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BigJoeJack
| | Posted on Thursday, March 14, 2002 - 09:09 pm: | 
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It seems like you can get ultra low mileage disco's from the dealer and save several grand? You think this is a good idea or do you think they are abused? |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Thursday, March 14, 2002 - 09:51 pm: |
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I would say yes , most dealers service their own vehicles and if there are any problems with the vehicle they're going to find out because the customers that use them are definitely going to make them aware . Also you don't have to worry about losing on the depreciation as soon as you drive it off the lot. If you can find a service loaner for a good deal , test drive it have it checked out and if it looks ok go for it . Your probably safer purchasing from a dealer then out of the paper ...that's my opinion any way,
Good luck. |
Alyssa
| | Posted on Thursday, March 14, 2002 - 11:13 pm: |
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We sell a lot of service loaners. They are a great deal. If you get one with under 2000 miles on it, you can lease it for incredible savings. They've never been titled, so they're still technically a new car, and are sold as such. If I were looking for a new car, I'd go for the loaner in a heartbeat. |
Kyle
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 08:24 am: |
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Ofcourse its a very good possibility that its been subjected to the service staffs "off road abilities" or the lack there of...
Kyle |
bryan
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 11:34 am: |
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All the low mileage loaners I've been sent home in, with the exception of the brand new one they sent my wife home in for 2 weeks while trying to figure out what was wrong with ours, look to have been abused (one or more windows not working, dash trim broken, cubby lid broken, outside power mirrors don't work, damage to rear door, numerous coffee/soda stains and residue on seats/floor/center console). I think I'd rather take my chances on a lease return as most lessors I've spoken with are terrified by the "accessive wear and tear clause" in the lease contract. |
Bruce
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 12:00 pm: |
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From my point of view, Service Loaner, leased, all the same potential for abuse since the operator of the rig has no vested interest as opposed to someone who is going to own the rig, once payments are done. If I had to choose however, the service loaner would be my choice for the following reasons:
1) if the dealer is reputable, you know the maintenance will be in-check
2) buying a loaner from dealer gives you leverage to have everything fixed, try this with a leased vehicle from someone like Car-max or others
3) Again, if dealer is reputable, your campaigns will be addressed, records maintained, etc. All the stuff you expect with regular maintenance visits.
As you can see, I am not into leased vehicles and my 97 will stay with me until it begins to hate me. So far, it is only infrequently mad at me. |
Matt Milbrandt (95discovery)
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 12:18 pm: |
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I used to work for the Mercedes dealer here, and there is no way I'd buy one of their service loaners. Those cars were beat to hell, but that is Mercedes, maybe Land Rover is different.
Matt |
Roverine
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 12:36 pm: |
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Guess it depends on the area, but I know in my area, (in So Cal) there are so many leased "SUV'S" and a ton of leased Land Rover Discoveries that have pretty much never seen anything much more than mall parking lots. Almost everyone on our street drives leased vehicles (except for us and one neighbor). I gotta go with Bryan's statement from my own observations here: "I think I'd rather take my chances on a lease return as most lessors I've spoken with are terrified by the "accessive wear and tear clause" in the lease contract. " If I were to purchase another, I'd try that route myself. FWIW: We don't get "service loaner Discoveries" at the dealerships in my neck of the woods ... We get rental cars. My .0935 cents ....
Kim |
Brandon Knotts
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 12:37 pm: |
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I bought a 2001 disco se with 9,000 miles on it and saved $5,000- paid $32,000 for it. It was in almost perfect condition as far as I could tell- minus a cracked windshield that was supposed to be replaced by the dealer but wasn't (never deal with Land Rover Denver East is the lesson there). Really good deal when combined with there 2.9% financing on 2001's. Have 20K miles on it now, and am very happy I went that route.
If there is anything wrong with it, make sure it is 100% fixed before signing anything, and you won't have to learn the hard way as I did (dealing with lying SOB's at Land Rover Denver East). |
Sean J
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 12:51 pm: |
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If you decide to by a certified Rover from a dealer, but you DONT want a service laoner, make sure that the vehicle you are looking at wasn't a service loaner in its previous life. When I first started looking at Discos I went to a dealership and found a Disco that was exactly what I wanted (99 D2). I asked the salesman if it had been purchased at that very dealership and he said yes. He said that it was a recent trade-in and that all of the service was up to date and done by that dealer. I asked to see the records ...
When I looked at the records guess what ... low and behold it had been a service loaner before (for the same dealerdhip) the previous owner had traded it in. Not only that, but it had been wrecked while it was a service loaner and had about $3000 worth of damage done, not to mention a slew of mechanical problems (likely from abuse). Let's just say I'm glad I asked becasue I certainly wasn't offered any of this info.
SJ |
alyssa
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 01:13 pm: |
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I don't know what your dealerships are doing, but legitimate service loaners are only current model year Land Rovers that are pulled before they hit 5000 miles. They haven't been driven long enough to sustain any major damage. Once they get a good detail, they're good as new. And NO ONE takes our loaners off-road. There's nowhere to go for starters, but these are all suburban moms driving the loaners. |
BigJoeJack
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 01:41 pm: |
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Alyssa, What dealership do you work for? |
chris sharpe (C_M_Sharpe)
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 02:27 pm: |
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I bought a service loaner with 7k miles, 6 months of use on it back in 97. Very happy with the car, got it for about 27k. I checked the service records, etc., and everything seemed fine. The few glitches I noticed with the car were quickly repaired by the dealership for free...only one glitch:
About 3 months ago, while nitpicking a finish job my detailer did on my car, it was pointed out to me that my hood did not have the original paint job. (I couldnt tell). So it seems that the dealership lied about this 4 years ago and I only just found out...not sure what to do as its been so long since I purchased the car.... |
Bill Bettridge (Billb)
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 02:34 pm: |
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My 1997 was a service loaner - bought it with 7K on it for $9000 under sticker ($26 instead of $35) - haven't had any problems that any other Rover discussed on this board has had.
For me - it was worth having someone rent it for 7000 miles for $9000!
BTW - warranty was also extended to cover the time/mileage that I didn't put on
Bill |
Sean J
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 02:41 pm: |
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Chris,
That stinks. Although I don't practice consumer rights law I'm pretty sure that in most states such a claim would have to be brought within two years.
SJ |
Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler)
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 02:43 pm: |
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It's all relative. As with any purchase, make sure your buying for someone reputable.
I know folks that have purchased from Enterprise and their rental fleet. If you are picky, do some homework, and know what to look for, you can get a bargin.
I would buy a service loaner, but I'd check it out like I would any used vehicle. The dollar savings can be well worth it. Shop smart and you can be ahead of the game.
Chris, are you sure the hood is a repaint or is your detailer getting lazy? Could be something as simple and explainable. Ask the dealer you bought it from. At worst, they will tell you to piss up a rope. |
Alyssa
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 04:20 pm: |
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Not that this was necessarily true in your case, but the dealer may be totally innocent in hte matter. Sometimes body parts get repainted before they ever reach the dealer. Check your warranty records. I bet the majority of them show major work done at port prior to delivery to the dealer, including compounding, polishing, sometimes repainting. And all of that is usually for paint defects or scratches, not accidents. |
KJ
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 04:34 pm: |
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I dunno if times have changed or what, but when I got true prices on service loaners and executive fleet cars (end of last summer), the price difference was no where near what I'm reading here. Yes, the first Sales Guide told me for MONTHS I'd save $10K off the new truck price, but when it came time to do the deal, that was a fairy tale. Let me make that a bit more clear: It was a HUGE, STINKIN' LIE! The difference seemed to be more like $1500-$3K, with mileages of 3K-8K. And yes, I asked at several dealerships. For me, paranoid child that I am, it wasn't enough of a price differential to wonder what had happened to the vehicle before I got there. I wanted to know how the engine had been broken in, etc. But, as I've said before, I keep 'em til they're wheels up, so depreciation wasn't a major concern.
Karen |
Alyssa
| | Posted on Friday, March 15, 2002 - 06:51 pm: |
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Karen, you are right. True service loaners should have a discount of about $2500-$3500. From what I'm reading here, the term "service loaners" is being used a little too loosely. I don't know if it is a misunderstanding or what. On rare occasion, there are much bigger discounts offered to dealers (usually at the end of the model year). |
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