“Bought a car from arnold clark liverpool in February 2025 after doing 1100 miles the car broke down
We have spoken to all management at clarks with no joy one did say we will collect the car and repair it
£70 to tow the car in and £170 an hour labour charges that's with out fitting the faulty part then he said we can set up a payment plan to fix the car to payed by monthly payment
The car cost £400 a month
Buyer beware check and double check before you buy
Cars still broken”
“What a brilliant team I just bought a new Hyundai kona n line and the service I got from the sale men Jamie Wray was top class no hassle and very helpful this is my third one and all the staff are very helpful service ladies are very polite and all ways go out to help you”
“Arnold Clark Dundee Balfield Rd branch have not provided a professional response to a breakdown and battery issue in a car i purchased under 4 months ago. I have called around 10 times to the branch in 5 days, and despite being advised that I would get a call from the service manager, the sales manager and then the branch manager no one has called me back. I did get a call from the servicing department to advise that I could contact the 60 day warranty team in Glasgow which appears to have complicated things further. The Dundee sales department then refused to pay for the diagnostic checks and I was informed that any repairs over 60 days and under 6 months should go to the service department. I already knew that, however I got a call from the service department on the morning after the breakdown stating that they could do nothing else despite this being subject to the 2015 act.
Since then I have called Arnold Clark Dundee branch at Balfield Rd every day, more than once and I have had to raise a complaint through the finance company and customer services. The branch manager eventually emailed me last night with completely wrong information and when I sent two emails back and called twice last night he didn't respond with a callback. I also called to ask to speak to the service manager and or branch manager today and neither are available. I have been promised a callback around 7 times since 16.45 on Friday, now Wednesday, and if I hadn't taken independent action to get my car fixed I would have no car for days.
I ended up getting the AA breakdown policy with at home option as my current breakdown cover doesn't have that and it cost me around 70 pounds on top of my current insurance policy. The mechanic got it started again and said it was a low battery. I have been having problems with the battery since I bought the car, having to charge it up outside the house at times when the warning light came on. I should have returned it at the time within the 60 day period. The AA mechanic suggested that a 24 hour charge would be required and to arrange this with the garage. I have fed this back to customer services however yesterday however I then got an email from the branch manager asking how much the new battery was, despite never having stated that I got a battery replacement.
It is bad enough being ignored, but then being asked the wrong information is doubly insulting, and just goes to show the lack of interest in my complaint. I am not asking for anything other than my rights under the legislation for a pre existing fault to he addressed and repaired. I should not have broken down in a car which is under four months old and which cost me around 15000 on finance. The car should be roadworthy and safe to drive my children in, and this is the thing that I find the most upsetting. It is just lucky that I noticed the warning lights and that it broke down outside the house and not on a busy or 60 road. I had a number of repairs on the last car I purchased from Arnold Clark however I put this down to it being an older car and that it was just the car itself. This car is only 4 years old and only went through the MOT at purchase. I am very upset at the fact that Arnold Clark think they can ignore customers and breach the consumer rights of the public. I have raised this with the Ombudsman however there seems to be a 6 month waiting list so it seems that I will need to resolve the battery issue with my own garage.
My advice would be to go to a different dealer. They are all friendly and helpful at the point of purchase but if you have a genuine issue with the vehicle they will ignore you. Given the price of cars and the need for a car to be safe and reliable personally I wouldn't trust them as they have shown a distinct lack of regard for the customer. The other reviews on here just highlight that.”
“I purchased a car with Arnold Clark in Glasgow in November last year. It then had to be taken back to Arnold Clark and they apparently fixed coil packs etc. it now has this fault Engine management Gamma 1.0
Status :P030000 -
Random/multiple cylinders. Error Message: Misfire detected.
Historical fault. Status :P030100 -
Cylinder 1. Error Message :
Misfire detected. Historical fault.
Fitted coil and followed member to the garage for repair as member has warranty on the vehicle.
Engine Oil Level Ok. Coolant which I can confirm that a garage has said these repairs haven’t been done! And my car has been doing the same thing it was when first purchased. I am anting them to get back to me.”
“Arnold Clark Linwood Honda /MG
5 star device went extra mile from ordering car from start to finish kept us updated phone calls messages went beyond and above her name is SYLWIA I would recommend this lady highly couldn’t do enough for us even phoned to check up on us how we liked car can’t give this lady enough praise so happy thank you”
“Booked my car in for a diagnostics check as the mild hybrid 48v system stopped working all together, hadn't worked for over a month, at first they said they couldn't find anything wrong with the car except a breather pipe for the petrol emissions which they wanted £580 to change, i asked them to drive the car round their building which they did, yes we can see the fault now, but after having the car for two days they had no idea what was wrong, this wasn't a intermittent fault, the hybrid side of things didn't work at all, but they didn't know what was
wrong or how to fix it, i asked if i should just collect the car, the answer was yes, i was charged £356 for two diagnostic checks, so beware anyone with a mild hybrid fault going to this main dealer”
“Arnold Clark VW Crow Rd!!!!
Steer clear bought a 19 plate VW Tiguan and after 6 months it has required new wipers replaced day after purchase as they couldn't be bothered
9 weeks after owning car new electronic mirror required.
6 months down the line now had to get a new clutch in auto gearbox.
Forked out over 2k after paying 23k for car.
Do yourself a favour and do not purchase from these weasels only interested in taking your cash then lying on the phone.”
“Bought a Ford Focus EcoBoost Feb' 23 from Arnold Clark Seafield Edinburgh.
The car was seven years old at the time of purchase. According to online research I conducted that engine should have the wet timing belt replaced at 100k miles or 6 years, whichever came first. I asked the salesman (Kenneth Dow), if there was any evidence it had been changed. He confirmed there wasn't. I then suggested they should replace it before we bought the vehicle. He agreed unequivocally. No pushback whatsoever, then informed us that the date we were due to collect the vehicle would be pushed back to allow time to have the work done.
We were contacted a few days later to confirm work had been completed. I asked for an email confirming this. Despite several reminders, that email never materialised. On the day we collected the car, we even asked again to be met with an apology, and that “due to work pressures”, he hadn’t got around to sending it, but rest assured it would be done. That email never came to pass. When we took receipt of the car, we were left in no doubt, a new timing belt had been fitted as agreed.
Fast forward to September 2025, and the engine oil pressure warning light comes on. Long story short, the timing belt is delaminating and blocking oil flow. An independent mechanic confirmed the timing belt has never been changed, and the current one is the on that was fitted to the vehicle when new.
Arnold Clark, specifically their salesman, Kenneth Dow, is now claiming a) the conversation outlined above ever took place, and b) they would never have agreed to do the work as the 6yr/100k miles criteria for replacing the wet belt did not comply with their company policy. This position is an entire fabrication and confirms the salesman lied to my face at the time of purchase on at least two occasions and over the phone at least twice. He is now doubling down on these lies.
I have followed the Arnold Clark complaints process as outlined on their website. After the local Seafield branch manager failed to give a satisfactory response, a week ago we submitted an online complaint to their Customer Services Department. At the time of writing, we have had no reply. Not even an acknowledgement.
This is no longer about money, nor is it about the fact my car’s been off the road for over a month with little prospect of it being repaired any time soon. It’s now about how a company the size of Arnold Clark could condone such unscrupulous, immoral behaviour from one of its employees. Shameless, bareface lying seems to be acceptable with this company, or at least it is for Kenneth Dow. If you do business with this company and you’re unlucky to deal with this salesman, beware. You have been warned!”
“My VW Tiguan went back to Arnold Clark St Helens for a week to fix some bits.I send a mail back on the 15 today is the 5th day and had absolutely no response back
Dear Arnold Clark Team,
I am writing to raise a formal complaint regarding the condition in which my VW Tiguan was returned to me today.
The following issues are unacceptable:
An additional dent has appeared on the back door, which your driver acknowledged upon delivery. There was only one dent previously – there are now two.
The service book remains missing.
The part to secure the spare wheel at the back is still not present.
I have received no written confirmation regarding the start button being inspected. I expect confirmation that this has been properly checked by a qualified technician.
The vehicle was returned to me with only half a tank of fuel, despite being collected with a full tank.
The silver trimmings at the window are the same no change.
Kind regards
George
There is evidence that someone had a hot drink will thy were working on the car cup ring on passenger seat.
Have no response back from both
Nabil Jarir
Simon Gervais”
“Sale by misrepresentation and a masterclass in gaslighting. If you enjoy being made to feel like you hallucinated your own purchase conditions, this is the place for you. If not, RUN, don’t walk, in the opposite direction!! Shout out to Matthew Gibson sales rep & Manager Mark Rundell in Glasgow. Between the disingenuous smiles, blatant lies, and sudden memory loss, these two could teach a masterclass in the art of being the textbook dodgy car salesmen!”
“I enquired about a new Jaecoo 7Phev from the Aberdeen branch and spoke with Joss Fairweather, got all my details, then passed me onto James Wray who basically was not interested and did not call back when he said he would.
I contacted the head office to see if I could get the car from another dealer which was in Glasgow and too far for collecting the car, he said if I was happy to speak with a manager at the Aberdeen branch which I reluctantly agreed, Joss called was apologetic and we then continued with the purchase of the new car.
Joss said James would be in touch the next day with an update on delivery, 2 weeks later I called and spoke to Lorenzo the GM and told him about the severe lack of communication and I was told James would call me, next day I get a text message saying the car would be in Aberdeen on 26th August.
I eventually got a phone call asking if I could pick the car up on Friday which I couldn’t and Saturday I couldn’t but agreed on Sunday @ 12:30 and Joss Fairweather would be finalising everything with me.
We arrived on the Sunday 12:25 spoke with a young salesman and said we had an appointment with Joss to pick up the new car, he came back and said Joss was busy and he would deal with us, we signed all documents and were asked if we knew all the cars controls etc which I said I was ok with, the young salesman said thanks and did not even take us over to the, had to just find the car ourselves.
Joss did not even have the decency to speak to us.
When we stopped in Portlethen, I noticed we had no mats and the steering was not straight, I called and got put through to Lorenzo who has had the car collected today for the alignment to be done, received the mats and was given a £100 cheque
I feel the £100 is a joke for some kind of compensation for the absolute shocking experience from start to finish my wife and myself have had to endure.
There are more details but it is too long and I’m just so disappointed
Customer services have been in touch, but have not heard anything for 5 days now.
Even my finance was not what was agreed with the sales manager.”
“In February 2025, we bought our first family car from Arnold Clark in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. From the very beginning, the vehicle had constant issues. Despite repeatedly telling the dealership by phone and email that the car was unsafe and had even stopped mid-drive, we were continuously reassured that it was “in good and safe condition.”
We trusted their word, but in August 2025, our trust was shattered. The car completely broke down on the A3 motorway in Germany while we were on our first family holiday to Romania, with two infants in the back seat. We were left stranded in dangerous conditions, on a busy motorway, in a foreign country where few people spoke English. It was terrifying.
What makes this worse is that the car had been into the Arnold Clark Hanley branch for multiple checks during our six months of ownership, including just five days before our trip. Each time, we were told everything was fine. When we called the dealership from Germany in distress, their response was completely dismissive: “It’s not our fault.” We were left to find our own way home.
Once back in the UK, we returned to the Hanley branch expecting support. Instead, we were met with rudeness, humiliation, and indifference. Staff stared at us, offered no help, and acted as if we were a burden. We felt unwelcome, humiliated, and as if we were the guilty ones. They left us without support or guidance, after our lives had been endangered by their negligence.
I have serious concerns about the MOT process as well. I brought the car in at 8 a.m. for its check, later I received a notification saying the car was in the garage for repairs, but I was there the all time and watched and it wasn't on the premises for most of the day. At 4:50 p.m., they told me it was still "in progress," even though I could clearly see the car wasn't there. Then, at 5:40 p.m., they said it was ready. I was waiting outside the entire time and never saw the car in the garage.
Following the breakdown, the vehicle was inspected by four separate, independent, and registered mechanics in Germany. Their collective diagnosis was consistent and alarming: the service your centre claimed to have performed was either superficial or not carried out at all.
We were in shock!!!
They found no recent signs of mechanical work.
Specifically, they discovered:
* Major damage to the timing belt, with at least 13 broken teeth—a condition that would have been obvious during a proper inspection.
* A faulty water pump and leaking cooling liquid.
* Significant rust under the car and degraded parts surrounding the water pump and timing belt, which indicates a complete lack of recent maintenance.
* A severely degraded and nearly dry battery that tested at only 2 volts.
Photographs and video evidence clearly document the rusty and broken state of these parts, proving they were not inspected or repaired as your service report claims. You "ticked green" on everything, despite these critical and pre-existing faults. You certified the vehicle as safe, putting my family and me in great danger.
This experience has left us shocked and appalled. We trusted Arnold Clark with our family’s life, and were let down at every stage, they sold a faulty car, denied responsibility, and treated us with a complete lack of respect or empathy. I never expected such an immoral and careless approach from a company of this size. They put my family in a life-threatening situation and showed no accountability.
Avoid this dealership at all costs. Your safety is not their priority—sales are.”
“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.”
