Please Help - Arnold Clark problems

[whatpower]

I bought a car from Arnoold Clark thinking that they would charge the amount they wrote down in a quote. I paid a deposit and arranged for all my insurance to be changed at a substaintial cost to myself. When I arrived to pick up the car they added almost £300 to the cost which was not in the written quote. I had already spent money to change my insurance so would have lost money if I did not sign deal. The dealership had 3 occasions on which to show me the finance deal before I went to pick up the car but they withheld the info from me. The extra cost was not in my original quote and was hidden in the small print of the deal, apparently an extra finance charge. The dealer told me I had to accept petrol to compensate which I now have to drive over 45 minutes every week to pick up. The customer services will not pass complaint to management, what can I do???

[scaniaman]

Whatpower, much as i detest the despicable ACAL, there are some parts of your complaint which perhaps require clarification.

Firstly, when changing your insurance, i would have thought that this would have been free or minimal cost, unless your new car was in a much higher insurance group.

As far as finance is concerned, i am most surprised that this was not completed before you went to collect the car. Clarks usually need to be paid for car before release.

I don't know what the law is here (others will no doubt advise) but suspect your case is weakened by the fact that the £300 IS in writing somewhere.

You say that their CS will not pass complaint to management---this is because that the management don't want to know after receiving your cash, and they are "Teflon" coated. When you say "customer services" do you mean the department in Glasgow HQ which a Mr. Alasdair Craig is mouthpiece for?? If not, try contacting Mr. Craig, who's contact details are on this site. Don't waste money trying to phone him, as he won't initially speak to punters. If you'r extremly LUCKY??, he will look into your complaint prior to either patronising you or stonewalling, the latter being the norm throughout this outfit.

What to do?? Others on this site are more qualified to advise you on your rights, but if your deposit was paid by Visa credit or debit card, report your complaint to them and ask for "chargeback". I'm tempted to advise that you report all the facts to Trading Standards, but in light of my own experience with them, it may or may not be productive, depending on the abilities of your local office. Still, TS record all complaints, and if there are enough against any particular organisation, they are obliged to investigate.

Your complaint to TS would probably come under "Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations" 2008. In section 3 there is a subsection on "Failure to Disclose" information which may influence a punters decision on a purchase. Check out this regulation for yourself. It may be that you can report under the "Mis-selling" section of these regs, but as said previously, there are others here who can better advise. In the meantime, all i ask is that you keep us fully informed about your progress. Good luck---you'll need it. (or a sharp lawyer).

[heliosuk]

Pause for Thought

Given the substantial number of complaints about Arnold lark has anyone considered why no one that I know of to date has managed to bring this company of ill repute to book yet?

Perhaps we should now start referring to them as Teflon Lark. The sheer incompitance of the company just beggars belief.

[scaniaman]

Heliosuk, as you are well aware i went a fair distance along the road of taking them to court. In the end I was advised not to waste my money on them. One reason for this decision was the time scale in which it would take to bring such a case to fruition. But let's be clear on this, given my success against a major international company in court, I am certainly not afraid of such a local firm. I have also managed to have an Advocates "knuckles wrapped". Unfortunately, most people fall into the position of not having the resources to go to court, and therefore Clark's mob get off the hook.

It's only people who fall foul of clarks that find sites like this, and there is little can be done to inform the public at large to be ware. However, i am pleased to say that my latest car stickers have raised a lot of interest locally---it's a LARGE yellow shark, with ARNOLD in prominent black letters in the centre. I have been in touch with RAW DEAL, but it's early days yet.

[heliosuk]

There seems to be something significantly wrong with the Teflon Lark ethos of doing business. They put a fall guy in the front line to address issues who turned out to be a waste of space and time as people saw through it, they are unwilling to take on manufactuers which is probably due to the fact that they risk the franchise agreements.

 

One thing I do know is that, and I would alledge, is that people who run these sort of companies are never clean. One thing that sticks in my mind is a saying from my father where when looking for the rat you need to get to king rat as king rat dictates what happens.

 

Given the appalling reputation Teflon Lark has and the fact that the head has a ( and would aledge an undeserved and self financed knighthood at the expense of customers as it can't of been given unless it was an award in how to rip off customers which he seems to be expert at.) knighthood, would it not be right if there was a campaign to strip him of this as a genuine knight traditionally protected the vulnerable.

[MARTIN3030]

They currently have a number of ops under the Arnold Clarke Automobiles Ltd umbrella;

 

ABC Cars Direct ABC Direct ABC Vans Direct Arnold Clark Arnold Clark Insurance Services Arnold's Motorstore Autoparts Ecosse buydirectmotors Lexus Aberdeen Lexus Glasgow Machargs

[scaniaman]

I think it's worth mentioning that there are posts of a similar nature on the "Garage Services" section of this site.

[scaniaman]

Heard back from RAW DEAL today, and it is totally unbelievable the utter nonsense that Clark's are trying to fob this newspaper off with.

RAW DEAL had been in touch with ACAL, and their reply came from AC's Marketing Communications Manager(PHEW---What a job title). It is the understatement of the year to say that this reply is "Inaccurate".

May post it after the legal boys have a scan.

[scaniaman]

Enough is enough. My full Arnold Clark story will be posted on this site before the year end.

Not only Santa that will have a red face!!!!!!

[scaniaman]

Very strange indeed. A few NIGHT'S ago i had a phone call from Raw Deal. It was the epitome of diplomacy in telling me to foxtrot oscar.

Apparently, Arnold Clark carried out all the tests as set down and authorised by Citroën Uk so raw deal thinks that they have fulfilled their responsibilities. This being the case, there are two questions which must be raised.

1. This is further proof that Citroën rely solely on their diagnostic computer to find fault codes--no code, so no fault exists???. Given this scenario, how do they rectify faults??? Recently, a poster commented about a Mondeo, and this is yet another example of manufacturers computer that cannot find faults. Motor mechanics used to find faults!!!!!!!

2.It rather sums up the deep disrespect that Clark's have for their customers, that they are not prepared to further investigate faults at their own expense to achieve customer satisfaction. A point made to me by their GM.

In my humble opinion, anyone anticipating having dealings with this firm should seriously consider the term "Caveat Emptor". You would be surprised at the people who share this opinion.