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My Experience at 6 weeks - someone who LOVE(S) / LOVE(D) the car (please leave your comments and input)

D

Deleted member 9048635 (user closed account)

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I remember the day someone told me about the Grenadier about two years ago. I researched the car and followed the updates prior to finding the exact one that I wanted. I drove over 100 miles with my father to look at it. He was so excited for me. It was honestly a day I'll never forget (that's worth $90K, but not this car)
Let me also begin by saying how much I love this car. I love that it's utilitarian, it's low geared, I love it's aesthetic and the ethos behind the company / car. I love everything about it.... but then I bought one.

The Build:
*Scottish White
*Smooth and Rough Pack
*black leather seats
*saddle leather package
*High aux package
*Tow package
*18" steels / KO2's

Notwithstanding the foregoing, this has been my experience in the six (6) weeks that I have had my Grenadier:

The Issues:

[Please see photos and videos of all issues indicated below]

*ALL door seals have had to be replaced:
The dealer represented and warranted at time of delivery that ALL seals (i.e., doors, rear cargo, safari windows) were all water tight and had been tested twice.
However, all of them leak.
Having the experiences below, there is absolutely no way that the dealer could not have been aware of this issue. It is absolutely blatant.

*The Safari Windows leak:
They leak into the headliner, electronics, dashboard, and footwell from what I can tell so far.
Water flooded into the car from behind the rear view mirror, passenger door footwell and headliner. I had used my very low pressure hose to get rid of bird droppings; no car wash, no high pressure wash. A hose. Now, the interior is ruined... after 6 weeks.

*Headliner Stain:
Headliner permanently stained and dealer says i'll have to live with it.
I will not "live with this". As a $90K car, why would I even have to be dealing with this?
The previous car I had, the dealer and manufacturer bent over backwards to make sure that you were happy and that the car was 100%. This has been the OPPOSITE experience.

*Paint Gouge & "globby" undisclosed fix:
Approx two weeks after purchase, I noticed that the dealer covered up a gouge in the paint on the driver door with what looks like nail polish (photo attached). It's GLOBBED on. Dealer says if I want the original factory paint then there's nothing he can do. He can re paint the door but no guarantee re: color match. Unacceptable.

*Interior damage was present at delivery (I did not see it and the dealer did not disclose):
The driver side door appears to have scratch marks as if someone took a knife to it. One very long scratch is at driver side knee area is present. I only noticed it upon opening up the door to show a friend the car and she spotted the scratches.
The dealer begrudgingly offered to replace parts a month ago. No response. They don't pick up or call back.
Today I connected with them and they won't ship my local dealer the parts, I have to drive 150 miles to where I purchased the car to pick them up and have them installed.
This is unacceptable as this should never have passed inspection in the first place and now the dealer is telling me that they never told me that they would ship the parts to my local Ineos dealer.
Why is it that I have to get audibly upset in order to have anything done with these Ineos dealers and the company itself? I don't want to be that person, but I have no issue with doing so should the circumstances require.

*Rear Cargo area leaks:
Leak occurs even when doors are closed. Rubber gasket is warped beyond belief.

*Used parts provided and represented as "new":
Dealer offered to "throw in" rubber floor mats as the car has carpet, which I did not want, however, the rubber mats he provided were USED. They were not sealed and when I told him that they appeared used, he made unacceptable excuses.

*Driver Seat Fails to Engage:
Driver seat doesn't engage OR it engages when I have had to stop suddenly - point being that I pushed the seat back and forth hard to make sure the seat was locked and by all means I thought it was. However, it wasn't, and I didn't know until it could have been too late. The seat also engages "one click" to the left or the right. IMO, the "unengagement" of the seat poses a serious risk of injury, death, etc.

*Electronics have the usual quirks

*Carpetting is not cut properly and EVERYTHING sticks to it.
It costs approx. $5-6K to install the plastic flooring

*Grinding Noise (rear drive train):
This is concerning. At low RPM's, when I tap the accelerator and let go, just before I stop I hear a grinding noise. Some think it's the exhaust, however, the "grinding" vs "exhaust" note has become more pronounced.

*Saddle Leather Steering Wheel:
Buttons are "squishy" and a new steering wheel had to be ordered. I've owned the car 6 weeks and it needs a new steering wheel. Interesting.


Costs:
*Steering Wheel: $2,000
*Door Re-Paint quote (likely higher): $5,000
*Door Seals: Labor plus parts I would venture $2,000. Despite warranty these seals cost plenty as anyone who's bought parts from Ineos.

Labor for all repairs: $200/hr // Nearly $10,000
Steering wheel - "One day"
Door Seals - "One day"
Paint - 3-4 days work
Grinding Noise - 1 hr for inspection and unknown for repair
Seat - unknown but Recaro seats are expensive and with the news of the company's bankruptcy this could result in all seats requiring replacement
New Headliner - unknown but the entire headliner requires replacement + labor costs
Electronic Damage - unknown but the water got into the electronics

My point here is not to bash the Grenadier. I have wanted this vehicle for over two years. After 6 weeks, it's been nothing but problems, lies, driving to the dealer, waiting for parts.... Is that $90,000 gets you these days?

I also write this hoping that Jim Radcliffe himself sees how his company via the NA dealers are treating his customers. They are making you feel "lucky" to have the opportunity to give them your money and when something goes wrong, poof you can't get ahold of anyone to fix the issue. Again, all of these issues have occurred before I will make my second payment.

So, what will I do about this? Get all warranty work done and continually attempt to relay my experiences to the owner of this company. I am an enthusiast, not someone who wanted a less expensive G Wagon. This is unacceptable and a car that is "Purpose Built" cannot even remain water proof against a hose.

Full video of rear cargo area leaking is available upon request (file too large).

Please note that many dealers on the forum have tried to remove my post. Food for thought.
 

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ADVAW8S

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So sorry you are having such a bad experience. I hope for the best. It sounds like things you were concerned about in 2023 has came true. I know there is one person is trying a buy back. Like I said good luck.
Has anyone had issues with the driver seats being too low?
I'm 5'7 and I feel like I'm a little kid looking over the steering wheel.

Thx

I too agree that the negative posts lacking context are not helpful.
However, knowing the issues that have been arising, be it mechanically or electronically, and how Ineos / the dealerships are handling those issues, I have found to be helpful, simply because I know what I am walking into with wider eyes.

I also agree that statistics would aid in making one's decision as to whether purchasing this particular vehicle, however, considering it is so unique, buyer's expectations must be taken into consideration.
As a previous '97 D90 owner I never expected this to drive like a modern SUV. It actually handles better than my LR did, which was down right scary on the freeway.

Nevertheless, it would be helpful (for me) to know what mechanical / electronic issues have been arising, what Ineos has been doing about it, what the dealerships have been doing about it, and the expectations of each owner as they came into this particular purchase.

I have an Inky Black build coming in May (which has a lock date coming up shortly). Almost all options, less the extra differentials (I never needed more than center diff on my LR).

My point being, if anyone is unsatisfied, or wish they had built their vehicle differently, I would love to discuss options if they want out.

Enjoy your Grenadiers! I am certainly looking forward to mine.
 
D

Deleted member 9048635 (user closed account)

Guest
So sorry you are having such a bad experience. I hope for the best. It sounds like things you were concerned about in 2023 has came true. I know there is one person is trying a buy back. Like I said good luck.
Appreciate that. I love the car, however, what frustrates me is the dealers' actions, or rather, lack thereof.

Customer service is vital in the automotive industry. I would be very curious as to what Jim Radcliffe himself would say if he was aware of what the NA dealers are doing with his and his company's reputation.
 
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anand

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Also of note, my post(s) have been reported as "inappropriate behavior" by some of the dealers on the forum. That speaks loudly.
To be bluntly transparent, it wasn't reported by any dealers, or even reported by another member.

You spammed a half dozen threads with nothing more than a link to this thread (many of which were completely unrelated) simply to gain exposure. That's the inappropriate behavior.

It's unfortunate that you've had a horrible experience, and it's fine to post a thread about it, but there's no need to spam it everywhere.
 

Trialmaster

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I notice you have asked me to comment. Maybe, because I am fairly upbeat about the vehicle.

Your Grenadier is clearly unacceptable on delivery. If I was in your shoes, I would also be livid.

I have been reasonably lucky with my vehicle, but damage to the vehicle irrespective of any defect on delivery is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE (these may have been caused by the freight forwarders). The leaks, paint damage and interior damage would have incensed me and I would have refused it. That would have put an end to this.

I hope the situation is resolved as a matter of urgency and of course to your satisfaction. However, I don't think posting on a Forum is particularly helpful.

POST EDITED (CUT DOWN)
 
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Tazzieman

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With all the members here , if we all chipped in a few $ we could make your Grenadier great again
I'd buy the cap, but only if it was blue.
 

trobex

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That is a pretty bad experience you have had. But let us be honest - you have the LHD version which does not have a 2L milk carton as a footrest, unlike us RHD owners. So far less to complain about!!!
 

Skydance

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I can’t believe that touch up paint picture, it’s crazy by today's new car standards. Ineos don’t do a touch up paint yet. So the only way is to repaint the whole panel. How did that even get through PDI?

The thing is all the rock sliders and side steps are dealer fit, which increases the risk of warranty claims and small accident's. Ineos should have all these accessories factory fit to avoid things like this happening again.

Dealer probably accidentally stuffed up on this one but won’t pay for a new paint job.
 

Stu_Barnes

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I remember the day someone told me about the Grenadier about two years ago. I researched the car and followed the updates prior to finding the exact one that I wanted. I drove over 100 miles with my father to look at it. He was so excited for me. It was honestly a day I'll never forget (that's worth $90K, but not this car)
Let me also begin by saying how much I love this car. I love that it's utilitarian, it's low geared, I love it's aesthetic and the ethos behind the company / car. I love everything about it.... but then I bought one.

The Build:
*Scottish White
*Smooth and Rough Pack
*black leather seats
*saddle leather package
*High aux package
*Tow package
*18" steels / KO2's

Notwithstanding the foregoing, this has been my experience in the six (6) weeks that I have had my Grenadier:

The Issues:

[Please see photos and videos of all issues indicated below]

*ALL door seals have had to be replaced:
The dealer represented and warranted at time of delivery that ALL seals (i.e., doors, rear cargo, safari windows) were all water tight and had been tested twice.
However, all of them leak.
Having the experiences below, there is absolutely no way that the dealer could not have been aware of this issue. It is absolutely blatant.

*The Safari Windows leak:
They leak into the headliner, electronics, dashboard, and footwell from what I can tell so far.
Water flooded into the car from behind the rear view mirror, passenger door footwell and headliner. I had used my very low pressure hose to get rid of bird droppings; no car wash, no high pressure wash. A hose. Now, the interior is ruined... after 6 weeks.

*Headliner Stain:
Headliner permanently stained and dealer says i'll have to live with it.
I will not "live with this". As a $90K car, why would I even have to be dealing with this?
The previous car I had, the dealer and manufacturer bent over backwards to make sure that you were happy and that the car was 100%. This has been the OPPOSITE experience.

*Paint Gouge & "globby" undisclosed fix:
Approx two weeks after purchase, I noticed that the dealer covered up a gouge in the paint on the driver door with what looks like nail polish (photo attached). It's GLOBBED on. Dealer says if I want the original factory paint then there's nothing he can do. He can re paint the door but no guarantee re: color match. Unacceptable.

*Interior damage was present at delivery (I did not see it and the dealer did not disclose):
The driver side door appears to have scratch marks as if someone took a knife to it. One very long scratch is at driver side knee area is present. I only noticed it upon opening up the door to show a friend the car and she spotted the scratches.
The dealer begrudgingly offered to replace parts a month ago. No response. They don't pick up or call back.
Today I connected with them and they won't ship my local dealer the parts, I have to drive 150 miles to where I purchased the car to pick them up and have them installed.
This is unacceptable as this should never have passed inspection in the first place and now the dealer is telling me that they never told me that they would ship the parts to my local Ineos dealer.
Why is it that I have to get audibly upset in order to have anything done with these Ineos dealers and the company itself? I don't want to be that person, but I have no issue with doing so should the circumstances require.

*Rear Cargo area leaks:
Leak occurs even when doors are closed. Rubber gasket is warped beyond belief.

*Used parts provided and represented as "new":
Dealer offered to "throw in" rubber floor mats as the car has carpet, which I did not want, however, the rubber mats he provided were USED. They were not sealed and when I told him that they appeared used, he made unacceptable excuses.

*Driver Seat Fails to Engage:
Driver seat doesn't engage OR it engages when I have had to stop suddenly - point being that I pushed the seat back and forth hard to make sure the seat was locked and by all means I thought it was. However, it wasn't, and I didn't know until it could have been too late. The seat also engages "one click" to the left or the right. IMO, the "unengagement" of the seat poses a serious risk of injury, death, etc.

*Electronics have the usual quirks

*Carpetting is not cut properly and EVERYTHING sticks to it.
It costs approx. $5-6K to install the plastic flooring

*Grinding Noise (rear drive train):
This is concerning. At low RPM's, when I tap the accelerator and let go, just before I stop I hear a grinding noise. Some think it's the exhaust, however, the "grinding" vs "exhaust" note has become more pronounced.

*Saddle Leather Steering Wheel:
Buttons are "squishy" and a new steering wheel had to be ordered. I've owned the car 6 weeks and it needs a new steering wheel. Interesting.


Costs:
*Steering Wheel: $2,000
*Door Re-Paint quote (likely higher): $5,000
*Door Seals: Labor plus parts I would venture $2,000. Despite warranty these seals cost plenty as anyone who's bought parts from Ineos.

Labor for all repairs: $200/hr // Nearly $10,000
Steering wheel - "One day"
Door Seals - "One day"
Paint - 3-4 days work
Grinding Noise - 1 hr for inspection and unknown for repair
Seat - unknown but Recaro seats are expensive and with the news of the company's bankruptcy this could result in all seats requiring replacement
New Headliner - unknown but the entire headliner requires replacement + labor costs
Electronic Damage - unknown but the water got into the electronics

My point here is not to bash the Grenadier. I have wanted this vehicle for over two years. After 6 weeks, it's been nothing but problems, lies, driving to the dealer, waiting for parts.... Is that $90,000 gets you these days?

I also write this hoping that Jim Radcliffe himself sees how his company via the NA dealers are treating his customers. They are making you feel "lucky" to have the opportunity to give them your money and when something goes wrong, poof you can't get ahold of anyone to fix the issue. Again, all of these issues have occurred before I will make my second payment.

So, what will I do about this? Get all warranty work done and continually attempt to relay my experiences to the owner of this company. I am an enthusiast, not someone who wanted a less expensive G Wagon. This is unacceptable and a car that is "Purpose Built" cannot even remain water proof against a hose.

Full video of rear cargo area leaking is available upon request (file too large).

Please note that many dealers on the forum have tried to remove my post. Food for thought.
Please direct message me regarding the attempted dealer censorship and provide screenshots, thanks. Or email me on the address in my signature.
 

Trialmaster

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Also who is the dealer you purchased/leased from?
Good question Stu - the dealer needs to be able to give their side of the argument. If only to prove that the story is true. The internet is a powerful tool and it's easy to discredit a company without real facts.

On a personal note - I think these posts that are all discrediting Ineos, should have a Forum all of their own and only can be viewed if you log-in (for everyone's protection).
 
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About 10 years ago I lemon lawed a BMW in California. California lemon laws are very consumer friendly. You don't need a lawyer. All you need is for it to meet the following criteria.
  • At least two repair attempts have been done on the vehicle for a substantial safety defect that can potentially cause serious bodily injury or death; or
  • At least four repair attempts have been done on the new vehicle for the same non-serious safety defect or issue; or
  • The vehicle is in the repair shop and can’t be used for a total of more than 30 days (cumulative) for any combination of defects.
It the case of my BMW the N55 engine experienced two vanos failures at about the 1 year mark. I told the service manager that I would like to return the car under lemon law. He put me in contact with BMW NA and they opened a case. With in a week BMW closed the case and mailed me a check for the entire purchase price of the car including sales tax and interest fees, minus 23 cents per mile driven. Basically they made me completely whole less a very small charge for the use of the car.

The person handling the case at BMW explained that in California they really don't have any choice in the matter. The laws favor the consumer and the buyback procedure is stipulated in the law. Honestly, it make me really respect BMW and is a lesson to companies that you can make customers for life by correctly handling difficult situations.

One thing to note: the case manager actually emailed me a collection of my postings on the specific BMW forum. They will go looking on forums to see if you have done anything that would void the warranty. In this case it would have been something like a piggyback engine turn or a track day.
 

IslandFalconer

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My list isn’t exactly like yours but I’ve had the same level of service, or non service as it would be. I’m still waiting for the flatbed to show up to pick up my vehicle. Sadly INEOS Customer service is awful. Too many people who own these are so in love with them they don’t complain to INEOS so nothing is getting resolved. It’s really unfortunate. I’m 5 months in and every week it seems something else breaks.

Since Purchase in May/2024

A/C Water on floor driver/passenger side
A/C not cooling above 20C outdoor temp
Auto start stop fails to re start engine
Wiper Nozzles spray under windscreen
Door Handles all stick won’t latch
Door Seals falling off
Rear Gate handle broke off
CarPlay Lag, Disconnect, failure
Park Brake Lever stitching coming out
MIL if you fill the tank
Rear Body Trim fell off
AEB red warning all the time
Rear Wiper stoped working
ADAS (Annoying as all F$&@)
Can’t reset service indicator

INEOS was supposed to pick it up and drop off a loaner months ago. Still hasn’t happened. Now I’ll have to drive it 1750KM to get it sorted. INEOS refuses to speak to anyone. Keep telling me to “bring it to the dealer” even though Greg Clark is the one who made arrangements to have it picked up.

Definitely not the service you would expect for the price.
 

AngusMacG

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Sounds to me like the biggest issue is the dealer, at least from your perspective. Many of the issues you have are noted extensively on the forums so shouldn’t be a surprise since you joined in August of ‘23. I have had nothing but great experiences with my dealer. They have replaced my transfer shifter as the pin had fallen out, replacing my windshield washer pumps, and just today replacing my drive shaft.

It is not only a new vehicle but a whole new company and dealer network. Consider yourself a beta tester and allow some leeway with your dealer and Ineos to address issues as they arise. As @Commodore noted you do have the option of the lemon laws if solutions aren’t provided.
 

IslandFalconer

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Sounds to me like the biggest issue is the dealer, at least from your perspective. Many of the issues you have are noted extensively on the forums so shouldn’t be a surprise since you joined in August of ‘23. I have had nothing but great experiences with my dealer. They have replaced my transfer shifter as the pin had fallen out, replacing my windshield washer pumps, and just today replacing my drive shaft.

It is not only a new vehicle but a whole new company and dealer network. Consider yourself a beta tester and allow some leeway with your dealer and Ineos to address issues as they arise. As @Commodore noted you do have the option of the lemon laws if solutions aren’t provided.
There’s absolutely no reason for any of this. And customers that purchase 100k vehicles aren’t “beta” testers. That’s a rose colored glasses view of things. Do you think every time BMW releases a new model the owners see themselves as “beta” testers? FFS seriously? U have a G87 M2 one of the first of the factory line. It has had no issues. I don’t spend 80-100k to be a “beta” tester. The problems they are having are bull shit on the best of days. Most of what’s going on never needed to happen. And the software issues are complete BS. My BMW updates almost monthly. And Ineos in almost a year can’t figure out how to fix a fuel gauge error. How it is so many owners can accept absolute crap and think “I’m a beta tester” so “it’s ok” that this 100k vehicle is complete and utter terrible quality control. Water leaking through safari windows isn’t “beta testing” it’s crap build quality.
 
D

Deleted member 9048635 (user closed account)

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I notice you have asked me to comment. Maybe, because I am fairly upbeat about the vehicle.

Your Grenadier is clearly unacceptable on delivery. If I was in your shoes, I would also be livid.

I have been reasonably lucky with my vehicle, but damage to the vehicle irrespective of any defect on delivery is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE (these may have been caused by the freight forwarders). The leaks, paint damage and interior damage would have incensed me and I would have refused it. That would have put an end to this.

I hope the situation is resolved as a matter of urgency and of course to your satisfaction. However, I don't think posting on a Forum is particularly helpful.

POST EDITED (CUT DOWN)
THANK YOU. Contacted the CEO and her team last evening. They promptly returned my email and assured me that this would be taken care of.

We shall see.
 
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D

Deleted member 9048635 (user closed account)

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There’s absolutely no reason for any of this. And customers that purchase 100k vehicles aren’t “beta” testers. That’s a rose colored glasses view of things. Do you think every time BMW releases a new model the owners see themselves as “beta” testers? FFS seriously? U have a G87 M2 one of the first of the factory line. It has had no issues. I don’t spend 80-100k to be a “beta” tester. The problems they are having are bull shit on the best of days. Most of what’s going on never needed to happen. And the software issues are complete BS. My BMW updates almost monthly. And Ineos in almost a year can’t figure out how to fix a fuel gauge error. How it is so many owners can accept absolute crap and think “I’m a beta tester” so “it’s ok” that this 100k vehicle is complete and utter terrible quality control. Water leaking through safari windows isn’t “beta testing” it’s crap build quality.
Agree 1000%.
 
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