Mathew H

Be Careful Who You Trust at Sytner Leics

I feel it’s important to share my recent experience with Sytner Leicester to warn others about their lack of integrity and professionalism. In late February, I entered discussions with Jack, one of their sales executives, regarding an Alpina B4 they had in their showroom for several months. This wasn’t just any car—it held personal significance to me, being that my late father once owned one in the same colour. Jack was proactive, eager to make a deal, and we had detailed conversations, including calls outside of his working hours. I made it clear I was a serious buyer and was working to finalise the purchase. As we neared agreement, I asked for the finance to be changed to a Hire Purchase with no balloon payment. Their business manager initially quoted an inflated APR. I challenged this, confirmed through another dealer that their figures were incorrect, yet it still took Sytner Leicester seven hours to correct the finance offer. During this delay, Jack reassured me the car was “safe”. Despite those assurances, the car was sold—without warning, and without any communication from Sytner Leicester. I only found out after chasing Jack to find out when I could basically sign. What followed was a series of conflicting and misleading explanations. Initially, they tried to claim the car had been sold through another dealership without their knowledge. I later had it confirmed the car was sold directly from Sytner Leicester—not via another dealership, as they falsely claimed. In my view, this was a clear attempt to deflect blame and avoid accountability. I was then told that Jack wouldn’t have known another colleague was arranging a sale. However, a trusted contact at another Sytner branch confirmed this explanation doesn’t hold water. Their sales teams hold daily meetings specifically to review the status of all vehicles, including who is close to selling what and to whom. They would have been fully aware I was in active discussions on this car. The more likely scenario is that the other person was offered slightly more money else we all know they would have given me first refusal. When I attempted to escalate the matter to Richard Hickling, the Head of Business, he wouldn't take my calls. I eventually spoke to another manager, Ben, who dismissed the situation entirely with the comment, “You had your chance to buy the car.” This completely ignored the fact that I was waiting on their delayed finance figures, had been sorting out my own finances, and had been working closely with their sales executive to finalise the deal. In my opinion, Sytner Leicester knowingly misled me and acted without integrity throughout this process. If you are considering doing business with them, be very cautious. My experience makes it clear: this is not a dealership you can trust. If you’re looking for a dealer who genuinely cares about their customers and understands the Alpina brand, without doubt the dealership to speak with is Sytner Nottingham. They are the home of Alpina and provide the level of service you should expect from a premium marque.