Group 1 Automotive UK Reviews 

10 months ago Group 1 Swindon fitted a new clutch in my VW Golf. That clutch has now failed - it is still within warranty. When I tried to book the car in I was told that the first step was a dignostic test and none were available until October, in three months time. I can't, of course, get by for three months without a car so I have part exchanged it (at a poor price). A three month wait is absurd under any circumstances. In my case it meant that the parts warranty is effectively worthless. At the very least Group 1 should warn clients of this possibility.

Excellent service from Usmann at VW Bolton. Very professional, friendly and helpful.

I am extremely disappointed with my experience at BMW Norwich.

I took my car in for an inspection on 28 May, and I was told that there were no faults apart from a washer repair. The repair cost quoted by BMW was very high, so I decided to have that work carried out by a local garage instead.

I returned for another inspection on 9 July, and this time I was told that my 2025-registered car had significant issues, including claims that paintwork had been carried out previously. This was very surprising and concerning for such a new vehicle.

The day before the inspection, a warning message appeared on my dashboard stating "Driver restraint system restricted." I reported this to BMW as it is clearly a serious safety-related issue. However, instead of investigating it under warranty, I was told that the vehicle showed signs of previous work, including tape being found and components allegedly being tampered with. I have never had any such work carried out on the vehicle.

I was then quoted over £210 per hour simply to investigate the fault, with an estimated four hours of diagnostic work. On top of that, I was told that my warranty had been voided, despite the car being practically new.

This is not the level of service I expect from an authorised BMW dealership. A fault relating to the driver restraint system is a potential health and safety issue and should be taken seriously. Instead, I felt my concerns were dismissed, and I was left facing excessive diagnostic charges and questions about my warranty without satisfactory evidence or explanation.

Overall, this has been a very disappointing experience. I expected professionalism, transparency, and support from an authorised BMW service centre, but unfortunately, I received the opposite.

My experience with Group 1 was worse than terrible. I would strongly recommend finding a good independent dealer instead.
Following my dealings with Group 1, I was left with no car after rejecting it at the point of collection due to previously undeclared damage. What should have been an exciting 21st birthday was completely spoiled.
To make matters worse, I was left with a £6,000 finance agreement in my name because Group 1 were not in a position to settle it promptly with Black Horse. As a result, my credit rating was negatively affected, as I was understandably unwilling to make payments on a vehicle that I neither owned nor took possession of.
It took Group 1 three weeks to return my deposit and an astonishing two months to settle the outstanding finance with Black Horse. During that period, I remained liable for finance on a vehicle that had been rejected and may well have even been sold to another poor soul.
The entire experience caused a huge amount of unnecessary stress and hassle. I would not purchase a vehicle from Group 1 again.

You will find more detail in my complaint submitted to Group 1 below (As yet no response 5 weeks after submission);
Possibly the worst car-buying experience I’ve ever had. Whilst Nigel was helpful, he was let down significantly by the company’s product and processes. My complaint has several elements, ultimately resulting in a ruined 21st birthday surprise for my daughter and damage to my credit rating. First, the volume of correspondence was excessive, 55 emails to purchase a car. I recently bought a house with less communication. Second, the condition of the car at collection was unacceptable. I expected normal wear and tear (minor chips, marks, and minor kerbed wheels) but also expected it to be clean and accurately represented. Instead, the car had: Damage to the rear bumper and a scuff on the rear corner - A significant dent in the passenger door - A badly marked bonnet, as though it had been sanded with a 120 grit sanding pad! - Dirty outside, and stained seats inside None of this was evident in the video provided, which was poor in quality and lacked any mention of these issues. I was also told the fuel tank would be filled if I completed the purchase before month-end but it was running on fumes (Which is a bad show at the best of times!). I refused the car at collection via Connor, who appeared equally embarrassed. It also seemed the car had been kept in the showroom overnight to allow last-minute cosmetic work 'to dry'. The refund process was equally frustrating. Despite promptly providing the V5, it took weeks to return my £3,999 deposit, despite being told it would be refunded the same day. Finally, the £6,000 paid via Black Horse finance remains outstanding. As I do not have the vehicle, I will not make payments, and this situation is now impacting my credit rating. Black Horse have chased you a number of times for payment now... I have worked in sales for over 35 years - We don't always get things right, I totally get that. But it’s how a company deals with a problem is how you will be judged. I expect this matter to be resolved urgently.

I ended up buying a car from a fantastic independent dealer who could not be more helpful. The car was very well presented, but the garage owner apologised for its appearance as it had rained overnight leaving a dusty layer. The dealer insisted any imperfections were dealt with before collection and the car machine polished. Same car, year, similar mileage and price but an entirely different buying experience from a business that takes pride in what they do - I'll buy there again.

Audi Cheshire Oaks: very poor sales team service. Messed around with backtracking over things said at several points during the process of trying to by a used car from them. After several phone calls and trying to rearrange things on my side to fit in with their processes I was then told they couldn’t sell me the car as someone had just come in and bought it, this despite being told earlier that day that the car had been put on hold so no one else bought it whilst we were discussing arrangements for purchasing it. Very unhappy. Do not recommend.

Mercedes of Hertford.
What a fantastic experience!
Simon in sales was outstanding, nothing was too much effort.
Had a small warranty issue which was handled brilliantly by Liam Gallagher in service...super quick and efficient, most grateful for the help.
Cannot recommend this dealership enough.

These people are rude, and untrustworthy. They continually try to evade their Kia 7 year warranty obligations. Their charges are astronomical. The worst aspect is their 'Aftersales' manager who is hired only to get you of their hands as soon as possible. 'Smarmy' so you dont notice it for a while. Much better service at JCB in Northfleet.

I received an email from my local Porsche garage reminding me that my MoT is due soon. They have done this every year for this car, for the last 12 years.

So I phoned them to book the MoT. Apparently they won’t be doing any MOT’s for the next 9 months because the site is having a major refurbishment, and the lift that they use for the MOT’s isn’t available.

So I asked why had they sent me, and not doubt other customers, an email invitation for a service that they can’t currently provide. This was dismissed as just an automatically generated email, as if they don’t really count.

So I asked where are their customers going for MoT’s now. Guildford or Bournemouth was the reply, both about an hours drive, instead of 10 minutes.

Guildford Porsche Centre responded very quickly.

Bournemouth Porsche Centre acknowledged my request for an MoT on 30 June, with all the ‘we will be in touch shortly…..’ on the 9 July 2026 I still haven’t heard from them.

Porsche garages used to provide a premium service, admittedly at a premium price!

Maybe they are not interested in cars that require MoT’s, too old!

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Having read the feedback, you have missed the point and waffled on about something else.

The point being that your process/system had failed when Porsche Centre Bournemouth acknowledged my request and then failed to contact me/ act on it.

The timing of your response is interesting, as it was minutes after my car had passed its MoT at an independent garage. My son phoned a friend on Monday and my car was tested first thing Wednesday morning.

I normally hate buying a car but I must say Group 1 made the experience laid back. They went out of their way to find a car that met my needs. The sales staff seemed relaxed and helpfull. The customer service was good. Would re-visit.

Great service again from Bolton VW
Collecting my new car was a lovely experience
The car was in the delivery suite looking pristine
Always use this dealership

Great service from Vernon who helped us with our new car purchase and made the whole process so simple.

Recently took my new Toyota back to have the Dashcam’s fitted and was welcomed by a young chap called Tyler who made me feel welcome. Tyler outlined the work schedule and timings and made sure I was comfortable. The work was carried out in a prompt fashion and to a very high standard. The thing that stood out was Tyler spending time to not only run through the new Dashcam settings and app, but also spent time going through some other key things on the car itself. Big, big thanks to Tyler, this is what customer service should be like.

Bought an 11 month old car from them in November which quickly developed brake issues range issues and various electronic issues. they have replaced the brake servo but this did not fix this issue and have failed to correct any other issues. I have requested a refund instead, as is my right under consumer rights, but they refused and said they'd need to speak to VW, now they do not answer the phone or reply to emails.

Edit in response to their response. the issue isn't just with the brakes, which I note you have completely ignored. you have my details and I have been promised numerous call backs that have never happened over the last two weeks, so please contact me. I'll email the address you have given, but don't expect any response as I'm still waiting on one from May and June.

Massive shout out to David Flynn who assisted me with purchasing a brand new vehicle. He was clear with his communication and got the deal done fast. Top man !

Just don’t bother going near the Derby store - incompetent - massive and I mean massive waste of time and energy

Had a problem with my wife’s car window screen washer as it wasn’t working but the motor for the screen washer was running and plenty of screen wash in the bottle.
Chingford audi advised me that it needs a new motor and had it replaced.
A couple days later same issue not working
Returned to Chingford audi and again they got it working a week later again not working took it to an independent VAG specialist they inspected the motor that audi Chingford supplied and said to me no motor has been changed…😡..then the technician explained to me is
All that needed to be done is to remove the motor from the washer bottle and you will see a metal filter mesh that needed to be cleaned and then to clean the washer bottle and replace screen wash.

Chingford audi group 1 can you explain this to me as it’s now been a good few months now and the screen washer is now working with out any problems.??????
And why you have charged me a huge amount of money for something that you have not replaced………………..

Had my mini serviced today at the Ruislip branch.
From the moment I arrived the service was excellent. I opted for the while you wait service and as it was such a lovely day I went for a wander. The car was done in 2hrs and purrs like a cat!!! Thanks everyone at Ruislip 👍

Excellent experience buying a nearly-new ID7 Tourer from Group 1 Exeter. Jon Eastment made the process very straightforward - no hard sell on the extras and a part exchange deal I was happy with on my old Passat.
Collection day was a breeze - paperwork dealt with quickly and a very thorough walkthrough of the new car, before a long inaugural drive back to Surrey. Jon called a couple of days later to check I'd made it back okay, and to see if I had any questions. He and his colleagues were friendly, courteous and cheerful. The showroom had a positive vibe and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a VW, however far you have to travel!

I am extremely disappointed with the service I received from Volkswagen Chester. What should have been a simple replacement of a broken door handle turned into nearly two weeks of unnecessary stress, four separate 60-mile round trips, hours spent waiting at the dealership, and my car being returned to me damaged.

From the outset, communication and customer service were poor. At my initial appointment, I waited all day expecting the repair to be completed, after chasing this up I was told late in the afternoon that they didn’t have a replacement part in stock. Despite living 40 minutes away, I wasn’t offered a courtesy car or any alternative transport and was simply expected to leave my car overnight. I had no choice but to take the car home and make yet another 60-mile round trip.

Over the following days, I repeatedly had to chase for updates myself. I was told my car would be collected to save me another unnecessary journey however this never happened. Promised updates and callbacks never materialised and I was left doing all of the chasing. When I asked to speak to a manager about my complaint, I was simply told they were on holiday, with no alternative senior member of staff offered to help.

When the repair was finally completed, I discovered the paintwork on the new handle hadn’t been finished properly and there were fresh paint chips and damage to my door where the handle had been removed. An independent MOT technician noticed the poor workmanship immediately.

I reported the damage straight away and sent photographs, yet I was once again left chasing for updates. Emails went unanswered, phone calls had to be initiated by me, and there was no sense of urgency despite the dealership having damaged my vehicle. The most frustrating part was the complete lack of accountability. At no point did anyone apologise for the inconvenience, acknowledge the poor workmanship, or show any genuine concern about the amount of time, fuel and annual leave I had wasted because of their mistakes.

The attitude of the staff member dealing with my case was also extremely disappointing. On more than one occasion, she didn’t even greet me when I arrived and made me feel like I was an inconvenience rather than a customer. It made me feel unwelcome and dismissed.

I bought my Volkswagen because of the brand’s reputation for quality and customer service. Unfortunately, my experience with Volkswagen Chester has been the complete opposite. Communication was poor, customer care was virtually non-existent, and I was left feeling like I had to fight just to get basic updates on a problem they had created.

Returning a customer’s car in a worse condition than when they entrusted it to you is unacceptable. Failing to communicate, take ownership or even offer a sincere apology made the experience even worse. I sincerely hope nobody else has to experience this level of service. I even logged a complaint online with group 1 when it happened but nobody ever got back to me - they simply do not care. Would never buy a car from them or bring mine here again.

What a great experience I had with the purchase of my new car!!
Eddie is a great sales person. He keep me informed throughout and ensured that I was happy all the way through the process! Thank you Eddie, I hope you are still there when I look at changing my car again!