I know a young college student here in San Diego with a 2007 Range Rover Sport HSE. She called me tonight and wanted to talk to me about a repair estimate on her car. The RRS has a leak around the thermostat housing. She took the car to San Diego Land Rover. Estimate - $13,500. The dealer estimated the replacement of the thermostat housing and all four air shocks, drivers air bag, clock spring, air bag Collision sensors, replace all four rotors pads and brake sensors. I could go on. I was floored.

All of that for just $13,500. It sounded like a great deal. Yes I am joking. I am really shocked that even a dealership would try to take advantage of a young person like that.

The car is beautiful. It runs well, other than the thermostat housing and a brake squeak, pads and rotors look good, could be a parking brake adjustment issue.

Thank goodness for all of the honest shops. I wish that Abran or Peter Campbell were a little closer to her.

Phil

 

But... if all those things are truly in need of repair? If not, then yes, that's trying to take advantage. But if they are all broken, that's just dealer pricing and it's not surprising. I'd be more concerned if those items actually need repair. If so, some of them being safety items and suspension parts, I'd be looking to get some of them fixed at an indy shop.

 

The cars 11 years old... If the air shocks have never been replaced and I wouldn't be surprised if they need them. I just did my air shocks on my LR3 (06 120k miles factory bags) and it was slightly scary to see what condition the bags were in and that I was able to snap off the studs without much effort. (that wasn't the intention I was trying to un-bolt them). I could see the LR dealer trying to tack something on like brakes to make a little extra money, but an air bag? That seems so complex when they could just say you need a coolant flush.... There must be a reason as to why they deemed those parts in need of replacement and i'm curious to find out why. At the end of the day though A young college girl driving a range rover screams my parents fund me. (even though we all know that can certainly not be the case.) So it doesn't surprise me that they tried to target her it just baffles me on the choices of parts.

 

Obscene is probably too nice of a word, but as mentioned, I would be interested in how they came up with the airbag faults.

I have used air bags here that we sell for cheap. Was she in an accident?

 

Suspension is great, air bag is great, it may need a clockspring, I know that I replaced mine not long ago because it was showing cruise control inop from time to time. Brakes are good, just has what may be a parking brake adjustment, they told her that the aftermarket pads, rotors had to be replaced with OEM. She is driving dad's old car, pretty humble kid, studying biophysics or something like that at UCSD. I am surprised that they didn't recommend changing the air in the tires.........Phil

 

and the headlight fluid...