The service department of my Boston-area Jaguar Land-Rover dealer is slammed.
I called for my 2-year warranty work, and was given an appointment 2 months away. Last week, they were able to pick up the car, but there were no loaners available until February. Now, my beautiful F-Type sits on the lot, waiting in line for it’s turn to enter the service bay. It should be about 3 weeks. The dealer’s lot, especially “around back” is packed with vehicles (mostly Land Rovers) in various states of repair, waiting for parts.
The service department is apologetic, but helpless in the face of a shortage of parts and qualified technicians. How can they be blamed?
Fortunately for me, this car is not my daily driver, and I only have to be patient. I’ll be garaging the car for the winter, anyway.
It seems the forecast of a shortage of mechanics (another whole subject) has finally come true. Add to that Covid-related supply issues, and we have a problem.
Have others had this experience?

 

No particular problem here. I'm going in for some general maintenance next week - mostly fluids, plus supercharger belt. Scheduled out 2 weeks with a loaner. And, they've been sending out coupons for up to 30% off on service.

Pack you clubs and come south!

 

SterlingSilver: Depending on where you live you might try:

Boston Jaguar (Herb Chambers) where the wait is just days
Jaguar of Sudbury (also Herb Chambers)
Jaguar Bedford, NH
Jaguar Peabody

I gave up on Jaguar Norwood - 3 months for anything.
I now go to Boston Jaguar - a new dealership on Comm Ave in Boston near Mass Pike.
Good luck

 

Good to know - thanks!

 

I just had an oil service at Jaguar of Bedford on Monday. I think it was an approx. 3 week wait. I didn't ask for a loaner. Nice people. No bouncer at the door like Sudbury!
It does seem that there's a labor shortage everywhere. I'm not sure where people went, but in years past, every spring we would get many apps for summer help, (college and high school kids). Nearly 0 in the last couple years. It's only been amplified by the "pandemic". We haven't hired anyone except family in nearly five years.

 

When you take money from the ones working, and start handing it out to those that don't want to work...And make it easy for them to do so...We get THIS....No one wants to or has to work. Everyone is eligible for a handout.

Unfortunate and sad what has happened. Just an opinion.

On a related note...Glad I do all my own work...My wait time, is as long as it takes to get in to my garage and get it up on the lift! Very fortunate.

DC

 

My check engine light came on back on November 8th. Called that afternoon to schedule a service appointment and was told November 23rd was the soonest I could bring it in with no loaner available. I dropped it off at 7AM on the 23rd. They didn't actually get it in the shop until November 29th. OT sensor needed replacing and they ordered the part. I was finally able to pick up the car on December 4th. Fortunately, the weather here in KC was quite nice, being in the 60's, so I was able to drive the old '69 to work everyday while the Jag waited for service.
Lot was full of Land Rovers and Jags. Side note: there were 9 F types waiting for service during this time period, the most the shop has seen at one time for quite a while.

 

On a related note...Glad I do all my own work...My wait time, is as long as it takes to get in to my garage and get it up on the lift! Very fortunate.

DC[/QUOTE]

I hear that.
I just sold my ‘73 Triiumph TR6. I did everything on that 47-year-old car, including a frame-off restoration.
But, this F-Type is different, to say the least. It’s modern; computerized. But, I am learning, and for now I’ll have the dealer do the oil and maintenance under warranty for the next 4 years.
Maybe a DIFFERENT dealer than the one I purchased the car from.

 

I will pile on: Jaguar - Norwood service has been terrible over the last couple of years. They had my F type for warranty work this past spring for 5 weeks. Kept telling me they "did not have the bandwidth" to get to it. Another O2 sensor went in August, verified by my indie mechanic. JLR-Norwood's earliest appointment was 12 weeks out. They picked up the car and it took 10 days for them to verify what it was. They did fix it quickly but now waiting for personnel to deliver it back to me. If anyone in the area is looking for good, qualified indie mechanics I highly recommend Upton Foreign Motors in Upton, MA and Trustworthy Auto in Seekonk. Both are owned by former JLR certified service techs. They are busy as well and won't deal with warranty work but good folks.

 

aristocrat? I've only used em for oil changes and o2 sensor the past 3 years but they have done right so far. Knock on wood.

 

Imperial (Lake Bluff) just opened a new dealership here. Bought an F Pace from them up there this past weekend and brought it home down here. CEL the next morning. Loaner appointment 4 days later. Not too bad. I think being brand new, they aren’t slammed yet.

 

Try Bedford NH if it's not too far for you. They seem to be running about 3 weeks out for service. Also, Jaguar Hartford (CT) is another one that usually has a short wait. The dealership itself makes a Dodge dealership look fancy but they are at least competent.

 

Local dealer has some specials: oil change is 108 total.
Service on a Saturday is 15% off.

But, note, before the oil special they had quoted me 380 for an oil change.......


No loaners. No new cars on the lot.

Maryland dealers have no new cars in general.

 

Yes...Definitely have to up/change the skills to work on newer cars compared to the older ones. I have done both...And contrary to how some may feel, I find that after you learn the technology, newer cars are actually simpler to work on (repeat...AFTER you learn the tech! ) On older cars, when they have a problem...the guessing begins...and what fun to try to adjust carburetors to run smooth - had to check the Moon phase to get it just right. The new ones will tell you exactly where the pain is and pretty much how to make it go away...haha

DC

 

Or, as they say:

"Old cars don't throw codes...they throw FITS!"

That said, there are plenty of anecdotes where mechanics change the component that the problem code points to, but the issue is elsewhere. You still gotta TROUBLESHOOT.

 

Yes, as with many things, there is no substitute for competence!

 

Trouble is dealers tend to troubleshoot by swapping modules (at the customer's expense) until the problem, or the customer, goes away.

 

I'm sure my dealer is similar to others, 90% vs 10% land rovers over jags in service area. They are always busy. Finally open a second store across town, same owner. Should make getting in easier.

 

Makes sense. All I see on the roads are LR's.
Not many Jags of any stripes, and only very rarely an F-Types.
Though cats do like to hide in the jungle

 

Follow-up:
I finally got my car back, last Wednesday.
My wife took over (we are a good-cop/bad-cop couple), and she called everybody at Norwood (MA) Jaguar that would answer the phone. This is one of their problems: communication. Finally she spoke to the general Manager (son of the owner) and he vowed to move the car up in priority. If not for Mary complaining loudly, I have no doubt my car would still be there well into 2022.
The one other person who helped was our salesman, Josh T. He got a box of Christmas candy.
I have no idea why they make appointments almost 2 months out, accept the car, and then park it out back for weeks before working on it. Maybe JLR has told them not to turn anyone away?
Lesson learned: find another dealer to do the warranty work.
<rant mode off>