Dealer denting my Defender....

[BilboBoggles]

OK - So I put my brand new Defender Limited Edition in for it's first service. I ask them to please be careful with it as it's pristine with not one dent or scratch yet. I'm very careful with this defender - it's the last one I will ever buy. (I have other defenders for offroading - this one is my baby...).

I pick it up and Bugger me the door is dented. I take it home and discover the wings are dented on one side and caved in on the other.

Yes it's a defender and probably should not be shiny... But I like to put the dents in it on my own.

Unfortunately this is is the one last dealer I trust in Melbourne, after being driven to the point of insanity by the idiots at the other dealers. BUT this last remaining usable dealer, has a crap panel shop they are associated with. So I can't get them to fix their mistakes, as I am sure it will come back worse, and in ten years I'll be looking at pealing clear coat.

So I paid for the one decent Land Rover Panel shop to fix the dents. Surprisingly it only cost a $200 to have the dents removed using PDR.


Does anyone else find that their defenders wings are dented every service by their dealers?

[Sandgroper]

That is very poor mate, I agree with you, they will get dented and scratched soon enough but you pay a lot of money for a new defender so YOU want to be the one to put them in when it eventually happens. When my defender went in for its first service I made a point of saying that it is in new condition and I don't want dents or scratches unless I put them in. The dealer was very good, no marks of any kind when I got it back which is great, I'd have been upset if it had come back otherwise.

[Marty110]

I would be getting some diamond plate wing top protectors from juddy on this forum. The panels are very easy to dent just by leaning on them to check the oil. Still no excuse for the dealer though who needs to read the riot act to his mechs

[dullbird]

I can tell you that our doors looked dented when we first picked the car up you could only see it at certain angles when the sun reflected on the paint...

So it actually wouldn't of surprised me if you had a dent there from day dot that you never noticed.

I have seen many new defenders that look like they don't have straight panels on the forecourt.

[Chops]

Dents on the wings stick out like sore thumbs.

Mine was good until it's first service :mad:
Not much point arguing, they just deny it :mad: they don't even seem to care,, "it's a Defender". WTF has that got to do with it?? I had the same response about leaking doors :mad:

[101RRS]

That is why I would never buy a new Defender - when I pay $55-60K for a new vehicle I don't expect it to come with ripples and dents from new.

Garry

[BilboBoggles]

I can tell you that our doors looked dented when we first picked the car up you could only see it at certain angles when the sun reflected on the paint...

So it actually wouldn't of surprised me if you had a dent there from day dot that you never noticed.

I have seen many new defenders that look like they don't have straight panels on the forecourt.


Nope - definitely looks like it's been pushed open into a sharp concrete edge. The dent is obvious. (Well it was until I paid to have it fixed.). And I know what defender panels are supposed to look like.

[Pickles2]

That is an absolute & inexcuseable disgrace. Which dealer did this? (So we can be aware) Which PDR did you use?
Thanks, Pickles.

[gvwow]

Hi All i had mine service/ fix in brisbane and when i went to pick it up
i notice a dent near car air intake on wing and pointed it out straightaway
and he said he would fix it next time the service was due,but (swmbo) said
no way and said to him make and appointment asap, next week it was fix:D
p.s there was a force/ push down on aluminium radiator edge as they place or
lent on it, no biggie though just notice....
Regards

[dullbird]

That is an absolute & inexcuseable disgrace. Which dealer did this? (So we can be aware) Which PDR did you use?
Thanks, Pickles.

Bilbo

as I'm sure you are probably aware but Mr Pickles doesn't seem to be by asking the question

Do not name the dealer on here

If you wish to share that information or if someone wishes to know please take it to PM..:)

[Cobber]

Nope never had that problem thankfully. That said I wouldn't be too phased if it came back with a new dent (within reason anyway) as it would go nicely with the others already there ;)

[alittlebitconcerned]

OK - So I put my brand new Defender Limited Edition in for it's first service. I ask them to please be careful with it as it's pristine with not one dent or scratch yet. I'm very careful with this defender - it's the last one I will ever buy. (I have other defenders for offroading - this one is my baby...).

I pick it up and Bugger me the door is dented. I take it home and discover the wings are dented on one side and caved in on the other.

Yes it's a defender and probably should not be shiny... But I like to put the dents in it on my own.

Unfortunately this is is the one last dealer I trust in Melbourne, after being driven to the point of insanity by the idiots at the other dealers. BUT this last remaining usable dealer, has a crap panel shop they are associated with. So I can't get them to fix their mistakes, as I am sure it will come back worse, and in ten years I'll be looking at pealing clear coat.

So I paid for the one decent Land Rover Panel shop to fix the dents. Surprisingly it only cost a $200 to have the dents removed using PDR.


Does anyone else find that their defenders wings are dented every service by their dealers?


Courtesy of the dealer... both my wings badly dented, a 40cm gouge back to bare metal in the seat box paint when removing a seat, a slashed seat cover, ripped interior rubber matting over the transmission tunnel, several scratches in the dash, dinged a rear panel above a wheel arch and they somehow cut through the demister wires on the rear window so it didn't work. I made them replace and fix everything except the scratches in the dash which they said was already there.

Edit. Forgot to add the two sets of door rubbers that needed replacing after they tore holes in them.

[rick130]

I have seen many new defenders that look like they don't have straight panels on the forecourt.


That is why I would never buy a new Defender - when I pay $55-60K for a new vehicle I don't expect it to come with ripples and dents from new.

Garry

ex-SWMBO used to say the Defender was the only car that came new with cellulite ! :D

[BilboBoggles]

I won't mention the dealer - and to be honest I've tried all of the dealers in Melbourne, and have had a fantastic experience with this one last trustworthy dealer.. Up until now...

I've sent them an email explaining my disappointment. I'm not asking them to pay for the damage - I've already had that fixed - But I would like to know how they plan to do things differently in the future... But sadly - no response yet.

[Sue]

Wow, I think I would have been quite upset if the dealer or anyone dented my car while servicing it.

A second vote here for using the chequer plate from Juddy on the forum to prevent it happening a second time. It took me ages to decide to put it on my car, and I only succumbed because aerial movement was eventually going to crack the wing and all I can say is I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner. :)

[BilboBoggles]

thanks everyone...


I might have to go with the chequer plate. I just installed a set on my TD5 to hide the peeling clearcoat - where the dealer from 10 years ago repainted the wings after dropping the winch on it whilst installing it before delivery, but that's another long story... But the wing top protectors are very good....

Whilst I am bitter and annoyed that they damaged the vehicle, I also know that I've received dents on the wings of my defenders just about every dealer service over the last 500,000 I've driven them. It's unfortunate that its inevitable. I thought they would take more care if I asked. And I was most surprised because this particular workshop has been very good over the last 4-5 years I've used them... (annoying too because I get my TD5 serviced by a non dealer Land Rover guru, and the one time he dented it - he told me , and apologised and offered to fix before I even noticed... And that's the only damage he's inflicted... )

I'll need to go look for that teaspoon of cement and harden the **** up...

[Leyland1980]

I might have to go with the chequer plate....

PPE is the last line of defence. Owners of no other vehicle would except the suggestion "oh, why don't you just bolt a bit of some thing a little bit less denty over that bit of your $60,000 car!"

[Sue]

PPE is the last line of defence. Owners of no other vehicle would except the suggestion "oh, why don't you just bolt a bit of some thing a little bit less denty over that bit of your $60,000 car!"

Yes PPE is the last line of defence, but the first is to remove the problem - which would be with a different shape and I'm fairly sure that most of us are not looking forward to that day.. :) Besides these are defenders we are talking about here, putting on a bit of chequer plate is the least of our problems.. :p

I still say go the chequer plate, it's strong, protective, functional and looks good.

[Leyland1980]

I still say go the chequer plate, it's strong, protective, functional and looks good.

I agree that checker plate is good, but I have it for reasons other than to stop people I am paying good money to from denting my pride and joy.

Why are defender owners treated differently to owners of anything else? Cars, electronics, anything that is repaired or serviced should not receive damage whilst being repaired.