Plympton car centre - worst trader ever

07/07/2023

28/06/2019

It took almost 6 months, a small claims against them, a failed appeal on their part and a further two week wait after the final court judgement with the threat of a warrant order against them but I finally received my money back from this rogue trader. Thank you Plympton Car Centre 🖕🏻

30/05/2019

I submitted a claim against these guys, it included the cost of the car, the cost of the claim and daily interest.

They didn’t bother to reply and missed the deadline so I won.

They then spent £255 to appeal against the outcome, their defense was that they thought the deadline was a different date.

That court hearing was yesterday, they didn’t bother to attend, I win again.

At least they are incompetent at every level , not just their customer service.

09/03/2019

True professionalism when the trader this page is aimed at comes and tells you 'love this page' - most business owners would be mortified at this, but not Stuart McMinn, he loves it.

09/03/2019

Company house will give you the directors details if you wish to send a letter of complaint.

09/03/2019

One of the faults I had a few days after paying £4499 for a BMW Z4.

09/03/2019

Jacqui Smith
1 review
3 years ago
Phoned up at twenty to three this afternoon and enquired about a £4000 car. I asked to test drive it and if it would be ok to pop up this afternoon and was told no problem. I said I was coming from St Austell and it would take at least an hour to get there - no problem I was told as the chap I spoke to was out of the office and wouldn't be back for another hour anyway.
So I put my twin babies and two year old in the car, drove all the way from St Austell to Plymouth, arrived about twenty past four and was told I couldn't test drive it as they had "run out of diesel" but we could "come back tomorrow"!!! When I pointed out I'd driven a two hour, 90 mile round trip to view and test drive the car as discussed I was told they "close at 5pm anyway" (although it clearly says 5.30pm on their website, something I checked prior to making the journey). There was no apology for mucking me about, just a casual "can't be bothered with you" attitude.
What a disrespectful way to treat a customer. I suspect it was less that they had run out of diesel and more that they would have had to move a couple of cars to pull it out for us to drive it. I'm sure they just assumed I was a tyre kicker, perhaps if they had seen I was a cash buyer with the intention of buying they might have been a little less lazy and a bit more accommodating!
Will never return and a damn shame as from our quick look the car looked great and exactly what I was looking for but I'd rather keep looking and buy from someone who actually wants my money and custom.

09/03/2019

Bruno F. Simões
2 reviews
2 years ago
PCC sold me a car less then a month a go and the car had problems since the start. When we turn on the car the dashboard didn't work, they assured me the car would be fixed and the warranty would covered ANY problem. A week later I picked the car and problems started I didn't had yet arrived home. From a dashboard indicating insufficient brake fluid, a start-stop engine that doesn't work to a door handle that fell of from the passenger door. Went to the garage that PCC suggested and discovered that just the brakes were include in their "GOLD" warranty. I have this car less than a month, barely opened the passenger door or or smashed the car against a wall and the start-stop happens because the battery is lower then should be. The mechanic explained that the problem can only be solved is with a new battery and is not related with any issues known to happen with the start-stop engines. A call to PCC, I got a very apologetic employee but they will not fix any other problem or take responsibility for selling me a faulty car! AVOID THEM AT ANY COST......I would give them less then a star if I could.

PS: Your answer, doesnt reply to any of the issues! The handle is broken and needs to be substituted, and the start-stop is because the battery is faulty! So there is a lot that PCC such as do the repairs necessary to solve the problems. I had this car for LESS THAN 1 MONTH, with problems SINCE DAY 1! You stated that you "will always help in anything that falls outside of these terms which is why we are a trading standard approved dealer" and that I can "be assured we do take any comments or issue's very seriously". So why you didnt suggest to sort the problem?

09/03/2019

Alan Anderson
1 review
2 years ago
Sold my son a car with TWO NEAR FAIL front tyres, a faulty headlight , faulty emission light and next to no oil in the engine. Had to replace the front tyres immediately as they didn't want to know... Took the car to the "garage that does their warranty work" to get the light fixed... worked for 24 hours and emission light still not fixed! Have taken the vehicle to my local garage who have repaired the broken wire on the headlight etc at my expense. I have bought many cars over the years and never quite experienced customer service like this.The best advice I can give you is to pay a little bit more from a car dealer that will sell you a good car at a decent price and give you good back up service. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE! AVOID

09/03/2019

Daniel Cole
3 reviews
2 years ago
DO NOT BUY A CAR FROM PLYMPTON CAR CENTRE.

I bought a 5k car from here that after a few weeks developed a problem, as I live 60 miles away from the dealer they gave me an AA warranty that they said meant I could take it to any garage local to me, however this turned out to be a lie. The AA warranty basically only covers major mechanical faults but has a limit of £250 which clearly wouldn't cover major mechanical faults, they don't pay for diagnostics, have its own labour fee limit and list of certain garages they use.
I kept PCC informed and the employee I spoke to said it was fine to take it wherever I wanted and they'll sort it out for me ( I'm sure the owner will deny this tho). It took 3 different garages to finally diagnose and sort the problem at a cost of £155. When it was fixed the owner refused to cover the cost saying If I'd taken it back to them then It would've only cost £30 to fix and that the part wasn't even covered by the warranty anyway. So apparently £30 covers recovery, diagnostics, parts and labour. I think not. He did offer to send me £30 which is bizarrely hilarious.

I have now been waiting 4 weeks for him to respond to my last email but I guess he's too busy congratulating himself on his latest con.

As a foot note, after 3 months I had to spend another £150 fixing another problem and have also been told that an injector needs replacing at a cost of £600 upwards, although perhaps PCC can do that for £30 too.

Do yourselves a favour and buy your car from somewhere that isn't hell bent on returning car dealers to the rip off merchant reputation of the 1980's.

09/03/2019

Rachel Parker
1 review
a year ago
Please avoid this company if you want to save your self stress, hassle and possibly your life.
Also they will not refund you when problems arise under the consumer trade act 2015 which by law they have to. But you can only make them if you have the time and money to take them to court. Which is why I think they repeatedly get away with it after reading reviews.
I brought my car within a week the brakes were grinding on the back rear passenger side. Had to wait a week to take it for repairs and drive it myself with worn out brakes. On the way they failed completely. Nearly crashing in to a lorry and brake fluid lost all over the road, it had to be recovered. Bearing in mind it had been mot'd by faraday mill mot centre just before purchase. The brake shoe had completely snapped off! When I got the car back I drove to my parents and the wheel was smoking when I got there. My dad had a look and said the bearing was going. So back it went by recovery again I told them what was wrong. I got a call to say my car was fine nothing wrong with it and critisied for having it recovered to them. So my dad phoned them to tell them again about the bearing. They re checked it and guess what the bearing was gone. But they We're happy to let me have it back and put my baby in it without fixed my it. The day I was collecting it they said it would be later cos the window had fell out! The regulator had gone. So went to the car centre to ask for my money back under the consumer trade act 2015 as I had given them a chance to fix it and you don't have to except a second repair. They refused. Got it back drove to my parents again the brakes were squeaking my dad checked again it was leaking brake fluid. Making it to dangerous to drive. Finally spoke to the manager Stewart. The rudest, nastiest sounding, uncaring man I've ever spoke to. Refused my refund again. Had it recovered. I contacted trading standards and citizens advice who said I was in the right and entitled by law to get my money back I put It in writing to him and he still refused. Got a letter back to say he won't refund cos my dad took the wheel of to find the fault. He should be thanking my father if he hadn't the brakes would of failed again when enough brake fluid had been lost resulting in a possible fatal accident. He doesn't care at all about his customers once he's got your money.
I collected the car and guess what they had found another fault and replaced the suspension brushes and re motd it.
That day took it straight to a reptule dealer and part exchanged it for a lovely car with no problems. The whole process was different. Was sat in an office doing the deal. Not in the car yard with the sales person running back and forth to his manager about every negotiation.
He may think he's won but trading standards are investigating him. So please if you've had problems please report to trading standards the more complaints the more likely something will be done about this business.
Please don't risk buying a car from them.

Response to reply

I do notvclass brakes completely failing and brake shoe falling off a minor issue. My dad did not strip it down he removed the wheel to find what was wrong as faraday were to incompetent to see that the bearing had gone the second time. Lucky he did else I would of eventually lost enough brake fluid for the brakes to fail again. I didn't refuse to collect I had no way to collect it the second time and needed it to get an important appointment for my wedding.
It's so funny I got the response I expected from you on here. As every customer has had the same response on here of you twisting it around and blaming them. I've learnt my lesson to never buy a car from you again. I just hope other people can learn from all our reviews here.

09/03/2019

sarah pond
1 review
2 years ago
Miss advertised cost of car, refused to honor the cost although they pride themselves with trading standards stickers, changed price on forecourt and trying to resell at higher price minutes after. Pointed out that they can not do that and if they would not honor the price they had to take off sale for a duration as per legal guidelines. Manager very very rude, then told me he would not sell me a car...... clearly has far to much business that can turn customers down. So pleased he was very rude and refused my money as looking at these reviews clearly has a attitude about who he sells a car to.... good luck to him in the future!!!!!!!!