pete57
Member Since: 05 Oct 2005
Location: Nottingham UK
Posts: 106
  
|
I bought a brand new Land Rover Discovery 3 TDV S three weeks ago.I drove the car out of the dealership Stratstone of Nottingham with delivery fuel only. This was annoying when you spend so much money on buying the car.
I pulled into the nearest fuel station only two miles down the road. My mind was flitting around trying to learn the controls and location of the fuel cap etc. Whilst distracted I did what 150,000 people do every year and misfueled my car. I put twenty litres of premium unleaded in instead of diesel! I realised my mistake when obtaining a receipt at the checkout. My fault I know. The fuel station employee was very good and let me leave the car on the pumps and advised me not to start it.
I telephoned Land Rover Assist and explained my misfortune. They said do not turn the ignition key as this would prime the system. They sent out one of their agents in a recovery vehicle. I confirmed with him that the ignition key should not be turned. He attached a winch to my car to pull the vehicle backwards onto the tow truck. Problem was my car has an electronic hand brake and would not release. He turned the key to position one which released the steering lock but not the handbrake. He then turned it to position two which brings on the ignition lights. In this position the hand brake was released. The key was then turned back and was in ignition mode for about 10 seconds. The engine was not turned. The car was taken back to the dealership. It was there for the best part of three days before I got the car back.
On collecting the car I was presented with a bill for £470.09. This did include £38.89 of diesel fuel. The work done was as follows.
Drained fuel tank, removed fuel tank and removed fuel pump to clean out. Cleaned out all fuel lines and replaced fuel filter, cleaned fuel cooler and added clean fuel.
The dealership were acting on bulletins from Land Rover and carried out the work for a misfuel after an ignition key had been turned. I do not have an issue with the dealership. However, my issue is with Land Rover Assist.
In my opinion if the key had not been turned by the recovery agent the fuel would have gone no further than the tank. The work to be done would be to drop the tank and flush it clean. Thus not requiring the other work and the bill would be cheaper.
I telephoned Land Rover Customer Services and their technical department said that the key should not have been turned as it primes the whole fuel system. They said my case was with Land Rover Assist and not them.
I contacted Land Rover Assist and dealt with Nicola who was very polite and informative. She obtained copies of the job sheet from the dealership. She confirmed what had happened with the recovery agent and she spoke to Land Rover technical department.
I was told that there is a manual way of releasing the hand brake but as the recovery agent is not a Land Rover technician he was not to know this.
She said that the vehicle could have been lifted onto a recovery vehicle and would have needed specialist equipment to which I would have to pay as the misfueling was my fault and not covered on any warranty. She said the cost of the specialist equipment would have been more than the extra repairs I had done on my car. She then said it was a catch 22 situation.
My argument is that if you call Land rover Assist you expect them to know how to deal with a misfueled car. If the hand brake was released manually I would not have had this extra expense and the vehicle would have been able to be winched onto the recovery vehicle successfully..
No parties will accept liability
 D3 Buckingham Blue SE Auto
BMW 325i Convertible
Fiesta 1.4 Zetec
Fiesta1.4TDCi
|
 7th Nov 2005 11:42 pm |
|
|
Gareth
Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26702
|
Hard luck mate, I hope the bad start is the only problem you have. On the bright side, you will be dining out on this story for a while to come!.
Its a shame that LRA sometimes use run-of-the-mill recovery guys, they can't possibly know everything, and 99 times out of a hundred that will not be a problem, but I'll bet he won't do it again.
|
| 8th Nov 2005 12:01 am |
|
|
Slimer
Site Moderator
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295
|
Welcome to DISCO3 Pete, hope that's the first and last of your troubles.
For future ref (any for anyone else that didn't know) if you remove the little plastic cover next to the park brake lever you can reach the manual operation cable. There was no way you we're going to know that having just got the vehicle but LRA should have done and made sure the recovery guy they used did too.
Si The End
|
| 8th Nov 2005 12:07 am |
|
|
pete57
Member Since: 05 Oct 2005
Location: Nottingham UK
Posts: 106
|
hi Si, Sure won't do it again. Been in since for airbag light and I have booked it in for reversing sensors not working. (I have pressed the button on the dash!). Lovely car now its got the correct fuel. D3 Buckingham Blue SE Auto
BMW 325i Convertible
Fiesta 1.4 Zetec
Fiesta1.4TDCi
|
| 8th Nov 2005 12:46 am |
|
|
Winger
Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
 
|
Pete,
Have you paid yet?
|
| 8th Nov 2005 9:09 am |
|
|
simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296
|
I would find out exactly what the difference would be in cost if the recovery person had not turned on the ignition and then claim this form LR Assist / the recovery company.
Not right this should happen to you. A colleague did this very thing Friday night as the car they drove was so quiet they did not realise it was a diesel. Filled up with UL out of habit (their car is UL and they have never driven a diesel before).
Cost plenty of time and money to sort out before driving 150 for work. £190 just to drain the tank !
Manufacturers, fuel stations and fuel companies REALLY should ensure you can never mis-fuel.
|
| 8th Nov 2005 9:14 am |
|
|
pete57
Member Since: 05 Oct 2005
Location: Nottingham UK
Posts: 106
|
Winger wrote:Pete,
Have you paid yet?
Quote:Had to pay otherwise I wouldn't have got my car back. Part of the £470 bill was £39 worth of replacement fuel.
D3 Buckingham Blue SE Auto
BMW 325i Convertible
Fiesta 1.4 Zetec
Fiesta1.4TDCi
|
| 8th Nov 2005 9:38 am |
|
|
pete57
Member Since: 05 Oct 2005
Location: Nottingham UK
Posts: 106
|
simon wrote:I would find out exactly what the difference would be in cost if the recovery person had not turned on the ignition and then claim this form LR Assist / the recovery company.
Not right this should happen to you. A colleague did this very thing Friday night as the car they drove was so quiet they did not realise it was a diesel. Filled up with UL out of habit (their car is UL and they have never driven a diesel before).
Cost plenty of time and money to sort out before driving 150 for work. £190 just to drain the tank !
Manufacturers, fuel stations and fuel companies REALLY should ensure you can never mis-fuel.
Quote:The cost of draining the tank only amounted to a difference of £184 . I have attempted to claim the difference back from L A. They say the cost of specialist recovery transport to lift the vehicle would have outwayed the cost of the work done to the car. They said it was a catch 22 situation. I still maintain that theb recovery chap should have been told by L a about the manual release of the handbrake.
D3 Buckingham Blue SE Auto
BMW 325i Convertible
Fiesta 1.4 Zetec
Fiesta1.4TDCi
|
| 8th Nov 2005 9:43 am |
|
|
Winger
Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
|
Then I suggest that you get the dealer to advise, as Simon has suggested, what a tank flush would have cost and then send a letter to LR Assist, copied to Land Rover CS and the Dealer, claiming the difference - making clear note of the ignition switch issue, and the relevant background - and see what they say.
Depending upon your mood, and the amount involved, you can phrase the letter as you choose; remember that the recovery firm will have a liability insurance to cover them.
|
| 8th Nov 2005 9:44 am |
|
|
pete57
Member Since: 05 Oct 2005
Location: Nottingham UK
Posts: 106
|
Winger wrote:Then I suggest that you get the dealer to advise, as Simon has suggested, what a tank flush would have cost and then send a letter to LR Assist, copied to Land Rover CS and the Dealer, claiming the difference - making clear note of the ignition switch issue, and the relevant background - and see what they say.
Depending upon your mood, and the amount involved, you can phrase the letter as you choose; remember that the recovery firm will have a liability insurance to cover them.
Quote:hi winger, thanks for the advice I will compile my letter tomorrow and see what happens. Pete
D3 Buckingham Blue SE Auto
BMW 325i Convertible
Fiesta 1.4 Zetec
Fiesta1.4TDCi
|
| 8th Nov 2005 9:50 am |
|
|
Winger
Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
|
Pete,
If you want to add a bit of "weight" to your letter, you can point out that the recovery driver's action of turning the ignition on - against specific instruction from yourself - has cost you the removal and disposal of the fuel filter; the disconnection of the fuel feed to high-pressure pump; the flushing of the fuel housing and all fuel lines (inc. fuel return) with clean diesel; the installation of a new fuel filter.
These are the additional actions taken that would not have been necessary if the ignition had not been touched.
|
| 8th Nov 2005 10:06 am |
|
|
10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
|
Even though the recovery agent was not familiar with LR's, it is common practice to remove the fuel pump fuse prior to turning on the ignition when dealing with 'dual-fuelled' vehicles.... or at least it was 'when I were a lad' 
|
| 8th Nov 2005 10:10 am |
|
|
pete57
Member Since: 05 Oct 2005
Location: Nottingham UK
Posts: 106
|
Winger wrote:Pete,
If you want to add a bit of "weight" to your letter, you can point out that the recovery driver's action of turning the ignition on - against specific instruction from yourself - has cost you the removal and disposal of the fuel filter; the disconnection of the fuel feed to high-pressure pump; the flushing of the fuel housing and all fuel lines (inc. fuel return) with clean diesel; the installation of a new fuel filter.
These are the additional actions taken that would not have been necessary if the ignition had not been touched.
Quote:
You have a good way with words Winger. I'll cut and paste that into my letter!! Thanks for the support.
Pete
D3 Buckingham Blue SE Auto
BMW 325i Convertible
Fiesta 1.4 Zetec
Fiesta1.4TDCi
|
| 8th Nov 2005 10:17 am |
|
|
Winger
Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
|
pete57 wrote:
You have a good way with words Winger.
Thank you - the product of a misspent youth......... 
|
| 8th Nov 2005 10:24 am |
|
|
Cliff H
Member Since: 27 Oct 2005
Location: Home of the Pork pie and Stilton
Posts: 1304
|
Another point is possibly that you should have been told about the manual release of the handbrake by the salesman at handover.
I got my D3 from the same dealer and the handover was very quick for such a complex vehicle.
I know that the length of time that the salesman takes on the handover can vary a lot, mine was approx 10 mins, I have read other places of it taking well over an hour
|
| 8th Nov 2005 2:23 pm |
|
|
