Goto disco3.co.uk

I have been exchanging emails with a chap who only identifies himself as Chris M - and has posted a few comments on this blog under the pseudonym disco. He says he is a proud satisfied Discovery 3 owner and highly recommends disco3.co.uk as a resource for Discovery 3 owners.

I remember using this resource at the time I had all my problems with my first and second build Discovery 3. Early days then as I remember it to be a lightweight, shallow resource. I took a look through it today and its looks pretty comprehensive: so if you have landed on this blog and have done so because you are in a pickle with your Disco 3 and you are looking for some help stay here for a while: you will realise that you are not alone, there are many frustrated Disco 3 owners, but then take a look at disco3.co.uk and you will find a good resource which will be handy when you have to educate the Land Rover Dealer Networks on how to solve your vehicles problems. The truth is that Land Rover is probably kicking most of the skeletons under the carpet... nothing in my experience led me to believe that the poor dealer was being supported by Land Rover in any way.

Did readers know that when Land Rover decided to give me my money back when the second build vehicle also failed, that I offered to hand over this website to Land Rover so they had a frequently visited site that they could use to engage their customers in an open transparent conversation? They declined the offer, perhaps readers may want to suggest why? Perhaps its got to do with the fact that they can't afford to have an open, transparent conversation about the quality of their products?

I recently met a person who used to sell Land Rovers He now works for a competitor and is totally amazed that the pre-delivery-service on the competitor product was such a routine experience. He told me that it wasn't an exception that his Land Rover dealer had to replace engines, wiring, steering and other major components at the pre-delivery service! That maybe anecdotal but its sure gives you a flavour of the Quality problems of this brand that promises so much.

Michael and I exchanged a few emails - he thinks I am just a big whinger and not being that fair on Land Rover. I tried to convince him that I don't have anything against the vehicle. Its probably the best SUV on the market - it promises a lot, its performance etc is superb... but my two vehicles had huge problems. He also argues that on a new vehicle this can be expected which I can sort of accept. BUT... the big problem I have with Land Rover is the arrogant - head-in-the-sand attitide of the Land Rover senior executives. If they had been transparent and honest about the challenges they were having (like Charles Dunstone at Talk Talk)_then that would be one thing... the problem was that I was pushed by them to take my issues into the public arena - they told me my experiences were isolated... guess what guys - they aren't - just read some of the people who comment on this blog and at disco3.co.uk

So why do I continue to recommend to readers to avoid the Discovery 3: its simple: Land Rover UK (and probably its owners Ford too) just don't have the culture of Customer Care. They don't manage the customer relationship professionally and have an antiquated dealer model - to top it all, I think they are old fashioned, arrogant big-wigs who are steering the Land Rover Brand into a place that not even the best 4x4xfar can get them out of. Thats my experience anyway and I am not alone.