jd
Member Since: 17 Feb 2006
Location: Perth
Posts: 13
  
|
I've posted a couple of times before regarding my many problems with my D3. I've also got tired of writing complaints to Rossleigh in Perth and Land Rover as my misery keeps continuing even though a replacement car is sitting at the dealers.
Anyway decided to write to Jeremy at Top Gear, tounge in cheek style, as I think my Disco deserves another award. Wrote this and sent it on Friday and what did he do on last nights programme, ask people to let him know if they have a car less reliable than his Ford GT40. My Ford D3 might qualify.
Thought you guys might enjoy the read so letter below.
CLARKSON !
IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT
There you were singing praises and devouring a Scottish mountain as you drove Land Rover’s new Discovery 3 all the way to the top of Ben Tongue in Sutherland.
Then you, or Top Gear anyway, made it your Car of the year.
Loads of other people followed as awards for the D3 poured into Land Rovers Browns Lane HQ.
We even saw your butler, James, racing a D3 against a Jag on a frozen lake in your special winter Olympics programme.
With the new season about to start, you will no doubt have colgate boy copying Tom Cruise in a “which one is taller Impossible Mission 3 competitionâ€, and hang him out the rear door of a D3 at speed with an Uzi SMG between his pearly whites.
All jolly good fun what!
So of Course I had to have one.
Well can I suggest another new competition for your new season. Another reason to stick, can I suggest post-it notes in different colours, onto a wall.
You could give this new competition a snappy title such as “ The Jeremy Clarkson Power and Co presenters Top Gear 2006 Wall of Shameâ€
You see… my Land Rover Discovery 3 TDV6 SE is a winner!
Of your possible Wall of Shame of course.
You will find it hard even among other D3 owners (www.disco3.co.uk) to find a more expensive heap of junk. The quality of the product and the incompetence from the dealer and Land Rover will take some beating.
Its Faults and problems so far … In brief:
1 It broke down after 40 miles with Turbo problems.
2 It took Land Rover 15 days to supply parts to fix Turbo
3 The first loan Courtesy Land Rover D3 broke down after 6 miles
4 It was then in for squeaking brakes which took two attempts to fix. When I say squeak I mean SQUEAKKKKK !. It certinally turned heads in Tesco’s car park. Even now after new modified handbrake parts it still squeaks now and again when you pull away.
5 Wheel Sensor replaced, as it squeaked.
6 Clutch rebuilt.
7 Park distance bleeper became unaudable.
8 New lower steering rack. The part took 10 days to arrive.
9 New Gearbox. 4 or 5 days to arrive I think, I’d given up caring by this point, I was just  off.
10 Small electrical faults.
11 Suspension failure. 5 days to fix.
12 Now just when the weather is getting better the ventilation and heating system is refusing to blow air out of any of the face level vents leaving me with cold feet syndrome as the system tries to keep the car cool by blowing cold air at full blast to the footwells.
13 Unlucky for me, the dealership just keeps on failing to communicate.
The car has been in again today and they can’t fix the ventilation and want it back in as it will take more than a day to dismantle and reassemble the interior and … you guessed it… parts to be ordered.
During the 6 months I’ve had the car, the dealer experience has at best been mediocre, and when you need a part from Land Rover… you have to wait.
You would think that, with a new car with this many problems, even Land Rover would do the decent and replace it.
Well they did. They agreed to replace the vehicle with a new one almost 2 months ago. They gave it a priority build slot to cut down on the present 12 week factory wait.
My new car has been built, it’s been at my dealers since at least the beginning of this week, but I can’t have it because, according to my dealer, they are waiting on paperwork from Land Rover.
Its never ending. My Discovery nightmare continues along with my cold feet.
So I would like to nominate my Land Rover D3 as the worst new car in the £30 - £40k section, red post-it notes I think, to kick of the JCPower&CoTG2006 Wall of Shame.
How I wish I’d also listened to your quips about the Volvo being a better car.
Anyway, keep up the good work… only next time chose a different mountain. Its not that I’m worried about the fragile peat bog or heather, but just pick one that doesn’t sound like the name of an actor from a cheap British porn film.
For us ‘Caravan’ lovers…More ‘Cunning Stunts’ Please.
Cheers
|
 8th May 2006 11:28 am |
|
|
espri
Member Since: 07 Nov 2005
Location: Tyrol, Austria
Posts: 387
 
|
Sorry you've had so much trouble with the car (and dealer). I haven't had any real problems in the 2 months and about 7000 kms I've had my D3 - though that's little consolation to you!
One thing, though:
jd wrote:12 Now just when the weather is getting better the ventilation and heating system is refusing to blow air out of any of the face level
I had this bother too. However, the man at my dealer fiddled a few knobs and everything worked fine. As I had rather suspected, I hadn't understood how to operate it  Are you sure your dealer knows how to operate the thing properly? It would be a pity to take the car apart, when it is really just operator trouble!
However, hope you receive a satisfactory replacement soon.
Eric
|
| 8th May 2006 2:43 pm |
|
|
jd
Member Since: 17 Feb 2006
Location: Perth
Posts: 13
|
I hope they did a little more than fiddle a few knobs as they had it all day and ordered a new heater box and other parts. In tomorrow for more "off roading" at Rossleigh Land Rover as they attempt to fix it.
|
| 8th May 2006 3:37 pm |
|
|
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
|
I think what this perhaps highlights is the dealers capabilities and their commitment to putting things right for you. So dealers are good some are awful DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
|
| 8th May 2006 4:03 pm |
|
|
AndrewS
Tarquin of the Desert
Member Since: 06 May 2005
Location: Y...... because I can
Posts: 10438
|
Pelyma wrote:I think what this perhaps highlights is the dealers capabilities and their commitment to putting things right for you. So dealers are good some are awful
I totally agree. If the dealer does not have the correct expertise in tracing a fault and lets face it the D3 does suffer from knock on effects as components fail. Then things just go from bad to worse. I wonder how many dissatisfied D3 owners have ended up in this situation because of lack of competence from the dealer.
Can we post on the D3 forum a list of the dealer’s names, and then each one of us can score the dealer on a star system a bit like a hotel star rating or maybe a scoring system like feedback on ebay. Sorry Martin  In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded.
|
| 8th May 2006 5:16 pm |
|
|
Gareth
Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26701
|
We do have the Dealer Feedback forum.
|
| 8th May 2006 5:41 pm |
|
|
AndrewS
Tarquin of the Desert
Member Since: 06 May 2005
Location: Y...... because I can
Posts: 10438
|
Gareth wrote:We do have the Dealer Feedback forum.
Yes I know but could we make it so we could actually give them marks out of 10 for sales, service etc? In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded.
|
| 8th May 2006 6:01 pm |
|
|
Gareth
Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26701
|
Hmm, yep I am sure its possible, but thats a decision for the top floor 
|
| 8th May 2006 7:22 pm |
|
|
110CSW
Member Since: 19 Oct 2005
Location: Scotland
Posts: 796
|
Sorry about your problems. I've found my SE and Perth to be fine.
|
| 9th May 2006 9:45 pm |
|
|
