Formula One Autocentres - Bolton Reviews 

MOT slot booked and paid for using the F1 Autocentre on-line services three days prior to the MOT (Bolton). I spoke with the manager on the morning of the MOT to make sure all was in order for the arranged slot. When I turned up for the MOT I was told that the vehicle has not been booked in and an alternative date would now have to be selected !
I consequently found another MOT Test Center that would accommodate me on the day. This is a unreliable, unacceptable and unprofessional service by F1 Autocentres that cost me time and expense.

Avoid at all costs !!! Ruined my car, fitted the wrong size part, car was declared unsafe for road use by the manufacturer, these cowboys dragged it out taking responsibility and left a disabled person (which they knew) without a car for weeks on end, after they were told it was unsafe for the road they wanted me to drive it 30 mins to another location to be looked at, they malfunctioned the keyless system which they knew because they had to show me how to start it with a faulty system, ripped off a part underneath and cable tied the remaining part on and said this would pass an MOT if they did it, several occasions they told me my car was safe drop it off after hours and post the keys, their cameras are fake which they admitted in email after I requested cctv to be reviewed of them wiping the key system, all admitted in email that they lied, they’ve also lied to ombudsman ! Time to find a solicitor!! Avoid at all costs, they don’t care about customers

REPLY - motoring ombudsman favoured the garage because they cannot get involved in your extremely poor service leaving a disabled person with no car and allowing them to drive away with a wrong part and loose wheel ! Disgusting you’re happy with that

An unplanned visit this morning for wheel realignment so chanced an early appointment. All team friendly and courteous. I was acknowledged straight away and told would be with me in few minutes as he was on phone. Delighted to be fitted in while I waited and all resolved. The way team talks to all customers is reassuring and knowledgeable. Thank you.

Really, poor quality work.

Ordered and paid for 2 Bridgestone tyres online and attended my appointment to have them fitted. Part way home I stopped to run an errand. After I returned to my vehicle, I discovered they had fitted 2 budget tyres instead of what I ordered and paid for on their website.

The only redeeming factor was when I went to complain, they did then fit the correct tyres claiming that the technician misread the work order. Although they then inflated them to 3 bar of pressure, where on my vehicle, on the axle they were put on only requires 1.8 bar, 1.2 bar over inflated.

They also advised that my front brake discs were badly warped. Upon getting another garage to check the front brakes, I was told there was no issues with either the brake pads or discs.

Great servic, went above and beyond to get mycar passed its mot.

Had a scraping sound @ the rear of my daughters car who's about to give birth soon. Our local dealer couldn't look at it for at least 2 weeks having staff off. Due to my daughters circumstances needing the car for appointments, Formula One Autocentres - Bolton booked the car in @ short notice diagnosed the problem, new discs & brake pads all around & other bits. Exceptional Service, were really helpful and gave good honest advice. I would have no hesitation in recommending or using again. Thank you again!

Not often you write a review after getting a puncture!

The Centre manager in Bolton needs a big shout out, really helpful, knowledgeable, supportive and a genuinely nice bloke.

Turned up 20 mins before opening with a tyre full of gloppy tyre weld, he looked at the issue, gave me advice that I was Ok for a while as I didn't have too far to travel and they had run out of puncture kits last night and come back later as the order would be in. Fixed later at a very reasonable price and had a really nice chat along the way. Didn't catch his name but great customer service and a brilliant ambassador for the business.

Bolton Manchester road
Terrible experience spent £700 for new back brakes and discs and hand brake cable replacement, after 6 months had to have the work re completed again as the brakes wore out and damaged the brake discs. Could of been avoided as if I was notified at the time that the calipers were showing signs of wear and need replacing would not be in a position now where I have just spent another £500 to get the work carried out by an independent garage who have replaced all new parts discs, pads and two new calipers, the car feels totally different from when the work was originally completed by formula one garage which says to me that the mechanic was incompetent. I did take it back and as there was still a grinding noise coming from the back to be told it was imbedding in, more like it was not completed correctly in the first instance and the centre console was not seated correctly had to take it back to get this corrected. Took it back to advise the work that was carried out 6 months ago has caused the brake to wear out completely and was told it was caused by the calipers this should of been checked and advised at the time and wasn’t
Feel ripped off and will not recommend or return
The morale of the story is a big difference in price and workmanship
The operations manager contacted and in his defence he actually listened to me and understood what I was saying compensated me for the inconvenience
Thank you 🙏

DO NOT EVER USE ANY OF THEIR GARAGES!!! I was quoted £2000 to have a full exhaust system replaced because of flexi pipe blow i was informed that due to the split flexi pipe it would all need replacing the the flexi pipe alone would cost £1200 just for that part alone i had my son with me he cried all the way home luckily i have friends and one of them is a mechanic he has fixed my exhaust for £270 how can you justify charging me £2000 for a 11 year vauxhall astra GTC your excuse being its a fast car in the end i just needed flexi pipe changing not the whole exhaust!

EDIT 6/11/2023
I have sent details you need as for investigating you can contact me and explain why you tried to rip me off i will look forward to your phone call i wont letting this drop!! The person that gave me the quote is your assistant manager

Edit: This was never investigated or any contact made to explain why you felt the need the try and steal £2000 for something i didnt need!!

I have been to this garage with different cars and problems over the last 3-5 years and they have been consistently honest and reliable. Really friendly professional service. My partner just had her MOT done under my recommendation and was really impressed.
I’ve had tyres and brakes done here and the guys have been great. I am clueless when it comes to cars and have been ripped off elsewhere. The people in this garage have spent the time to explain what work needed doing (if any) and why and were upfront with the associated costs. A really refreshing and assuring experience all round - I would definitely recommend and come back for work to any of my cars.

The gentlemen from the Bolton branch definitely get 5 stars. They were polite and very helpful. Old fashioned customer service at its best, a refreshing change as this is very hard to come by these days.

They can't do basic things like wheel balancing. Wrong weights, black aluminum wheels damaged inside because they don't use protection when changing tires.
They told me that the air conditioning was not working properly and tried to charge me for additional costs - £150.
The authorized dealer did not find any fault.
The air conditioning cleaning service was not completed. Instead I received a spray with an instruction manual. They charged me for that £19,99 although the spray costs £3.59 in Euro Car Parts. They convinced me it was a great deal!
They get into the car dirty, do not secure the seats, put their dirty hands on the steering wheel...🤦🏻‍♂️
They dirty the whole car inside, dirty fingerprints everywhere!
I paid £80 for the wheel alignment, but I doubt if it was done at all because I didn't get any confirmation or chart that it was wrong. So far, I have not received an invoice for the "performed" service.
The manager ignores my complaints or does not respond to messages at all.
Do not trust them, avoid them like the plague! You will buy cheaper tires, but in the end it will cost you twice!
On 22/08/2023, the main manager rang me, apologized for the situation and promised a refund.
I have not received a refund to date.
Instead I received the following e-mail on 29/08/2023:

"Hi mr Jablonski,
Thank you for your kind words, unfortunately for you we are legally owed the opportunity to rectify any issues and considering I have not given you authority for someone else to correct it I will not be refunding you anything.

Your pictures don’t actually clarify anything either.

Have a great day.

Thanks & Regards,

Daryl Burton
Area Manager N5"

30/08/2023 - Finally, I have received refund.

DO NOT GO HERE FOR TYRES, CHEAP FOR A REASON - had 4 new tyres fitted and balanced, wheels weren’t balanced right, bad vibration on the motorway. Took it back, rebalanced and the problem was still there. Took it back again, recommended I needed wheel alignment for £65. Problem was still there. Took it to another garage, they said the wheel balancing was way off. Paid £36 for wheel balancing which F1 refunded to me. They had also overtightened one wheel so the garage couldn’t get it off. Went back to F1, he said he loosened it. Other garage still couldn’t get it off. Went back to F1 for the fourth time, he couldn’t get it off and said I needed a new locking wheel nut set as it had been chewed up when the other garage tried to get it off as F1 had put it on so tight. Went to the main dealer who also struggled to get it off and confirmed the wheel was on too tight. Paid for a new locking wheel nut set to be fitted for £130, so I spent £195 more than I should have done if they balanced the wheels right first time. Customer service is non-existent. Area manager wouldn’t acknowledge that they put it on too tight and blamed the other garage for ruining the locking wheel nut in trying to loosen it, when the problem was caused by F1 in the first place. Don’t waste your time and money.

Absolutely shocking!! Quoted three times the amount it was for the same job at another reputable garage. Shall never return.

Shocking experience went for a service fitted in the wrong oil filter and then couldn’t figure out why the oil light was on, had to take to another garage to rectify. Avoid at all cost

Josh and his staff at F1 Manchester Road Bolton were brilliant. I had a new spring and tyre fitted and I was kept informed all the time and the cost was very reasonable. I would definitely recommend them.

Paul was incredibly knowledgeable, honest and helpful! He took the time to explain what was wrong with my car in a way which was understandable to me, which as a young female I valued rather than the dismissive tone and attempting to take advantage, I've experienced elsewhere. I will be bringing my car here for any and all future works.

Great service and friendly, helpful manager 👍

Really good. I’m happy with the service and MOT. The cost was good and the level of communication was also good. Had to wait a bit during the pick up as it was quite busy but otherwise very good and I’d use again next year.

I called at the Bolton branch without an appointment because I had a nail in one of the car's tyres and they looked at it within a few minutes. They repaired it at a reasonable price and I was on my way in less than 30 minutes. I was very impressed.