Essex Auto Group Reviews 1,059

Booking price given was wrong, checking price was nearly double, rude staff, poor communication, during service broke the vehicle likely due to heavy handed rushed work and they didn’t admit until asked. Paperwork and price wrong at collection. I would give zero stars if I could. I won’t be returning and will shout from rooftops that people should avoid.
This all needs to drastically improve or you will tarnish the Ford brand. I can’t imagine you get any return customers.

Drove from Somerset 3.5 hours to view a car although listed as silver by delayed was not it was blue/silver, shoddy wheels shoddy inside. Lost £500 reservation fee. You need to be accurate with your description because photos and description was misleading. Wouldn't touch them

How are customers supposed to get parked at fords dealership in rayleigh essex having been told by one of there employers that i would just have park my car in front of a car as there was not any spaces and it has been like it ever since the kent elms dealership close down a year ago

Frustration!!!!
Just called Dunton Ford. No one answers the online trued all the extensions.service dept is in a loop answering telling you to book online. New cars, new trucks etc just rings and rings. Spent my 30 mins lunch break trying to get through. Spoke to a Nigel who says they were busy so he put me through only to have the same experience as before, the phone just rings. Other companies have a pre recorded message saying ‘thank you for your call it is important to us’ and politely ask you to wait someone will be you ASAP. But not with this company. So I give them 1 star as to spend all that time trying to get through to the service dept it is unacceptable in this day and age. Perhaps put a voice message on informing you if the situation and the number your place is in the queue. Just a thought to pacify your customers in a limited time span 30 mins to book in a service? Not impressed today. ☹️☹️☹️☹️

Really pleased with my recent purchase of a Kia EV6 I bought from Kia Southend. Took less than a month from ordering the car to taking delivery. Really appreciated approach taken by Sales Rep Thomas Richards. Very helpful in sorting out what I wanted in an efficient and friendly manner.

Booked my Kuga in for a 2 year/18,000 mile service on Friday which included an oil change. I might add that previously they had the vehicle in for 3 months when it was only 3 months old and couldn't repair the fault of a draining battery. This was identified by the AA on a breakdown call out as a faulty battery and replaced with a Bosch battery which has been fine since. My wife also has an Ecosport and being aware of the issues with the wet belts on these engines, I asked that they check the condition of the wet belt and was told they can't check it on a recent service we had with them. You'd think I was mad to trust them again, but unfortunately I did. Having picked up my Kuga on Friday, 3 days later an oil life warning of 5% came up on the instrument screen and when I checked the oil, it was completely black showing that the oil hadn't been changed although it was itemised on the bill. Despite several phone calls and not being able to get through to them, I intend calling in person tomorrow to get the job finished properly. Three times of using them, I have had a problem each time. I'd advise others to avoid the Dunton service dept. like the plague. I'd rather go to an independent service company but warranty conditions prevent this.

Since January this year, 2024, there appears to have been a vast improvement in customer service and customer focus at the Kent Elms branch of Essex Auto Group.
Since January both mine and my wife's Kias have been in twice each and on all four occasions, we have experienced much better service from the customer service reps, most recently from a relatively new rep Josh Taylor.
We have been dealt with professionally on these recent visits and found the reps helpful and pleasant.
Whatever has been done to improve the service, it is really working and making our visits more pleasant and effective.

Well, firstly I ordered the wrong Cap for My hubby's car, I feel such an idiot! Especially when Lucy has been so marvellous!( Oh glad you liked Tiger Lily 🐅 Lucy! )
But I rang Essex Ford, and was answered promptly by a very nice man who was very kind and helpful, and said he had a brake and clutch fluid cap on the shelf so we shot back and got it exchanged with no problem at all, I cannot Praise them Highly enough! What a wonderful bunch of people! Blow a 5 star rating these people deserve a 10 star rating, Thankyou to you all, esp Lucy, who it was lovely to meet! Love Diana x

I took my b max in for diagnosis,was informed that the car needed new fuel pipes,spill pipes and injector seals etc. my own mechanic didnt agree but spent a day removing and refitting all these parts and lo and behold it made absolutely no difference. now out of pocket by a few hundred quid and with the same problem still.. my mechanic took a look himself and fixed the problem within 5 minutes using just a couple of self tapping screws. avoid like the plague, their mechanics are clueless.

Poor service from Approved Used Ford Rayleigh.

Failed to tell my about the whole underneath trim was all ripped apart as well as heat shields.

The receptionist tried to say I had to pay for it, even though I found it was reported on a previous service record.

After 2 weeks of complaining I eventually threw my consumer rights at them and they finally fixed it free of charge.

Beware, Rayleigh Ford Services is a Scam!

I took my car for a diagnostic which costed me nearly £375 just to be told I have to change the engine at a cost of £ 5 000.

I took my car straight away from the Rayleigh Ford Services to an experienced mechanic, the final cost of repair was £20 oil, £160 parts and £250 labour.

I will never go back to Ford or recommend to anyone.

Looking to spend on a new car but no interaction whatsoever.
What a shame. We walked around for 40 minutes without anyone coming to ask if we neded any assistance.

So had a whistling noise on my Ranger 2019 when I accelerated sounded like Turbo issue,then engine warning light came on phoned AA and he said not to drive it and they relayed it into Dunton,they phoned last Friday said its all done you can pick it up, I asked what had been done they said we cleared the waring light all ok, I asked what about the Turbo from which I had left a big note under the bonnet stating oil leak with an arrow pointing to it, I was put on hold then said they would call me back which was over a week ago, I got a call this morning saying my warranty won't cover as its only the Turbo Pipe split and have to order one, absolutely shocking you cannot get through on the phone at all just goes to answer phone, I've only just got it back from having new Gearbox Fitted which took 5 weeks...The only way I can contact is to go through Ford UK and report from which you get a case number..so almost 3 weeks for just a split Pipe.......

Essex Ford Basildon. Booked my car in to have the air bag replaced under a recall. Dropped off and book in no problem and received a call a few hours later to say the work had been completed. Went to collect my car from the car park and it was not where they said it was. After hunting round in the rain I found it about 5 minutes later. Shortly after leaving I found my cruise control not to be working (Working fine on drop off). I took it straight back and a technician had a look at it. They could not fix it and it had to be booked in for a diagnostic. On the way home I heard a rattling from behind the air bag. Upon closer inspection the air bag had not been put back on properly and was loose with one of the clips loose behind the airbag. Back to Allen Fords for the third time to get it repaired again. After taking it back a few days later for the forth time the cruise control was repaired but has not been working 100%. I have now decided to get it repaired myself as I have no faith in Essex Ford to repair it.

Took my Transit custom 2017 to Laindon Dunton for it MOT as I did the previous year and they failed it on a stone chip that had been there for 4 years, it hadn’t got any bigger as I’d had it sealed when it happened, they passed it last year just wrote down as an advisory, it fits inside a 5pence piece 😡😡😡😡😡
Won’t be using them again!!!!!!

Had my van serviced. They would not listen to me when I asked them to look again at MOT vaults they found. They are here to make big money from the customer. £1300 it cost me as they knew I needed the MOT. Van left in a messy state, they are supposed to valet it at the end. They did nothing.

I visited the Ford Service Area at Essex Auto Group, Kent Elms, Southend, having damaged and broken the near side door mirror on my car. I was greeted by Amanda Crisp, who checked the damage. Amanda ordered the door mirror saying it would be received the following day and be ready for fitment. The following day Danielle Crisp at the Service Bay arranged for it to be fitted by an Engineer. He also kindly offered to clean the casing to remove black marks. In all, first class, prompt, attention to the issue was given. Thank you to Essex Auto Group for acting promptly. Keep up the good work!

Sadly we came to Kent Elms on clearly the wrong day. We wanted to look at a Kia. The chap that came out just couldn't be more rude or less helpful if he tried. His whole demeanor was one of rather being anywhere else than there at that moment. After being largely ignored we persisted as we were really interested in the car so we tried to get a test drive. The process took ages at the end of which he shut my partner's driving licence in a drawer, even after getting all the details and a photocopy, when we queried that, and asked for it back, he threw the driving licence at her. That was the last straw, we had to leave. He made us feel like 3rd class citizens even though we had the cash to pay for the car in question. Not only has it put us off Essex Auto Group its put us off getting another Kia in general (we already have one) the Toomey Peugeot dealer seemed really friendly in comparison.

My experience at Rayleigh transit centre was fantastic
Jamie Blundell done so much for me from the start
Always on the phone straight away without any hesitation and due to my circumstance he went above and beyond to help me out with what was right for me great service and would highly recommend to any one

Just dealt with Steve in Southend. Couldn't have been more helpful. . Thanks
Tony Hutton