Thread: What a laugh that was - not!

Got the wife a 2002 Freelander 1 recently only problem was the HDC light stayed on. But the dealer promised to fix it before we picked it up. They didn't! So under the QLD mandatory warranty (and advice from the forum) pursuaded them to let me take it to the local LR Specialist near where I live to fix it.
$300 and a new 12 position switch later they declared it fixed. Drove the car for a couple of days and the HDC light comes back on. Back to local (supposed) LR specialist and an hour later they declared it fixed. At this point I was impressed because they didn't try and charge me for the second fix (problem was caused by the throttle cable not returning to 0 when released). So I booked it in for a major service (do everything). I supplied all the parts as I can get them much cheaper online. They quoted me between $800 and $900 for the service and timing belt change (with them supplying the service parts, but I supplied them in the end). Originally told the service would take a day and maybe part of the next day. No worries dropped it in half a day early and left it with them. Went to pick it up 2 1/2 days later only to get phone call at 4:40pm saying they needed it for another day! I told them I needed the car back as I had already booked my car in for service. So went to pick up the car and waited for nearly an hour before I could get it back. Also the bill was over $1400!!! Not happy at this point as I have been messed around and the bill was much more than they quoted. Drove the car out of the garage and the HDC light immediately came back on. So I called them the next day and arranged for them to take the car back. Left it with them for another day and got a phone call stating the problem was that the car needed a new throttle cable to fix the HDC problem. Told them to call the warranty company and sort it out with them (bearing in mind they had already charged the warranty company for the initial fix). They did not want to do this (I wonder why? "Hello mr Warranty we recently charged you $300 for fixing a vehicle but we didn't really fix it, we now need about another $200 to try another fix"). When I explained this to the wife she was fuming.
Was informed there are no throttle cables in Aus so arranged to pick the car back up and send it in when the cable arrives. So go to pick the car up and the wife is trying to get it out of a very tight parking spot with the mechanics just standing watching and laughing as she tries to manoeuvre the car. I was about to intervene (parked on road waiting) when I see another mechanic approach the vehicle and the bonnet opening. So I got out of the car and walked towards the wifes car to find out what was going on only to be told they had forgotten to put the engine cover back on!!!!
This is the same company I took the 90 to for a roadworthy and was told it had various problems that needed fixing. I took it for a roadworthy at another garage and it passed first time with no problems. I checked out the supposed problems with the car and could not find them!!!
So all in all that was the last time that bunch of cowboys get to touch any of my vehicles.
Compared to the service I got from Southside Landrover I would sooner pay the extra and get the job done properly instead of trusting a bunch of muppets.

Rant over

Ivan

Originally Posted by Ivan

....They quoted me between $800 and $900 for the service and timing belt change (with them supplying the service parts, but I supplied them in the end). .....

Also the bill was over $1400!!! Not happy at this point as I have been messed around and the bill was much more than they quoted.

Ivan, with all that stuffing around...and mis-quote.... I hope they corrected the final figure !

You have my sympathies.

James in Gosnells, WA