Thread: My tale of woe, and a freindly warning

Appalling. Would these people be official LR or independent workshops?

Just make sure that he is telling the truth, not trying to get his mate a better price. I have had this before to, but what they did not know was that I knew the car inside out and the issues they brought up where infact non existent. Needless to say they ate a bit of humble pie and ended up buying the car for full asking price.
I am not saying he is wrong, but check everything he says for yourself and get it verified.
The two things you have described are a minor fix and should have been pointed out as a need to fix, not a do not buy or do not continue inspection.

I have heard storys like this before and it is sickening.

I have just recently had to write a 3 page letter about a dealership (not LR) ripping off a lady that new no better and have charged for work not done.

I wish you luck finding a good Citroen mechanic, they are a bit rare these days, good ones that is but ask around and someone will recomend one.

Hope everything gets sorted for you.

I've found some pre-purchase inspections can be a bit dodgy to if the mechanic doing the inspection doesn't understand Land Rover's...

I had a 300tdi Disco that was well maintained from new and serviced at the dealer. One purchaser had it inspected at a Nissan mechanic who absolutely slam dunked it, criticised things that were 'just Land Rover' peculiarities etc.

The next purchaser had it inspected at a LR dealership (different to where I had it serviced) who gave an honest indication of what needed work but overall a good report...

Nathan

Anyone who knows of Fred Smith will know that he knows landy's, i have never taken a car to him but i just have to hear other members of the LROCV swear by him. If he was dodgy he could have just passed it and let the next unsuspecting person deal with it. I dont personally know Fred but have met him at club meetings.

As regards to Fred Smith, I have customers that have moved here from VIC that have used him, ALL their vehicles were/ are in excellent mechanical condition. I feel looking at his workmanship and hearing the things that I do about him that yes, I could trust him as a tech.

JC

I used Fred Smith when I lived in Melbourne, and still try to get him to have a look at my car when I am in Melbourne, and buy any critical parts from him, and get advice from him. In my view he is completely above suspicion. If he has one shortcoming it is that he is a perfectionist!

Unfortunately I can't help with the Citroen bloke - the one I used for 22 years in Melbourne retired about ten years ago and closed the business...

John

I will not have a chance to go over it until the weekend but, Tim has not asked to buy it cheaper and, having spoken to Fred myself, I have no reason to doubt him. The car has felt rough from new so, I just assumed that this is what they feel like. Some of the stuff he mentioned was superficial, like the scrape on the roof where a parking hight bar had actually dropped by an inch and one of the bodged repairs he mentioned, I knew about although, I had asked for the part to be dismantled and re-sealed, not just to have silastic smeared around the outside - once again, I should have checked (even though I shouldn't have to).
He is concerned that the gearbox has not been mating well with the engine due to the lack of bolts and it looks like they have been missing for a long time so, this will need to be pulled apart to ensure there is no damage. He mentioned that the belt tensioner was stuffed and this is the sort of thing that Tim was expecting and we would have negotiated a price that would take into account any minor problems. However, the engine/ gearbox issue is of greater concern and so, Tim will keep looking.
The service agents were all highly regarded independents....
The suspention was fitted by Pedders and while there is nothing wrong with the product (apart from it not being what I asked for - standard hight - but thats another story) you would think that they could have mentioned that the steering rod was bent as it would have made the wheel alignment difficult... no mention of it.
It seems we really have no choice but to check all work done until we are certain that the person doing the work actually gives a damn and you can feel confidence in their work.
I had the Citroen in for it's first service a week ago and asked for them to fix the squeaking breaks. They claimed that they chamfered them but, they are still squeaking. I will check them on the weekend and see if they did anything at all (and look into ordering some shims and a tube of antisqueal, like they should have done in the first place). There is nobody I have heard about that specialises in modern Citroens so, I guess I am on my own....

cheers