“Bought my dream car from Arnold Clark. DS9 delivered to Liverpool from Scotland.
March 2025 noticed a fault light on the dash. Down loaded a hand book to see what the fault was and it had to do with the drivers attention (camera ) took no notice due to the book stating it could be down to wearing dark glasses etc. Decided I did not like the car so I tried to trade it in . Only to find the dealers would not take it due to the fault.
took it back to AC and told them of the fault . advised to take it to a DS dealer because AC could not fix it. contact AC for my money back. They said they will pay to get it fixed .Gave me a warranty for DS cars. Took it to DS took near on ten weeks for it to be booked in and I would need to go to Manchester. So from March and it is now September. Still waiting for the fault to be fixed. The MOT runs out end of October and will fail its MOT due to the dashboard fault.
Three lessons to be learnt 1 DO NOT BUY A CAR FROM AC.
2 And do not buy a DS car due to the limited places you can go if it develops a fault.
3 if you do buy a car from AC check everything before handing over any money.
Still waiting for a part from god knows where ,to arrive at this time. Slow donkey from china”
“Arnold Clark has gone downhill since the passing of Mr Clark. He was a lovely man, met him many times and he'd be turning in his grave with the shambles it is these days. The staff, in particular at the reception in the Dunfermline branch are miserable and unhelpful.”
“I have a Vauxhall Grandland 1.2 and the last 8 months have been delusional, I don't know where to begin. I have seen that people have complained about wet belts, and I am also in this mess. For 2 years my car ran smoothly and then in November last year I had a red oil warning light come on, so as it was under warranty and was due its service I took it back to AC where I got the car from. after a few days i get a call saying i can collect as they cannot find the problem but gave it and oil change, mini service and charged me for this, we thought everything was fine and i could continue in my routine. a week later the light returns and back we go , this is where they decide they have found another problem and it’s a Wet Belt fault and after a few weeks of umming and ahhing it has been decided that the best option is a for a full engine replacement was required. This is in December, a busy time for work and family and i have no car but what they can offer me is a car through there service plan that i can have for 72 hours, not a full courtesy car but one where i would have to pay for extra use and i went over by 12 hours so I paid what was owed - still no car though. as i was never even offered a courtesy car i was borrowing from family which luckily got me around in this very busy stressful period. new year comes and goes and then sometime in the second week in January i get a car with a brand-new engine (apparently). The car has also had its MOT and full service completed whilst it is here, so i collect the car knowing that I only have to come back after 500 miles to do a mini check to ensure things are running and then i won't have to return till next service day............
in my current work and travel I do about a 1000 miles month and quite regularly update the app with my mileage. Its nearly September and the car has done 5000 miles since I collected it with new engine.
April 26th Saturday afternoon on way home from Football RED warning lights appear and the car eventually breaks down 4 miles from home, I do a call out and RAC get me home to find there is no water in the car and after some tests they find that one of the pipes that the water flows through hasn't been connected properly and insist i take it back to the garage for a check-up, it goes back in on the Monday and they say there are no problems with it and i can have it back. 2 weeks later same warning lights appear and i'm losing water again, they have it for a week cannot find no faults and send it back to me 162 miles later warning lights appear again no water. whilst they had it for a month doing tests, I was given a car to use and when they said it was ready to collect i returned the car and picked up mine. You know what happened next warning lights on the way home and no water, this time they send it to a Vauxhall dealer to solve the problem, which they say is a water tank fault and will need replacing and then present me with a bill for £500 as to which i look at them with a blank look on my face and tell them NO wrong person as everyone cannot seem to find the problem and have wasted my time and why should i Pay for it AC agree to cover the cost - oh yeah i should say they still hadn't provided me with a courtesy car. when Vauxhall decided to take on the job I asked for a courtesy car so i can get around and ferry my disabled partner around, they said that i would have to speak to Arnold Clark regarding a car, and they said that they did not have any available, this went on for another month by which time we are in July woo hoo 3 months later and that car is ready. oh dear here we go again, so originally i had dropped my car at the Arnold Clark garage and they had it moved to the Vauxhall dealership, however they were short staffed and had nobody available to collect the car for me they said it could be a couple of days before i get it back, in the end i got fed up and had a lift to collect the car. Really poor service all-round no help to me the customer who had been paying for the car (PCP) all the time its was in garage.
120 miles later on my way to work i get stuck in roadworks on M1 4 lanes of solid traffic fight to get into one lane and then it happened, i notice the temperature heading towards the RED line again and then we all know what happened there RED WARNING STOP vehicle immediately. i forced my way over to recovery bay to see that we had no water again (WHY!!!!!!!!) i limped it to work and then first thing that morning Back To Arnold Clark we go and they said i needed to take it the Vauxhall dealership. i may have lost it at this point and said NO this is where I have to bring it and this is where it needs to be fixed.
here we are now 4 weeks later they eventually provided me with a courtesy car that isn't up to scratch, it was meant to be valeted but was left with dog smell and hairs in the boot, it feel like it could break down at any time and in this time and just my luck i got something stuck in the tyre as to which they said bring it in and we will set you off in another vehicle, when I got there I was told different and that i would be priority and they would change the tyre it took over 2 hours. this is an issue to me as I work nights and i had t wait 2 hours for the AA to help me get to Arnold Clark and then i had the next 2 hours waiting for repair. i got to bed about 1pm i had been up for 29 hours at this point and ruined the rest of the week as sleep was all over the place. but this brings me to where i am now and i still don't have my car back because i found out this morning that they are waiting on a decision from Vauxhall head office that this vehicle may need another engine replacement.
so, as you can imagine i am not very happy.
I have been going to this dealership for about 10 years now and I have never had any problems until this year and I am done once my finance company come back to me and I think they are looking at backing me over this lack of service from Arnold Clark. I have struggled with the use of a car for nearly 5 months and me and my disabled partner are very lucky that our family have been there to help but we have not been able to do or plan anything else as we have not known what is happening. This year has been rubbish not only due to this but this company has been this biggest problem in it causing too many stressful issues.”
“I am disgusted with Arnold Clark’s service it’s absolutely appalling service buy a car from them nothing but hassle 30 days warranty I will tell you why there give you 30 days warranty so there can fling you aside after it car went back into the garage 3 times with the same issue and problem and the 3rd time i had enough of it so i had to trade the car in and take £1100 loss on it I will never be buying from Arnold Clark again I would avoid at all cost and save your self the hassle go somewhere else for your car”
“I phoned them to confirm me about my booking car and they said to me the appointment has been cancelled and booked for another day after two weeks and half. My car was broken and recovered from street few days before and I needed to be recovered from my house to the garage to fix it. I told them about my auto care warranty to fix it these days or if not possible they can loan a vehicle how long will be at the garage my car. I am disappointed how I was treated from Arnold Clark. They passed me from one to another person and now I am forced to go to fix the car at private garage because I need the car every day.
I am sorry but Arnold Clark is a joke, a shame.”
“Customer service absolutely shocking, when you have a issue with your car and you ask for the salesperson you bought it from ,oh he's with another customer I'll get him to call you back ,lol 2 days and still waiting , rubbish if a had checked the reviews a would have stayed clear of them, oh and purchased a car for it to have a issue on way home , light on , ding in door ,booked it in on a wed to be told wed evening it's sorted but the wing mirrors caps need changed due to them been aftermarket ones ,ok put them back to original ones ,oh they need painted great ,3 days to paint 2 wing mirror caps who u kidding, I've still no car”
“Bought a new Vauxhall mokka in 2021 not knowing that it had a wet belt if I had known I would never have bought it, on the 3rd service the mechanic said that the belt was cracking told me to get it replaced Vauxhall say that the belt should last 60000 miles or 6 years the car is 4 years old and has done 24000 miles Arnold Clark agreed with my mechanic that it is cracking but don’t want to do anything about it last time I put a review on line I had a phone call to ask me why I had posted a negative review on how they treated me and he would go and check up on it and call me back that was about 6 weeks ago and guess what I never got a call back. They are a complete failure in customer care”
“Very pleased customer collected my new car from Northwich depot yesterday. Very helpful staff I spoke to Josh and Richard were superb very helpful if you need to know anything. Highly recommend. Very quick process too definitely be back in the future. Receptionist very helpful too.”
“I bought a skoda from AC in Edinburgh…
I bought a skoda from AC in Edinburgh in early July with a 60 day warranty. On the test drive there was a slight grinding from the brakes which they assured me was to do with the sea air and being sat still for a while. A week later the grinding became stronger and after reversing there was a clunk after applying the brakes. I took it to a local garage where I live in the Outer Hebrides and they diagnosed that I needed new brake pads and disks. I notified AC and sent them an estimate for the work on 24th July (and again a week or so later) and there was no reply. I contacted them again today and was given the garage manager's email. He also did not reply. I'm getting the work done on the brakes on 11th August without their acknowledgment that I can get the work done in Benbecula rather than driving back to Edinburgh. Having spent close on £16,000 on a car I would expect it to be in good working order and if not they would at least assist in sorting out the issue. I would say that this is pretty poor customer service!! 8th August 2025”
“Had a car from them broke down on my home from picking it up. Was gone for a few weeks, difficult to get a courtesy car in the mean time. Finally got it back, within less than 3 weeks broke down again. Now have said I want a full refund and they have the car back. Can’t tell me for sure if this can happen, have taken the car back, but in the mean time have refused to give me a courtesy car whilst they decide. So I have no means or transport (I am a nurse so require a car to get to and from work).
So no I am in limbo, as they still have my money, and my car, and have left me with nothing.”
“My son and myself have bought several cars from Arnold Clark Preston and Blackpool. Initially, service seemed good. Their cars depreciate very quickly because their prices are to high. I have been shocked at none caring aftersales, and untrue statements from sales people. Each time you take a problem to them, the Boss has moved to another branch, so... don't bother. After last time I will go elsewhere.”
“Sadly I was sold a MG3 without being told my 'Samsung 2023 model phone' wasn't compatible with the car! Therefore I can't use the app or features on the MG car unless I buy a new phone!! Shocking really because the 2022 Masda I traded in worked with this phone perfectly. There's no way I would have bought the car if I'd known. Please check your phone compatibility before you buy a new car.”
“I have had 3 cars off this lot nothing but headaches reason to why I got one again I was offered more money exchanging the last car Into this one i have now, straight away first day problem goes into have a look at it service yet again mess everything up break something and then notice something else not working, then something else wasn't right, then I notice scratches all over the side of my car. Disgraceful service, its like they love creating headache for themselves and trauma to customers. They dont value you anymore where just money tree for them.”
“Bought a kia exceed over the weekend and the lad was very helpful in every way he helped with my phone cont fault them in any way got my car very smoothly”
“Avoid at all costs. I’ve been sold a car which is not fit for purpose. It’s now just after a year of buying it and the faults have been ongoing a few which have left myself, passengers and the public at risk of a serious accident or worse. It is not only shocking but extremely concerning that a so called reputable company is putting profit/sales targets over and above the safety of its consumers.”
“Arnold Clark Vauxhall Hamilton Road. Missold and had vital information withheld. Car wasn't serviced correctly at the dealer resulting in the 10 year Warranty on wet belt on our Corsa 2021 being void.
If looking to buy a car at moment check it doesnt have a wet belt in engine. Google it, it is a scandal and ticking timebomb waiting to happen.
Tried to use of legal rights to reject car via branch and refused. Tried to raise complaint via customer services, dismissed
Never had such a horrendous customer experience before.
Would give 0 stars if i could.
Awful company
(Ps had some nice staff from other branches within Arnold Clark try help and give us advice, which we appreciate. )”
“Trying to obtain a diagnostic report on my car having paid £156 for the report is proving difficult.
I need it to get my car’s oil leak repaired at my local garage rather than pay Arnold Clark’s exorbitant prices.
The car is apparently out of 3 year warranty although I was informed on the phone that it was in warranty and so went ahead with the diagnostic.
They are delaying matters by insisting it’s a data report or some such. just a delaying tactic I fear! The car has done less than 2500 miles!”
“Bought a Jaecoo 7 on PCP. I was misled during the sales process and received confusing, contradictory information about my finance agreement. It resulted in me paying way above the amount agreed for the car. Despite the misleading sale being acknowledged by the branch manager in writing, the company dismissed my formal complaint entirely.
The car is riddled with faults and not fit for purpose (the second half of my complaint) which they didn’t acknowledge or address in the final letter. After raising it with them, they stated it “was reviewed” and dismissed. Not once did they discuss the faults with me, bring the car in to view or service/check it.
They offered a refund for one item, in writing, but when I responded (within three days to accept the refund) they backtracked and refused to honour it. The whole process has been frustrating, extremely unprofessional, and incredibly poorly handled. Would not recommend, avoid at all costs.
Linwood paisley Jaecoo branch and AC customer service.”
