Went to my closest Rover dealer (90 miles) a few weeks back for an oil change. 5 hours later, picked up our LR4 andpaid $150 for the service. Wife made a comment how the charged us $3 for washerfluid that we usually buy at half that. 3 miles from the dealership my "low washerfluid" warning came on. We just laughed, it didn't suprise us. Next day, while filling the washerfluid, I decided to check the filter cap and clean up any spilt oil. The cap looked as if it wasn't touched. Pulled cap off to find the old filter that I had put on 8 monthes ago (I etch the miles in the end cap). I then took a sample of oil, dirty! I called the dealership the next day and re-told the the god certified LR tech changed the oil. I had to email a bunch of pics of my filter and oil. I called to confirm they had received my pics the next day, they did and was told they would call back. 3 days later I called again and was given the same story. Now 2 weeks later I have put a dispute case in with the credit card company.

Can anyone top that dealer story?

 

Oh that's bad.

 

What would be great is if they had to pay for a wrecker both ways so your miles are not impacted. 3 hours of travel for an attorney at $350 an hour,... adds up. Your state may have a consumer affairs department as well.

 

I have 15 years of dealership experience with several brands, and nothing really surprises me anymore. Its tragic, because this is the byproduct of one person's laziness and/or lack of pride/morals and it really gives the rest of the industry a bad name.

I have worked with techs that would do something like that and I have worked for management that would sweep it under the carpet when I brought it up which is why I stopped working for dealers. However, there are good dealers/techs/advisers/managers out there its just unfortunate that as a Land Rover customer, you don't have many dealers to pick and choose from for service.

 

Hard to say on an LR4 with no dipstick. You see the oil is sucked out thru the little hole under the cap. Does it mean they did it, I don't know. Its up to the guy that says he did. The filter is under the cap so that is difficult. if they did have them pull the oil out. You see it will be displayed in a clear tank. Or you can drain it yourself. But you have to put the oil back and count to see how much is gone or check on the display screen. What dealership did you go to? BTW, I am a former tech so it won't bother me what you say about the shop.

 

I really don't want to name names, I'm sure it was an isolated incident. As an update, as I said before, it was my marked filter still in the LR4 (I had marked it w/ the miles when I changed the oil myself) I had pulled all of the oil out and it was darker than cola soda. Before the LR franchise switched hands in the Capitol district, I went mainly to Keeler LR/BMW. Sales department were great, worked performed on my Diso I and LR3 was great, service writer was I always felt was hired because he was either family/spouse or was the only one to show up for the interview. The "new" LR dealership just....well....the sales and service staff just don't seem to have a passion for LR and thats just sad. The dealership needs people that reflect LR and thier advertising---GO BEYOND.

 

I came from that dealership. Left April of 2011. Trust me I have had to fix quite a few problems that the old shop couldn't fix. Used car dealers don't like bringing cars to them and they have lost many a customer. The reason is, all of us that knew what we were doing left because the service manager boned us every chance he got. On top of it they raised prices by 100 percent after two months of being there. There is one guy left and he came in at 06. The rest are rookies to the brand. The old service manager was fired because the place did so bad. They even have lost all of their service advisors from Keeler. No one who gives a damn anymore. Its really sad to see such a good brand go down the drain. The people including the customers made this brand what it was in Albany and yet now no one cares.

Oh and they don't replace the cap on the oil filter. You can't really mark the old filter its a paper filter. If you have any questions just give send me a message. I can help you thru this.

 

That really explains a lot. Thanks for the update. Problems is ..... as I was heading home tonight, there was a bit of grinding noise, low coolant lamp came on so I pulled over....appears as if the water pump had a mechanical failure. I called roadside and they will be here in the mornig to flatbed Rover back to Albany.
As far as the filter goes, I scribe in the end cap of the filter (between part number and made in China stamping) what the mileage was when I did the oil change and the date.

 

I'm very sorry to hear about your issues, I hope that you can get the issues resolved. If you need any local help, I'm in the Albany area.

Sounds like I should look to NJ or CT for Rover service?

 

Thanks, I'll keep an updated post. So far, best Rover dealerships I have delt with (owner since 1995) have been in the Boston and surrounding area. Funny, I live in the foothills of the Adirondacks, and have to travel to the big metropolitan areas (not Albany)for good service and sales.