Leaving

Thing is, look at Land Rover's order books/turnover/sales increase. All of us throwing £40k+ at them to buy a car many of us hadn't even seen let alone driven just tells RR everything they're doing is absolutely right.

To be honest, when demand massively outstrips supply, I don't think any company really cares about the customer.

It's a really tricky one - as car enthusiasts we have a tendency to get all worked up about what amounts to little more than a metal box with a wheel on each corner - with personal choice boiling down to whether the heart or the head wins.

I'm a big Audi fan and had many - and the Audi Q5 is a really nice vehicle with almost peerless build quality/quality of materials and at the risk of incurring the wrath of the board somewhat ahead of LR's best efforts thus far.

So if I'm such a big Audi fan then why have I got an Evoque on order? Well for all of Audi's quality the vehicles have become progressively duller and lost the sparkle that made them special - unless you buy the RS x derivatives at stellar cost with a fuel tanker in tow.

Sadly it get's worse - to get the basic stuff/once-had-can't go back i.e. Xenons/park sensors as standard fit (expensive options otherwise) then you are forced to buy an S-Line in any Audi model range. All S-Lines come with black interiors (and no alternatives) and black headliners - there are surely brighter toombs than an S-Line To take a non S-Line and spec it to the same level makes the alternatives unaffordable. I note that my own Audi dealer seems to be scrabbling around for work and seems to have any demo you want available right now - I don't think the brand is what it was say a couple of years ago.

So is LR's supply challenge a bad thing? Annoying for sure but those of you that are buying these vehicles with your own money then the shortages are a very good thing because the residual value is protected in what are actually very difficult times for used car prices - certainly in the UK anyway.

Lastly - whilst the Audi Q5 option get's you what will no doubt be a fine and reliable car from this day onwards everytime you see an Evoque you will think 'should have waited' and that's a fact.

If its not too late (although it sounds like it may be sadly), then please give me a call/PM as we would be more than happy to look after you and would be very grateful of your business.

It's such a shame that you've not been happy with the level of service from all dealers within 150 miles of Liverpool (if my understanding is correct?), and I know LR would take great issue with this.

If its any consolation I worked for Audi for nearly 10 years prior to Land Rover and have to say that the brands you mention are certainly not immune to criticism (I was with them when TT was launched!!). I think the whole motor industry has a bad reputation for customer service, and those that work hard to look after and retain customers will be more prosperous as a result. I do however know that LR are taking CS very seriously with the dealer network currently, and would not tolerate this sort of feedback.

Anyway, as mentioned, I think it's a huge shame that you will be purchasing a Q5 as opposed to a Range Rover, therefore if there is anything I can do to change this then please let me know.

James

Bermans, I can recommend a call to James, I have now travelled from Scotland 3 times to buy Range Rovers from LPR, even though I have a very good local dealership nearer home. LPR just offered that bit better service that makes it worth my while to travel 450 miles from home to buy a car. Not all Land Rover/Range Rover outlets offer poor customer service, but it appears that those local to you are particularly poor.

Would just like to know what makes Audi, BMW or Mercedes any better. I Would try another dealer because as Tim says there are good dealers out there.

If all landrover dealers were as passionate and knowledgeable as some members of this forum, buying a landrover would be a much better experience.

That's where I am lucky as my salesman is very passionate about the brand and has a high standard of customer service. I am also passionate about LandRover, as this is my fourth. I'm at the point where I can trust my salesman to spec a car for me and I know it will have what I like on it. That's what customer service is all about, getting to know each other.

We should all do dealer rating as a sticky thread.

I have only nice things to say about my dealer, but then I am in Canada where everyone is already polite to a fault. I suspect UK dealers are on a different incentive system, or maybe they just need different training? Although, I do know some American dealers who scare the willies out of us wimpy Canadians.

If only I could order from James @ Lookers and delivered to Australia, I'd do a deal right now!

(22-01-2012 09:48pm)olde Wrote:  We should all do dealer rating as a sticky thread.

There is already a whole section for you to rate your dealer as nicely or badly as you want to - the dealership feed-back section here http://babyrr.com/forum/Forum-Dealership-Feedback