| Author | Message | ||
     Mitch Wrubel (Mitchw) New Member Username: Mitchw Post Number: 1 Registered: 03-2003 |
In Jan, 02 I brought my LR Disco to the dealer in Glen Cove, L.I., NY because I had damaged the right front plastic piece of crap bumper that is stock on the LR Disco. This is a leased vehicle and I did not want to put on an aftermarket bumper. The truck also has a stock bull bar. LR dealer told me that the whole bumper needed to be replaced and I went along with it to the tune of $1375. What are the chances of being hit in the exact same place. Well yesterday, 3/11/03 while stopped at a traffic light, I began to make a left turn and the minivan on my right decided to make a left turn into my right bumper in the same location as it was damaged last year. I called my insurance company, GEICO and set up an appointemnet to go local to a GEICO shop to get an estimate and have the work done locally. When I went to the shop this morning, the owner looked at my Disco and said, "they never gave you a new bumper last year, but only repaired it," showing me the epoxy resin they used to fix the crack last year. He said that he would testify to this in court if needed and advised me to go back to the dealer and ask for a new bumper at no charge. When I got to LR Glen Cove, I asked to speak with the dealership owner, manager or anyone in charge. I eventually was directed to the service manager, Mary who I had dealt with before and who in Jan. 02 told me I needed a new bumper because it was one continuous piece and could not be repaired. I showed her the piece of the bumper with the epoxy resin that the shop in Brooklyn gave me from LR. She said they give out to local shops body work and was very concerned that this could happen. She did not deny my claim that the bumper was repaired and not fixed and offered to send me a check for the entire amount, $1375. I told her to refund my money to my charge card, which is what she did and offed to replace the bumper at a 20% discount. the shop in Brooklyn advised me to let them fix it and not go any further. What would you guys do at this point? Sorry for the long story, but I had to put this out on the web. Hopefully, anyone dealing with LR Glen Cove, L.I. NY will check their work. Mitch | ||
| OLIVER CLOTHSOFF (Everythingleaks) Senior Member Username: Everythingleaks Post Number: 254 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hey Mitch It sucks you got hosed the first time around but the dealer has offered to refund you money that they collected for another body shop and sell you the parts at a lower cost to make up for it. The dealer did not make the money on the repair the first time around but they have offered to LOSE $1400.00 + 20% to make you happy because this is where they sublet body work to. The place to be pissed at is the body shop they sublet the repair work to. The body shop is the one who stole the money and/or sold the new part to someone else. The place i work also does body work on a sublet. We do this as a convenience to the customer so they can drop the vehicle off with us for any repairs and not have to run all over town. The same goes when tires are needed. A land rover dealer is normally too small to have their own body shop so they have to sublet all body repair work. I'll probably get stomped for saying this on this site but I think the gesture on the dealers part is above average and i'm sure that when she got done dealing with you she had the body shop on the phone. I would still have the repair work done at the current facility because that sounds like the most honest body shop i've heard of. Most places would just taken the money and sent you on your way. Oh the stories i could tell about half ass body work . . . . | ||
| Blake Luse (Muddyrover) Senior Member Username: Muddyrover Post Number: 749 Registered: 02-2002 |
Oliver is right on target IMHO But if you have a "contractual agreement" with LR, It is LR who is entirely responsible for anything, not the sublet body shop. So if your still not satisfied then LR is who you should talk to not the body shop, even though the body shop is at fault, the body shop is not legally responsible. You had no contract with the body shop. | ||
| Jason Gustavson (Prescottj) Senior Member Username: Prescottj Post Number: 464 Registered: 12-2002 |
Sounds like you gotta a good deal. Have them replace it. then you take it off , throw it in the garage, put back on when lease is over | ||
| Rans (Rans) Senior Member Username: Rans Post Number: 388 Registered: 08-2002 |
I think the LR dealer did right by you in the long run. Let it rest. | ||
| Blue (Bluegill) Senior Member Username: Bluegill Post Number: 2095 Registered: 02-2002 |
Of course, if Mitch hadn't been hit again in the same place, he would have never known that he'd been screwed by the dealer. Mitch doesn't want to hear excuses about how the dealer's subcontractor screwed the pooch...Mitch gave his money to Mr. Dealer. Of course they had to refund the money they wrongly took from you way back when. That's a given, that's not a favor. I'd take what they rightly owe you (the refund) and walk away, never to return, and have your insurance co and local body shop take care of you from now on. | ||
| Greg (Gparrish) Senior Member Username: Gparrish Post Number: 1134 Registered: 04-2002 |
Of course, if you turn it in against the insurance company, your rates could go up and make it harder to continue to keep discounted coverage. If it were me, I might keep the cracked bumper on now, and keep the new bumper at 20% discount in the garage as suggested above. Tough call. How about pricing your own bumper replacement? Is that a cheaper option. Rover Connection has front bumpers for DII's with fog lights for $495.00. Even if you had to get it painted, it should be cheaper than $1300+. Besides theres only about 3 or 4 bolts holding the damn thing on anyway, so it should be a self install. | ||
| todd slater (Toddslater) Member Username: Toddslater Post Number: 244 Registered: 08-2002 |
I am 100% with Blue...don't tell me the dealer doesn't know that they are not replacing with new. Takes 2 seconds to stick your head under it to see if its new or repaired. Dealer scam IMHO. Now for what I'd do....obviously take the money from the dealer and not return. Secondly, from your description it sounds as if the other car hit you. Your insurance company should be helping you recover from the other parties insurance. Take the money from either your or the other parties carrier and buy a used undamaged one (they show up here in the classifieds ~$150)check the archives. Take the used one to a local shop and have it color matched (if necessary) and installed. You can come out several $$$ ahead this way. |
