MY LOCAL LANDY SPECIALIST IS RUBBISH!!!!!
One evening in October 2005 I left work in Humphrey to drive home. I pulled out of the carpark onto the main road and drove 30yards down the road until a young woman in a Renault drove under my Land Rover. Unusually for that time of day, this actually caught my attention and I managed to stop as the rear driver side wheel of the Land Rover was about to make its way over her car. I pulled off the road and got out to see the damage..
....and this is all I could see! Two bent steps (which I had just fitted as 1 year old second hand items) a crease in both doors, a scraped hinge and a buggered rear triangular panel (possibly the worst bit). Not too bad I thought. If I had done it in a field myself I would have knocked the steps straight and left the doors the way they were......however.....I wasn't in a field. I turned around to see several hundred bits of French plastic sprawled across the road....... I had certainly came off better. The Renault was missing a bumper, front wing, front panel and all of its lights. The bonnet had nothing the close onto, which was alright as the bonnet was no fit shape to close anyway. She admitted liability immediately, no one was harmed and she called her husband to come with the estate car to collect the bits of Renault.
8 days later I was informed by her insurance company that they had assessed the damage to my Land Rover whilst it was parked outside my house and that they would pay the £2376 that I had been quoted by a local Land Rover "Specialist" to repair the vehicle....remember, were still in October here....
Christmas came and went, I froze down my right hand side whenever I drove the Landy as the drivers door wouldn't shut after the bump. Land Rover were unable to supply the "Specialist" with any doors as there was a shortage of them. Unusual considering Land Rover could get me a pair in 5 days (yes, I phoned and asked them), but I gave the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they had a trade arrangement or something.... Eventually in late January the car went in for the work. "It will take a week, drop it off Monday, collect it on Friday at the latest"
"Remember to change the door hinges" I say, "I don't want new doors on knackered hinges, I'll pay the difference"
17 days later after many empty promises and possibly the worst communication I have ever experienced at a garage, I turn up to collect my unfinished Land Rover as I need it to tow something. It has no interior light (???), no side steps, old door seals with overspray and still has the old door hinges fitted that were worn. Over spray is every where and the new paint is polished of the door edges. But, its dark, I'm tired, and I need to get home.
When I eventually do get a look at it in day light (3 days later due to work) I'm well pissed off. The drivers door is far from straight as you can see below. That is the door firmly shut in that picture with the top of the door pulled well in.
I arrange to turn up to collect my side steps that weren't fitted and when I get there, there's only one of them.......This garage is 10 mile from me, but I must drive through a city centre to get to it, it takes a while....I complain and receive minimal sense in the reply with much staring at the floor and shuffling of feet. But like a fool I'm busy, I have kids, dogs, work, shopping, ironing and a life, and I have waited for this to be repaired for 5-months now. I leave, vowing never to return. He posts the side step to my house and promises to post new painted hinges to me also.
Then it gets even better.......
After looking around Northumberland at Discovery's for my wife with a Landy full of kids & dogs we were pulling of the A1 at about 60mph, stereo playing, kids shouting, 200tdi rattling away....a knocking and grinding gets REALLY loud, something is clearly wrong.....I pull over in the snow off the slip road and get out. At first I can't see anything. I know its clearly at the back, so I get under. Imagine my surprise when I see my rear callipers hanging off, BOTH OF THEM!!!
When the Landy was getting the two new doors sprayed the rear calliper seals leaked in the workshop. I was expecting this as I had already changed the seals & pistons but the callipers were buggered. So I ordered new callipers...then the garage called and said "bring your car in for its doors now"...So I drove it in with the old callipers and the new ones arrived when it was in the garage. Mr "Specialist" sees the brake fluid leaking, calls me, I say "I know"... then I drive over there with the new callipers and he says he'll fit them for me for £40. I have no choice and to be honest, I can't be bothered by now. He fits the callipers then 90mile later the bolts drop out on the A1 grinding the calliper, cutting a groove on the inside of an alloy and burning steel grindings into the alloy wheels.....nice..... I'm well chuffed by now...... I have work that week that requires 500miles of driving and my wife needs her car for nightshift.
I recover the Landy home myself and make alternative arrangements for work (costing more money) then order new calliper bolts as I was only left with one in each calliper (and I removed those with my fingers!).
The week later my hinges arrive with a letter asking me to state I'm satisfied with the insurance work ! Then it states there is an invoice for me to pay for the hinges.....except there is no invoice attached! They can't even send a bloody bill out!
I take the opportunity to send them all the info about the brakes, the problems, the lack of any invoice and the fact that I won't say I'm satisfied with the work. I'm still waiting the reply! In the mean time I have fixed the brakes, re-hung the doors on the new hinges, replaced the missing clips that hold the door cards on and fixed the interior push buttons that weren't fitted correctly. I know I should seek legal action and I was advised too. But like most people, I'm busy! I also find that its a small world as far a Land Rovers are concerned....and I won't be recommending them!
I know I was too lenient with the garage. I phoned the insurance and pointed out it was crap. I also know that I can do a better job as I used to do this for a living in a garage myself, something our "specialist" is unaware of. I also know that I will give an honest opinion of how I found the quality of the work carried out by this "Specialist" in the Newcastle upon Tyne area if anyone asks.
Its also worth noting that they have had one or two features in the Land Rover mags'....so don't assume they'll be reliable just because you see them in the glossy mags' .....like I did!