the dealership is owned by a larger corporation and probably getting heat for ADM. so workaround is jacking up accessories.

1900 for SV letters.

it is what it is. you can ask any price. there is always a buyer out there

 

Wheel arch protection for $2500. Even subtracting retail price for the arches, their hourly rate must be in the neighborhood of $1800.

 

Wheel arches are ~$900 I believe and come with installation.

 

I purchased mine for less than that and self-installed because I'm cheap and didn't want to pay shop rates.

Given ACTUAL shop rates, $900 sounds about right.

 

I can’t get too worked up about it. No one has to have a Defender. There are literally thousands of options out there, including Defenders at MSRP if you are willing to wait. As far as the ridiculous options prices, I say if someone is dumb enough to pay it, let them be dumb. It’s their money. If they want the Defender that badly, that’s ok by me. I’m not going to tell someone how to spend their money. And if I want a Defender but can’t afford it, that’s on me, not anyone else.

For essentials, profiteering, price gouging, whatever you want to call it should be called out. A Defender doesn’t rise to the essential category.

 

I have never paid for any of the add-ones that the dealers try to push at sale. They typically make little selling at sticker, their biggest profits come from accessories, extended warranties, service/maintenance packages, and pre-installed trinkets which they preinstall on their inventory on the lot and when a buyer reads the sticker indicating floor mats, door edge protection, cargo cover, etc. the salesman tells you he can’t do anything about that, “it’s already installed”. That’s when I head for the door. Those floor mats that they are pushing on you are available aftermarket for a fraction of what’s on the sticker. I’ve added mud flaps, side steps, higher end floor mats, racks, spare wheel cover, to my Defender and saved several thousand over what the dealer would charge in the accessories and install.

 

When I initially saw the title of this thread I naturally was drawn to click on it out of curiosity. And I figured some of it was anecdotal, some regional pricing structures. Until now, when I decided to browse the website of the dealer where my Defender was purchased because my wife is interested in an Evoque and found this preposterous offering. Seriously? Accessories totaling more than the cost of a base P300 alone? If I had the time and devotion to add up every available option to tack onto a vehicle I cannot imagine it would reach that astronomical number. Has anyone seen figures like this? I am flabbergasted.

 

I made an inquiry on this specific vehicle, and get this: they will not sell to customers that are from outside of FL ! (not that I would ever buy it at this price, but ... )
Business must be booming at this dealership !

 

I know this is an old thread with new replies - FWIW, I recently moved from Phoenix to Seattle. I've been wanting a new Defender since they came out - was biding my time for both my own finances and also first year or two build quality, etc... and then BAM - COVID.

So anyway, I'm up in Seattle now, but have purchased 4 vehicles from Land Rover North Scottsdale in the past before I moved away. Now that I'm in a position to purchase a Defender, I started calling around to the dealerships in the Seattle area (Land Rover Seattle in Lynnwood, Land Rover Bellevue, and Land Rover of Tacoma). All of them back in February wanted either a $10k or $15k markup - so I told them to kick rocks. I tried the dealer in Portland, and they said they wouldn't sell out of their AOR - "Area of Responsibility". *shrugs*

Last week Land Rover Seattle offered me $10K over MSRP (my build is approx $88k) with $2.5K in some exterior protection, $2.5k in some interior protection, and $5k in some extended dealer warranty. I said I didn't want any dealer add-ons or dealer extended warranty, and they replied "these are non-optional add-ons; it'll be $10k over MSRP whether you take them or not." (Spoiler alert - I did not take them up on their offer). I went back to Land Rover of Tacoma - they initially said $10k ADM. I informed them I had an excellent relationship with an AZ dealer (did not specify which one), and although I was trying to start a relationship with a local dealer, I was not afraid to go purchase elsewhere.

The sales person kindly "did some research for me" and told me he found out that AZ wasn't ordering any more Defenders. (Who is "AZ"? What dealer? There are at least 4 I can count - Tucson, Arrowhead, Chandler, Scottsdale - I think that's all...).Then they offered to order for me with $4k markup to include Lo-Jack and Pro Trim. (I didn't know what Pro Trim is, Google told me it's weight loss supplements?!". Turns out that Pro Trim is the door edge guards and the door handle cups... for $395. and Lo Jack costs them $995. Then he said it would be a $4k markup whether I wanted those add-ons or not...

So I promptly called Land Rover North Scottsdale, my old sales rep isn't there any more but a very helpful internet sales person looked up my profile, asked his manager about selling and registering a vehicle out of state, and said they would happily order my build for me and sell it to me for MSRP + tax, tags, and doc fees. No forced add-ons - although I gladly took the $795 tint job they do (whoever that dealer uses is awesome - all 4 of my previous vehicles from there had great tint that looked factory - a necessity in the AZ sun!). When I told him that dealer in Tacoma WA had informed me that "AZ isn't taking any more orders" he laughed - hard. I asked the sales person in Tacoma where he came up with that BS, and he said "I called and spoke to a salesman and that is what I was told directly so hopefully you are getting the truth as some sales people believe in asking for forgiveness and not being honest." Yeah, I think I'll trust the dealer that I've worked and purchased 4x vehicles previously!

Long story short - I am not sure if Land Rover North Scottsdale would do this for everyone (as I am a long-time customer), or if Penske has different internal guidelines, but they are happy to order me a Defender at MSRP - and I have it in writing. I'll update this weekend / next week once the order is confirmed! (Then we start the allocation and build time waiting game!) -Matty

 

I’m in the same boat in Seattle. Also being patient, but it’s either dealer add-ons or the 10k adjustment. Also called Portland and got the same response. I’m open to out of state if it’s possible