Miriam S

BUYER BEWARE

Zero stars…….. Bought a used car from the Southwick, Sunderland branch and have had no end of trouble since. Was told the car had been serviced and would be cleaned before pick up. When we collected the car, it had obviously only been given a cursory jet wash but the light was fading so didn’t really check. Our son is a mechanic and checked over the car the following day. He found two things that would fail an MOT, the engine coolant was empty and there was nothing in the screen wash, so it had obviously not been serviced. The car hadn’t been properly cleaned and there was even blood splatters on the inside ceiling of the car. We took the car back to the dealer where we were told, ‘no problem we’ll book it in to have the work done’. We did that but they couldn’t do it for a couple of weeks. When we turned up to have the work done, the dealership had changed hands and was no longer Richard Hardie but Arnold Clarke and was told they had nothing to do with us anymore as a customer and would need to contact either the Ashington or Silverlink branch of Richard Hardie, both either over a 50 or 25 mile round trip. Not one phone call to tell us there was a change over happening and all this within 2 weeks of purchasing. Contacting either of these branches was nigh on impossible due to the phone lines being down and then constantly ringing out. When we did get through they said it would be 4 weeks which we had to agree to. They took the details of what needed doing as agreed per the Southwick branch and said it would be an all day job so offered us a courtesy car. We did this only to get a phone call at midday on the day it was booked in for, to say it was ready to be collected because they didn’t have the parts (even after booking the car in for these specific jobs) and would be another 4 weeks before they could book us in again, due to the demand for a courtesy car. Considering it was a 25 mile round trip this was needed. When eventually we did get around to having the work done, they damaged the wheel bolt and said it would be the next day for the car being ready. However, my husband was in hospital the next day so needed the car that night. They agreed the car was safe to drive and when we asked if the (small) part could be sent to the house for us to fix ourselves, they agreed. One week later, no part, no phone call. Telephoned them again and got no answer numerous times from the service dept. Next day the same but eventually answered to be told they had no way of posting the part out and it would need collecting!! Really, no postal system? The car yet again didn’t get the deep clean it needed for which we have had to arrange at a cost of £60. We are astounded by the sheer audacity of a dealer selling a car and giving the customer service after care that Richard Hardie has. Every member of staff have been unhelpful, with an attitude to match their poor service and we will NEVER buy from or recommend this dealer again. BUYER BEWARE.