Thread: Intro and Disco 4 SDV6 test drive questions

Originally Posted by BradC

We checked out over 8 before we bought the Antichrist. 2 of them at dealers had a HSE badge, but we're certainly not. Incredible what dealers will try and pull.

Or previous owners …. have seen a HSE Luxury badge and the MY14 + darkened light features, headlight change, etc, on a MY13 added by the owner …. The guy was a D**K!

The potential there is for the un-initiated to get sucked into to buying a car that it is not. Not that there is anything wrong with a MY13 SE …. I own one ...LOL!!! But a HSE has different standard features and I don't even think 'HSE Luxury' existed for that model..... the flip side being ...the un-initiated owner losing potential sales later when the car comes into question.

Aren't there mandatory cooling off periods and the like when purchasing a car .... or am I thinking of realestate? Aren't there also legally binding warranties for three months after purchase on any car?

Bottom line, if I was losing sleep over a car, I wouldn't buy it. There are plenty more out there.

I'd be quickly … since you are running rapidly out of time … having a discussion with your state's equivalent of Fair Trading. Don't listen to anything a 'tool' salesman is telling you, regardless of his position in the organisation.

Don't sit on your hands mate... make the calls. You may find that you have the power of 'NO'.

Also … on extended warranty …. I did a fair bit of research when I purchased extended warranty on my first D4. The black and white terms for all the reputable () companies were that the car cannot be out of the original OEM warranty. You can take out the extended warranty on the very last day but once that window is closed, it's closed forever.

I'd be very suspicious of the T&C's, scope, etc., of an extended warranty offered on a 2011 vehicle.

Originally Posted by Celtoid

Or previous owners …. have seen a HSE Luxury badge and the MY14 + darkened light features, headlight change, etc, on a MY13 added by the owner …. The guy was a D**K!

Yes, apparently in both these instances it was the previous owner and the car yard didn't know enough to get the difference and paid the HSE price for the vehicle. They were pretty miffed when they realized what they'd actually paid for. I never bothered to check if they revised the ads for the vehicles. We stayed well away.

Hi

> Aren't there mandatory cooling off periods and the like when purchasing a car

Yes there are in Vic, NSW and Qld. Not in WA.
1 day in Qld: Cooling-off period for buying a used car | Your rights, crime and the law | Queensland Government
3 business days in Vic: Used car cooling-off period - Consumer Affairs Victoria
None in WA: Motor vehicle sales contracts and cooling off | Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety

Search for "cooling off period site:gov.au" in Google.

Mike

Originally Posted by BradC

Yes, apparently in both these instances it was the previous owner and the car yard didn't know enough to get the difference and paid the HSE price for the vehicle. They were pretty miffed when they realized what they'd actually paid for. I never bothered to check if they revised the ads for the vehicles. We stayed well away.

I actually have no issue with the physical changes or in many cases improvements to the car e.g., changing the standard halogen to the very change-worthy bi-xenon. As long as they are done safely and correctly ….. and it's declared upfront. In most cases these are genuine options that LR offer and owners have done it after the fact.

What peeves me is when somebody tries to sell the car as a model that it isn't, due to these changes. And if I were a new prospective buyer, and I did an internet sniff and realised there were differences between what was in front of me and a TOPIx printout or some other specification, I'd probably run too. But if an owner just did the mods and said nothing … as in didn't try to sell an S with non-standard options as an HSE, it's probably OK, I think. Nothing wrong with pointing out your improvements are maybe worth extra $ … but saying the car is another model is sh*t. I think it's also fraud.

Hi again, thanks to all.

I did a Topix check on it and its legit. I wont be persuaded or influenced by any sales talk or veiled threats, and I know BS when I hear it. If the vehicle drives and behaves like it should then I wont have a problem, if it doesn't then I'll be digging my heels in. Remember....I do actually "want" this vehicle. Sure, I may find a better one if I look around long enough, but that's not assured....especially in the price bracket I'm searching. If I was spending $50k I'd have access to higher quality/lower km vehicles but unfortunately I'm not.

I really do appreciate all your comments to date, thanks again for them. Cheers for now.

I’d take out premium breakdown insurance and ensure I had a cash reserve just for peace of mind.

Hi, I dont often post, but perhaps can share a couple of things to put your mind at rest.

We have a 2010 HSE which we bought in 2012 with 62000 on the clock. At the time we were a little concerned it left a small cloud of smoke when you put the boot into it...and at 226000 it still does :-).

We had the gearbox serviced by A&B transmissions in Dandenong (Australian ZF gearbox agent) at 180000. They gave it clean bill of health. At the time Land Rover claimed the ZF didnt need servicing...though at my service last month they told me it did. Seems they now get the kits from A&B!

Last service we needed front and rear brakes done...roughly $1250 each end. I call that expensive. We also needed lower control arms (apparently they need doing evry 100,000 or so). All up with the service I dropped $4700.

To put things in perspective, we had a Pajero between our Disco 3 and 4. The dearest service was just under $500. At 283,000 we had to replace front shocks and rear diff rubber bushes at a cost of $600. We also put an altenator in it along the way which was circa $400. I DIYd disc pad changes but it still had the original rotors.

The Pajero was cheaper to buy and cheaper to own. It even survived my DIL filling it with petrol and driving it till it stopped (dealer flushed tank and lines, replaced fuel filter and $170 later we drove it home).

But...it was noisy, harsh riding and while rated to tow our boat and caravan it really struggled. It also struggled to stop with the 2 tonne boat attached. Hence why we bought another disco and never let our DIL borrow it!