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Arnold Clark Horror Stories


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Is there a particular reason that we are just expected to get shafted from all major UK garages?

Why has this never been dealt with with a code of practice and major fines?

Even the banks are starting to get regulated.

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On ‎03‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 18:45, RandomGuy. said:

 

 


Service plans are a waste of money, they'll only actually service it every 20,000 miles regardless of how many years that takes.

 

Not sure where you're coming from with that?

They will service the car according to the manufacturers service schedule which (unfortunately) for me is every 10,000 miles or annually on a Mazda 6.

Given I do 25,000 miles a year I quickly used my 3 services....

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Is there a particular reason that we are just expected to get shafted from all major UK garages?
Why has this never been dealt with with a code of practice and major fines?
Even the banks are starting to get regulated.


It seems to be a standard that garages have set, where things are mysteriously left out. I bought my Chevrolet from an independent garage in Inverness in 2015, and at the start of this year the coolant temperature sensor and fan died, leaving me with a non starter. I had it towed to my normal garage and, upon taking the fan out, found that the whole front end of the car had been replaced for parts obviously from a scrapyard (the fan etc had paint marks on them)

It had never been reported as an accident and the only registered owner was the garage so obviously someone's smashed it and they've botched it on the fly. When I went back to them they denied all knowledge of it. I've not got much to go on seeing as it was over a year after I bought the car, too.

As well as that, the car I traded in (which they sold within 2 weeks) failed it's MOT with a couple of pricey faults. Seeing as Arnold Clark dominate Inverness I'm not surprised other garages are operating the same.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Was putting the car in for an MOT at Arnold Clark's this morning and they've reached new levels of sleazy creepiness. Instead of a service desk with the lassies taking your details they now have wee two-seater couches and the lassies have to come out with iPads and sit uncomfortably close to you to fill out their forms. That and all the salesmen cutting about in shiny three-piece suits just makes me think I'd never ever buy a car from there.

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Was putting the car in for an MOT at Arnold Clark's this morning and they've reached new levels of sleazy creepiness. Instead of a service desk with the lassies taking your details they now have wee two-seater couches and the lassies have to come out with iPads and sit uncomfortably close to you to fill out their forms. That and all the salesmen cutting about in shiny three-piece suits just makes me think I'd never ever buy a car from there.

You could go round each one getting free coffee and cakes then turning down the cars. Maybe I'm old fashioned but you have to wonder who is paying for all the extra guff whereas some wee garage it's a mechanic with a fag hanging out his gob selling you a well serviced car.
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I've bought a couple of cars from them over the years and never really had any particular cause to be annoyed with them but reckon some branches are probably worse than others. Car salesman as a species need to be pretty reprehensible to be any use at it. I find all the added nonsense an unnecessary inconvenience. Shite suits, annoying music and all the free scalding hot coffee you can handle.

Last car I bought however, 32k miles, admittedly 5 years old. Clutch was slipping if you really tried to get a shift on. I noticed it within the first couple of days of owning it and took it in for them to look at. I knew it needed a new clutch but was expecting the usual, "They do that mate" argument but in fairness to them they admitted it straight away and got it in a few days later for replacement. Does make you wonder the worth of any kind of mechanical inspection they carry out though. I'm sure that wiped out any profit they made on that car though as the cost of clutch and flywheel alone were over £450.

Parks are without a doubt the worst mob I've ever dealt with. Nearly 200 bucks paid for a major service on an 18 month old car. Got the car back with the book stamped (in the wrong place) and the only service it had had done was a bucket of water chucked over it.

Edited by gavin_3110
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On 3/31/2017 at 17:07, Bishop Briggs said:

Arnold Clark is notorious for parking lots of cars along the street in Bishy. 

In general, Bishopbriggs residents are notorious for parking their cars wherever they please in Bishopbriggs. Particularly the junction from Lee Crescent onto Crowhill Road.

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I've bought a couple of cars from them over the years and never really had any particular cause to be annoyed with them but reckon some branches are probably worse than others. Car salesman as a species need to be pretty reprehensible to be any use at it. I find all the added nonsense an unnecessary inconvenience. Shite suits, annoying music and all the free scalding hot coffee you can handle.
Last car I bought however, 32k miles, admittedly 5 years old. Clutch was slipping if you really tried to get a shift on. I noticed it within the first couple of days of owning it and took it in for them to look at. I knew it needed a new clutch but was expecting the usual, "They do that mate" argument but in fairness to them they admitted it straight away and got it in a few days later for replacement. Does make you wonder the worth of any kind of mechanical inspection they carry out though. I'm sure that wiped out any profit they made on that car though as the cost of clutch and flywheel alone were over £450.
Parks are without a doubt the worst mob I've ever dealt with. Nearly 200 bucks paid for a major service on an 18 month old car. Got the car back with the book stamped (in the wrong place) and the only service it had had done was a bucket of water chucked over it.



I got My Punto from Arnold Clark in 2013, and the breaks were ridiculously tight, and was creaking once you put pressure, phoned them after a few days just to ask if they were aware of it, and they arranged a pick up and agreed to drop it at my work for me finishing that night.

Only issue was they were half an hour late showing up with the car.

Think, like everything else it depends on where you go, my pal started working there and has told me who to avoid when I want a new car.
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Just wait for the video of the inspection they send through too.


Audi started doing that a while ago. Guy I had know had a nail through a tyre, they pointed it out, then pulled it out, flattening the tyre in the process. He then got told it would £200 for a new tyre. He had no spare so the car was undriveable now without a new tyre or puncture repair.

Had no choice but to get them to fix it despite the fact we could've done it for a fraction. I think he's actually trying for a discount as there was no reason to pull the nail out.
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