First service denied?

[LRwhat]

I took my 2012 LR4 in to the dealer yesterday to have the first free service done. Shortly after they took it in, they brought it right back and said that because it only had 5000 miles on it they could not perform the first service for free! They said the free service can only be done 12 months after purchase or 15k. I explained my concern about running oil from a new engine for that long, at 5000 miles i am already getting nervous. He told me that they could do an oil change for $180 right now and that this is just the way it is.
When did you all change your first oil? Am I being paranoid for no reason? Has anyone else had this problem? So far I am very disappointed with the service department at the Centerville Utah Landrover. To top it all off, last night some idiot threw their door open at full force and gave me a 3 inch red stripe and dent on my drivers door, wish I was there I would have lost it.

 

[umbertob]

You can get all the oil changes you want between now and your first scheduled one (and many owners would agree with you that 15K miles is too long an interval between oil changes), but the dealership is only doing their job by sticking to the schedule for your vehicle, which clearly spells out you are entitled to the first service after 15K miles or 12 months, whichever occurs first, for free. If they do it sooner than that just to please you, Land Rover won't reimburse them for it.

 

[RoverGuy7]

$180 is pretty high, but yeah, it's Land Rover that controls when it is allowed to be done, not the dealership.
I recommend oil changes on these every 5k, they have a tendancy to build carbon on the fuel injectors over time, which causes misfires, and keeping the oil cleaner will help prevent this. The oil and filter are good for the 15k it says, but it gets dirty. Cleaner is better in the long run.

 

[namenda]

My "SERVICE REQUIRED" dashboard message came on at 6500 miles and only ten months from the date of purchase. My dealership covered the maintenance nonetheless.

 

[umbertob]

There's a "grace period" window of +/- 2 months or 2500 miles (I believe) to get the service performed at N/C. You don't have to hit 15K or 12 months exactly.

 

[LRwhat]

Great info, thanks guys. I was unaware of this "Rule" regarding the first free service. Now I feel bad about bad mouthing the dealer. I have been reading the DYI oil change and happen to have a mighty vac so I will do a change this weekend. Now I need to find a pace to fix my massive dent, it makes me sad to see my LR with such a blemish.

 

[Quijote]

For my BMW's I've always done an oil change at 1000 miles, then another at 7500 miles and at 7.5k mile intervals thereafter (15, 22.5, 30, 37.5...). BMW only picked up the 15/30/45 services. I did all the other ones myself.

 

[uhur]

I had my service performed @ 7.5k miles and it counted as the free first service, no charge. but then I drive around 8000 miles a year

 

[Georgemera1]

I had my 2012 the oil changed in March of this year, 1 year after with 4,500 miles and they did the free service with no issues at all.

Go to a different dealer then.

 

[RoverGuy7]

Yeah, it's based on both time and mileage, which in turn means you can't wait til you have 15k, if that will take 2 years either. It's 12 months, 15k miles, which ever is first, but yes, there is a grace period for it.