Land Rover Darien — Local services in Darien

Let me start by saying that I rarely write Google reviews unless they're truly deserved, but my experience with this dealership warrants one. I recently purchased a used BMW X5 from them and the entire process was exceptional.

Chris was incredibly responsive throughout, answering my admittedly nitpicky questions and sending numerous photos of specific components to ensure everything was in proper working order. When I arrived to see the car in person, it was even better than described.

What impressed me most was Chris's honesty - he knocked $500 off the price for a very minor detached vent issue he noticed (that I hadn't even seen). I traveled 150 miles from out of state, and they honored everything we negotiated via text. No games, no surprises. I was in and out in under an hour, with half that time spent test driving.

I also really appreciated that most of this deal could be done via text message, which allowed me to work out the finer details between meetings easily without disrupting my day.

The finance process was quick and modern. They included a 6k/6 month powertrain warranty despite CT law only requiring 3k/3 months. When I noticed on CarFax that an oil change hadn't been done in 5k+ miles (though still within synthetic oil limits), they promptly handled it prior to finalizing the sale, no questions asked.

The real test of their integrity came with my trade-in. Despite knowing I was already there and couldn't physically drive both cars home, they honored the trade value originally quoted over the phone, which was in line, if not better than others I had shopped - even with some problems with the car. This is not a car that they would sell on their lot, but one that I needed to get rid of and didn't want to worry about selling myself.

Another thing that impressed me was how smoothly they managed what could have been a complex multi-state transaction. As a Pennsylvania resident buying in Connecticut with a New Jersey titled trade-in, there were plenty of opportunities for paperwork nightmares. Yet their team handled all the interstate requirements like pros, taking care of all documentation without a single issue or holdup.

Even after the sale, Chris remained responsive, quickly resolving a minor paperwork access issue the next day.

This level of professionalism and integrity is increasingly rare in today's market. There's a genuine reason behind their 5-star Google rating... it's not manufactured by bots or paid reviews like many other dealerships. These ratings come from real customers who, like me, have experienced the fundamental difference in how this dealership conducts business. I wouldn't hesitate to buy any vehicle (new or used) from these guys again, and I really wish more dealerships...

Eric and the service team over in Darien have set a new bar for customer service. Their honesty, integrity, and willingness to personally go above and beyond is the reason I drive down here (from Southern Maine!) to have any service or repairs needed on my vehicle. That comment in and of itself should speak volumes about the lengths these guys go to, in an effort to make sure you have nothing short of an astounding experience. Here are just a few detailed takeaways;

The service dept. was so far booked in advance that they literally couldn’t even make me an appointment, but asked if I was willing/able to leave the vehicle and if so, they would do their best between coming in early, staying late, and working through lunch to get at least the most important elements done. They pushed the envelope, got EVERYTHING done and did so in 5 business days!

During those 5 days I received four detailed videos from the technicians pointing out and explaining what needed repair (or not) and why, everything from brake pads, tire treads, bushings on control arms, etc.

I asked about an update for my GPS (12 year old vehicle) they explained there is one available but not worth the cost, better off replacing w/dashboard aftermarket unit, my wife had also inquired about listening to her music through the cars speaker system, (one did not exist through manufacturer), Eric sent me a link from his cell phone for a $60 cable on Amazon that solved the issue.

I had brought my vehicle to Darien because I am originally from the area and know of their reputation, but also I had a terrible experience at a dealership in Maine; waited 30+ days to get an appointment, they then kept my car for over 30 days!, Didn’t get 1/4 of the list completed!, And come to find out they OVERCHARGED ME on all of the above!!!

More then a handful of the staff in Darien has been with the company for 25+ years, so on any given day you have about a century of experience and knowledge accessible to you.

From the smiling faces to the service wash and everything in between this has been by far the best customer service experience I have ever had in...

I purchased a pre-owned Land Rover LR4 HSE Lux from this dealership in October, 2018. Salesman was great, and this review has nothing to do with the sales dept. I got what I wanted for trade, they gave me what I wanted the LR4 for, and I couldn't be happier with that process.

HOWEVER, the Land Rover Darien SERVICE dept. is less than satisfactory, actually it's horrid. I had brought the vehicle in several times for knocking I had heard when driving. First time I brought it in, they claimed it needed lower control arms, then when they found out it was just purchased, suddenly it was "loose bolts" and said they corrected it. It returned several times after the first initial visit, and they never fixed anything.

Furthermore, I brought it to another Land Rover mechanic and they were able to diagnose the problem and repair. Unfortunately, I chose to bite the bullet and pay for the service repair despite being covered under warranty through LR Darien because I didn't feel like driving 45 minutes each way, wasting the gas and aggravation of receiving it back with nothing done and the service advisor telling me "the tech found nothing wrong". Also, when they had the vehicle for over a week, they "accidentally" mixed up my vehicle with another customers LR and took it on an "overnight test drive" and put 200 miles on the vehicle and gave it back on empty when I dropped it off with almost a full tank. This was done without my consent.

After the first issue was resolved, I've since had a "Restricted Performance", "Suspension Fault" and "Check Engine Light" come on intermittently. Other than the dealership never going over their used vehicles, and the service dept. never fixing issues, I absolutely love Land Rover, however, I will go to another dealership when purchasing and servicing my vehicles. I would strongly advise if you have a Land Rover vehicle, go to another dealership to get...