Big Motoring World - Peterborough Reviews 

Bought a 2019 BMW 530e from the Peterborough branch in February 2025. Unfortunately, my experience has made me seriously question Big Motoring World’s claims about its vehicle inspections.
Their website says every car passes a “rigorous, RAC-approved 200-point inspection” and that customers can “drive away with total confidence.”

Before buying, we specifically asked about the hybrid battery health and were told they had no such data and that the battery was healthy.

Once we started charging the car, we discovered that a full charge was giving us only around 4 miles of electric range, despite the car being a 2019 model and having had a claimed comprehensive inspection.

We immediately raised this with Big Motoring World under their 90-day protection.

Their service centre subsequently tested the battery and, according to their own email, the battery initially showed 84% capacity.

Their email also stated that their dealer considers 80% or less to be the threshold that triggers further investigation of the high-voltage battery.

They carried out their procedures, including three road tests from full charge through to fully discharged and recharged, and ultimately told us that the battery cells were all OK.

The result?

The car was now showing approximately 19 miles of range.

So we went from approximately 4 miles, to around 19 miles after their intervention — still nowhere near the roughly 30 miles of electric range expected when the car was new.

And this is the part I find particularly difficult to reconcile:

How does a HYBRID vehicle get advertised as having undergone a rigorous 200-point inspection end up with a hybrid battery providing only 4 miles of electric range, without this being identified or disclosed before purchase?

More importantly, why were we told before purchase that they had no battery-health data available, when their own service centre was subsequently able to produce an exact battery-capacity figure of 84%?

I am not claiming to know why the battery was recorded at 84%, but as a customer, the situation raises obvious questions about the consistency and transparency of the information provided before and after the sale.

They also kept the car for approximately three weeks while investigating/fixing the issue. No courtesy car was provided, leaving us dependent on public transport to reach their distant service centre.

And the battery wasn't the only issue.

The emergency SOS battery was also faulty and had to be replaced.

Again, how does a car supposedly pass a rigorous 200-point inspection where “every detail is thoroughly checked” while having a faulty emergency system?

Then there was the rear wheel.

From the day we bought the car, one of the rear tyres was consistently losing pressure faster than the others. Eventually the problem became worse and we had it properly inspected.

We discovered that the wheel was cracked and had previously been welded.

The weld was gradually failing, which explained the tyre losing pressure.

This is particularly concerning when Big Motoring World specifically promotes extensive inspection of the vehicle, including wheels and brakes.

If a wheel had previously been welded and was already losing pressure, how did that make it through their supposedly comprehensive inspection?

We were also sold additional products including tyre & alloy protection, surface protection and other extras. They sounded very reassuring during the sales process, but when actual problems occurred, the exclusions, limitations and third-party processes made them far less useful than they appeared when being sold.

I don't expect a five-year-old used BMW to be perfect. Used cars can have problems.

What I do expect from a major professional dealership is that when it repeatedly promises “total confidence,” “peace of mind,” and a “rigorous, RAC-approved 200-point inspection,” those promises should actually mean something.

For me, the biggest issue is not that a used BMW had problems. It is the disconnect between the “rigorous 200-point inspection” and the condition of the car we actually received.

If you are considering buying a hybrid/PHEV from Big Motoring World, I would strongly recommend independently checking the high-voltage battery capacity, actual electric range, wheels and tyres before handing over your money.

Big Motoring World sells confidence and peace of mind. My experience delivered neither.

I would not buy from Big Motoring World again, and I would not recommend them based on my experience.

We waited over four hours to collect our car.
Paperwork was not correct and we were told to take a V62 form to a post office to get the tax and a new V5c form.
Previous owners name was crossed out by your advisor on the old V5c. Also your advisor put the reason for not having a correct V5c was that it was an auction car which was news to us! We do not know who the previous owner was. They were happy we drove home with no tax!

Having booked an appointment to look at a specific car, we ended up waiting in reception for about 20 minutes. Having examined the vehicle we expected a test drive only to be told we hadn’t booked one.
I do not understand how you think you can sell and drive away on the same visit if you cannot even provide a test drive after having booked a visit, and come with the appropriate documents. Seriously disappointing.

This is the 4th time I've purchased a car through Big Motoring World because it's so easy and straightforward with these guys. They have a huge selection of cars and excellent after sales support. The staff are super helpful and explained everything very well. My salesman on this occasion, Karim, was brilliant. The extended warranty they offer is worth taking a look at.

Don’t trust the sales people at big motoring world i was told so many lies
Got a car from them and within 2 days a management light came on the dashboard it’s been a nightmare from the start to sort it out with them I was told they would buy it back off me at a discounted price as now it’s got another owner on the log book also when iv tried to get any help to get it fixed they push you to a extended warranty that’s costing £2000 remaining that they do a 200 point inspection and on the back page the final check is check and clear fault codes so you would not know if the car has any issues your not shown any paperwork on the car till you have signed up and your picking up the car we was also told that there is no excess on the warranty you have so many restrictions on it I’ll be lucky if I can get you issue fixed with out costing me more money it’s all highway robbery on the prices and no body gets back to you about the problem your left to do any chasing the Iv was told I’d get a better return on my car if I had the car paint protected on it that’s the same gear on amazon for £50 and they charge over £600 for and it’s not even being done properly there is so many issues with this company im afraid this is the tip of the iceberg
Don’t trust anyone I was told so many lies also they have a lots of cars that
Have got recall on them that they are not doing before they put them up for sale hope that the truth about this company helps you find a better place to buy your car from because Iv got bipolar and a brain injury my son will be dealing the issue because of the bully boy attitude of your Peterborough sales Manager he will be in touch

Friendly staff, happy with our purchase but the process took over 3 hours which is horrendous on a hot day.
You sit and wait around for so many different departments to sort stuff rather than one person. It took an hour to wait and go for a test drive and then over two hours to sign paperwork/get keys etc.

Great service with very helpful and informative staff

⭐ 1/5

Very disappointing experience with the extended warranty sold by Big Motoring World.

When I purchased my Mercedes from Big Motoring World, I paid approximately £1,800 for a 3-year extended warranty.

At the point of sale, the warranty was presented to me as very comprehensive protection. My clear recollection is that I was told it provided effectively “bumper-to-bumper” cover and that if the failure of one component caused damage to associated components, those repairs would also be covered.

These assurances were an important reason why I agreed to spend £1,800 on the warranty.

Unfortunately, when I actually needed to make a claim, my experience was completely different.

My Mercedes developed an AdBlue system fault. The diagnostic report specifically states:

“Tested AdBlue injector and found it to be leaking.”

The report then identified crystallisation affecting other components following the AdBlue leak.

My warranty claim was declined because the policy apparently excludes crystallisation build-up and consequential damage.

However, the rejection did not explain why the leaking AdBlue injector itself was not covered.

This is particularly difficult for me to understand because my Inspect and Repair Plan states:

“All mechanical and electrical parts are included for failure to perform their normal function on the vehicle.”

I submitted a detailed formal complaint on 14 July 2026, specifically asking the warranty provider to identify the exact policy clause excluding the leaking AdBlue injector and to explain the technical basis for declining this part of the claim.

More than four weeks later, I still have no substantive written response.

I have contacted Customer Service several times. I was repeatedly told that my complaint had been passed to the Complaints Department. On 4 August, I was specifically told that I should receive a response within 3–5 days. That timeframe has also passed without a substantive response.

I have now formally contacted Big Motoring World directly, as they sold me this 3-year warranty and it was their staff who explained its benefits to me at the point of sale.

For £1,800, I expected not only meaningful warranty protection but also proper assistance when something actually went wrong.

Based on my experience so far, I cannot recommend purchasing the extended warranty offered with a vehicle from Big Motoring World.

I am giving Big Motoring World the opportunity to investigate this matter and assist in resolving it.

I will update this review publicly with the outcome — whether the matter is resolved or not.

From the outset, I need to explain, I really, really dislike buying a replacement car. Always have. The site in Peterborough is very smart and modern. Getting in is a bit of a challenge, walking through a high wire fenced tunnel! Ever person I had to speak to, I think it was 4, all very pleasant, and yes I did sign a deal.

Initial sales staff member was super helpful and informative, really went the extra mile to make a deal work for us!
Other members of the team were super attentive, checking in to see if we needed anything during our wait times.
We were however disappointed with the handover of the vehicle. After being told that it was going to be valeted and having the protective coating applied the vehicle was presented to us covered in swirl marks, with water marks, bird poo on it still and dirty wheels. When this was flagged with the member of the team handing the vehicle over he seemed irritated that we’d noticed it and that we wanted the details seen too before leaving. I had to send the vehicle back twice and even after that cleaned some of the marks off myself. It was a very underwhelming end to what had been a really positive experience so far.

I bought an MG ZS at the Peterborough branch on 10th May 2026. I paid cash on my debit card, I had taken out a bank loan and was very excited to get a new car. As soon as I drove the car away I noticed the clutch was creaking, I reported it within an hour of leaving the dealership and was told to call the warranty company, I did this and they told me in no uncertain terms that this was a dealership issue and a pre-existing fault. Thereafter came days and weeks of being passed around before they eventually booked me a garage appointment on 16th June. I took the morning off work to take the car in but when I arrived at the garage I was turned away as the appointment had been cancelled between the garage and Big Motoring World, no one had bothered to tell me. The garage said the car needed to go to an MG dealership, something Big Motoring World stress not to do as they can be more expensive. When I contacted Big Motoring World to tell them the appointment had been cancelled, they confirmed this was the case and to take the car to a garage myself. I eventually went to a reputable MG garage and had the clutch sorted out and paid myself. I did ask Big MW for a refund but they did not even respond. A few weeks later an engine warning light came on, I called the warranty and they said take it to a garage and get a diagnostic test. I did this and paid for two independent diagnostic tests and reports which showed the same faults and included a serious engine fault. I was told not to drive the car and to take it back to where I had got it from. Needless to say Big MW do not want to know. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 I requested a refund from Big MW via a Right to Reject Letter, they refused and told me to take the car to a garage and pay for the engine to be stripped down, photographed and send them the outcome and they will 'consider' my claim. Which is rich considering they have sold me a car with a serious engine fault, yet are expecting me to incur yet more expense myself. They will not help in any way. I declined to do this in a Rebuttal letter. They missed the deadline I set so I have started a chargeback claim with my bank, I will also reserve the right to claim the cost of the car, plus my expenses via the courts, Luckily I have kept a clear record of all communications and transactions. I have had to take out a small second loan to fund alternative transport (I live in a village 14 miles from work with no bus service provision) to tide me over whilst the MG is off the road and whilst this case is being resolved, this is in addition to the garage costs already incurred. I am also paying £191.00 per month for the loan I used to purchase the car, whilst the car is just sitting on my drive. I live on my own, have no use of a second car and have had to fund all of this myself, it is totally unfair, they have sold me a car that is below the standard required while I continue to incur more costs and debt. In addition I have discovered that there is a stocking finance recorded against the vehicle (Black Horse Ltd) and have asked whether this was settled in full and that unencumbered title passed to me at the point of sale but not surprisingly Big MW have not responded. Please, please think carefully before purchasing from this company, all of the above is the reality of my situation and could be yours, so if you do buy make sure you have additional funds available or you may end up with more debt just like me.

Looked at a car on Saturday agreed to buy it as long as some work was completed before purchase. Sales person apparently checked with manager answer yes we can do that. Told can't complete as late in day come back tomorrow. So Sunday drive the hour plus to get there. Then because we didn't want to buy their really expensive warranty as we had found a comparable one at half the price, we were told then they would not do the work agreed on Saturday !
So that was the end of the sale as could not trust them as they back peddled on what was agreed on our first visit.
All in all a total waste of time

Came in Peterborough branch today to have a look at vehicle I'd reserved. Denzil showed me around the car and came on the test drive with me.very knowledgeable chap .he went through all the paperwork filling with me to put through to finance dept so I could aqiure the car all the other staff were helpful too.

Bought a car from Big Motoring World Peterborough on 20th June using cash and a part-exchange. Just 25 days later, on 15th July, I took the car to Mercedes-Benz for a manufacturer recall that Big Motoring World told me to book. During the inspection, Mercedes issued an official safety advisory because the front brake discs have pre-existing heat damage.
Big Motoring World is refusing to fix this defect. In their final response, they admitted the heat damage exists but claimed it is "not a safety issue" and meets basic MOT. I believe selling a vehicle with pre-existing structural heat damage to critical braking components is a clear breach of "satisfactory quality," regardless of what they claim.
Because they refuse to take responsibility for selling a car with a pre existing fault , I have now formally escalated this dispute and submitted my complaint to the Ombudsman. I feel like they've just taken my money and ran. Avoid this dealership if you value your consumer rights and you're looking for after-sales care. I would give zero stars if I could.

Car had a suspension failure after 2 months, and despite providing them with literal legal guidance from Citizens Advice that stated the fault lay with them as the car was within 3 months of sale, they refused to pay out for repairs.

They also mis-sold tyre protection. We asked if it covered general wear and tear, and the salesperson stated 'you get 5 new tyres under this policy' whilst failing to actual tell us wear and tear isn't covered.

Would never use them again, awful company. Sold us a dangerous car, and mis-sold tyre protection. Del Boy would be proud of them, but everyone else should steer clear.

This was a satisfactory outcome, which took considerable time to resolve, even though being carried out by the main dealers. Big Motoring World listened to the report of issues found and acted appropriately and in a timely manner. The team were professional and polite.

I would not recommend purchasing the tyre, alloy wheel, or extended warranty cover offered by Peterborough Motoring World.

When we bought our car, we were told the policy would cover up to four Michelin tyre replacements and repairs to damaged alloy wheels. However, what was not clearly explained was how difficult and restrictive the claims process actually is! Motoring World did not explain that the tyre and alloy wheel warranty does not cover normal wear and tear. They simply told us that we could have up to four tyres replaced, without clearly explaining the terms, conditions, or what was actually covered. We only discovered the limitations when we tried to make a claim.

After one of our tyres was punctured, we discovered that claims can only be made Monday to Friday between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. You must first take photographs, submit a claim, then drive to a VAT-registered tyre garage. Once you arrive, you have to call the warranty company while you’re there so they can speak directly with the garage before deciding whether they will approve the claim and pay for the tyre.

This process is extremely inconvenient, especially if your tyre is damaged outside normal working hours or you need an urgent repair. None of these important conditions were properly explained when the policy was sold to us. Taking our money was easy, but making a claim has been anything but hassle.

If you’re considering buying a car from Peterborough Motoring World, I would strongly recommend reading all the small print before purchasing any additional cover. Based on my experience, I would not buy the tyre, alloy wheel, or extended warranty again.

Our experience was made as stress free as possible the process from start to finish was so smooth and easy, our salesman was Kai, and he is truly an asset to your company. Very understanding, helpful and most of all a great people person. The main reason we purchased our new car with you guys is because of Kai. He found us our dream car at such a great price. Kai thank you so much for helping us find our new family car!!

I recently purchased a Nissan Ariya from the Peterborough branch of Big Motoring World. I must say from my first appointment right through to picking up the car was a very good experience throughout. We started with an appointment with Cean who I must was very professional and delivered excellent customer service. I would not hesitate in recommending this company to anyone buying a new car.

I am writing this to warn people to avoid this company.

We purchased a Skoda ENYAQ from Big Motoring World in Peterborough on the 21st June 2026.

On the way home, we noticed the suspension has collapsed on the rear offside.

A couple of days later, we then noticed the air con was not working as it should.

The regen braking system also is intermittent along with the drivers door opening too wide causing issues.

We have approached them via email, phone and were told to claim on the extended warranty. This is in breach of the consumer act.

I would avoid this company if you are putting your children in these cars.

Also, don't ever take out their warranty. This was pressured onto us by both the finance team and the salesman, quoting that the warranty will pay for dealership repairs. It doesn't.

Its such a shame, as the car was what we needed. We are now having the headache of trading standards and the finance company.

They are not passionate about their customers once they buy a vehicle. They don't look after you as they should and they leave you in the lurch.

In regards to your response, you can check your emails to big assist. They are all laid out in the emails I sent. But they have been ignored. Emails were sent on the 25th June then ignored. Then again on the 14th July. Again, not answered.