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Cuthbert

Member Since: 26 Oct 2013
Location: Up North
Posts: 1535

Buying a new 90 - Just how difficult is it?

Hi fellow forum members! Over the past couple of months I've been pondering over the purchase of a Defender. I looked at a few adverts in the usual places then visited a few second-hand specialists and I also went to a few Land Rover dealerships. Target vehicle was a 2006 model 90 with three seats in the front, really tidy condition and in any colour from the Land Rover paint chart.

After looking at a range of pre-owned vehicles in varying states of decay I thought I'd just buy a new one. Disappointed that the new 90 station wagon only has seating for four but decided I could live with it - so off I went to an official dealership for a spec check, price and delivery schedule.

Now I thought Britain was suffering from some form of economic downturn and that car dealers were really keen to shift product but apparently Land Rover dealerships in Northern Britain are unaffected by a lack of customers willing to pay top dollar?

I saw a well known dealership with several outlets in the North of England and emailed them with a spec of my requirements - apparently they don't respond to emails.

I walked into a dealership in Newcastle ready to do a deal, the only conversation I got was directions to the loo from a female at reception. After climbing in and out of a 110 on the showroom floor I left - the junior salesman avoided eye contact and his colleague in the office appeared to be meditating. I'm assuming they had hit their sales quota for the month?

Carlisle isn't that far away, so I popped in there to be met by a man in a very smart corporate outfit who didn't seem to be very keen to do any business unless it was at the 'sticker price'.

So I left and pondered some more - is it really that difficult to buy a new Land Rover Defender and get a reasonable deal?

27th Oct 2013 10:43pm

leeds

Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8582

Since you appear to be close to the Lake District, phone Jason at Torver Land Rovers who ar based close to Coniston

Brendan

27th Oct 2013 11:18pm

Likeomg

Member Since: 29 Jun 2012
Location: Lake District / Newcastle
Posts: 2651

2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Stornoway Grey

i found lloyds at carlisle like that, theres a new guy thats just started there who even tho i only wen't to take some photos of a 90 with rear seats for my impending conversion... ended up having a 45 minute conversation with him and getting offered a test drive in the new range rover sport (even tho he knew i did not at all intend on buying one) he did tell me in the previous 5 days they'd sold 17 defenders and 5 range rovers... they shift defenders faster than they can get them

(the receptionist didn't even know mine was in stock when we turned up to buy it)

27th Oct 2013 11:47pm

Lewisgregory8

Member Since: 17 Sep 2012
Location: Durham
Posts: 395

Hello Mate. Ive just ordered one from Newcastle.

It was easy for me, I walked in told them what i wanted, did the credit check then placed the order. The defender is supposed to be with me sometime in december.

My only complaints is, i feel they gave me the same service as they would for someone spending £80k on a range rover, which annoyed me, as were all customers, despite the size of our wallets.

Like you said, they haven't responded to some emails, and they're terrible on the phone.

Lew

28th Oct 2013 1:20am

JeremyJ

Member Since: 16 Nov 2011
Location: Aylesbury
Posts: 1758

Feel free to email me Jeremy.jackson@hadleygreen.co.uk your ideal spec and I'll get you a price and delivery timescale

28th Oct 2013 5:48am

James @ Grange Barnet LR

Member Since: 21 Oct 2012
Location: Barnet, North London
Posts: 201

1996 Defender 90 300 Tdi ST Zermatt Silver

Contact your friendly forum sponsor!

......... Who instead of ignoring you has two members of the sales team respond to your post at 6am!

James

PS. I'm on holiday at the moment, therefore drop Jeremy a line. Follow us on Twitter: @GrangeBarnetJLR

28th Oct 2013 6:02am

ken

Member Since: 18 Aug 2009
Location: Banging Birds with my bitches !!
Posts: 4328

What They said

This year the Only LR dealer I've brought from is Hadley Green

28th Oct 2013 6:17am

x-isle

Member Since: 26 May 2011
Location: Midlands
Posts: 1327

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black

Dealers are desperate for sales........

Land Rover Dealers are not desperate for sales........ Craig Rogers

2007 Puma 110 XS
2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux
www.craigrogers.photography

28th Oct 2013 6:44am

Rick81

Member Since: 08 Sep 2013
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 108

2011 Defender 130 Puma 2.4 HCPU Galway Green

Very similar to my experience in Wiltshire, wanted to buy a new 110 county double cab, emailed one well known main agent, no reply, emailed again and got offered a second hand one in the wrong colour and spec, visited and waited ten minutes for someone to see me, got fed up and asked someone who was sat down looking bored, he sighed deeply said nothing and went off to get someone who looked about twelve whose opening sentence was "defender? Oh, I don't really like the way they drive"!!! for the love of sanity I thought, how difficult must this be, I then told the chap the spec I wanted (not difficult as it was identical to the one I had sat outside but new and in Keswick green) and asked for a price at which point he wandered over to a computer and printed off the price list from the land rover website and handed it to me.....

Thought this May be an isolated incident so off to another well known local main agent, where the chap (eventually) appeared and inferred that maybe I could come back when I had the money, when I pointed out it would be a case of just writing the cheque his attitude changed and he spent the next 40min trying to sell me a discovery.... When asked if I could have a defender brochure he said they didn't have any...

In the end I got my local independent garage to order one but I found the whole land rover main agent experience rather depressing!

28th Oct 2013 8:12am

familymad

Member Since: 13 Dec 2011
Location: Bucks
Posts: 3481

2016 Defender 130 Puma 2.2 HCPU Santorini Black

Cuthbert,

My first and second Defenders were bought from all over the place. Various dealers and none interested in my sale or me.

My current Defender was purchased from Hadley Green in Sept. nothing too much trouble and 100% interested in your intention to purchase. They also kept me updated with the delivery timescale throughout the three months it took.

I would not but from another dealer again. Get on the phone to Jeremy. 1951 80" S1 2.0
1995 110 300TDI
1995 90 300TDI

28th Oct 2013 9:21am

MartinK

Member Since: 02 Mar 2011
Location: Silverdale (Lancashire/Cumbria Border)
Posts: 2665

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Orkney Grey

I had similar experiences of poor dealerships (for my last 2 Land Rovers, and also MrsK's Evoque).

Where possible we now use Macrae & Dick in Inverness. George (Sales), Garry (Service) offer excellent support and assistance. Now we've been in a few times, they remember us, and always happy to give us a coffee, some time for a chat, and an offer of a test drive in the latest models (had a new FFRR out a few weeks back). Always a pleasure

George the sales guy owns a Defender himself. Defender "Puma" 2.4 110 County Utility (possibly the last of the 2.4's)

28th Oct 2013 9:26am

Radioman

Member Since: 19 Mar 2012
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 1

2012 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black

Buying

Must say I had excellent service form Hunters in Norwich - walked in, decided what I wanted, agreed delivery timescale and placed order. All fell into place and now proud owner - still fun to get in the and drive my defender time capsule!
PS Don't forget decent discount possible if farmer employed , armed forces etc

28th Oct 2013 10:58am

x-isle

Member Since: 26 May 2011
Location: Midlands
Posts: 1327

I can't comment for a Defender as I bought mine from an independent, however Stafford LR were fantastic when we bought our Evoque from them and the sales guy loved Defender's so suspect he'd be the same.

The only other thought I've had is that maybe the markup isn't so great on a Defender resulting in the commission % being lower? Craig Rogers

2007 Puma 110 XS
2011 Evoque Coupe Dynamic Lux
www.craigrogers.photography

28th Oct 2013 11:03am

Birdy

Member Since: 07 Oct 2011
Location: CÃ´te d'Azur
Posts: 870

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black

“excellent service form Hunters in Norwich”

At the time of changeover from 2.4 to 2.2, I asked one of their older salesman for price lists to compare prices, options etc. “Haven’t got anything” “But the existing 2.4 prices?” “Out of stock”.

As I walked out muttering “Recession, wot recession?”, a younger salesman ran after me and said that although it was true they hadn’t received any new brochures or price lists from LR, if I could hang on a few minutes he’d make some photocopies. I did, decided on the 2.4, and when I went back, guess which salesman I sought out to place my order?

After, of course, getting quotes from Hammonds and conducting a Dutch Auction to get as low a price as possible…

But as far as Land Rovers in general are concerned, dealers can sell every single Defender they can lay their hands on - for example, Hunters allocation for 2013 is just 40 - so they don’t have to try too hard, especially when there’s no real alternative.

Compare the small hatch-back market, I just bought a Up! For my son, got GBP 1,030 knocked off the list price (just under 10%).

Peter

28th Oct 2013 11:40am

leeds

Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8582

Same old comments coming out about Land Rover main dealers.

Yes there are some good ones out there, yes there are some who could do with pulling their socks up when it comes to selling new Defenders.

At least on this forum if you ask the question you will get some recommendations for some good ones , be they Hadley Green in London or Torver in the Lake District.

Now IF we could get ALL Land Rover main dealers up to the same standard?

Brendan

28th Oct 2013 11:51am

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