Elite Range Rover Clydebank South Douglas St, Scotland just conned me !

I live in Glasgow and took it to a garage that are supposed to be experts in Range Rover called "Elite Range Rover" in Clydebank, South Douglas Street, however I was scammed as they charged me £110 inspection and didn't even take it for a test drive !
My issue was a pulsating noise, perhaps a wheel bearing, or drive shaft, so wanted them to diagnose and advise me what the issue was then look to proceed if possible.
However after 3 days they got back to me and said the wiper blade was worn and there was wear on one of the front tyres which I advised them about before hand. Therefore they told me that they were unable to take it for a test drive because the wiper blade and worn tyre but I still would have to pay the £110, absolutely disgusting ! I politely asked if they could perhaps go 50% as they didn't test anything on my car, but they told me to f##k off and I need to pay or else ! so beware of Elite Range Rover - Clydebank in Glasgow and avoid like the plague !

What did you take it in for, just a general health check/ inspection?

Inspection for what ?

See other thread.

I can understand if you booked for a general service not full as that would be expensive. Did they not mention what they were planning to do. I explained for mine at the time my rear tail gate was faulty and rear passenger side window regulator failed. But otherwise noted on my service plan.

A1EK said:

I live in Glasgow and took it to a garage that are supposed to be experts in Range Rover called "Elite Range Rover" in Clydebank, South Douglas Street, however I was scammed as they charged me £110 inspection and didn't even take it for a test drive ! They said the wiper blade was worn and there was wear on one of the front tyres which I advised them about before hand. The told me that they were unable to take it for a test drive because the wiper blade and worn tyre but I still would have to pay the £110, absolutely disgusting ! I politely asked if they could perhaps go 50% as they didn't test anything on my car, but they told me to f##k off and I need to pay or else ! so beware of Elite Range Rover - Clydebank in Glasgow and avoid like the plague !

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Be aware that derogatory posts like that could see you i big trouble.

I wonder, how do you enter into a contract to perform a test drive, knowing the car is unsafe, meaning you're unable to perform a test drive?

If you read the title literally...
Scotland just conned me

saxavordian said:

I can understand if you booked for a general service not full as that would be expensive. Did they not mention what they were planning to do. I explained for mine at the time my rear tail gate was faulty and rear passenger side window regulator failed. But otherwise noted on my service plan.

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Sorry i meant to say that I took it to them to investigate a pulsating noise from the front perhaps a wheel bearing or drive shaft.

Did they diagnose it? Did it go on the ramp?
Bearing, brakes and tyres can all be inspected without a test drive required

Reading your tyre is worn, how worn, illegal, dangerous?
If so then you can't expect them to drive it.
My Mustang handled like crap, everything seemed fine, tyres good tread with no wear.
In the end I bought four new tyres and it transformed the car fantastic, and this is from someone who hates buying tyres!
Change the front tyres, check all bushes and get an alignment done, then go from there.

Datatek said:

Be aware that derogatory posts like that could see you i big trouble.

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oh do not worry there is nothing derogatory at all. The information is fact about Elite Land Rover in Clydbank, I am trying to help others avoiding being scammed as it was blatant theft and dishonesty, the review is going on TrustPilot, I have no concerns of posting !

Anaconda said:

Reading your tyre is worn, how worn, illegal, dangerous?
If so then you can't expect them to drive it.
My Mustang handled like crap, everything seemed fine, tyres good tread with no wear.
In the end I bought four new tyres and it transformed the car fantastic, and this is from someone who hates buying tyres!
Change the front tyres, check all bushes and get an alignment done, then go from there.

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The wear on the tyre was still legal, in the UK it states 3/4 of the tyre must have legal tread, the car had an MOT, there were no ribbons showing on the tyre, just the outer edge was showing signs wear due to alignment.

I swapped both front wheels with spare wheels I had, the noise remained.
I checked the wheel bearings and there does not seem to be any play
I coasted in neutral at slow speed to rule out the gearbox and the noise is still there.
I am going to put my GoPro under the car next to see if this give me a clue.

kermit_rr said:

Did they diagnose it? Did it go on the ramp?
Bearing, brakes and tyres can all be inspected without a test drive required

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Hi there, I asked of the car had been driven as this is the only time you can hear the pulsating noise, but they said they were going to drive the car because it had partial wear on one tyre and worn wiper blade. They tyre was still legal abeit on the outer edge was worn but no ribbons showing an still 3/4 good tread across the tyre with greater than 1.6mm , in the UK this is the legal requirement.

I swapped both front wheels with spare wheels I had, the noise remained.
I checked the wheel bearings and there does not seem to be any play
I coasted in neutral at slow speed to rule out the gearbox and the noise is still there.
I am going to put my GoPro under the car next to see if this give me a clue.

Check rear calipers

1988smithy said:

Check rear calipers

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Hi there, I checked the rear brakes, they don't look to be dragging or getting hot, noise is not at the back though, but front. I stuck my GoPro underneath but you can't really pick up much.

Cant watch vid yet, can you 'feel' the noise as well? Mine had a bad judder at 50+ it was wheel balancing. If you've got a tyre slightly out of true, regardless of legal wear it can cause mad noises and shakes

When were the hbrake shoes last checked/adjusted
Both times mine have gone wrong was on the mway doing 70, and a weird noise started, as soon as I slowed noise went and stayed away for a mile or two then would come back, it was the hbrake shoes.
The noise was a pulsing with a very light vibration.

A1EK said:

The wear on the tyre was still legal, in the UK it states 3/4 of the tyre must have legal tread, the car had an MOT, there were no ribbons showing on the tyre, just the outer edge was showing signs wear due to alignment.

I swapped both front wheels with spare wheels I had, the noise remained.
I checked the wheel bearings and there does not seem to be any play
I coasted in neutral at slow speed to rule out the gearbox and the noise is still there.
I am going to put my GoPro under the car next to see if this give me a clue.

Click to expand...

Wheel bearings can be noisy with no discernable play, all it needs is pitting in the race.

You never really know do you - and I believe, while the good guys need to be praised and promoted, it is just as important to alert the community to the rip off merchants. Surely that is one of the reasons for joining a forum such as this. This remind me of my recent experience when going to a specialist. Returning to Range Rovers after a long hiatus, I cast around for someone to run the rule over my newly acquired 1990 Classic. The car had been previously restored in Spain, was in solid condition and although it drove reasonably well, I wanted the reassurance of an expert running the ruler over it. I chose an indie from Burley in Wharfedale who profess to be, ‘not the biggest specialist in Land Rover.., ‘but do try to be the best – ‘tackle any job, big or small’. I travelled to them left the car, took the train home. I provided a list of issues i had identified and asked them to advise on what they found and discuss – they never called me, once. I called the from time to time, work was progressing but this part wasn’t available so they couldn’t do that job, or this was issue was going to be a problem. Four months passed and I arranged to collect the car. Despite asking from a week before collection to have sight of the invoice it eventually was emailed at close of business the day before I had committed to travel to collect the car. Like a mug I paid the invoice first and was handed the keys to the car. On the way home the same issues that the car had gone in to have remedied, started to manifest themselves again. I have no garage, so the car was stood in the road with one window now wedged shut with cardboard, two of the three other windows didn’t work at all. Lter I noticed a pool of oil under the car due to a constant drip from the sump plug, because the copper crunch washed had not been renewed. As a consequence I decided to remove the air filter, which was dusty, and had not been renewed – despite having to remove the air cleaner assembly to renew the air flow meter. A week later I called and advised my concerns and you know what the guy on reception’s response was, ‘Well, it was all working when it left us’. I haven’t heard that one in must be 40 years - I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I had no intention of taking my car back to a company who were the complete antitheses of everything they profess to be. The threat of court action brought them to their senses, and I received something like a fifteen percent refund on the labour costs. Driving the car since, (and I have only done a few hundred miles in it) everything that they did Has unravelled, apart from the air flow meter replacement which as cured the rich running. So if anyone can personally recommend a decent indie then I will approach my next move with eyes wide open and not trust to self endorsements or past glories.