+1
Yes, but when somebody chooses to buy a vehicle that is consistently ranked as one of the least-reliable vehicles on the market (even when they are “new”), a pre-purchase inspection may not save them from financial disaster. And–IMHO–when that incredibly unreliable model is 15 years old, that purchase can only result in a bad outcome.
I was thinking the same thing.
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Was the car running and driving when you brought it to them? This sounds awfully fishy.
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You’re getting allot of advice here, and I have zero knowledge on Range Rovers, so I’ll let the resident experts help you in that.
What I’ll comment on is the loner vehicle. If the cops towed it away there will be the towing fee, plus storage. When you contacted the garage that has your RR and told them, did they say they would go pick it up?
In a back woods hokey little town where there are no more than a few dozen Rovers the general opinion among shop owners is to avoid working on them. They have a reputation for difficult, expensive problems and owners who blame the shop for expensive repairs. And I had a well experienced and successful dealership sales manager tell me that he avoided trading for one and if he got caught with one it was quickly auctioned off for whatever price it would bring.
Back in the ‘good ole days’ Rover built sedans and Land Rovers which were starkly equipped safari and rescue vehicles but today Land Rover is the brand name and no more sedans are offered and their vehicles are opulent Cinderella carriages and the clock strikes midnight for the vehicles when the warranty ends and it ends when the cars are sold.
And the shop is as clueless of what they are working on as the OP is of what he owns it appears.
No, they shouldn’t pick it up!
It’s a “loner”, so it wants to be by itself.
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I saw that too but didn’t say anything.
I’m in (what I consider) a small college town in Oregon. Last summer we had a Land Rover with a few electrical issues. Seems Dad had decided to send his daughter away to college in a 2004 Range Rover that he got for a really good price at auction.
But at least he knew what he was getting in to. He began the conversation with “I know this is a difficult car and I’m willing to pay whatever the cost is to have it fixed right.” We were able to take good care of his daughter.
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I’m sure you took care of all the problems the customer complained about . . .
That said . . . were they relatively simple and common problems, or did they involve the customer paying for significant diagnostic time?
I guess that depends on what you consider a simple problem or significant diagnosis time. $300 diagnosis for a battery that goes dead in 3 days? I didn’t find it particularly challenging, just time consuming. But the repair was $$$. Other mechanical stuff was routine. They’re all just nuts and bolts.
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A 15 year old range Rover that some gives you for free may well be overpriced.
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I am going to withhold any judgement about any alleged wrongs by the shop due to the unknowns which include your admittedly sandbagging part of the story. A tiny detail here or there can move things in a 180 direction.
So you authorized another engine (which is likely not nice and new) without questioning why? A bone yard engine is NEVER nice and new; especially one for a 15 year old Range Rover. If that “nice and new” engine is a salvage yard unit I’d say you are up the creek as you are the one who authorized it. And then you hand over a loaner car to a friend who really has no business even touching that car: sad car problem story or not?
That being said, I agree with Tester. Sounds like a major league cluster event from all sides to me.
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I’m curious as to why you think he is “sandbagging part of the story”? This quote from him is a sarcastic reply as evidenced by the “Lol seriously???” at the end. “yeah I’m keeping part of the story to myself so I could get bad advice and not help my situation. Lol seriously???”
Was there something I missed?
We all have purchased a lemon in our life at least once, although most guys won’t admit it. And we have all learned something. From this mistake. When buying a used car, have an independent mechanic look the car over. At his shop. If the seller won’t let you do that. Run don’t walk away. . Also many YouTube videos? out there That will help you. To decide and what to look for? . However as above If you’re not. A car guy take it to someone who is and have them inspected before you sign anyting. . As always just my opinion.
I guess you’re right. I mean, it’s totally normal for people to take their running, driving vehicle to a shop for maintenance, be told they need a new engine, and agree to that without question. ROFL.
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I think people who are not knowledgeable about cars can be taken advantage of fairly easily by incompetent, semi-competent or unscrupulous mechanics. You and I might not have fallen for this (or bought that car!), but I see no reason to doubt what he says from what is presented. He is not naming the garage to get revenge and I don’t see another secondary gain for him in this presentation (except for the attention). He has not been harsh with those who doubt him, other than the mild sarcasm in the piece I quoted. I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt.
I still feel there’s something being left out
WHY did the shop say the engine needed to be replaced . . . ?!
Without naming the shop, please tell us why the shop felt such a drastic step was needed
low compression on multiple cylinders . . . ?!
warped cylinder head(s) . . . ?!
rod knock . . . ?!
cracked block and/or head(s) . . . ?!
worn rings and/or cylinder(s) . . . ?!
That is a valid question . As with all repair facilities of any kind there are ways that will run up unnecessary charges without doing something major .
I think something is wrong with my rover, but we can’t start it to find out.
I don’t know what the “amazing price” was on a 15 year old Land Rover but based on what was related I hope it wasn’t more than a grand; assuming everything around the engine is nice and solid.
The devil is always in the details which for the most part have been omitted.