Member Since: 09 Aug 2015
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 467
Carrs Land Rover Scorrier ~ Vertu Takeover
Just wondering if anyone else here has had experience of customer service levels dropping to an all time low since Vertu took over from Carrs at Scorrier in Cornwall?
I've been a customer of Carrs for around 10 years, i'm on my 3rd D4 through them and have bought, serviced, MOT'd and everything else with them throughout my ownership, even having new tyres fitted by them, and they used to look after me very well and I felt that although I was paying a lot of money for their service, it was a premium service that I was receiving. Over the years, that feeling declined bit by bit, gone were the pick up and drop off from my house leaving me with a FF RR or similar to use while they had my car, which moved to having manual Disco Sports to Skoda's to eventually telling me I couldn't have a loan car at all for nearly a month.
My wife was in our D4 last week when she noticed a horrible ticking/clicking/knocking noise coming from what she thought was the front end, she rang LR and they told her they couldn't look at the car for 4 weeks, there would now be a £190 charge to fault find, and they can't guarantee a loan car (if they do have one we'll need to pay £15 for the privilege). We have a few personal links with customer service in Cornwall having used them for years but we're unable to contact Scorrier and speak to any of them, we can only reach a nationwide call centre. This has left us without the use of the D4 which has obviously caused huge inconvenience. We've NEVER had to wait when previously having any issues, let alone for such a long time with no option of a loan car to keep us on the road.
Essentially, our warranty still costs the same (if not more), everything else still costs the same (if not more) but the service has dropped to a level at which I receive way better from my local indy for my other car who will do their best to solve any problem I have asap recognising the fact i've used them for 15-20 years, for a fraction of the cost.
Anyway, I needed to rant about it, as it's the final straw in the decision to move from the LR brand which we've been battling with for years now, we love the D4 but just can't justify paying so much for such poor service.
Just wondered if anyone else down here has noticed the steady decline over the last 5 years or so?
Last edited by Robert SausageTrousers on 11th Apr 2023 7:03 am. Edited 1 time in total
10th Apr 2023 10:29 am
DIY Ace
Member Since: 06 Feb 2019
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 971
No experience directly of that dealership, though Inchcape are of course the greatest most awesome dealer network in existence - anywhere in the world. True perfection in automotive service.
(Disclosure - I'm a shareholder )2022 BMW i4 M50. Bought Oct 2022. 10,200 miles and counting...
2014 BMW 435d convertible. Bought July 2021. 58,000 miles and counting...
2005 Discovery 3 HSE Auto. Bought Feb 2019. 169,000 miles and counting...
2009 Freelander 2 XS Manual. Bought Sep 2013. SOLD Aug 2021 (already regretted!)
Member Since: 06 Feb 2019
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 971
Seriously though, and I'm talking more generally here, the issue with most service industries is the relentless drive towards tighter margins. Added to the difficulty in attracting and retaining good staff, the result is poor service all round.
Inchcape operated last year at a margin of just 4% and 2.1% the year before. I couldn't run my business on those margins. No margin for error, pardon the pun. Truly exceptional service only comes when the provider has enough margin to over-employ and over-train their staff, and recruit great staff in the first place through strong salaries.2022 BMW i4 M50. Bought Oct 2022. 10,200 miles and counting...
2014 BMW 435d convertible. Bought July 2021. 58,000 miles and counting...
2005 Discovery 3 HSE Auto. Bought Feb 2019. 169,000 miles and counting...
2009 Freelander 2 XS Manual. Bought Sep 2013. SOLD Aug 2021 (already regretted!)
Member Since: 01 Aug 2005
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 2576
Carrs Landrover is now owned by Vertu.
I'd agree - service has now reached a new low. in February my service was delayed a week as the required timing belt kit wasn't in - despite ordering the service about a month in advance. Then on the day (Thurs) they failed to complete it, on the Friday at 5pm rang to tell me they'd broken something, that would be in and fitted Sat AM. Nope. Finally finished on the Monday.
On the plus side, it was cleaned and they did top up the ad-blu without extra cost. And it did pass MOT
The business also has a general second hand car sales on the adjacent plot, retailing all brands of PX's. I notice these are now displayed on what used to be exclusively JLR forecourt, so I sense there's some tension between Vertu and JLR around the Jag dealership closures etc.Long succession of Disco's since 2001...
SIII Lightweight - neglected & rusting. Bulkhead, A panels, vent panel & outriggers now disintegrated - Next years project!
10th Apr 2023 4:19 pm
Robert SausageTrousers
Member Since: 09 Aug 2015
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 467
Sorry, you're absolutely correct, no idea why I was told Inchcape, i'll try and amend the first post!
11th Apr 2023 7:02 am
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14385
Well last night I threatened legal action against the dealer that supplied my Defender in October. They owe me over £100 and repairs to the damage on the roof which is £1700. I sent them the damage quote over a month ago and have had no response, but this is the normal standard of their 5hit customer service. If it's not sorted by this Friday, I will go legal on Monday.
LR needs to sort its dealers out. If they want to be seen as a premium brand then they need to offer premium service.
On the flip side, my local dealer, Dick Lovett in Bath (Melksham) are proving to be very good, but I wished I'd now kept my XC90. New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!)
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
11th Apr 2023 8:13 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73079
Daft question but will their CS ever improve if peeps keep buying their cars? Luckily not had to deal with LR dealers for not far off 5 years, grass is deffo greener on t’other side.
11th Apr 2023 8:34 am
Robert SausageTrousers
Member Since: 09 Aug 2015
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 467
Just to update this, they had the car in a few days ago, we weren't charged a penny for 'fault finding', were given a Peugeot loan car free of charge, we also had an MOT (passed no advisories) and a full valet whilst it was in, the cost for all in total was £39. So the moral of the story for me, is to bypass the Vertu call centre and just go straight to the dealership, once we were at Scorrier they looked after us very well and faith was restored a little, i'm pleased to say!
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