Lee C

Absolutely Avoid! Dishonest & Fraudulant

Absolutely Avoid – Dishonest, Chaotic, and Utterly Unprofessional My experience with Horsepower Motor Centre has been so appalling that I was eventually forced to involve my bank and the Police Fraud team in order to recover funds owed to me. What began as a routine car purchase quickly descended into a months-long ordeal marked by dishonesty, silence, and shocking levels of incompetence. I purchased a Mercedes E-Class (Reg: WK14TFV), only to return it almost immediately due to serious and dangerous mechanical faults. Upon collection, the car — which had just passed an MOT conducted by their partner garage on the very same day — displayed multiple alarming issues, including: • The engine management light coming on within hours • Severe juddering under acceleration • Complete loss of power while driving • Worn brake discs that require replacement Despite these obvious safety concerns, the car was sold to me as roadworthy — something I now view with deep suspicion, given the timing and source of the MOT. I returned the car in good faith for repairs, but it sat untouched for over two and a half weeks, with no communication from the dealership unless I repeatedly chased them. One staff member even admitted via message that the place was in “utter chaos” — a rare and brutally honest reflection of the situation. In place of the Mercedes, I was offered a 2004 Honda Civic as a so-called courtesy car. It was in appalling condition, made horrific grinding noises from the brake callipers, and even contained used cigarettes under the seat — presumably left behind by the last unfortunate customer they loaned it to. It was neither roadworthy nor acceptable. Despite eventually agreeing to a refund, I was forced to wait nearly two months to receive only a partial repayment, with no explanation whatsoever for the missing amount. This is despite returning the car with half a tank of diesel, and the fact that they are still holding both sets of keys and the V5C. My formal complaint was completely ignored, and no apology or accountability was ever offered. This experience has left me significantly out of pocket, without a vehicle, and with major disruption to my business and well-being. That I had to resort to formal intervention from my bank and the Police Fraud team speaks volumes about how seriously Horsepower Motor Centre mishandled this situation. If you’re considering buying from Horsepower Motor Centre — don’t. Based on my experience, this is a company that is dishonest, disorganised, and completely unfit to be trading in vehicles. I wouldn’t trust them with a bicycle, let alone your hard-earned money.