All, I hesitated to put anything about this up here, but I know some of you live in the area. I am having a really bad experience with Kings Cross Automotive in Washington State, who claims to be an LR expert. Last summer, I'd taken my 2016 LR4 (60k miles) in for fluid changes in both axles, the transfer case, and to have the transmission filter changed out, fluid changed (obviously), and also have them put in a Zip Kit. The main reason for the Zip Kit was preventive maintenance and performance. I had occasionally felt like I was feeling a slushy shift between 1-2 gears, but it was really so intermittent it was a little like an excuse for the performance upgrade. The Service Manager who took the vehicle in called later and said he couldn't recreate that issue, and asked if I still wanted the Zip Kit installed. Yes, I said. Little did I know...
I asked them to keep samples of all the fluids they drained and scrapings off the drain plugs, so I could see what was going on. They didn't do that.
They called later to tell me they had done all the work, but it "wasn't shifting right." They claimed it "wouldn't go past 5th gear." So they wanted to install a new Zip Kit in case the other one was defective or something. I authorized that work. Same report came in after the second installation, at which point they opted to put in the original parts (which I was amazed they had kept). Same thing: "It's not shifting right." By this time, I was supposed to be driving across country for a month-long stint in Michigan, and I had to change that to a flight instead. But I told them to take their time to fix it right, and that I hoped it was a learning experience for their techs.
To make a long story somewhat shorter, when I came back a month later, they were still stuck. They had offered to put in a "good used" transmission pulled from a vehicle with 75k miles on it, to the tune of only $6,600 more. No thank you.
I paid them for all the parts, and all the service labor except the labor that had gone into the transmission. They accepted that...too readily, which struck me as odd at the time.
In the meantime, I had called another shop in the Portland area, recommended by the outfit that makes the Zip Kits: Marsh Transmission. Paul King talked to me at length, and said he thought he could help. So I picked up the truck from Kings Cross and tried to drive it home. It was IMMEDIATELY clear that it wasn't a problem after 5th gear. The whole thing was not engaging properly from 1st on up. Within half a mile, it had started throwing codes, and I didn't dare drive it further for fear of damaging it. I had it towed to Marsh Transmission.
Paul found the same thing on his test drive, and cut it as short as he could to avoid further damage. When they opened up the transmission, there was clutch debris everywhere. On taking apart the valve body, he said it was clear that one of the check ball valves was in a galley where there shouldn't be one, and that it was missing from a galley where there should be one. "All it takes is one tiny piece installed wrong, and the transmission is toast." $7,800 later, they have rebuilt the transmission...including a zip kit. And it runs great. Not a huge improvement in shifting over stock, but it is firmer.
I then went back to Kings Cross and asked them to reimburse me for the damage they had caused and been unable to fix. The owner kept pushing me for documentation, which I later provided, including a testimonial from Marsh Transmission. He continued to try to say that I had brought in the vehicle with prior damage (I did not), and that he wasn't liable. With no other avenue, I've taken this to small claims court. He has attended the initial meeting for that, but still has made not even a partial offer. So this will first go to mediation, and if that doesn't work it will go before a judge.
The only thing I can think of is that the owner's being deceived by his employees, who retroactively told him that it was already damaged, and who is he going to believe? Yet there was NOTHING about issues in an initial report of the test drive. Indeed, the Service Manager there had said he wasn't able to repeat the 1-2 shift issue I mentioned. But they are still fighting me on this.
I'd have settled for just having them pay for the rebuild, but going to court I also added the $1,200 air fare that we ended up using for me. Fortunately, my gal is travel-savvy and had booked us both tickets months earlier, thinking that our dog might die before we left anyway. The goal was to take him out for one last summer on the lake there, but he didn't get that.
So...
Marsh Transmission in Tigard, Oregon - GREAT! Capable, ethical, helpful, transparent. Tell Paul King I recommended you go there. He's a standup guy who knows everything about these transmissions.
Kings Cross Automotive in Vancouver, Washington - not thorough, and ...well, see above.
I asked them to keep samples of all the fluids they drained and scrapings off the drain plugs, so I could see what was going on. They didn't do that.
They called later to tell me they had done all the work, but it "wasn't shifting right." They claimed it "wouldn't go past 5th gear." So they wanted to install a new Zip Kit in case the other one was defective or something. I authorized that work. Same report came in after the second installation, at which point they opted to put in the original parts (which I was amazed they had kept). Same thing: "It's not shifting right." By this time, I was supposed to be driving across country for a month-long stint in Michigan, and I had to change that to a flight instead. But I told them to take their time to fix it right, and that I hoped it was a learning experience for their techs.
To make a long story somewhat shorter, when I came back a month later, they were still stuck. They had offered to put in a "good used" transmission pulled from a vehicle with 75k miles on it, to the tune of only $6,600 more. No thank you.
I paid them for all the parts, and all the service labor except the labor that had gone into the transmission. They accepted that...too readily, which struck me as odd at the time.
In the meantime, I had called another shop in the Portland area, recommended by the outfit that makes the Zip Kits: Marsh Transmission. Paul King talked to me at length, and said he thought he could help. So I picked up the truck from Kings Cross and tried to drive it home. It was IMMEDIATELY clear that it wasn't a problem after 5th gear. The whole thing was not engaging properly from 1st on up. Within half a mile, it had started throwing codes, and I didn't dare drive it further for fear of damaging it. I had it towed to Marsh Transmission.
Paul found the same thing on his test drive, and cut it as short as he could to avoid further damage. When they opened up the transmission, there was clutch debris everywhere. On taking apart the valve body, he said it was clear that one of the check ball valves was in a galley where there shouldn't be one, and that it was missing from a galley where there should be one. "All it takes is one tiny piece installed wrong, and the transmission is toast." $7,800 later, they have rebuilt the transmission...including a zip kit. And it runs great. Not a huge improvement in shifting over stock, but it is firmer.
I then went back to Kings Cross and asked them to reimburse me for the damage they had caused and been unable to fix. The owner kept pushing me for documentation, which I later provided, including a testimonial from Marsh Transmission. He continued to try to say that I had brought in the vehicle with prior damage (I did not), and that he wasn't liable. With no other avenue, I've taken this to small claims court. He has attended the initial meeting for that, but still has made not even a partial offer. So this will first go to mediation, and if that doesn't work it will go before a judge.
The only thing I can think of is that the owner's being deceived by his employees, who retroactively told him that it was already damaged, and who is he going to believe? Yet there was NOTHING about issues in an initial report of the test drive. Indeed, the Service Manager there had said he wasn't able to repeat the 1-2 shift issue I mentioned. But they are still fighting me on this.
I'd have settled for just having them pay for the rebuild, but going to court I also added the $1,200 air fare that we ended up using for me. Fortunately, my gal is travel-savvy and had booked us both tickets months earlier, thinking that our dog might die before we left anyway. The goal was to take him out for one last summer on the lake there, but he didn't get that.
So...
Marsh Transmission in Tigard, Oregon - GREAT! Capable, ethical, helpful, transparent. Tell Paul King I recommended you go there. He's a standup guy who knows everything about these transmissions.
Kings Cross Automotive in Vancouver, Washington - not thorough, and ...well, see above.
