Hartwell plc Anmeldelser 371

Poor communication, you always have to chase them for an update, if their recent Puma Gen E deals weren’t so good, I would have cancelled my order! It’s a shame most customers will remember how poorly they have been treated, I wouldn’t buy from them again.

I applied for finace application for hundai santa fe. When my application was declined after paying reservation fee £99. 3 which they told me its refundable. 3 weeks down the road am chasing to pay back my money only telling me we will give a call back. Nkw they telling the product consultant who was handling my case resigned. Very awful experience. Can you please refund back my money.

I purchased a Seat Arona from Hartwells Abingdon in 2024 with around 17,000 miles on the clock. Since then, the car has been back four times with issues, and at its first MOT (carried out at Hartwells Kidlington) I was advised that the brake pads were 80% worn, the discs were corroded, and a shock absorber was leaking — amounting to over £1,000 in repairs after just 10,000 miles of light use.

Naturally, this has left me very concerned about the condition the car was sold in and whether the correct checks were carried out at the time. From my understanding, brake pads, discs, and suspension should not deteriorate this quickly unless there were pre-existing problems.

I am giving Hartwells the opportunity to respond and work towards a fair resolution, as I would like to believe this is not representative of the standards or reputation of the group. I hope this feedback is taken seriously and that my confidence in Hartwells can be restored

Horrific experience on all levels, no customer service, communication was utterly dreadful. They have taken no ownership of my issues and simply blamed Ford, never would I buy any vehicle from them passenger car or commercial. I can’t comment on Ford UK as after several emails and no contact it tells you everything you need to know.

Awful experience. My car went in for a full carpet replacement as the other was in terrible condition from previous owner. Car is a Fiesta ST3 2023 registration so still very new. Was told my car would take 48 hours originally but took 6 days. Car went in on Tuesday 12th and I received a call on Thursday 14th from Ella with an update saying it will take longer than expected but will call me on Friday with a further update. Didnt hear anything at all until Monday at 15:15pm to pick my car up after being told on the phone we close at 17:30, depsite me saying i will be there 17:00-17:15. Turned up to collect the car and it was missing the full drivers side door trim so all wires exposed. Car was left dusty and filthy from all of the work carried out. Also to top it off there is scratches on my drivers side door and white scuffs on rear bumper. Not happy at all.

I brought my car in for a 90,000-mile service at Hartwell Ford Dunstable (on 24 June 2025) and less than four weeks later, the clutch failed completely. Luckily it happened just near my home — had it occurred on a motorway, the outcome could have been dangerous.
Despite being a major scheduled service, the dealership performed only a basic visual inspection, with no meaningful checks on critical components like the clutch or drivetrain. They produced a video focusing entirely on tyre tread, while ignoring far more serious wear risks.
I raised a formal complaint and was met with dismissive responses, no accountability, and zero goodwill — not even an apology. I was simply told, “We can’t predict a clutch failure,” and offered nothing more than a future booking slot (which I declined). They refuse to acknowledge their role or issue a refund.
In my experience, this was a box-ticking service with no mechanical depth, and when challenged, the management refused to take responsibility. I’ve now escalated the case to Ford UK and The Motor Ombudsman.

From communicating over the phone about a possible sale , to travelling down to Hartwell to see the vehicle, all that was discussed about condition and spec was accurate and true . Nothing too much trouble for the guys even when asked for an underneath of car video to show all in good condition. Would highly recommend Hartwell Ford to do business with on your next vehicle
On collection the car was cleaned but the interior and engine bay could have done with a professional vallet and not just a wipe down with a cloth, my only gripe but I am very picky
But overall top marks

Hartwell Hereford have messed up the last two years servicing on my car. In 2024 they put in the wrong sump plug and all the oil ran out. They did admit it was their fault and put it right. So gave them benefit of the doubt and took it back there for service this year May 2025. Since the service the car has been leaking oil. I have today taken it to another independant mechanic who has said oil was leaking from the sump due to washer missing from sump plug. So Hartwell messed up again. I rang Hartwell Hereford to complain but they don't want to know. So obviously I won't be using them again. Just seen Hartwell's reply to my complaint. Firstly it has taken them weeks to reply and secondly noone has contacted me about booking car in with them. I don't know why they want me to book the car in with them, will never use them again, have already had it fixed elsewhere

Absolutely Disappointed – Avoid Hartwell at All Costs

I purchased a Ford Mustang EcoBoost from Hartwell Scunthorpe, which already had an aftermarket exhaust fitted. At the time of sale, I was offered and agreed to an extended warranty (Hartwell Plan B) for peace of mind, paying around £66 per month. I trusted this would protect me from major mechanical issues — but I was wrong.

Recently, the turbocharger actuator failed — a fault that is completely unrelated to the exhaust system — and Hartwell/Car Care Plan have refused my warranty claim, blaming the exhaust. However, their own warranty handbook (Page 18) clearly states that modifications only invalidate a claim if they cause the failure, which is not the case here.

To make matters worse:
• The fault was diagnosed and confirmed by Haynes Ford (Maidstone) and supported by an independent garage
• The car is still with Hartwell Reading, and it has now been over 5 days with no update, despite promises to call back after technician review
• They refused to properly investigate the issue unless the engine management light (EML) was on — even though I was advised not to drive the car any further due to risk of engine failure
• I have now been without my car for nearly a month, trying to get this resolved — causing immense stress and serious disruption to my work and life
• I have emailed both Hartwell and Car Care Plan — and neither have responded

At this point, I am escalating the matter to the Motor Ombudsman, Trading Standards, and preparing to take legal action to recover all associated costs.

If you’re considering buying a car or taking out a warranty with Hartwell — don’t. Their service has been unprofessional, evasive, and completely unreliable. I won’t be letting this go — and I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through this either.

The excellent customer service that was provided to myself from James Thorpe was of the highest standard.
He explained everything in full details covering all purchase options, full reviews & insight into the vehicle type I was looking to purchase, I was so impressed by the knowledge & excellent manner of James, it makes a process so very easy when you have confidence in the individual that you are dealing with.
I would also thank finance manager & all other staff members who made this purchase so pleasant & my new vehicle
is of highest standard.
This service is reason I have returned to Hartwell for both service & exchanges of vehicle over the years.
Highest standard of customer care anywhere.

I purchased a BYD Dolphin from Hartwell Hereford in November 2024 and reported a fault with the car’s software updates just weeks later. Over seven months on, the problem is still unresolved.

Despite multiple appointments, delays, broken promises, and even having the car taken in and returned without the correct repair, the fault remains. Most recently, I was told the car would be collected again to fix it properly — the dealership simply didn’t turn up, with no explanation.

I’ve raised a formal complaint and am still awaiting a response from Hartwell’s customer care team. Disappointing experience, especially for a brand new EV

hartwell ford dunstable what can i say that went right nothing i phoned 3 times in may to get a new key and coded for a puma nobody could help on any occasion then the next time lady ordered one and were told to bring it in 20th june 2025 that was another 2 weeks but hay great WRONG my son took the car in only to be told it was for coding the key he had and booked him for 7th july 2025 so i phoned spoke to a very abrupt lady manager who said she would have to listen to the telephone conversation i said go ahead only coding was booked i said how much would that be 125 ish i said well thats funny because i was quoted 239 so obviously i had ordered key and coding so the next day when she phoned back i said can i stop u there i phoned hartwell hemel hempsyead who ordered key the next day and we were having it done that friday i will also write a review for hemel as they were brilliant today all done and car cleaned in and out free in an hour avoid dunstable ford

Chris M and Josh L @ Abingdon made the purchasing process a simple and pleasant experience. They provided exceptional service and support. The whole process was straight forward from initial clear pricing to an excellent collecting experience. Highly recommended.

We drove over from Suffolk to purchase a car and we are so glad we did! Simon was one of the nicest people we've ever dealt with, he made the entire process an absolute pleasure. He was exceptionally knowledgeable and took us through all the features of the car in great detail. We did same day drive away and the experience was seamless. Well worth the 4 hour drive each way! Would highly recommend.

Unacceptable service I received for the recall repair on my Ford Tourneo continued poor handling, lack of communication, and further concerns following the return of my vehicle.

If only we could do zero stars!! Did a soft search credit app passed with 80% wanted to do a full finance application and it was like pulling teeth. Branch manager decided to lift some furniture rather than sell a £30k car. Absolute joke this company. Right snotty receptionist. Stay away!!

I dropped off a van for minor work and had to pick up a pool van at 8am. The pool van was dropped off last night and the key left with the sales team, apparently the service team / reception didn't know, or want to know where it was, it was in the unlocked draw of the first sales desk. But I had to sit around for 40 mins to find this out. During which time I was told to help myself to a coffee from a coffee bar which only had dirty cups. It was like the staff didn't want me there. Dreadful customer service.

On April 26, we decided to purchase a Hyundai Tucson, plate 73, with only 2,100 miles on the clock. During the test drive, we noticed that the car’s audio system was not functioning. However, considering this a minor issue and reassured by the sales agent Stefan that the car would be serviced and in perfect condition at delivery, we proceeded to place a deposit.

The car was meant to be ready for collection on Monday, April 28. Around noon, we received a message confirming pickup for 5:30 PM, with assurance that all issues would be resolved. Shockingly, at 4:00 PM—just 90 minutes before the scheduled handover—Stefan called to inform us that the audio system could not be repaired. We were presented with two unacceptable options: either take the car as-is and deal with Hyundai ourselves (despite the car still being under warranty), or let them send it in for repair with no clear timeline.

When asked if we would receive any compensation for the inconvenience, the answer was a flat “no.” I asked Stefan to confirm how long the repair would take. On April 29, no one contacted me. I had to call myself, only to learn that Hyundai couldn’t schedule the car until after May 20. When I asked why no one had provided this update earlier, he had no answer.

At that point, I told them to cancel the deal and requested a full refund. Stefan said he’d get back to me with the refund details—but after that phone call, he vanished. No more replies, no returned calls, no accountability.

I contacted Hartwell directly. They promised a manager would call me the next day. That never happened either. On May 1, I followed up again and was connected to a manager, Matthew, who finally asked for proof of the payment so they could “officially process” the refund. That alone is shocking—until that point, no one had even started the refund process.

Today is May 8, and I still have no refund and no update.

Hartwell Dunstable has shown zero respect for customers. Their interest ends the moment a commission is lost. They listed a car that was not fit for sale, took a deposit on it, and then tried to shift the burden of repair onto us. When the sale fell through, they completely dropped communication.

This dealership is not focused on customer service, only on profit. Their behaviour is careless, dishonest, and frankly unacceptable. I hope that both Ford and BID take notice of the kind of people representing their brand.

Avoid Hartwell Dunstable at all costs. They do not deserve your time, your trust, or your money.

just now
New
Leaving 1 star as cannot leave minus stars, they seemed great when purchasing the car as I guess they wanted my money however since purchasing the car they have been less than helpful. It is a fairly knew car so expected no issues however purchased the warranty just in case, it had broken down now 8 times ( battery keeps draining and the car needs jump starting) with the same problem when I call the garage they tell me they cannot assist as it is not a problem as it is working - they tell me they don’t have any availability to look at the car as they are fully booked so I book in a service which funnily enough they had space to look at as I was paying and would be able to look at the issue. Great, I get it there they tell me they do not have time to look at the problem and only do the service I said well can you look at the problem and not do the service nope no availability. I then have my service done and they say there is an issue with the updates not being done causing the battery to drain I get it booked in for weeks lates jump starting my car while we wait. Get to the garage at the agreed time as they said 5.30 I said I can’t make 5.30 but will be slightly after due to traffic and she said that’s not a problem someone will be there. I need my car as travel for work however when I arrive no one is there there is no one able to help me despite multiple people being in the building. Now I have the expense of getting taxi to work despite having a courtesy car book more cost for rubbish service and the lady couldn’t even be bothered to come over and talk to me and just sat in her office yelling across to me to say she couldn’t help and it wasn’t her problem…. So I pay for warranty which is a waste, now have to pay for work transport as the courtesy car I was promised is non existence and not a single apology just well we have lots of paying customers and can’t help everyone.

Terrible customer service (non-existent) and it wasn’t great even when trying to work with sales!
No support for car service such as collection and delivery - not helpful for those working.
I now regret buying a Ford at all.