In June, I bought a three and a half year old Vauxhall Astra from Evans Halshaw in Leeds. The car is great, and I’m very happy with it overall, it’s a significant upgrade from my old 2001 Fiesta. However, I’ve not had the best of experiences with Evans Halshaw and their Vauxhall garage, and wanted to write about them. It’s only a couple of little things, but it’s enough that I’d consider looking elsewhere next time. If anyone from Evans Halshaw is reading this, please take note.
Pre-Sales Service
When I was looking to buy the car, Jim, my salesman, was incredibly helpful and responsive. He let me test drive a similar model when the one I wanted was in the workshop, and subsequently let me re-test the actual model when it was ready. He answered all the questions I had and we agreed I’d collect it on the Tuesday.
Tuesday came, and I received a call from them, saying that the car wasn’t going to be ready for collection, as they’d forgotten to take the registration document from the previous owner. Not to worry, they said, the documents were in the post and I could collect the car on Thursday. Disgruntled, I called the garage to complain. At this point, they told me that actually, Jim was taking part of his afternoon off to collect the documents instead – so obviously, they were not in the post. 
Several phone calls asking for updates later, I was told that Jim had collected the documents, but as he wanted to deal with me himself, I’d have to wait until he was back in on Thursday to collect my car. Note to Evans Halshaw: You’ve already sold me the car, I really don’t care who signs the paperwork with me!
When I arrived at the garage on Thursday, Jim was busy serving another client. As he wanted to help me himself, I waited at an empty sales desk for him. I waited 45 minutes, on my lunch break.
Of course, when I got the car, I was too excited to post a rant about that, so it was merely mentioned as a note in my ‘New car!‘ blog entry.
Post-Sales Service
This is what actually sparked today’s post. About a month ago, my car developed a fairly strong vibration through both the steering wheel and the floor when driving on the motorway, as well as general unusual lightness on the steering. Something I considered to be both fairly serious, and potentially dangerous.
When you buy a car from Evans Halshaw, they sell in a fairly expensive warranty, added as standard to the price. I took this out, as this is the biggest buy I’ve ever made, and their garage is staffed by Vauxhall trained technicians. So I took the Astra in, explained the fault, and left it with them. Two hours later I got a call back to tell me that they’d taken the car out and couldn’t reproduce the problem. They suggested that I should get a four-wheel balance done, but they can’t do them, and they can’t suggest anyone who can. Hardly expert level service.
I’ve just got the car back from Kwik Fit, who within half an hour this morning had diagnosed the problem as being a worn rear tyre, and incorrect balancing on the remaining three. They’ve replaced the tyre and fixed the balancing this morning, and the drive back to work was already showing a massive improvement. The mechanic at Kwik Fit told me that the problem was glaringly obvious, and that in his opinion, Evans Halshaw probably hadn’t even looked at the car. Worrying when you consider the potential risks of a faulty wheel or tyre.
Obviously, none of these things on their own are particularly dire, or particularly offensive. However, when you combine them, it shows an irritating lack of interest in customer satisfaction on the part of Evans Halshaw Vauxhall. Luckily, Kwik-Fit, being totally independent, have a vested interest in making sure I’m back on the road, and that I’ll come back to them next time. I certainly will. Take this post as you will, but I’d be wary of buying another car from Evans Halshaw Leeds, or using their Vauxhall service centre.
I recently bought a car off evans halshaw. After the first car they brought down from glasgow for me, which was supposed to be in perfect condition, turned up and was awfull the paint was peeling off, the steering wheel had bits of the cover missing, there where scratches on the insides of the doors. Needless to say I was a bit weary about the next car I looked at although it looked ok. I was buying a new car because I had been in a car crash which had written my car off. I specifically asked them if it had been in any crashes the salesman told me no it had never been in a crash. Thats the last time I will trust them at Evans Halshaw. I found out 2 months later when I took the car to my mechanic, just to get a headlamp bulb changed, that the car had been in quite a bump and the whole front of the car had been put back very sloppily they had even left bolts undone. If this wasn’t worrying enough he then told me they had sold it to me when the brake discs were down to the manufacturers guidelines which means left the brakes could have failed!!!
To be fair when I took it back they agreed to do all the work on the car(only when my mechanic came and showed them) they wouldn’t believe me! But since i have had to take it back to get an oil leak sorted when they should have done that when they did the other work. I don’t think i will ever buy a car from Evans Halshaw again.
Wow, that really sucks! I can’t believe they’re not only selling slightly badly kept cars – but actually damaged and dangerous ones.
I’m very tempted to write a more in-depth article on this subject, or perhaps to write them a letter. I realise it likely won’t do anything, but it’s got to be worth a try.