Carcraft Complaints
Several years ago, back in 2004, I was looking to buy a new car. My Ford Capri had decided enough was enough and it’s daily 80 mile round trip from Newport to Bristol was too much for it. Being the ‘over the top’ person I am I looked to a BMW Z3 for my second car.
No sense letting the grass grow eh?
So, armed with my Parkers guide price for each model dating back to 1996, and the average mileage to expect for the year, I looked around a few garages for a Z3. One such garage I looked at was the Carcraft centre in Newport. Now, before I went I researched on the Internet (as I do) and read an awful lot of negative comments about Carcraft. Many of the comments said the same thing; their cars were over priced and well over average mileage.
I thought I’d give them a chance anyway.
I went in and was immediately set upon by this car dealer who wouldn’t let me enter the warehouse until I’d given him my name, address and phone number. No matter how much I said I wasn’t interested, he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Reluctantly I gave him the info he wanted and proceeded to look at the cars.
They had a few BMW Z4 models, one in particular I quite liked the look of however the price was high for the age and it had some damage to the drivers side front panel.
When I inquired further I found the Mileage was 20,000 miles over average for the year. I figured there was some room to barter here, with the mileage and the scratches to the bodywork.
I approached a salesman and explained my position, how I’d researched the value of the car and the average mileage, then told him what I thought the car was worth.
Do you know, he didn’t even reply to me. He just turned his back and walked away. I couldn’t believe how rude this guy was. Not a word. He wasn’t even a junior, he was a senior salesman as I’d been told I needed to speak to him if I wanted to discuss the price.
It seems what I’d read on line was true. Carcraft sell high mileage cars for extortionate prices. They rely on people struggling to get finance in order to rip them off with their ‘offers’.
Has anyone else had any experience with Carcraft? I’d love to know if my experience was a typical one.
I later bought a Z3 from a garage in Bristol, £3,000 cheaper than the one in Carcraft, no damage and with over 30,000 less miles on the clock.
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The only good things I’ve ever heard about CarCraft have been in their own adverts. Don’t they trade on the fact that they can offer plebs 30% credit rather than on the value of their cars ? I mean, look at
their website with it’s big flashing “apply for finance” button in the middle of the navigation.
The guy probably just saw you as;
a) someone who knows how to haggle and won’t be bullied into making a purchase,
b) someone who won’t be needing finance, and so
c) not likely to get him much commision.
Sorry about the double posting, finger slipped!
any person with any knowledge means more work and more hassle for a salesman. you are only probs 20% going to buy, so they will work with the suckers instead. standing your ground is the exact way to deal with salesmen like this.
had a similar experience myself years ago when i walked in to an arnold clark centre with cash (in notes) for a brand new fiat punto (the day the new model came out) but the sales guy spent 20 minutes trying to make me have finance. They just DID NOT WANT to take my ready cash from me as it mean less for them.
absolute scum
BAD BAD BAD BAD. We bought a Freelander for £10,000 (Later found out they were going for £6500 Private) OK… So lesson learned. We’d part ex’d our Picasso and got £3500 for it. (It was on their forecourt next week for £6500… OK.. So they are a business and there to make money.
Now for the real issues. 120 point check???. Our Freelander required a full service to uphold the (Carcraft NAC) warranty so we splashed out and took it to Landrover because my wife would be driving this car with my young son on board and we had to be sure everything was OK. The report came back from Landrover that the vehicle was not road worthy and required £450 of repair to get it so. Carcraft willingly paid for that so I was just pleased that we didn’t have to pay the bill.
We took out their 1 year warranty for just under a grand. I read it and it stated that they would only cover up to £750 of the cost of any repair. I was about to walk out of the door because, as I explained to the sales guy, if the head gasket goes it’s going to cost me a lot more than that. The sales guy went on to assure me that the £750 bit was per part repaired. I.E. If your head gasket goes it would cover each part of the engine that was damaged as long as each part didn’t exceed £750.
On the strength of this we went ahead. We were in there for 9 LONG hours. We were told we were getting £2000 cash back. Realized two months down the line that they had just added £2000 to the back end of the loan in an unobvious cleaver way.
8 Months down the line, head gasket went. Took it straight to Landrover as I have this fantastic warranty that would cover everything. Landrover called me back a day later to tell me that the cost of the repair was just over £2500 and Carcraft would cover £750 of that cost. Getting worried now. I called Carcraft and spoke to the big boss(I think). He informed me that they would never had said anything other than they would only cover up to £750 of a total repair and that it was my word against his sales guy(When these sales are taking place they are in an enclosed room so nobody else can hear anything).
Anyway, £2000 3 weeks before Christmas. Thanks Carcraft. That was sure a year to remember. I was told by the guy who delivered my car back from Landrover that he see’s at least two of these blown head gaskets per week and that I should get rid of the car asap because it could go at any time again.
I sold the car 2 weeks later and got £5500 for it. I am still paying the remaining £6500 I owe on the car to this day.
It only had 50K on the clock and a full Landrover history. I’m not blaming Carcraft for the inherent Head Gasket problem on the K series engine, but I am MAD at Carcraft for making me feel such a Fool. Yes… I feel so so stupid because I was, obviously, stitched up big time and fell for everything they told me.
I don’t take comfort in learning that thousands of other Carcare customers are having the same such experiences now and in the past.
Carcraft is a good place to visit if your not sure what sort of car you want or you just want to browse but I would Highly recommend that if you do buy from there, take you own mechanic and use cash but before you do buy, check Autotrader. I GUARANTEE you will find the same car for at least £2000 less than Carcrafts price.
Many thank for listening to me.
Regards
Un-happy Carcraft (customer)
Interesting responses. I bought my Rover 75 1.8T from Carcraft in Birtley (North East). They were absolutely gutted when I actually qualified for the zero percent deal they had on it !!!. As you say - they are used to plebs who they can scam. I did take the 3 year NAC warranty and now (nearly one year later) the head gasket has blown. It’s in the garage now and NAC have been contacted with regard to the £ 408.00 fee to repair it. The car was serviced well within the time/mileage limit stipulated by a Rover ‘dealer’. Interestingly the car had never had the plugs, pollen filter, etc.. changed in 40000 miles of use….. It also had the guts taken out of the thermostat and was running minus these parts. Let’s see what NAC’s response is to the completely legit head gasket claim….. Normal wear and tear ??? - just let them try that one !!!.
Has anyone had Problems with CARCRAFT where the salesperson has passed the clients personal details onto a separate motor dealer?
My mate has just been ripped off by these monkeys. A private dealer phoned him and said “”As you failed the finance from CARCRAFT we can offer you a good deal. We have all your details so we can do the paperwork for you.” These details were only given to CARCRAFT.