| Author | Message | ||
     Degart Kilroy (Degart) New Member Username: Degart Post Number: 5 Registered: 10-2003 |
Does anyone have any information on Land Rover’s International warranty? I have a 2003 Discovery. Prior to purchasing my vehicle, I was assured that LR offered an International Warranty of 12 Months/Unlimited mileage if the vehicle was ever exported from the U.S. That was one of the largest determining factors in going with LR as a new vehicle. That, plus the fact that they have more Service Centers globally than most brands. If any of you are wondering, this is in reference to exporting my LR to a country that does not have unleaded fuel. I have several written emails from my dealership and the LR North America Customer Service Center stating and reassuring me of the same fact. The problem is, no one can tell me exactly what this International Warranty consists of? What does it cover? Is it different than the U.S. warranty? If not, how can the vehicle be maintained if it is unique to the U.S. market? A LR service center in Maputo would probably not have the software or parts to diagnose/fix a problem with my ECU (Maputo does have unleaded fuel & a LR Center). If the warranty is the exact same as the U.S. warranty, with no consideration for your geographic location, then why is it only 12 months? When I asked the dealership, they told me to contact LR North America. LR North America tells me to call LR International (in England). What do you think LR International tells me, “Call LR North America or your dealership”. It has actually gotten humorous, and pathetic. I have been communicating with all of them electronically to have a record of conversation to alleviate miscommunication, and they just do not get it. Have any of you guys run into this, or do you have any feedback on where I can get this information or what I might do about it? This is starting to sound like misleading information, and LR has refused to provide me with a straight answer…I don’t understand how they can feasibly and practically warranty the NAS version of the vehicle anywhere else in the world. I am only learning the distinct differences of this version of the vehicle compared to the rest of the world. | ||
| Jaime (Blueboy) Senior Member Username: Blueboy Post Number: 762 Registered: 02-2002 |
can only relate my experience in this. when we moved to Japan we had planned to take our then brand new '95D90SW with us. I contacted LR in GB and asked the same question - would I be able to get warranty coverage in Tokyo. Talked to a few people who unfortunately I don't remember their names and was told NO. Although the '95D90s in Japan were actually NAS versions, the LRNA warranty was not valid. I was told though that because the vehicles were the same, service at my expense would be possible. small concession. No one mentioned an "International" warranty to me at the time which was early 1996. We ended up not shipping it over and just kept in storage using it on home leave. good luck. Jaime | ||
| Degart Kilroy (Degart) New Member Username: Degart Post Number: 6 Registered: 10-2003 |
I received this response/disclaimer from Land Rover. It seems that this whole “International Warranty” is nothing more than a marketing ploy designed to falsely advertise the versatility of Land Rover. Based on what they have explained to me, this warranty is worth less than the paper it is written on. This would be the same as advertising that the vehicle has some kind of special Interstellar Warranty that covers driving on the moon. The fine print reads that if you do actually get the vehicle to the moon and drive it, that may invalidate your warranty. ____________________________________________________________ The warranty on your vehicle would still be valid if there were no modifications made to the vehicle. However, you must be aware that the vehicle as manufactured is not suitable for use in markets outside the North American Continent. Operating your vehicle in an unsuitable market could cause damage to the engine, namely the catalytic converter engine and engine management, and damage caused by operating the vehicle in an unsuitable territory would not normally be covered by warranty, although Land Rover would look sympathetically at any problems that might occur. Any unauthorized modifications carried out to your vehicle could invalidate the manufacturers warranty. The Land Rover dealers in Africa are not familiar with North American Specification vehicles, and as such I cannot guarantee the quality of work carried out on these specification of vehicles. The Land Rover dealers in Africa would not hold any parts stock for North American Specification vehicles, although there are going to be some parts that are used on Rest of the World specification vehicles that are the same as NAS vehicles. Any specific NAS parts would have to be brought in on an "as required" basis. The Land Rover dealers in Africa do not offer a loan car for when the vehicle is being serviced, and unlike the North America situation servicing within the warranty period in Africa is not on a free of charge basis; it is chargeable to the customer. | ||
| Alyssa Brown (Alyssa) Senior Member Username: Alyssa Post Number: 275 Registered: 01-2003 |
If the servicing of a vehicle under warranty is "chargeable to the customer," what is the purpose of a warranty??? I've had several customers ask me about any warranty while overseas, and I've always just directed them to call LR to find out. I never thought there would be a warranty-- I have never read anything from LR stating any "one year" or anything similar. On a side note: How were you planning on actually using your vehicle if they don't have unleaded fuel? Have you modified your vehicle? If you have, LR clearly says you are screwed. If you haven't, why don't you just rent one over there that is more suited to their market? Shipping the car over can't be cheap, and if you haven't modified your vehicle, what is the difference if you drive your personally owned car vs. a similar one owned by someone else? ...and yes, I know that isn't the point, you are trying to resolve the warranty situation, but I am just thinking of other viable options. | ||
| Degart Kilroy (Degart) New Member Username: Degart Post Number: 7 Registered: 10-2003 |
And the Saga continues… I was assured and guaranteed that the vehicle had an “International Warranty”. Now when I ask the simple question “Will you honor my warranty in Africa?” I get answers like “maybe”, “not recommended”, “possibly”, etc. Is it just me, or do the 3 responses I have received from LR contradict each other and don’t really tell me anything? At least they all agree on the fact that they will not pay for scheduled maintenance. --------LR North America-------- Thank you for contacting the Land Rover Customer Relationship Center. Please accept our apologies for the delayed response. I apologize that we do not have the specific International Warranty Information you request. I have looked into your questions and offer the following information that we do have available. The scheduled maintenance will likely not be covered outside of the U.S. and I do not believe that additional maintenance will be included either due to the lower octane of the fuel. Removal of the catalytic converter will likely void the warranty for that part/system of the vehicle unless performed/recommended by an authorized Land Rover retailer. We are not able to provide more information from this location and I recommend verifying the above information with International Customer Care. Thank you for your patience while we responded to your inquiry. --------LR International-------- If your vehicle is exported to England then it would be supported by a 36mth - 60000miles warranty. The vehicle servicing would be chargeable to the customer. The dealer network are available throughout the whole of the UK of which you have access to them all for servicing and repair work. The dealerships within the UK are independently owned and thus have there own structured policies. Courtesy vehicles must be booked in advance of all service & repair work by the customer and runs to a strict availability process. The warranty on the vehicle is outlined in your warranty certificate handbook. In brief your warranty covers all replacements on parts other than wear and tyre - consequential damage & tyres (unless a separate tyre warranty is purchased). If the catalytic converter is taken off the vehicle then the warranty would not be void however it would be held in question & you would find that the vehicle would not pass a certificate of conformity to allow it to be exported. | ||
| Ron Brown (Ron) Senior Member Username: Ron Post Number: 544 Registered: 04-2001 |
Ok, I have one word for you: CONRICO If you are exporting to a place where rover does not sell you can get a Conrico truck and they are cheap. What it the world would you want a NAS spec truck in africa for? To drive it on US plates? As a practical matter 87 won't kill (useable but not recommended) an NAS truck but leaded fuel would kill the cats and you can't run without cats on a DII. What exactly are you trying to do? Where are you trying to do it? Why not just buy a rover in Mozambique or South Africa? Ron | ||
| Ron L (Ronl) Member Username: Ronl Post Number: 208 Registered: 11-2002 |
Cats are one thing, Valve seats are another. The Disco will run without cats, count on replacing 02 sensors 3-4 times for every 1 time you would normally. | ||
| Ron Brown (Ron) Senior Member Username: Ron Post Number: 545 Registered: 04-2001 |
If you run without cats you will have a constant rear O2 cat inefficient code so the check engine will be on constantly and you will be forever running rich (which is the default when the CEL comes on). leaded will only help valve seats so I don't see an issue there. Ron | ||
| Ron L (Ronl) Member Username: Ronl Post Number: 209 Registered: 11-2002 |
"leaded will only help valve seats so I don't see an issue there." Really! That’s interesting, especially on aluminum UN-leaded heads. No need for a chisel and hammer, the seats should fall right out. | ||
| Degart Kilroy (Degart) New Member Username: Degart Post Number: 8 Registered: 10-2003 |
Thanks for the input guys, and here is my dilemma in greater detail. From a technical perspective, I was under the impression that I could remove the cats (replace with a straight pipe), and mount the Post O2 sensors on the outside of the pipe to breathe fresh air. What I am not sure of is whether the ECU will recognize the cats are physically removed, even if I trick it with the Pre/Post O2 sensors. The leaded fuel typically has a higher octane, so I should meet the octane requirements for compression. Ron, are you saying that the aluminum heads will be adversely affected by the lead? From a financial perspective, I needed a vehicle that I could drive in the U.S. for a time, and them export it from Africa to Asia and back to the U.S. (my company, a military contractor, pays for shipping). That is why I bought the NAS version, especially after I explained my unique predicament to the dealer, and they pushed the fact that my International Warranty would cover me across the globe. We all know that LRs do not maintain resale values like a Honda Accord. If I were to buy a new vehicle once a year and sell it the following year, I would lose tens of thousands of dollars in depreciation. And last but not least, as merely a matter of principal, I believe LR owes me an explanation on this “International Warranty”. It is something they advertise, but cannot explain or agree on. I have received 3 different responses to the same email from 3 different LR sources. Had they never advertised this Warranty, I might have made the same purchase. The point is that they have been using this International Warranty as a marketing ploy, and when someone finally called there Bluff, they do not know what to do about it… Other than give me the run around! The VW Toureg will be introducing it’s diesel powered V10 next year in the U.S. It is kind of ironic that the first ever VW SUV may be more accommodating for traveling the world than a LR series that has been around for decades. | ||
| Ron Brown (Ron) Senior Member Username: Ron Post Number: 551 Registered: 04-2001 |
RonL you will have to explain that one to me sometime considering the heads are the same from 3.5/3.9 non-cat trucks to 3.5/3.9 cat trucks (the overlap existed to 93ish in the UK when you could still buy without cats). Now maybe a 4.0 is different (I doubt it) but I do not see any issues with valve seats. Leaded I have always been told was easier on non-hardened valve seats than unleaded. I have run O2s in open air on a GEMS DI and it did not throw a code. On a DII I don't know. Ron | ||
| Ron L (Ronl) Member Username: Ronl Post Number: 211 Registered: 11-2002 |
"3.5/3.9 non-cat trucks to 3.5/3.9 cat trucks (the overlap existed to 93ish in the UK when you could still buy without cats)." Point taken, is the fuel mapping the same?...considering the ignition system on a D2, I doubt it. Leaded heads on unleaded gas will deteriorate the seat, that's a given. From what I have seen leaded fuel in an aluminum head with modern fuel injection will cause the head to get so hot the seat falls out. It would take too long to explain, but the culprit would be air fuel mixture/timing/knock sensor. This is not something that would happen immediately but would certainly lead at the very least serious head problems. Degart brings up the point of higher octane fuel, with rich fuel mixture will certainly aid in cooling the combustion chamber. However this all leads to an already existing problem with the discovery cylinder head design, carbon build-up. I can only suggest that you do what you can to get it to run to specifications for leaded fuel. (If such specs exist). Costs may be prohibitive, however considering the costs of repair or replacement it would be worth your investment. | ||
| Ron Brown (Ron) Senior Member Username: Ron Post Number: 552 Registered: 04-2001 |
"From what I have seen leaded fuel in an aluminum head with modern fuel injection will cause the head to get so hot the seat falls out" "with rich fuel mixture will certainly aid in cooling the combustion chamber." Humm, so are you saying it will run lean or rich? I guess both are possible but I don't personally see either one being an issue. I would ask someone in S.A. who would probably know right off the top of their heads the issues and solutions. As far as the fuel mapping from non-cat to cats I don't know that the chips were different or not. Ron |
