Arnold Clark Sucks
READ HERE WHAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY
Please update your bookmarks.
On the 11th may 2003 I went to Arnold Clarke in Latchford Warrington To look at
a yellow Megane Coupe registration number T670 RGR, the car had been sent from
your showroom at Europa Boulevard, West Brook, Warrington. On inspection of the
car My Husband noticed the bumper on the near side to be loose, also, there were
a number of scratches on the bonnet and the rear spoiler had a paint problem
which explained away by the rep as some sort of chemical reaction to what ever
the spoiler was made from. We were told by the sales representative (Mark) that
if I wanted the car then these problems would take a couple of days to correct.
The price of the car was £6988.00 valuation of my part exchange was £388.00 the
remaining £6600.00 was paid by bankers cheque.
I was given a collection date of the 13th May 2003, I arrived at your Latchford
showroom with £160.00 cash to pay for the road fund license only to be told by
the sales representative that the car was not ready because the paint problem
had not been rectified and was told to return the following day, Wednesday the
14th of May. I arrived back at your showroom only to be told that there was now
a problem with a safety system (air bags) and the car would therefore not be
ready until Saturday the 17th of May. I explained to your sales rep that I had
changed my insurance over to the new car and he told me that if I wanted a
courtesy car then I would have to pay my own insurance of £10.50, I was assured
the vehicle would be ready for Saturday the 17th therefore I only needed cover
for two days. I was then given a courtesy car with letters approximately 300mm
high along both sides and bonnet of the car advertising the new Megane.
I told the sales rep that I was attending my friends wedding on the Saturday and
did not want to have to drive there in the Arnold Clarke advertising car. I was
assured that the mechanics were going into work at 7.30 am on Saturday the 17th
especially to fit the part to the air bag and I would therefore have my car back
in time to go to the wedding. I arrived back at the showroom on Saturday the
17th May at 12.00 noon only to be told that yet again the car was not ready for
collection due to the wrong part being delivered.
I was then told that the only car for my use was the advertising car and I had
to pay another £10.50 to my insurance company, I had to use the car to drive to
my friends wedding which was embarrassing too say the least
The car was eventually ready for collection on the 21st of May 2003. I arrived
to collect the car only to find that it had not been cleaned either inside or
out which I would of thought to be standard practice from a company such as
Arnold Clarke.
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As the salesman was demonstrating the controls I asked how the rear windows
operated, the sales man could not operate the windows and called for the
assistance of a mechanic, the mechanic also failed to operate the windows and
then drove the car into the service area, this problem was rectified by the
mechanic and I eventually drove away in the car for the first time some 8 days
later. “Promises Delivered”???
Whilst driving home I could here a grinding noise during braking, When I arrived
home I noticed the rear centre console lid had popped up on closer investigation
I noted that this had been repaired with glue and Velcro, also one of the rear
number plate lights was hanging down.
I telephoned your showroom straight away and spoke to a lady on reception
outlining my concerns, the lady went to speak to a mechanic regarding the
brakes, the reply was given as “it is probably due to the car being stood for a
long period of time” She advised that I should bring the car back but the only
date available was the 5th of June and this was not to be at the Latchford
showroom but the one at Europa Boulevard because the Latchford show room was to
close. The service receptionist at Latchford Promised the rear light and console
parts would be ordered and at Europa Boulevard on the 5th.
On the 5th June I took the car to Europa Boulevard only to be told that they new
nothing of the console, light or that I was due to get the brakes checked.
“Promise Delivered”??
A mechanic road tested the car and said that the breaks were fine, I queried the
noise and the mechanic advised that the only way he could thoroughly check for a
fault would be to remove the wheels, I insisted that this was done due to the
fact that your company only gives 30 day warranties and the previous troubles I
had experienced with the car and with Arnold Clarke.
I was given a courtesy car while the break problem was investigated, the wheels
were removed and it was discovered that the car required new rear Discs and
Pads. I was called and told to collect my car and I would be informed when the
new discs etc were ready to be fitted.
I arrived to collect the car and noticed there was a dent above the offside
front wheel and a dirty hand print along side the dent. I drove around to the
front of the building and spoke to the receptionist, a mechanic and the service
manager were informed, the service manager assured me that the dent would be
repaired together with the brakes.
The car was returned to Europa Boulevard on the wed the 11th June for the
outstanding works to be completed. I was advised the car would be ready for
collection on the following day, Thursday 12th June. On the 12th I received a
telephone call to say the brake parts had been delivered however these were the
wrong size discs and therefore my car would not be ready until Saturday the 14th
June. On the 14th I received a telephone call only to be told that yet again my
car would not be ready for collection as the replacement parts had not yet
arrived.
The car was eventually ready for collection on Tuesday the 17th June, I called
the showroom and asked if I could see the manager when I came to collect the
car, I was informed that the manager was not available until Wednesday the 18th
so I arranged to collect the car on the 18th.
It was my intention on the 18th to return the car to Arnold Clarke and ask for a
refund as I was not happy with the vehicle or the service I had received Also I
have no faith in the vehicle, your company or the professionalism and competence
of your mechanic.
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I together with my Husband met the showroom Manager, Duncan, We explained all of
the above and asked for a refund, he told us this was not possible and he would
try to resolve our problems.
My Husband went to view the car with Duncan at the rear of the premises, the car
was supposedly ready for collection and fit for use, My Husband pointed out that
all four tyres were not fit for use as they were perished across the full width
and down the walls. Duncan agreed that they were in a poor condition and he
would have them changed.
The console had not been repaired as Promised “Promises Delivered” (your words,
not ours). The car was dirty and had not been cleaned and also had oily hand
marks on the wing where the dent, mentioned earlier, had been repaired.
Duncan said that we should leave the car Yet again and he would have it valeted,
fuelled, cleaned and polished and the tyres changed.
On Thursday the 19th I waited for the telephone call telling me to collect the
vehicle only to receive a call telling me that Yet again it would not be ready
as promised but would be ready on Friday the 20th and the console could take
days or even weeks for the part to arrive as it had been ordered from overseas.
On Friday the 20th at approximately 4.00pm I received a message on my answer
machine telling me that my car was ready for collection, My Husband went to
collect the car only to be told that it was not ready as it had not been cleaned
and polished, fuelled or valeted, the car looked worse as the alloy wheels were
coated in tyre lubricant and dust had stuck to it.
My husband told Duncan that we were so disappointed in the car that we would be
looking for a new vehicle the following day at a different showroom and would
possibly be trading it in.
On Saturday the 21st my Husband called the showroom three times, and left two
messages for Duncan asking for a return call, Duncan ignored these messages, My
husband rang a third time and spoke to Duncan asking if he would consider buying
back the car, His response was that he would call him back in five to ten
minutes, by 12.00 today that call had not been returned so we decided to go to
the showroom to discuss the matter in person.
We asked Duncan if he would buy back the car and was told that he would offer us
£5800, this would leave us £1348.00 out of pocket in four weeks of which the car
has spent most of its time in the workshop, We were prepared to accept £6000.00
which would still leave us well out of pocket to the tune of £1148.00. Duncan
would not move from this and told us he didn’t have to buy the car back at all
with an attitude that started to upset both my husband and I, My husband asked
him to show some sense of good will because of the poor service we had received
to date. My Husband pointed out that your company had twice let a car go onto
the public highway in an un-roadworthy condition, with this comment Duncan told
us that he did not have to buy back the car and that he would not buy back the
car.
At this time there is an out standing job on the car i.e. the console and I
would still like to have a full refund.
When I first looked at the car it was valued by yourselves at £6988.00 this
included a one month warranty and 3 months MOT certificate, No road fund
license, loose front bumper, scratched bonnet, paint problem on the rear
spoiler, broken console, broken rear number plate light, faulty tyres, faulty
rear brakes.
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Now five weeks later with all the faults corrected, four new tyres, Twelve
months MOT, Twelve months warranty, and Twelve months road fund license your
manager (Duncan) now informs me that it is only worth £5800. Would you kindly
explain this?
Should your company not wish to deal with this matter in a timely amicable
manner then you leave me no option but to consult my solicitor, the local
trading standards department and the local press.
Up to now I have been a calm and understanding customer even being prepared to
take a loss of £1148.00.
I now ask you to be as calm and understanding and deal with this matter as
quickly as possible
With all of the above you may wonder why I bought the car, I bought the car
because I trusted your team and company and as your advertising slogan says
“Promises Delivered” 23.6.2003
