow consumer you've read about.

 

Uh oh, you've caught on to me friend. I'm truly a Ford fanboi... with a Defender on order.

If you're dating a girl on Valentine's day, the minimal expectation is dinner and flowers. JLR leaves the girl at home, puts up an Instagram post about how fun it is to be out with the boys then turns its phone off for 3 days. She keeps trying to call and, when she finally gets through, JLR says, "Valentine's day is a made-up corporate holiday... if you're mad, that's on you".

Ford might take her out 2 nights after Valentine's day because it screwed up the reservations but it makes up for it with a bunch of nice texts, a cheap gift, a coupon for a foot rub whenever she wants and a surprise game of mini-golf after the dinner.

Ford may not truly love the girl but it understands how to play the game. JLR takes the girl for granted so much that it doesn't even try to pretend.There are, after all, plenty of girls who want a ride in JLR's Defender. Well, as long as it's not that hideous Trophy Edition.

 

^^ I have no dog in this hunt but that’s some fine writing and some fine analogyzing you did there! Always appreciated when somebody takes the time to craft well-reasoned replies on an Internet forum.

Cheers!

 

is it me or is the dash half analog and half digital?