[14000rpm]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Thanks for sharing the details on the issue, Avinash. The timing was definitely an issue. One could wonder that if this happened during the course of a regular week it would (hopefully) be resolved without too much delay although incurred costs are still an issue.

Yes. Holiday time was one of the issue. On a regular day it could have been a 2-3 day resolution. However, another issue that would affect even during non-holiday period is the inflow. As I discovered over a casual chat with the SA, Finland has only 2 Primary JLR only service center where I had gone and 3 secondary service centers. Secondary being that they are authorized by JLR but also service MB, BMW, Volvo, etc. This means, service appointment availability in the secondary centers is very hard. With that load coming to Primary, appointments here too are an issue and they run into several weeks after seeking appointment. Towed cars do good priority though.

This lack of service network is primary due to the fact that JLR is still a low-volume brand in Finland and doesn't bring in a very high margin. Low volume of sales means low service-income.

This lead time issue could be very different from Market to Market.

[14000rpm]

We chose to take a small break during the work week and drove over in the Brit Bloke to Tallinn, Estonia. It is a short car-ferry ride away. We checked in and were waiting for boarding.

In the meantime, I chanced upon a news article in a Finnish website about a massive campaign by the police and the custom in Finland. They were looking for out of country cars that were in Finland and were being used for Business Purposes which is not permitted.

Just then, coincidentally, we saw a Customs patrol car drive in to waiting area where cars were lined up. He went to the end of the road and turn around and drove by slowly while scanning number plates. While I have paid taxes and not a feeling crook, a small worry started to creep in when he spend more time scanning my car's plates.

After a few moments he came up to my window and started questioning me - officer - ''Is this your car?''
me - ''Yes. is there a problem?''
officer - ''Yes. Your inspection has expired 3 months ago. Don't you know that?''
A shocked and Surprised me - ''is that right?''
officer - ''Yes. it was in Nov. We are in Feb. Don't you know it is an offense?''
Me - ''<Insert fillers such as hmmm,aaaah,,huh, huh > Yes. I am aware it being an offense but this is a relatively new car and I didn't expect it be invalid so soon''
officer - ''well, it's not so new now. Do you live in Finland?''
me - ''Yes. Finland is home''
officer- ''How long are you going out of Finland for?''
me - ''just a 3 day trip to Tallinn and back''
officer - ''You don't have any other offenses and I trust you that it must be a genuine miss. Get it done as soon as you come back to Finland. Don't let a cop catch you with an expired Inspection certificate. You will be fined''.
A visibly relieved me - ''Will do. Thanks for not ruining my holiday''

Booked up an appointment at an inspection center within a few minutes of him leaving and went straight there after I returned home.

The Brit Bloke gets checked.













During the car inspection, the condition of the car is checked extensively. The following parts of a vehicle, among others, will be checked:

• exterior and interior lights
• seat belts and other safety equipment
• engine compartment pipes and hoses and any fluid leaks
• condition of the suspension and axle system
• exhaust system, tyre condition and tyre pressures
• battery and other electrical equipment
• a test drive to check the car’s driving behavior.

The Brit Bloke got the A OK certificate which is good till 2027.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by 14000rpm

The Brit Bloke got the A OK certificate which is good till 2027.

Excellent! I am surprised you don't get a reminder from the respective government body in charge of these things, or garages that seen the car before.

Here in the Netherlands it is impossible to forget your car is due a so called APK (MOT). About 6 weeks prior to the expiration date you get a letter from the Dutch minister of transport and an email that your new APK is due. As most of my cars have been maintained by various car dealers and garages, the due date also is known in their system and they often send you reminders too, angling for your business.

Apart from not having a valid APK is a fine-able offense, you might also run into problems with your insurance in case of an accident. Especially if the accident could be due to an item that is part of the APK.

If your APK has expired your car is not allowed on the public road anymore. So even parking it in front of your house is techically an offense. You are only allowed to drive it to the nearest APK station.

Whether a car has a valid APK is visible for everybody. You just log onto a specific website and punch in the registration number of the car.

Who is allowed to do these most in Finland? Some countries have dedicated MOT stations (e.g. BELGIUM). These dedicated MOT station only do testing, they won't fix your car if there is a problem. In the Netherlands it can be dealer or independent garages, but it requires formal certification of the equipment and the technicians. It is pretty strict, and they will come and do random inspections to check the testing is carried out properly several times a year.

A typical APK will cost around Euro 55. Most garages will waive the APK cost if you let them do the annual service. So most cars will go for a service and an APK here.

Jeroen

Jeroen

[14000rpm]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Excellent! I am surprised you don't get a reminder from the respective government body in charge of these things, or garages that seen the car before.

Since you said it I started to doubt my own email etiquettes and thought I'd missed reminders. Then I realize- this is my 4th Car in Finland. I have never ever received reminders. Checked with my neighbors some of whom have also had cops point out the expiration of inspection. So it is clear that Finland doesn't have that reminder system. In fact it would be nice for the Service centers to take care of it during annual maintenance but it is not the case here.

Such inspection stations are completely stand alone.
2027 is too far away to worry. I may have a different car by then. We'll see

[14000rpm]

Originally Posted by 14000rpm

.... and took hand over of the 2019 Range Rover Sport P400e Autobiography....

And just like that, it's been 2 years since we got the Brit Bloke home. Time flies and flies fast.
Some stats of my usage -









So..



Well, there have been a few coughs. Not Gonna lie - these Hiccups did make us question our decision.

I keep talking to several Range Rover owners in Range Rover forums, colleagues and our very own @Blackpearl too. Most common opinion is that the reputation of Range Rover reliability is just a few bad apples that get blown out of proportion. Most have had flawless ownership experiences. Having had a few issues, I guess I have one of those bad apples.

Or am I blowing it out of proportion too?

Well, the car has seen the Flat Bed twice by now. There's that.
To summarize the big issues-
1. EV Coolant heater got busted. Shouldn't have failed. Claimed under dealer warranty.
2. Aux pump for the EV coolant heater busted. This practically never fails. Mine was the 1st case in Finland at least. It happened due to a Manufacturing defect. Expensive fix.

The Volvo Fan club in my neighborhood gleams when they see a replacement car in my parking.



This apart, there are some niggles too.
1. The power windows (one of them) have started to become a bit noisy. We barely ever open the window and we have never noticed it. Needs to be looked into.
2. The gas struts for the rear liftgate (Hatch) are squeaky.
3. The real world EV Range is pathetic and it depletes way faster than expected.

The InControl Connected Car experience -
1. To be honest, it is not very feature rich to start with. Cannot even set temperature nor schedule start/Stop on the app.
2. Secure Tracker - now this is a bit of a mess actually. More so for me since the car was originally sold to Range Rover Italy. Hence the VIN is locked to Italy support center which cannot be transferred to Range Rover Finland. This is not just a language issue. If my car does get stolen, Italy support cannot track the car dynamically since it is outside Italy. This is an utterly disappointing deficiency. If I didn't have this subscription, I'd have purchased any one of the after market Car tracker solutions available out there.

Yet I have it and am subscribing to it annually. why? Well, it is free.





Shouldn't be but it is. Due to the perennial issues with Range Rover Connected Car solution, Range Rover owners in Finland cannot buy the services. We all simply email them and the subscription is updated. For Free.



well, that's it.

Now some may say these are minor issues which one shouldn't be so noisy about. Generally, I would agree. However, this is a car that costs a pretty penny to buy. For that price, it bloody well have everything fully sorted out. But it isn't. And that big expectation mismatch is why some Range Rover owners write so much about the issues that then becomes it's reputation for good.

This apart, now that the Euphoria of a 'Range Rover' has faded, I have started to notice the annoying Turbo Lag. 2 Liter Turbo Charged engine has a very annoying lag which is very pronounced when the EV juice is drained out fully. It's particularly annoying when passing on highways. Just to address this, I switch Dynamic mode when on highway. At least this way power has the priority and shifts hold longer or will downshift sooner.

However, all of this is just a distant memory when I hop into the car, Shut the door, crank up my favorite music and hit the road.



The Ride comfort is simply sublime.
The sound attenuating glass cuts most of the noise out letting me enjoy the music on the phenomenal Meridian system or have a relaxed conversation with family without needing to shout.
With heated and massage seats on, the highway drive is so relaxed that it can easily get me a speed ticket.
Heck, this car gives me joy just being parked. I love the smart styling and still keep looking back at it.
More than anything, Being a middle class all my life, a Range Rover felt unobtanium. Seeing one parked outside my house gives me a sense of achievement which can barely be described.



This joy, is becoming very difficult to replicate in any other car. I am genuinely trying.

Hence, despite it's repute, despite the niggles, I am loving the car. I may stay a Range Rover guy for life.

That should effectively summarize my 2 yr ownership experience. Looking forward to more joyful experiences and less Flat bed time.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by 14000rpm

However, all of this is just a distant memory when I hop into the car, Shut the door, crank up my favorite music and hit the road.


The Ride comfort is simply sublime.
The sound attenuating glass cuts most of the noise out letting me enjoy the music on the phenomenal Meridian system or have a relaxed conversation with family without needing to shout.
With heated and massage seats on, the highway drive is so relaxed that it can easily get me a speed ticket.
Heck, this car gives me joy just being parked. I love the smart styling and still keep looking back at it.
More than anything, Being a middle class all my life, a Range Rover felt unobtanium. Seeing one parked outside my house gives me a sense of achievement which can barely be described.

This joy, is becoming very difficult to replicate in any other car. I am genuinely trying.

Hence, despite it's repute, despite the niggles, I am loving the car. I may stay a Range Rover guy for life.

Most folks who own these say the same. There are the moments you wonder why you bought one and then on the good days, you just cant stop singing praises about them, as nothing even comes close to giving you that feeling of having arrived.

Congrats on 2 years with your RRS and for sharing the journey with us.

[14000rpm]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

.... as nothing even comes close to giving you that feeling of having arrived.

That's exactly right. That feeling is what makes us tolerate the nuances and say 'This too shall pass'.
I'd probably not tolerate niggles in a Toyota or a Honda.

[Freespirit27]

Originally Posted by 14000rpm

Now some may say these are minor issues which one shouldn't be so noisy about. Generally, I would agree. However, this is a car that costs a pretty penny to buy. For that price, it bloody well have everything fully sorted out. But it isn't. And that big expectation mismatch is why some Range Rover owners write so much about the issues that then becomes it's reputation for good

Exactly! A friend of mine picked a Sport couple of years back and had a near head-on with a Jeep while coming downhill. The Jeep's front wheel came off from the axle or such and the Sport also got dinged bad enough. The family was happy on the purchase and all praise for the car, but the fairy tale ended there. The Jeep was back on the road in a week but the Rover's part had to come from UK and took over a month. That was the short story of their RangeRover ownership (and coincidentally they did move on to a Volvo).
So yes, a premium price and tag should not come with niggles and headaches.