# Arnold Clark Ford Linwood



## Guest (Jun 15, 2009)

wife picked up her new company car on Friday from this outfit, what a joke this place is, the company had ordered two pre reg Mondeo titanium x , one black, one grey, told to pick them up Friday morning which then became Friday late afternoon, when they finally got the cars one had no service book or owners manual, delivery labels still on the windows and mud all over the tyres as if they had just picked them up from a field, the other had damaged wheel and tyre and was filthy, both cars only had del mlies, after kicking up sh1t about the condition the sales guy took the cars away got them washed and presented them outside the showroom dripping wet ,saying thats you already to go!!, he was more interested in telling them how many cars they had sold that week than sorting out the delivery, on top of all that you can imagine the mess of the paint work on both cars, usual Arnold Clark story of "come back in on Monday and everything will be sorted", took the damaged wheel car back today and they refused to fit a new wheel and tyre!!, after kicking up sh1t again they finally gave in and changed it, my advice--give this place a miss, dont know if Arnold Clark operate like this in every branch or its just this one


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## S-X-I (Sep 6, 2006)

From the stories I have heard it looks like your not alone with having problems with Arnold Clark.

Having said that I bought my previouse car from AC Fiat in Dunfermline and it was a pretty smooth sale. Although I did not receive any contact after the sale which I though was a bit lacking in customer service and satisfaction.


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## organgrinder (Jan 20, 2008)

Arnold Clark is a "pile them high and sell them cheap" type of business. After sales service is virtually non existant but it does vary slightly between branches. The VW garage in Crow Road were pretty good when my wife had a Touareg but they all display the corporate trait of not wanting to spend anything once the car is out the door.

Lexus Glasgow is the only AC garage where I would say the service was exemplary. The Lexus ethos must run deeper than the AC one in that branch.


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## mkv (Jun 12, 2008)

AC Linwood is a joke. My mum had a focus from there. It developed gearbox/clutch problems after 2 years. It went back to Linwwod 4 times, each time they said "They cant find a problem". Eventually traded it in for a Fiesta at same garage. When I went to pick up the new Fiesta, they took the Focus for a drive to make sure it was ok for trade-in. Oh there is a problem with the gearbox sir.......My reply...No there isnt, its been in your workshop 4 times and you say there is no problem.....He went away, came back, "Thats fine sir", theres your new Fiesta......A joke!


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## Deanoecosse (Mar 15, 2007)

just another in a long line of typical stories from Arnold Shark. Its amazing anyone actually takes their business to them these days. The cars were probably dirty because the workshop was full of cars in being clocked before they go on sale


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## Spoony (May 28, 2007)

mkv said:


> AC Linwood is a joke. My mum had a focus from there. It developed gearbox/clutch problems after 2 years. It went back to Linwwod 4 times, each time they said "They cant find a problem". Eventually traded it in for a Fiesta at same garage. When I went to pick up the new Fiesta, they took the Focus for a drive to make sure it was ok for trade-in. Oh there is a problem with the gearbox sir.......My reply...No there isnt, its been in your workshop 4 times and you say there is no problem.....He went away, came back, "Thats fine sir", theres your new Fiesta......A joke!


Right cowboys indeed, I'd of stuck a spanner in the graebox just before giving them it... see how they liked that upon inspection lol.

As previously stated they are all about volume and getting the most they can from a customer money wise. Like most of the car dealers unless you go exclusive. But I do propose this is a side effect from the economic downturn and makes it easier money-wise, seeing as joe public will buy a car regardless. Thats not to say there won't be a branch (that lexus one for e.g.) thats not bad.

I had my car to VW after the lock developed a fault, even though the car is under warranty the service desk was all for charging me for it, wasn't sure about that one.


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## gt5500 (Aug 6, 2008)

BEKANA said:


> wife picked up her new company car on Friday from this outfit, what a joke this place is, the company had ordered two pre reg Mondeo titanium x , one black, one grey, told to pick them up Friday morning which then became Friday late afternoon, when they finally got the cars one had *no service book* or owners manual, delivery labels still on the windows and mud all over the tyres as if they had just picked them up from a field, the other had damaged wheel and tyre and was filthy, both cars only had del mlies, after kicking up sh1t about the condition the sales guy took the cars away got them washed and presented them outside the showroom dripping wet ,saying thats you already to go!!, he was more interested in telling them how many cars they had sold that week than sorting out the delivery, on top of all that you can imagine the mess of the paint work on both cars, usual Arnold Clark story of "come back in on Monday and everything will be sorted", took the damaged wheel car back today and they refused to fit a new wheel and tyre!!, after kicking up sh1t again they finally gave in and changed it, my advice--give this place a miss, dont know if Arnold Clark operate like this in every branch or its just this one


Oh dear after the last story of an AC without a service book I would have been very wary


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## martin slaven (May 27, 2008)

I went to trade my old rs2000 a few years ago down at ford linwood for a focus they had, while i was there one of the mechanics noticed my rs2000 and offered me more money than the salesman, i told the salesman this that i would be selling my car to this mechanic and not trading, the salesman came back to me saying he would not be selling me the focus and to leave the premises for going behind his back lol. There not getting the best name at the moment.


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## stevenc89 (Apr 8, 2009)

I find Parks to be 100times better than AC! there prices maybe a wee bit dear compared to arnold clark but they give you follow up calls. Ask how you are getting on with the car and are not as aggressive marketting wise than AC


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## patbhoy (Aug 29, 2007)

Typical Arnold Clark, only God knows why he was knighted.


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## simba (May 19, 2009)

BEKANA said:


> ... dont know if Arnold Clark operate like this in every branch or its just this one


they most certainly do as i discovered with a crap repair job - going to Kinghorn now to get it all sorted :car:

Arnold Clark are cowboys. There should be a ''How can you work at Arnold Clark thread...''


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## Guest (Jun 16, 2009)

simba said:


> they most certainly do as i discovered with a crap repair job - going to Kinghorn now to get it all sorted :car:
> 
> Arnold Clark are cowboys. There should be a ''How can you work at Arnold Clark thread...''


great idea mate!, you never see any bad press about AC as the newspapers are sh1t scared they will pull the plug on the adverts that AC have, I will keep you updated on more from Arnold, my mother in law is collecting her new car from Toyota Bishopbriggs next week, lets hope they do better


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## Dougster (Jun 12, 2007)

I gave them a week of my life then walked.

Potential earnings were about £45k but no life to spend it in!

Cheap as chips and if you find a good car from them don't go back unless you have to.


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## Mental_Mikey (Jun 5, 2009)

BEKANA said:


> great idea mate!, you never see any bad press about AC as the newspapers are sh1t scared they will pull the plug on the adverts that AC have, I will keep you updated on more from Arnold, my mother in law is collecting her new car from Toyota Bishopbriggs next week, lets hope they do better


Bought a second hand car from there a few years back - that put me off AC for life. The problems other people have show that I wasn't just unlucky like I originally thought.

Best of British


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## Bratwurst (Jan 23, 2009)

My wife bought her Focus from them about 2 years ago and her experience was dreadful... The salesman tried to hand over the car in a terribly filthy state and with no mats, no fuel and ,like the original poster, no manual or handbook - even though she had it in writing from the same guy that he'd clean it and prep it for her and provide all these things. She refused to take it until everything was done.

A WEEK later she got a call to say it was ready, so she went to collect it. The same salesman had given her manual and handbook from a different car, put in some used mats, a quarter tank of petrol and 'washed' it very badly. Oh yes, and it had an extra 20 miles on the clock! Again she refused to take the car and met the manager and complained saying she wanted her money back. He said he'd sort it by the next day.

The next day she got a different car, upped spec, no miles, and with everything promised originally.

Probably just a lazy-ars*d salesman at first who didn't give a monkeys.

Credit to the manager though for sorting it all out, eventually.

Neither of us will ever go back to Arnold Clark though.


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## simba (May 19, 2009)

thing is though - are the 'real' dealers like Arnold Clark too in terms of quality of service even though they may charge a bit more?


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## PhatPhil (Feb 1, 2007)

Popped into AC Ford at the Phoenix on Saturday only for a look around (they had an 57 plate Audi S3 2nd hand which caught my attention driving past).

Nice sunny day and all 7 monkey salesman standing at the door. Hardly even got out the car before the "can I help you?". ...then the usual patter ensues...

Barge pole for the S3 anyway. 4 owners on a 57 plate!


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## Feeder (Nov 25, 2006)

I had a very hastle free purchase with Arnold Clark with my Ignis Sport, I did go to the dealership in Stirling (Toyota Branch) but they were excellent. Even held onto the car for 2 weeks whilst I went on Holiday.

Also the Peugeot Ayr Branch were brilliant when we purcahsed my sisters car. None of this phoning to tell you "Someone's just been to view the car".

I have been to the Ford one in Linwood though and the salesman I was speaking to was a complete twunt. 

Same with some **** of a salesman in the Fiat Branch in Glasgow, way too pushy, wouldn't budge on really simple things like having matching tyres on the same axle, this wasn't deemed important enough to him.

So fair to say I've encountered a few nasty AC Dealerships, but they aren't all bad and no I dont and never have worked for them :thumb:


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## kev999 (Feb 16, 2007)

check the horror stories on here
http://www.arnoldclark.150m.com/
used to named arnold sucks.com wonder why, he got that shut down but up and running under the above site.


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## dumpvalve (Sep 5, 2008)

got my car from vauxhall linwood never again will i go to ac customer service nil salesman completely useless


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## Grizzle (Jul 12, 2006)

simba said:


> thing is though - are the 'real' dealers like Arnold Clark too in terms of quality of service even though they may charge a bit more?


NO is the real asnwer.

Peter Vardy BMW Seafield Road Edinburgh...

One Sunday we took a look at the 5 series we loved it stood around for 40 mins waiting on a test drive got bored and gave up while heading back to the car salesman came running up....

So after we drove it had a look around pocked and prodded everything i noticed a dent in the back quarter panel and two light scuffs in the bumper..

We agreed that they would sort the dent and leave the scratch and done the deal (pretty good one at that)

We were due to collect it that thursday and it just so happened i had my usual Porsche and other Exoticas on there weekly wash on the Tuesday so popped in car hadnt been fixed it was on the car ramp all doors open engine running ...oh and they had managed to scrap the front bumper of the kerb :wall:

Manager came over and showed him the damage he claimed it had been there a while lol anyway they agreed to fix that as well as the dent.

Thursday came 6pm arrived emptied the old car looked over the new car....

Dent not fixed, scrape still there in the bumper, No fuel (they had charged us for it lmao more on that later) So after me kicking up a stink they agreed to take it back in and do a smart repair... :doublesho eh i dont thinkso i want a full spray of the bumper and not smart repair.

Car was booked in that day to come back and off we went...

Saturday came and i decided to give it a full chemical clean me and Bob pre cleaned it then started claying it it was in shocking condition 2 bars of clay laters and we are gettin some were.

Applied 3 layers of Zaino Z2 and then Z8, tires with blackfire gel stood back wiped the sweat and to my amazement :doublesho the two doors on the passenger side were a different colour!!!!!!

Monday 9am doors open and i waltz in slam both sets of keys down and tell the manager...the big one this time (steve brown) that the car he sold me was a shower a shi-te lmao after a long lengthy discussion and one including peter vardy himself they agreed to get it fully resprayed at an approved bodyshop and give me mudflaps and a full tank of fuel(again) for the hassle.

We went on holiday for a week so needed the car when we arrived back it went into the bodyshop for a whole week and we were given a shi-ter of an astra!!!..after the week i got annoyed with no update what so ever so i found the bodyshop it was in and went over and had a word with the painter nice guy and we shared a few things in common regarding finishes and i told him that i was looking for an excellent job.

The day came i was due to collect it i went in and was told it wasnt ready and to come back about 3 pm (it was 11am by this time ) so i hung around a friends tyre place causing havoc until 3 and went to collect it....to my amazement again they had managed to hit another car in the bodyshop and put a light scuff on the freshly painted bumper!!!!!  and they needed the car for another hour to fit the mudflaps lmao.

By this stage i lost the rag told them to fill the car with fuel and i would fix the scuff my self and fit the mudflaps my self.

Would never ever use Vardy's again

Incidently the cars going back in tomorrow for:

Dash display randomly dimming
Knocking from Steering
Severe gear changes like rip your head off style
Both keys are having trouble opening the car
Indicator stalk is rattling like hell


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## stuart1164 (Jun 9, 2009)

Ask AC sales people anything close to a cars spec on say a BMW and they are lost.

That is probably my biggest annoyance not knowing the product they are selling.

Stuart.


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## Guest (Jun 17, 2009)

Grizzle said:


> NO is the real asnwer.
> 
> Peter Vardy BMW Seafield Road Edinburgh...
> 
> ...


no more mate!!!!!, this is putting me off buying a BMW


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## X5_Sport (May 21, 2009)

Some shocking stories im not surprised.

I would never buy a used car from AC, i have seen some dodgy examples myself which the salesmen try their hardest to sell you and promise to get any problems sorted before hand over (yeah right). 
I have however bought brand new car from them at good prices and have thankfully never had any problems, however i wouldnt buy a 2nd hand car from them.


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## SuperTrooper (Apr 17, 2009)

Ide never buy a car from Arnold Clark, I used to work with them and would never trust any of them. Some of the things ive seen has been unreal.


Graeme


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## ianking (Jun 6, 2007)

Have deald once with AC and it was a horrific experience. that was on a brand new car about 6 years ago.

However I almost always deal with Eastern BMW/Mini in Edinburgh now and although there have been a couple issues with purchases from them they always sort them out and provide very nice courtesy cars. Not push salesman and they let me take the demonstrators my self over night if I wish. 

I once tried Peter Vardy BMW/Mini and they were so rude to me I just walked out.


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## gt5500 (Aug 6, 2008)

BEKANA said:


> no more mate!!!!!, this is putting me off buying a BMW


I wouldn't let that put you off, you get good and bad dealerships same with any car. Not really any reflection of the whole marque though.


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## DubbedUP (Oct 2, 2007)

Grizzle said:


> NO is the real asnwer.
> 
> Peter Vardy BMW Seafield Road Edinburgh...
> 
> ...


R.e. the knocking coming from the steering mate.

Does it feel like it's coming up through the column?

I had this in my E60 and luckily under the BMW warranty I had a full new steering rack and all associated components replaced under warranty...

Total bill of £4500.... For BMW of course...:thumb:


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## Grizzle (Jul 12, 2006)

yeh it does mate was in yesterday and...they fixed nowt!!

Cant see the dash problem yet it happened on the way home (another one to argue to them again)

Steering still has that metal to metal knocking again another to argue.

and the keys ..... they think it maybe the buttons on the key yet the spare key is brand new and does the same thing...cant you not figure out it maybe the alarm on the car?? ....fecking hopless.


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## Guest (Jun 22, 2009)

BEKANA said:


> wife picked up her new company car on Friday from this outfit, what a joke this place is, the company had ordered two pre reg Mondeo titanium x , one black, one grey, told to pick them up Friday morning which then became Friday late afternoon, when they finally got the cars one had no service book or owners manual, delivery labels still on the windows and mud all over the tyres as if they had just picked them up from a field, the other had damaged wheel and tyre and was filthy, both cars only had del mlies, after kicking up sh1t about the condition the sales guy took the cars away got them washed and presented them outside the showroom dripping wet ,saying thats you already to go!!, he was more interested in telling them how many cars they had sold that week than sorting out the delivery, on top of all that you can imagine the mess of the paint work on both cars, usual Arnold Clark story of "come back in on Monday and everything will be sorted", took the damaged wheel car back today and they refused to fit a new wheel and tyre!!, after kicking up sh1t again they finally gave in and changed it, my advice--give this place a miss, dont know if Arnold Clark operate like this in every branch or its just this one


Just an update guys on the AC saga, mother in law picked up her new Rav4 from AC bishopbriggs today and they are not much better than the Ford branch, they told her to collect at 11.00am and when she arrived they told her the car would be ready soon, 2 hours later they finally hand over the car, now, she is not clued up at all so off she went, seen the car today and already spotted a few problems, some nice swirls and scratches scattered about, no dressing at all on the tyres, I know the stuff they use is crap but it would be nice to make the effort!,all cables for the PDC hanging down below the bumper,had a quick look at this and basically all that is holding them up are some of those little sticky pads the tie wraps go through, all of them have came off and someone has stuck some insulating tape on them in an attempt to put them back on, now this could have done before AC got the car delivered but surely if the PDI was done properly they would have noticed it and if they did perhaps thats the best repair job they could come up with!, two out of two sh1t service from AC, well done Sir Arnold, keep up the good work!!!


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## spacer567 (Jul 8, 2008)

*arnold clark shambles*

hi im new to this forum was reading about arnold clark wouldnt touch them with a bargpole in 2004 i bought a brand new wrx subaru in mica blue only had it a week when some **** ran in to the back bumper by the way i didnt buy it from arnold clark so took insurance details phones my insurance company what did thay tell me take it to arnold clark repair centre :car: no way the thought off leaving my car with school children is a no no after all thethings i had heard about arnold so i told the insurance company i want to take it somewhere else thay were happy with that and so was i i used an vauxhall dealer in airdrie done a great job service was second to non


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## spacer567 (Jul 8, 2008)

hi im new to this forum was reading about arnold clark wouldnt touch them with a bargpole in 2004 i bought a brand new wrx subaru in mica blue only had it a week when some **** ran in to the back bumper by the way i didnt buy it from arnold clark so took insurance details phones my insurance company what did thay tell me take it to arnold clark repair centre :car: no way the thought off leaving my car with school children is a no no after all thethings i had heard about arnold so i told the insurance company i want to take it somewhere else thay were happy with that and so was i i used an vauxhall dealer in airdrie done a great job service was second to non


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