You assume that they would have been selling the vehicle even if they knew it was only a $100 fix? Doubt it. Regardless, don't you think they would want quite a bit more money for it had they known?

 

$2750 is most probably what the dealer would have given as a trade value, and the dealer was not interested in taking the vehicle - so the next best plan for the dealer was to find a buyer for the trade so he could sell a new Range. See it's all the dealers fault
Put yourself in the OP's shoes, if someone offers you a vehicle for $2750 are you going to say "naaah, I'd rather pay $7250" ?

 

Hah, I get your point, though not comparable in the least. Asking if I'd rather have $5K or $0 isn't the same. It would be the equivalent of trading a $1bill for a $100bill with a child who doesn't know better. Just saying, if you know the difference (before deal is struck) and they do not, is it wrong? (ethically or morally or whatever)

I only said something from the get go because I found it funny that the OP trashed the dealerships for a mis-diagnosis that HE actually took advantage of...which I then re-read and realize that doesn't seem to be the case here, but fun to discuss anyways.

 

P.S. Reading comprehension (on my part) always helps too...it sure look like that "cole european" place was trying to take advantage with a 30hr labor quote on a HG job.

 

I would put it down to hard sales tactics, convince the customer that his vehicle is worth crap and that it will cost $$$$ to repair - just get rid of it and buy a new one. The previous owner must also have had problems with the Disco and may have lost interest in owning it, who knows the full history behind the story. Anyway the OP still got a huge bargain.

 

Ethics and integrity. None exhibited, regardless of PO's situation/position to purchase a Range Rover.

 

If any of you bought a used one owner car and then found a envelope in the trunk with $1000 cash would you tell the seller?

 

from what it sounded like at least he told them to not do buisiness with them. and buy the po calling and asking it sounds as though they had an idea that their mechanic wasn't being strait with them. they probably used it as an excuse to get somthing new.

 

Wow, this thread just got interesting. Just to answer few of the questions folks have here and some telling me i'm no better than other's trying to rip people off.......

Well first of all, it was Cole European Land Rover in Walnut Creek that did the whole diagnostic. I actually went through the whole print of the report the seller had in hand at the time of the sale ((((( I don't believe what Land Rover or other dealerships say when it comes to buying cars. 90% of them bull****))))) Which was from Cole European in Walnut Creek. I know what the report said, but with me doing a quick check that's all it took. The seller mentioned that the technician who worked on the Disco offered them $1000.00 and the seller said, they wanted more. After all this, I asked the seller what they would like to sell the vehicle at? Seller said, they have a buyer at $2500 and we will take $2750 to sell it today. So I took cash of 5000 which I was still willing to pay, but why when I told them to name their price. So I gave them what they wanted.

Besides all this, I have had purchased a 2001 Jaguar Stype a year ago, when Cole European mention to the seller that his transmission was shot at 78000 miles. I went and looked at the car, but the battery was dead. Considering the condition of the car, I purchased and gambled on the transmission issue ( which would have been an easy fix for me ). Once purchased, I charged the battery, fired the car up, noticed a misfire do to leaking gaskets, check engine light was on. I put the car in reverse and it worked fine, threw it in drive and transmission was slipping. After further driving and noticed that the shift module on top was defective. I fixed the module inhouse and didn't want to pay 800 for a new one. The car was back on the road in a day.

So it doesn't surprise me that these dealers have unexperienced folks working or they are just trying to rip the customer off. I can name many situations and dealers that I encountered the issues with. I will always suggest to everyone, get a second opinion

Land Rover and Jaguar tops my list for sure

 

My neighbor had recently turned in his 04 HSE because the dealership told him it had a slipped sleeve. He told me they told him they could fix it with "some kind of special fluid", I'm guessing this is the generic stopleak. He just turned it in so as not to deal with the headache. The stealership is right in our town, LR of Cape Cod, and I saw the truck on the lot for $13K. Some poor unsuspecting chap is going to get suckered in to buying a junk truck assuming it really does have a slipped sleeve. If not then my neighbor may have been taken for a ride. LRCC gave him half of the money for the trade-in but has yet to give him the other half 2 months later.