Land Rover Experience .... but not in a nice way

[Arapiles]

We bought a low mileage second-hand 2014 D4 last year from an LR dealer in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne. We could've bought a D5 but decided after a lot of research and checking the two out side-by-side to get the D4. We bought a 2014 model because the dealers were asking silly money for 2015 and 2016 models, even the TDV6s and bluntly there's only so much I'm prepared to spend on a depreciating asset. Dealers cheerfully told us that everyone was snapping up the last of the D4s because they didn't trust the reliability of the D5 for the first couple of years and that TDV6s were selling second-hand for what they'd been selling them for new a year earlier.

We don't typically spend a lot of money on cars, but we did on this occasion. Taken into context, next to our house it was the most expensive single item we'd bought. But our house is appreciating in value.

A couple of months after we bought the D4 we got an invitation to attend a Land Rover Experience, which we were keen to do. That was just before Christmas, so wasn't going to happen then, and in the New Year I had a hip replaced. Having the hip replaced (yes, I'm youngish to have it done) put me off work for a month and on crutches for a couple of months, including no driving. Our oldest was doing VCE so we basically forgot about it for much of the year. I pulled the invitation out the other day and noticed that it expired on 31 October. Oops.

So, I rang LRA and explained the situation. They were initially sympathetic and said that it wouldn't be a problem. Then they checked the rego of our car and told me that because our car was too old they wouldn't be extending the date of the Experience. I pointed out that I'd bought the car from an LR dealer a year earlier. The car is still under warranty. No dice.

So, what I've learnt from this is that LRA have an amazing ability to shoot themselves in the feet. The Land Rover Experience is supposed to turn buyers into loyalists - instead, once the D4 is gone, it's unlikely that I'll buy another LR product.

[Jojo]

A bitter pill, admittedly. Lesson learned, don't trust the official LR sales people. All LR aficionados and long term owners have made similar experiences.
My advice: join a Land Rover club near you and get the real Land Rover Experience. Worth much more than you've bargained for and you'll meet nice folk all along the way.

[Blknight.aus]

IME,

Aulro IS The landrover experience.

(anything else is just some company trying to cash in.)

[Arapiles]

Thanks ... to be honest, I actually like the looks of the new Defender, it's just a pity that I'll have to buy it from LRA.

[Ferret]

You might find something similar is available to you delivered by Green Oval Experience. Some say the owner, Gordon, is difficult to contact. Can only try to find out yourself. I suspect 2019 dates are yet to be announced.

GOE Victoria Training (https://www.greenovalexperience.com/copy-of-nsw)

[trout1105]

Just take the D4 out and get it dirty and learn for yourself what all the differant settings, knobs ect do, A much more satisfying experiance than doing an organised course.[thumbsupbig]
The D4 is a Very capable 4WD and if you have previous 4WD experiance it shouldn't take too long to figure it out.
This way you can do it in a time frame that suits you Bugger the dealers.

[AK83]

Just take the D4 out and get it dirty and learn for yourself what all the differant settings, knobs ect do, .... .


[thumbsupbig]

Even better, keep an eye out on here for any events, or group outings, and join in.

[Blknight.aus]

IME,

Aulro IS The landrover experience.




[thumbsupbig]

Even better, keep an eye out on here for any events, or group outings, and join in.

See.

[Arapiles]

Just take the D4 out and get it dirty and learn for yourself what all the differant settings, knobs ect do, A much more satisfying experiance than doing an organised course.[thumbsupbig]
The D4 is a Very capable 4WD and if you have previous 4WD experiance it shouldn't take too long to figure it out.
This way you can do it in a time frame that suits you Bugger the dealers.

There were two choices - the Werribee 4WD centre or lunch at a winery in the Yarra Valley and a trundle around some dirt roads nearby. Would you like to hazard a guess which option my wife chose?

[AK83]

.... Would you like to hazard a guess which option my wife chose?

Just curious.
Is the invitation, an actual bona fide invitation .. or is it an invitation to somewhere whereby you make a donation to the already bloated executive salaries?

What part of Melb are you near? Nice easy bush drives to get you started all within an hours drive, good food along the way(or back) .. all the while minimising exposure to nouveaux riche hoi polloi frequenting this grape juice district. [biggrin]

Out west you have Wombat SF north of Bacchus Marsh, or Mt Disappointment/Kinglake area up north. Both less than an hour from the CBD.
Out east ... actually I avoid the east .. too close to the grape juice chasing nouveaux riche hoi polloi! [tonguewink]

If you do Wombat, you don't need any help finding eateries in Daylesford not too far.
If you do Mt Disappointment area, I'm not sure if the Strath Creek Hotel has re-opended again, but if not, the Tooborac Hotel (and bakery next to it) are well worth the drive(in terms of food and stress relief). Yea is closer tho.

[Arapiles]

Out west you have Wombat SF north of Bacchus Marsh, or Mt Disappointment/Kinglake area up north. Both less than an hour from the CBD.
Out east ... actually I avoid the east .. too close to the grape juice chasing nouveaux riche hoi polloi! [tonguewink]

If you do Wombat, you don't need any help finding eateries in Daylesford not too far.
If you do Mt Disappointment area, I'm not sure if the Strath Creek Hotel has re-opended again, but if not, the Tooborac Hotel (and bakery next to it) are well worth the drive(in terms of food and stress relief). Yea is closer tho.

We've been through the back roads to Daylesford on the way to my parents' farm over near the Little Desert, so the D4 has seen plenty of dirt roads. But I was a bit surprised by how the small corrugations were getting through the air suspension.

[trout1105]

We've been through the back roads to Daylesford on the way to my parents' farm over near the Little Desert, so the D4 has seen plenty of dirt roads. But I was a bit surprised by how the small corrugations were getting through the air suspension.

On some roads I wouldn't be surprised if the corrogations were felt in a hovercraft.
Try driving the same roads in a 79 series ute and you will realize just how smooth the D4 is in comparison.