- You are currently viewing DISCO4.COM as a guest - Register to take part or Log In
MJ
Member Since: 25 Jan 2006
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 54
  
|
Hello to all you Disco3 regulars - I've been reading this forum for a while now - but this is my first post.
I don't have a Disco 3 yet - I've had one on order since 15th October in what you might think is a strange spec: TDV6 5-seat in Zambesi/Ebony but with Terrain response, Xenons, Roof rails, loadspace cover, Towpack, full-size spare, mats & flaps and importantly (you'll see why in a moment!) Auto Climate control. Odd - but exactly what I wanted, no more, no less.
My dealer - the Nottingham branch of large well-known group contacted me today to tell me there was good and bad news. The good was my Disco had arrived (!!!), but the bad - they had ordered it incorrectly and it was fitted with the Cold Climate Pack and not Climate control. They said I had 3 choices: 1) Pay the extra (Yes!!!) for the Cold Climate Pack I didn't want and I could have the car; 2) Order another and wait for it arrive, hopefully to the correct spec. this time or 3) Cancel the order and have my deposit back. They didn't even apologise very much.
I'm gobsmacked - not really annoyed, just nonplussed. I cannot believe how poorly I'm being treated, and how little this dealer seems to value my business. I work in sales myself and when this kind of thing happens (inevitably it does occasionally, but hopefully not very often) we take the hit - we don't ask the customer to pay for our mistake, and we do our level best to get things sorted quickly.
I'm not really even sure what to do - other than I know damn well I won't be paying any more that I originally agreed for the spec. I want. Waiting several months for the right spec. Disco to arrive seems just a little painful as well right now.
So, all in all, a tale of woe!!
Everything being said, however, I won't have to worry about suspension failures, electrical gremlins, loss of power, the FBH etc for a while yet!!
|
 27th Jan 2006 10:15 pm |
|
|
10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
|
bit of a cock-up on the dealers behalf then  if they won't play ball, i'd make it clear to them that you'll reorder the correct spec from a different dealer (Derby or Ripley are the next nearest - I think) thereby denying them the profit on the deal - also, you can use any dealer for warranty work so that doesn't prevent you using them for convenience for servicing or any problems you may have 
Have fun and good luck! 
Oh, be sure to point out to them that they may have the incorrectly specified vehicle sitting on their forecourt for a while..... no offence but the 5 seater's don't seem to be selling in their droves
|
| 27th Jan 2006 10:22 pm |
|
|
MJ
Member Since: 25 Jan 2006
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 54
|
I agree - I think I'll be getting other quotes on this, but as to whether I'd buy from this particular dealer, even if they do get things together, I don't know. I mean, if this is their attitude before I have even paid for the truck, how will they react if we have service issues needing correction ??
I understand what you mean about the 5 seat, but it is exactly what I require. 7 seats just don't appeal - don't need them (never use them), don't want the seat belts hanging around in the loadspace, nor the gaps in the floor to gather dust and dirt. Again, sounds odd - but it is exactly what I really wanted.
Thanks for the advice!!!
|
| 27th Jan 2006 10:33 pm |
|
|
simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296
 
|
Agree... reject it if they won't let you have it at the agreed price. Either their ordering mistake or the factories. Either way it will cost them the price of the winter pack just in admin to sort out the cock up.
If they were sensible they would do the right thing by you and save them selves the hassle... oh and it the end of the qtr for LR so they may well let it slide to add the number to their target
Find out which. If theirs then tell em you'll complain to LR as you have waited for sooo long. If LR then they may well be stuck with a vehicle they cannot shift without taking a loss.
As TFC says. 5 seaters are not too common - especially with all the kit you had. Nearly an 'S' but not quite. Will be a problem to sell for them.
Good luck and be sure to join us on an off road trek one day.
-s
|
| 27th Jan 2006 10:36 pm |
|
|
10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
|
MJ, not in any way criticising your choice, just pointing out that not many owners - for their own reasons, as wanting to own one is for your own reasons - have a 5 seater, this can be used to your advantage in any negotiations
p.s. if you venture to the other side of the M1, let me know - especially if it involves a drink 8)
|
| 27th Jan 2006 10:49 pm |
|
|
HarrisonB
Member Since: 03 Dec 2005
Location: Leicester
Posts: 238
|
MJ, I only needed the 5 seats like you. When I tried to place an order with terrain response, auto climate and load space cover plus a few other bits it came to just under £30k. The Salesman shrugged his shoulders and said he could get one but I would have to wait 3/4 months. He suggested I order a 7 seat and fit one of the rigid load space mats. I did and with the negotiated discounts I got one for just over £27k. I placed the order at the beginning of December 2006 and took delivery at Xmas. It wasn’t one that had been sitting in a compound it is a 2006MY which came off the assembly line on 17 November 2006.
I’d ring round to get quotes; there are Dealers in Leicestershire who are not part of large well-known groups. You could be driving one in a couple of weeks
On Ebay now are rigid load space mats at £65. They will stop the dust in the holes.
Reject it, who’ll give them £30k for it when you could get more for less and a better re-sale value. .
H
[url][/url] D3 gone for now
|
| 28th Jan 2006 10:10 am |
|
|
JohnT
Member Since: 13 Jan 2006
Location: Leicestershire
Posts: 45
|
Snap
Bought pretty much exactly the same spec just over a year ago with 2K demo miles on it from the same dealer, very very very close to the S spec and paid £27K for it, very very significantly cheaper 
Oh and it came with an S badge on it anyway 
Incorrect badge I guess but what the heck wouldn't ever try and sell it as an S anyway it's far too special to be lumped in with them 
Since added 19 in wheels and Xenon.
Added a turbochip upgrade yesterday - whoa what a difference, wish I had done it a year ago, car pulls like a train now and the MPG is just fine at around 32 -34 on the run back, and believe me I was not taking it easy
As for 5 seats, same as you simply do not need and will never use 7 seats, besides with a load space protector in place these seats would be if at all usable somewhat inaccessible 
Also always seem to be carrying spare parts for my track car so need protector in full time as I would not want a gearbox/wheel/jerry can joining me in the front passenger compartment if the worst happened.
Know exactly what you mean about the dealer though, now having mine looked after elsewhere as they are ..... Well how do I put it ...
TOTALLY F******G USELESS !
Car was broken into one month after delivery at the Hilton, ultrasonic alarm activated and thief gave up as he did not have the ability to get past the security/privacy glass film, other than a broken window just shattered but still in one piece, absolutely no damage to car whatsoever....very lucky I thought........
Then I took it to Merlin now Stratstones for repair of glass and new security film, on removing the glass they absolutely decimated the rear offside door paint work, required respray of offside ( total car not just door ) , as you can imagine I was somewhat less than pleased.
Paint job fair/good....overspray to inner door seal well poor, needs new seal to correct.
Side strips - incorrectly fitted wrong way up ... guess they have a real problem with understanding ' This way up '
15 K service pollen filter incorrectly fitted i.e. back to front and upside down...I ask you it again it says on it ' this way up ' ... retards
You would not believe the noise it made, it sounded with the fan on like a force 10 hurricane; the dealer had the front to tell me to my face it was normal....
I retorted .... are you on drugs?
Dealer removed pollen filter and inserted correctly problem disappeared , excuse had to be heard to be believed...... the fitter had had a heavy night out the night before... like I care , stop screwing my godam car up will you! 
This dealer and the mechanics working for them have absolutely no respect for your pride and joy....it will never never never go back again and I will never buy another car from them. PERIOD
anyway back to more interesting things
has anyone upgraded pads yet as the LR ones are very soft and with an increase in power I would like to uprate the braking.
Does any one know if Ferrodo do DS2500 type pad for this car yet ?
|
| 28th Jan 2006 4:12 pm |
|
|
MJ
Member Since: 25 Jan 2006
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 54
|
Interesting to hear, JohnT
Like you, I always have a tool box, spare parts and other equipment (like jerry cans) in the back. The third row seats are completely redundant. I can see the load space protector thing being useful, but the other bit I wasn't too happy about was the third row seatbelts hanging around among the kit in the load space - I could just see them getting ruined by dirt and grease, not to say tangled in all the equipment. OK - so I could take them out, but then I'd be stuck with a hole in the rear quarter trim, not to say having to pull apart my nice new truck. If I'm honest, a Commercial would just suit me fine (I was running a TD5 commercial until recently) but as I can't reclaim the VAT that is out.
In all honesty, I have to say that until this little episode I was happy enough with the dealer, or I wouldnt't have got this far. We moved away from yet another local dealer after they failed to live up to expectations. This dealership supplied and serviced the TD5 Disco. I was really very happy with them, and really didn't expect this kind of hassle.
My opinion right now - and I might be cutting my nose off to spite my face - is that I won't do business with them unless they come up with something very special. I'm the buyer; it's my money. I don't treat my customers this way and I don't do business with people who treat me badly!!!
Good luck!
|
| 28th Jan 2006 5:41 pm |
|
|
gilmore
Member Since: 16 Jan 2005
Location: On the sofa
Posts: 2185
|
I bought my D3 S from merlin/Stratstone Nottingham. They were/are very nice people, but..
1. You have to go through an enormous rigmarole to get a loan car - bring in license and insurance. Call your insurer to arrange cover (cost me 7 quid one day), etc
2. They regularly fail to check their work after it's done - they left a transit bolt in my new HiFi, which they would have detected if they tried to use the CD. They have also failed to top up the coolant fully after replacing the header tank.
3. The quoted me the now legendary £539 for a 15k first service. Chaps at Sturgess in Leicester did it for 295quid. (with a one-signature only required loan car).
Conclusion: Stratstone probably OK for warranty work as its very close. Everything else gets done at Sturgess in Leicester
|
| 28th Jan 2006 6:52 pm |
|
|
espri
Member Since: 07 Nov 2005
Location: Tyrol, Austria
Posts: 387
|
JohnT wrote:has anyone upgraded pads yet as the LR ones are very soft and with an increase in power I would like to uprate the braking.
The German company Matzker in Cologne, www.matzker.de , is offering a high performance brake system. See the thread 'Disco tunes in Germany', http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2878 , for further details.
Eric
|
| 31st Jan 2006 11:19 pm |
|
|
nobbyclark
Member Since: 03 May 2005
Location: Perth, Scotland
Posts: 1268
|
Try Sturgess in Leicester, not a million miles from Nottingham. Bought mine from there, despite living in London, but they were one of the few dealers to actually return calls and seem interested in supplying me with a car. No longer a D3 owner but still subscribed to multiple threads!
|
| 1st Feb 2006 11:47 am |
|
|
gilmore
Member Since: 16 Jan 2005
Location: On the sofa
Posts: 2185
|
I agree with Nobby. Sturgess Leicester did seem to be:
1. CHeaper
2. Keener to please
3. Quicker and more efficient
..than Merlin/stratstone in Nottingham.
|
| 1st Feb 2006 6:40 pm |
|
|
MJ
Member Since: 25 Jan 2006
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 54
|
Update - I went along to Hunters in Derby on Sunday afternoon and specced up what I wanted. They gave me a price on this - pretty close to the price I already had. However, when I told them I just about had one bought from Stratstone, they were very keen to get the deal, and gave me even more discount. Result, I'm having the same thing but slightly cheaper - although, I've still got to wait. You may think I'm totally mad, but I'm going to wait for the 5-seat with the spec I want on the truck - it's pretty important to me get exactly what I want.
Stratstone did come back to me on Monday, to say that they could lose the cost of the Cold Climate pack and let me have the vehicle at the agreed price. The problem was that the price included Climate Control and the truck didn't! When I pointed this out, the salesman had to agree with me. It was pretty obvious from what he said that we agreed on what should have happened in the first place - knock off the cost of the incorrect spec, and also the climate control which wasn't on the car - but that the dealer business manager was pushing for more. So, they were still trying to persuade me to pay for things they ordered incorrectly (Cold Climate Pack) and wasn't going to get (Climate Control). End result - no sale for them, and the poor salesman (who had been very helpful, right from the start) losing his commission!
I have to say, Hunters have been pretty helpful so far - hope this remains the case !! I will certainly try Sturgess for servicing however.
Mark
|
| 1st Feb 2006 8:58 pm |
|
|
DrLex
Member Since: 15 Jul 2005
Location: Ciderspace [Oi be in Zummerset]
Posts: 4863
|
Sounds like they lost that game of brinksmanship, then. Wouldn't be surprised if it appears on the demonstrator fleet. Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana
Member of Club Med Sucks
|
| 1st Feb 2006 9:41 pm |
|
|
|
Posting Rules
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
|
DISCO4.COM Copyright © 2004-2024 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
|
|
