Georgia

Avoid at all costs.

On the 3/12/25 I left a deposit for an Audi Q3, I test drove this vehicle on 5/12/25. After test driving the vehicle it was obvious that the vehicle was faulty and not fit for purpose. During inspection and test driving, the automatic gearbox was slipping. Both my parents have previously dealt in cars and have extensive experience and mechanical knowledge. My mother also test drove the car. At the time I raised the issue of the slipping gearbox, the salesman who accompanied us on the test drive also agreed that there was a noticeable delay in transmission. Reece agreed that this would looked into properly however I informed the garage in person on Monday 8th Decemeber that I did not wish to proceed with the vehicle. At that point, no work had been carried out on the vehicle. Reece told me that I had to test drive the vehicle again once the gearbox had been looked at or I would not receive my deposit back. I was later advised that the issue had been “fixed”; however, Reece confirmed that the vehicle had only received an oil change and had been connected to a diagnostic computer however he was unable to provide a diagnostic report. A gearbox issue cannot be properly diagnosed or repaired without dismantling the gearbox. What was carried out appears to have been a process of elimination in the hope that the fault would be temporarily resolved or masked. I also consulted multiple independent mechanics, all of whom advised against purchasing the vehicle due to the slipping gearbox and the likelihood that an oil change would only mask an issue that was already there. I again informed North West Autos that I would not be purchasing the vehicle. Reece then proceeded to tell me that by law north west autos were able to charge any costs of making the vehicle right and fit for purpose to myself, regardless of the fact I had already informed them I did not wish to purchase the vehicle prior to any work being carried out. This raised concerns for me about whether these issues would have been identified for future buyers had I not informed north west autos of the issues with the gearbox, the cosmetic damage on the door sill, (which was not shown on pictures or during inspection) and the rear tyres which were under the legal limit the car would have been sold as it was (in my opinion not fit for purpose). I have called north west autos today to chase an update on the refund of my deposit (baring in mind I informed them on the 8th December that I would not be purchasing the car which has given them 10 working days) I was advised this was with Paige in the after sales team and asked to be patient whilst they investigate. I asked to speak to Paige which Reece informed Paige would only communicate via email, regardless of the fact that all of their calls are recorded. Upon telling Reece that I would be leaving a review and terminating the call he left the below voicemail, what I believe to be of a threatening nature: “I will advise you you’re not the first and certainly won’t be the last to say you’re going to do that and you will not be the first we will counter Sue for defamation” In my opinion, this statement suggest that many people have previously had issues with North West Autos. If you choose to purchase a car from North West Autos I highly recommend you purchase an AA comprehensive pre-purchase vehicle inspection and diagnostics. I would also encourage prospective customers to review North West Autos’ responses to one-star reviews, as these interactions reflect how customer issues are handled once a sale has been completed. In my opinion, this approach lacks professionalism.