Arnold Clark, are they the worst car dealership in the world ever?

Arnold Clark, are they the worst car dealership in the world? Yesterday I went in to Arnold clark having seen a couple of potential new cars, that fitted the budget, needs etc. All I can say is I have never had such bad customer service as a potential customer. The salesman wanted me to sign for the car before I even took it for a test drive. I explained how could I possibly make a decision on a car without a decent test drive. Earlier in the process he said I could test drive it, then when I insisted on a test drive he then came up with the excuse that you needed both parts of your driving licence. I think this was a lie, but I’m trying to confirm this with other Arnold branches. Certainly a different main dealer said this was a nonsense and they don’t even check licences, since its your responsibility and not the dealers!!

I’ve never liked sales people. Especially never liked car salesmen. Clearly they have no morals, no conscience. If they did they wouldn’t be in car sales. But at the end of the day, does Sir Arnold Clark care, no because he’s a multi millionaire and just wants sales. But perhaps he should, because he lost my business due to the salesman attitude, (I would hate to think what would happen if some unconfident female went in) I’ll be writing to AC chief executive, but he won’t care.

Has anybody else had this experience in AC?

In answer to your question, yes they are. Plenty of web space dedicated to tales of poor service and experiences from this bunch. I would never buy a car from them, ever ever ever.

They were a bit arsey to me, I walked in and said “I don’t know whether I’m buying a diesel mondeo or a 1.9 galaxy, what have you got”. “Oh no sir, you don’t want one of those, you want <random car>. Then walked me straight past 2 diesel mondeos to show me a Focus and an Octavia.

Certainly not the worst dealership I dealt with though- that was a shower called Millenium. Called up, asked for a test drive of a “mint” car, told them “If it’s not in the condition you say it is, I’ll not be buying, and I’ve got an hour’s bike ride to get to you so don’t waste my time” No problem sir. Got there, and the thing was very pretty, but didn’t drive- split turbo hose for sure, probably EGR valve, mysterious scrapy rattle on boost. Warped brake discs, ABS light permanently on, too. Went back after 5 minutes and went spare at them, got told off for wasting their time. Made AC look excellent.

Having said that, Arnold Clark’s hire people were absolutely blinding when I last dealt with them.

They were bang on when I bought my car in November-and a good grand or more cheaper than anywhere else for similar stuff.

Legally both parts of a Driving Licence make up the Licence, one part is useless without the other, so I can understand him saying that.

As for AC I’ve no experience personally, but a Friend of mine went looking for her first car with her Mum. My first thoughts where here we go, they are going to take the mick being a young girl with her Mum.

Sure enough she asked for a specific car, think it was a Corsa in White she wanted, and they didn’t have any, offered her a black one which she didn’t want.

She than asked for a Fiesta in White, again they said they didn’t have one and you can’t get them anywhere, ( which I proved to her wasn’t he case when I took her to the Ford dealer who had 3 ) and they just kept pushing the cars they had I stock, despite her not wanting any.

They rang her at least daily till she finally told them to …. Off.

They are cheap, but for what you save you lose outon customer service. They were awful to deal with when trying to sort a corsa out they had sold my dad.. Lost logbook etc… Absolute nightmare to deal with!

I sell minis for a living, have done for 10 years, we get paid on customer satisfaction etc.. But it works cos people always come back if they get looked after IME

There certainly is something about car salesmen – one big reason we bought the car we did was that the salesmen in other dealerships were so smarmy. Is it just like estate agents – they’re all dreadful so people have no choice but to put up with them?

We found that non-smarmy salesmen work for a company that’s brilliant at servicing as well. Dunno if the two are connected.

In the process of buying a new (to me) car from their new VW branch, have been decent so far, hassle free test drive. Hopefully it will continue.

Why would being female be a problem? It was a woman who took me out on the test drive and the salesmaness I was dealing with was also a lady. 🙄

not as bad as CarCraft(y)! it’s all finance for these companies – that’s where the real money is!

If you take the point that the only accurate information you will get from a sales person will be their contact details you will be fine.

No doubt some sales people will be different but if start at that threshold it can only get better. 😉

Arnold Clark Renault in St Helens have been really great when I’ve dealt with them in the past.

I’m not surprised they wanted to see both parts of your driving licence as the photo-card does not show any endorsements you may have.

In the process of buying a new (to me) car from their new VW branch, have been decent so far, hassle free test drive. Hopefully it will continue.

Why would being female be a problem? It was a woman who took me out on the test drive and the salesmaness I was dealing with was also a lady.

Like I said I’ve no experience personally, but I’ve got VWs and they are very keen at VW headquarters about customer service so AC will not want to lose that Franchise.

Regarding Ladies, I used to be a Car Salesman and thank god the place went bust as I hated it. THe attitude of the Salesmen was awful to the Female customers and they always saw it as a easy sale.

Might be different these days but one things for sure, that company I worked for deserved to go bust.

….. Clearly they have no morals, no conscience. If they did they wouldn’t be in car sales.

I was with you right up till you said that 🙄

[quoteI’ve never liked sales people. Especially never liked car salesmen. Clearly they have no morals, no conscience. If they did they wouldn’t be in car sales.[/quote

Both parts of your licence is mandatory, the photo card doesn’t give enough info regarding points or ban, you would be uninsured if anything would happen on the test drive. It is possible to do a dvla via phone but this may not have been possible on the weekends. As for the sales exec, I would have asked to speak with the sales manager and voiced your concerns

AC sales guys are on a low basic wage, if they don’t sell they dont make a descent wage, if they take a customer out on a test drive and the customer doesn’t buy they get hauled over the coals.

AC sales guys are on a low basic wage, if they don’t sell they dont make a descent wage, if they take a customer out on a test drive and the customer doesn’t buy they get hauled over the coals.

they sound like a delightful cmpany to work for. they are high on my list of potential employers along with carcraft and Safestyle windows and doors!

A Large Scottish Sales Manager at Arnold Clark tried shouting at me etc when I cameback for the promised spare key at their Honda main dealer franchise. His salesmen stood their sniggering until he folded badly. Funnily they are also no longer a Honda main dealer franchisee here.

Dont class all car salesmen as the same. There are good ones.

. Certainly a different main dealer said this was a nonsense and they don’t even check licences, since its your responsibility and not the dealers!!

This is wrong. If an unlicensed driver on a test drive got charged with no licence (police stop/check or RTA etc) then Arnold Clark and/or the salesman would also be charged with causing and permitting.

True for the dealers insurance you need to provide both parts.

Never buy without seeing the v5/service history. I once went to a AC dealers to see a Touran. Asked if it was ex hire? No sir I promise…can I see the v5? No sir data protection rules…so why is there a small square glue residue on the rear boot lid?

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Arnold Shark as theyre known in my house

I went to my local Vauxhall dealer and the salesman used to work for AC – he hated it and left. He was pretty awful mind – all cheap suit, jargon and pushiness.

If you know your budget, know what you want and can stand your ground, they are fine. In this respect, no different to any other car dealer. Last three cars from their motors tore and pleased with all of them. Good prices and honest service.

First rule applies though, you are the customer and you can walk away at any point.

Like I said I’ve no experience personally, but I’ve got VWs and they are very keen at VW headquarters about customer service

Considering the ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ attitude, disorganisation and generally being shite displayed by our local VW franchise (and by reputation others not much further away) I find that slightly jaw-dropping. Are you sure you don’t work for VW?

Andy

Considering the ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ attitude, disorganisation and generally being shite displayed by our local VW franchise (and by reputation others not much further away) I find that slightly jaw-dropping. Are you sure you don’t work for VW?

VW have a target to be the top manufacture for customer service in the UK. They do take it very seriously indeed. If there is a VW dealer genuinely playing up tell em. trust me things will happen. 👿

I’ve always found AC sales people to be very polite and helpful, however go back to them with a problem……. 😯

The best thing is, I’ve even seen AC garages screw each other over. Makes you feel a little bit better that it’s not just the general public they take advantage of 😉

Think my finest moment with them was dumping a sizeable 225 40 R18 tyre in the middle of their showroom whilst having an interesting loud ‘conversation’ with the service (oh the ironing) manager. Smoke from the bonnet? “Oh no sir, that’s just steam from us cleaning the engine the other day”. Several “steam” issues later they finally admitted to a fuel leak!

Think it depends on the brand. Bought a couple of cars from AC and had no issues (Mazda and Toyota)The Toyota one by far the best buying experience I’ve had. A non AC VW dealership was the worst experience ever, truly shocking customer service with regards to brand new Golf GTI which had fault after fault for 9 months before I flogged it. Not interested in the slightest.. BMW was pretty snooty but good after sales and just bought a Mini which was a pretty good experience.

Like I said I’ve no experience personally, but I’ve got VWs and they are very keen at VW headquarters about customer service
Considering the ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ attitude, disorganisation and generally being shite displayed by our local VW franchise (and by reputation others not much further away) I find that slightly jaw-dropping. Are you sure you don’t work for VW?

Andy

No I don’t work in the Motor Trade anymore I’m in teaching now I just pointed out my experiences with VW dealers.

My friend wanted an Astra VXR Nurburgring and had been looking for a while when the local AC surprisingly got one in. He ended up saying he would buy it but when he came to collect the Odo was reading 100-odd miles more and the car was filthy inside and out. The salesman said it wasn’t my mates property as he hadn’t bought it yet and a few of the lads had been using it. He didn’t buy it after that.

Our own experience was just as dire, a cocky young salesman in an ill fitting suit wouldn’t shut up about an SLK he had despite my missus telling him she had one previous and didn’t want another. He kept saying stuff like imagine a Merc on your drive, its a Merc it won’t break. He then got confused about which wheels were the driven ones, when my petrol head missus realised he didn’t have a clue she asked him to do a search for a Diesel MX5, he did after he stopped staring at her chest. He colleague told us they don’t do a diesel MX5 and ill suit boy looked smug without realising we were wasting his time. A bit of a joke set up really.

My best dealer experience = Gordons Ford main dealer.
The worst was AC.

If your in mid Scotland the only VW option you have is arnold clark or verve. Never bought a new car off a forecourt as I don’t care for new cars, also have an irrational hatred of salesmen in general.

Verve are properly bad, they just CBA’d with anything, including answering their phone. Clarks at least answer the phone but often don’t seem to know what they are talking about (RE sourcing & ordering parts for VW’s 2-6 years old), although some of the actual mechanics (if you can get one to answer the phone) seem pretty decent, but not £70/hour decent or whatever amount they charge.

Inch Engineering VW in Bathgate ? Think it’s still an independent but may be wrong . Never used them personally but heard they’re ok despite my ‘never buy another’ stance.

TBH I think a lot of them are from the same mould Evans Halshaw are a bunch of lying shitsters too !.

Advantage VW in Stirling have always been great in my experience, we’ve had a few new VWs from them. Sales and service support has always been great.

roblane65 – Member
TBH I think a lot of them are from the same mould Evans Halshaw are a bunch of lying shitsters too !.
POSTED 57 SECONDS AGO # REPORT-POST

Do they have the ‘runabouts’ sideline? I rang them about an MX5:” what’s the mileage” “low mate” “ok what is it?” “50k”
“That’s not really low for an mx5 of that age” “is low miles for us, we have focuses with 130k on the clock its a low miles car” “it’s not a focus though is it? Are the sills rotten” “no” drive to see it on the off chance, sills rotten. Salesman hides behind the ‘runabout’ branding “its just a runabout really… ”

Verve are now AC

Do they have the ‘runabouts’ sideline? I rang them about an MX5:” what’s the mileage” “low mate” “ok what is it?” “50k”
“That’s not really low for an mx5 of that age” “is low miles for us, we have focuses with 130k on the clock its a low miles car” “it’s not a focus though is it? Are the sills rotten” “no” drive to see it on the off chance, sills rotten. Salesman hides behind the ‘runabout’ branding “its just a runabout really… “

This just reminded me of an incident I had at a local used car dealership around the corner from me. I was walking the Dog when I spotted a MK3 Golf GTI on the forecourt.

It’s was a bit overpriced but thought I’d have a look for a weekend car. Over comes mr salesman ” one lady owner, shopping only, best in country, no rust anywhere”

When I pointed out the rust under the side rear window, he replied ” well it is 15 year old what can you expect” I resisted to call him any rude names and made my excuses and left.

They were a bit arsey to me, I walked in and said “I don’t know whether I’m buying a diesel mondeo or a 1.9 galaxy, what have you got”. “Oh no sir, you don’t want one of those, you want <random car>. Then walked me straight past 2 diesel mondeos to show me a Focus and an Octavia.

Now, who does that remind me of ? 😉

OH no the EH is a good one long short got a nice audi that fell into there hands just before 80 thou ( fdsh previous ) the shites stamped the book a futher three occasions and sold previous owner a £600 care package never even so much as changed the timing belt. didn’t like the fact I said I had a right to know what theye’d done to the car because they’ed stamped the book anyhow turns out thye’d done sweet FA.ended up forking out for full service timing belt water pump, all 26.000 overdue on a car with FULL HISTORY. DON’T GO NEAR EVANS HALSHAW !

DON’T GO NEAR EVANS HALSHAW !

Thank god you posted this bit. Otherwise I wouldn’t have had a bloody clue what you were on about.