What's the secret . . .??
#41
09-28-2018, 04:31 PM
Rock Crawling
I’ve had a horrible dealer experience. My vehicle was to be here last Friday and today the shipper called to tell me it will be here tomorrow morning. That part isn’t the dealers fault but the rest of it sure as hell is. Like pulling teeth to get the thing and part of me thinks it’s because I saw them increasing the price by another $3k online the whole time. From overnighting paperwork to the wrong address, not returning emails or calls, telling me one thing the changing their minds (I had an 18 wheeler show up TWICE and they wouldn’t let him take it which cost me some $$$). What a pain in the giant *** it’s been. The rep would call with a solution because they sent my paperwork to a wrong address. Said “my manager says it’s ok and we can get it on the truck if you send payment” then after the truck is there they changed their mind and decided they needed the paperwork first. I almost walked away twice. I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets here and isn’t 100% what they told me (like a missing FOB or oil change not done or software not updated). I’m waiting to get it off the truck tomorrow and home. One way or another I’ll be leaving a detailed experience online in multiple places.
#42
09-28-2018, 09:44 PM
Toilet Duck, was this a like CPO dealer transfer, or something?
Since I am on my 3rd sales associate the last 3 times in, I have a sneaking suspicion that, when I went in and placed the order the week before Labor Day, and the guy I dealt with before labor day did not come back after labor day [though the same sales manager was involved], I suspect someone dropped the ball the following week. From what you guys are saying, it almost looks like to me when I called last week for an update, someone probably realized OOPs!, they quickly placed the order, and I've got a 10/21 LOCK yesterday and build date of 12/14 today. I have absolutely NO proof of this but this will be my 4th special order vehicle, 2nd overseas, [I'm 60] so it ain't my first rodeo. If I didn't want a diesel Disco so badly, even though it will be the wife's primary vehicle, I probably should have just cancelled it and bought a Subaru Outback or Buick like old farts are supposed to . . .
Since I am on my 3rd sales associate the last 3 times in, I have a sneaking suspicion that, when I went in and placed the order the week before Labor Day, and the guy I dealt with before labor day did not come back after labor day [though the same sales manager was involved], I suspect someone dropped the ball the following week. From what you guys are saying, it almost looks like to me when I called last week for an update, someone probably realized OOPs!, they quickly placed the order, and I've got a 10/21 LOCK yesterday and build date of 12/14 today. I have absolutely NO proof of this but this will be my 4th special order vehicle, 2nd overseas, [I'm 60] so it ain't my first rodeo. If I didn't want a diesel Disco so badly, even though it will be the wife's primary vehicle, I probably should have just cancelled it and bought a Subaru Outback or Buick like old farts are supposed to . . .
#43
09-28-2018, 09:58 PM
#44
09-28-2018, 11:00 PM
You know, you would think a luxury car dealer would do better and, truthfully, from Volvo to VW [not luxury brand but was a Touareg and a VW Infiniti Dealership] to Porsche to Audi to now Landrover and this is by far the worst, most frustrating to date. This is a huge company that has taken over all brands in the local "luxury auto plaza" Acura, AMG, Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Landrover, Mercedes, Mini, Porsche, Sprinter, and I understand they have removed commission only selling for no doubt a low level salary with incentives. Not sure which is better. Unless it is like minimum wage or something, there would be an advantage to having a guaranteed paycheck and still the incentive to make sales vs not but perhaps not as much incentive as when it is commission only?
#45
09-29-2018, 12:23 AM
Make sure they send you a order or build sheet. My dealer send me an initial one listing alll the options, packages, etc with dates for last amendment, build and delivery. Once it got to the build date they send me a VIN in the updated sheet.
The build date was originally a month after lock date, but ended up closer to 3 weeks. The fact that I have this in a proper documented sheet gives me bit more confidence that I may get what was ordered and also when.
The sheet looks like a legit JLR dealer form produced from the order system.
Special ordered a BMW years back that took 2 months longer than originally planned, but at least was exactly to order.
The build date was originally a month after lock date, but ended up closer to 3 weeks. The fact that I have this in a proper documented sheet gives me bit more confidence that I may get what was ordered and also when.
The sheet looks like a legit JLR dealer form produced from the order system.
Special ordered a BMW years back that took 2 months longer than originally planned, but at least was exactly to order.
#46
09-29-2018, 11:24 AM
Mudding
I finalized my order of a new Discovery on 2/12/18
The build date my dealer gave me had these dates:
Last Amendment Possible: 2/7/18 (yes five days before I have the go ahead and three days after the printout was produced, I had been shopping around for a while and they gave me the next allocation they had.)
Build Date: 3/16/18
Delivery Date: 4/20/18
Accepted Handover: 4/25/18
Planned Handovver: 4/25/18
Customer Handover
What happened:
Built on 3/16. Only takes a day, assembly line for the win!
Spent some time at the port in the UK waiting for a ship to fill.
Arrived in Baltimore on Monday 4/2.
It has to clear customs, get port installed options etc.
Then it was transported to my dealer in Norwood, MA , arrived on 4/9/18
I took delivery on 4/12/18
So what I learned in my shopping between three dealers is some are willing to change existing allocations to your custom build and then they get a new allocation for a spec build for their lot.
Some dealers won't do that and request a new allocation from JLR for a custom build.
Also everything can be changed about a build up to the last amendment date except gas or diesel.
That is locked in way before. So a dealer will have so many gas and so many diesel allocations in the pipeline. I started out looking for a diesel and since I wanted to order a 2018 instead of buy a 2017 off the lot (January 2018 when I was looking) I had to wait because the EPA hadn't actually approved the 2018 diesel yet.
I eventually gave up and ordered a gas, a week or so later they approved the diesel.
Anyway, the diesel allocations are rarer so that might be part of the delay too.
The build date my dealer gave me had these dates:
Last Amendment Possible: 2/7/18 (yes five days before I have the go ahead and three days after the printout was produced, I had been shopping around for a while and they gave me the next allocation they had.)
Build Date: 3/16/18
Delivery Date: 4/20/18
Accepted Handover: 4/25/18
Planned Handovver: 4/25/18
Customer Handover
What happened:
Built on 3/16. Only takes a day, assembly line for the win!
Spent some time at the port in the UK waiting for a ship to fill.
Arrived in Baltimore on Monday 4/2.
It has to clear customs, get port installed options etc.
Then it was transported to my dealer in Norwood, MA , arrived on 4/9/18
I took delivery on 4/12/18
So what I learned in my shopping between three dealers is some are willing to change existing allocations to your custom build and then they get a new allocation for a spec build for their lot.
Some dealers won't do that and request a new allocation from JLR for a custom build.
Also everything can be changed about a build up to the last amendment date except gas or diesel.
That is locked in way before. So a dealer will have so many gas and so many diesel allocations in the pipeline. I started out looking for a diesel and since I wanted to order a 2018 instead of buy a 2017 off the lot (January 2018 when I was looking) I had to wait because the EPA hadn't actually approved the 2018 diesel yet.
I eventually gave up and ordered a gas, a week or so later they approved the diesel.
Anyway, the diesel allocations are rarer so that might be part of the delay too.
#50
10-25-2018, 02:17 AM
After dropping the ball on actually getting it ordered, I had a "LOCK" date of 10/21 so I verified my order was correct but had to add the CarPlay feature that is now separate.
So, today, I had to reauthorize the build AGAIN . . . they called this "The Final Amend" date of 10/30. I reverified the build AGAIN, signed it AGAIN.
OK, so can they build the damn thing yet?
I think I posted earlier this isn't our first new car/truck rodeo. Number 10 between the wife and I both. A number of special orders including Euro-vehicles. This is by FAR the silliest to date.
I am preparing for the "are you absolutely positively sure" date followed by the "OK, so you are saying you want to really order a LandRover?" date.
So, today, I had to reauthorize the build AGAIN . . . they called this "The Final Amend" date of 10/30. I reverified the build AGAIN, signed it AGAIN.
OK, so can they build the damn thing yet?
I think I posted earlier this isn't our first new car/truck rodeo. Number 10 between the wife and I both. A number of special orders including Euro-vehicles. This is by FAR the silliest to date.
I am preparing for the "are you absolutely positively sure" date followed by the "OK, so you are saying you want to really order a LandRover?" date.