Formula One Autocentres - Harlow Reviews 

F1 Regas completed, by the afternoon not working. Contacted them as soon as, took it back the next day. Another 2 hour wait, while they again vacuum tested for a second time (that’s 3.5 hours + sat in the waiting room). They said the condenser had been hit by a stone, not that they can even see the condenser. I have no gas, and paid for the privilege, refund refused and AC still not working. I think it is more likely a fault elsewhere in the system probably electrical. Charlatans beware.

Well after further discussions they have done the magnanimous thing and issued a full refund, credit where credit is due.

I would like to single out Reece at the Harlow branch for his very polite and helpful approach, something you do not get everywhere these days.
Thank you Reece!

After being quoted over £700 by the main dealer Ford Gates in Harlow inquired with Formula One and came to the conclusion that it was unnecessary for all that work to be taken place

I can highly recommend and thank the team at Harlow Formula One garage as the customer service was 2nd to none, especially with Carl assisting me through the whole process and he’s honesty, thank you Formula One for saving me over 50% of what I would’ve paid out through the main dealer

Highly recommend these guys

Harlow centre last Friday. I had a back drivers rear puncture (a nail or screw near the middle of the tyre)and was recommended to go to the Harlow branch by a friend. Arrived at 10.50am and was told that they will fit me in around 30 minute wait and to wait in their waiting room. At 12.10pm I went out to the front desk to get an update where someone was talking to another customer. The gentleman who originally booked me in walked in and out of the office 3 times talking on the phone and didn't even acknowledge my presence while the others gentleman was having a conversation with the other customer which was just small talk. Both ignored my presence. After approximately 6 minutes the other customer left and the gentleman that was on the counter (who said he was the manager to the previous customer) spoke to me. I asked about the progress and was told "oh yes, the person that booked you in didn't realise there was another job booked and we don't push people's appointments. I replied ok but couldn't someone come and explain that to me? The reply was- yes I'm sorry about that we are taking it in now if the punctureis fixable we will do it free of charge. I replied thats fair enough, very nice of you, its just that i need to go to work at 1pm At that point they pull the car in. Fine. They ask me to take a seat again which I do. 5 minutes later, around 12.22pm the gentleman comes in and says it can't be repaired (surprise, surprise) you need a new tire. It should be £130 but ill do it for £90 I reply fine,do it I just need to get to work on time. I sit there until 12.50pm and then decide to go see what's going on because I obviously need to get to work. My car is sitting outside with a new tire. (Of course we all know how quickly they can change a tire) the tyre fitted was a £90 tire anyway so was not a real discount. In essence the customer service was absolutely dreadful and at no point was I made to feel like a valued customer in fact just the opposite where they didn't even bother to come and get me once the tire had been fitted. After paying. I sat in the car at 12.58pm making me late for work. A terrible experience and I (or the friend that recommended them) will ever use you again. It looks like someone needs to sort out the customer service in that branch, as there are quite a few bad experiences in your reviews.when I spend my hard earned money, I want to feeled valued and like I have been genuinely helped which is very far from what I experienced. I drove away very unhappy and feeling like I was actually mugged off. Will use others who value my custom going forward.

ÉP.
Centre to avoid at all costs. No respect for the customer or their consent.
The Formula One Autocentre in Harlow forced me to pay £245 for a so-called full service, when in reality they only changed the oil filter and air filter, and added 5 litres of oil. This is clearly excessive. The car was with them from 8h50 am to 5.05 pm. And my car was still not ready to be collected.

Even worse, they were supposed to provide a quote for the repair of my broken lights, etc. They called to give me a quote of £1889.40 (excluding VAT) for additional work (brakes, lights, and other alleged issues). With the £245 service added, the total came to £2562.28. But it was to be paid only if I agreed and nothing should be done without my consent. They called after many calls and promised to find a financial solution after asking me to pay the full amount. Faced with such an amount and no payment options offered, I did not give my consent.

Despite this, they went ahead and carried out the "full service" without my approval. I have the feeling when they asked me to wait a third time to wait on the phone but none answers. I had to insist to tel I was coming to collect my car and find another garage to fix all the issues they said were mandatory.
This is the third time I have experienced this kind of issue with Formula One Autocentres. A very disappointing experience and a complete lack of professionalism.

Dealt with the new manager at Harlow who was polite, helpful and knew his subject. I had a successful tyre change.

Disappointing experience. I have been a loyal customer for years at the Hertford branch with no issues. Having moved I recently had my car serviced/mot at the Harlow branch. After a month I noticed an oil leak and upon opening the bonnet saw that the air filter lid had only been half clipped back on following the service/filter replacement. I then took the car to my local garage to be told the leak was causes by a poorly fitted sump plug again as part of the service/oil change. I paid for my local garage to replace it and then contacted formula1 to report this. I was then contacted by the area manager and told legally they don’t have to do anything and what I should have done was take it to them to be inspected and repaired. So the expectation is once I knew what the issue was I was to get the garage to get the car off the ramp, for me to go home and contact customer services and await up to three working days for someone to contact me back to then be told to have to bring it to formula 1 garage for it to be inspected all the time still with the leak?

I have now been offered £20 to cover the price of the sump plug but they have declined to cover the labour costs and offered me a £40 voucher for my returning custom. I have declined this, due to the two issues I have discovered my confidence in their ability has gone and I shall not be returning. Overall I am disappointed in the initial quality of workmanship and then the following involvement with customer services.

When I book for new tyres to be fitted at an arranged time I don’t appreciate being told at 9am that they are running 45 minutes behind schedule! What is the point of booking a time?
The waiting room had no heating and its 5 degrees, luckily I found the plug and turned it on. There were discarded drink cans and bottles left from the previous day. Not a good customer experience at all. Let’s see how long I actually have to wait!

Tured up today to have 2 new tyers fitted was greated warmly today 4th Feb appointment at 10.45 and the fitter fitted them efficiently and was very polite about everything they did well done F1

Steer clear from these charlatans . They will rip you off. I booked my car in as it was leaking steering wheel fluid. I needed them to locate where the leak was and to replace/repair the section or sections. Staff were relatively friendly. After 24 hours I phoned them for an update. I was advised that the exact location of the leak could not be located and the assistant manager Richard advised that the entire Power steering unit needed to be replaced at just under £800 and this did not include labour. I was flabbergasted as quite clearly (I'm female)he underestimated my knowledge of cars and saw me as an easy candidate to be ripped off and to add insult to injury wanted to charge me for diagnosing the same diagnosis that I had made myself. I removed my car immediately took it to another garage a few yards away. A completely different experience. Professionalism, communication, videos showing the location of the leak and price to replace the section all Excellent !!!!!! the total cost to replace the parts, plus labour and a full car service all for £740 what a huge difference from Formula one wanting to charge almost £1200 for the part and labour alone. I will NEVER GO to formula one again

I never ever, ever write reviews as I believe they are not accurate but in this case I am. Would highly recommend this garage found I had a small stone in my caliper - fixed promptly ,as I had already bought 2 new tyres ( incidentally they were also the cheapest around in my searches) ......brilliant service also the lady before me exactly the same thing she raved about the service, so as far as I'm concerned a brilliant place to come and get your tyres done ..well done everyone there.Thanks

The staff were polite and friendly, work carried out as planned. Very good service.
Will use again.

Really helpful staff at F1 Harlow always accommodating, friendly and polite. Great deals on all essentials

I had the four wheel tracking done by a young man, and he knew exactly what he was doing. There equipment is excellent, also needed a puncture repair another day, just walk in off the street and 20 minutes later all Done and balanced. Spot on .

Great help when we'd got a flat tyre. Very quick to sort it and had friendly staff

4 tyres fitted today at Harlow branch, back wheels he forgot to balance, tyres were also wrong! On top of that he was trying to turn off my tyre pressure light???? Why ?? Because he put 3bar in front left and 2bar in front right!!! And also back pressures were way off?

If I was someone who didn’t know this stuff that could of been an old couple or a mum and kids driving a long distance journey home with 3bar in the tyre and 2 bar in the other and caused a accident..

In the meantime I can’t wear the tyres out they fitted because they need them back but can’t get me in for another 2 days so stuck without a car!

It’s unacceptable

I need my car for my job as a gardener and having rang the Harlow branch on Monday to discuss the strange noise coming from the engine area and a refresh if the air-conditioning system. I spoke with Richard at the branch and he asked me to come in the next morning and they would investigate noise and sort out the air-conditioning.
The next day Richard kept me informed; they identified the problem as alternator belt failure and said they could sort it that day, which they did, by 6pm I had my car back which meant I could start earning again the next day. Lovely fresh air con, and nice quiet engine, what a total relief!

Wrong tyre fitted after 1.5 hrs, worst service ever, manager awful would not give his name. Do not trust them. Now they ask for details shame they never picked up the phone before I left this feed back. Utter shambles

Just visited formula one auto centre in Harlow absolutely excellent staff very friendly and on the ball,Mot carried out on time no hassle would recommend very highly, Manager very pleasant and helpful.

Just wanted to say a big thank you to Shabbar at New Formula Centre in Harlow. He was genuinely so helpful and easy to talk to – really made the whole experience smooth and stress-free. You can tell he knows what he’s doing, and he explains things clearly without any pressure or jargon.

It’s rare to come across someone that professional and kind these days. He really went the extra mile and made me feel like a valued customer, not just another number. If you’re heading to New Formula Centre, definitely ask for Shabbar – you’re in safe hands.