Browns Car Company Ltd Omdömen 

It was going quite well up until the point of paying the deposit. No hard pressure sales. Left alone to check the car out. Test drive was shorter than I would have liked, due to hardly any fuel in the tank. Negotiated a price and verbally agreed what they would do for the price: 

1. Deal with some surface rust on the wheel arch.
2. Refurbish all wheels.
3. New front number plate.
4. Valet inside and out.
5. Service and MOT.

That was my first mistake, not getting all that in writing and asking what the service would entail.

Fast forward a week, I turn up to collect the car and it is nowhere to be seen as it is still being prepped. I wait for 90 minutes for it to turn up. I was now running late so didn't have a chance to have a proper look round so, I paid the balance. When I asked for the pre-collection service receipt I was told: "It will be available the following Friday" so, I set off on my way. Second mistake and first alarm bell.

It becomes clear the car hasn’t been prepped properly. Not polished, not cleaned inside. Leaves in the glove box. Bits in the centre console. Muddy footprints on the inside trim. 

Everything seems to have been left to the last moment, the MOT, the service, the prep, what there was of it. A ‘Service Due’ light on the dashboard suggesting it hadn’t been serviced and with the service receipt not available for a week, it’s reasonable to wonder if has been serviced. I also had a problem with the windscreen washer which doesn’t work - another dashboard light. 

However...

the car drives well and gets me home and once home, I can see the damaged number plate is still on the car.  I’m annoyed but I’m a reasonable man and mistakes happen. I contact them, mention the problem with the windscreen washer and ask to book it in and wait whilst they check out the washer pump and level sensor, it’s not a big job. The washer pump is easily accessible and is a push fit job, as is the washer level sensor. I’m told, no they need it all day. I ask if someone can come out - getting back up Maldon is a pain - and look at it. No. I have to bring it in and leave it for the day. I ask them to order a new washer pump and washer fluid level sensor (via Ebay) which they say they will do and they will be in contact. They will also get the documentation for the service they did prior to the car being collected by me. The V5 I was given, is not the latest one issued and I will have to pay £25 to order a correct one.

A week goes by and I hear nothing and no service documentation. I email them and ask for them to send the parts, I’ll sort it out my end and for the service documentation (for the 3rd time)
 
No response, so I email again and ask for the parts and service documentation (for the 4th time). This time I get a response: 'It's all sorted'.

What does mean? I don't know, so I email again and the parts are in the post and they do indeed arrive the next day, minus the repeatedly asked for pre-collection service documentation. I've given up asking for that. If it had been done, it would have been sent it.

I fit the parts. It took 30 minutes. It took longer to remove the wheel arch than fit the new pump and level sensor.

I also have a full service done on the car and I ask the garage was the oil changed and is the filer new? They tell me no, they were not and a part worn tyre has been fitted to get the failed one through the MOT.

I can see on TP and Google they have a majority of good reviews. I can see the bad ones all share common themes.

Ultimately, I got lucky, the car is good but the whole experience was disappointing, disorganised, sloppy and promises not delivered.  A good range of cars but too much hassle, so learn from my mistakes and keep your wits about you!        

Excellent experience and very helpful with everything would highly recommend

Pete was very helpful and patient

Team were friendly experienced and professional no pressure tactics used when buying would highly recommend

Tyler was amazing and really good to deal with helped me with the finance which was straight forward Ricky was also helpful in prepping the car

Very good experience from start to finish, extras completed didn’t affect the cost of car, done ready for collection within 7 days

Avoid! Any car bought from this company should be reviewed by a trusted mechanic. You can reject the car for any reason not disclosed to you and are entitled to a full refund from them under cra2015 and the distance selling regs. You do not need to allow them to repair it.
Disclaimer! Eveything I state in this is my opinion and protected under freedom of speech.
Paid for a q5 DE03 JKE. Asked for winter tyres and the cam belt to be done and delivery. Paid 1400 extra for these ontop of the car for this.
The car turned up and damage was noticed on the NS rear arch underneath the trim which had pushed the main steel up at the door met and the arch inwards, indicating it had been involved in some incident of some kind. Luckily I spotted the damage to the car within 5 mins of delivery’s and refused it. The car also had 3000miles more than advertised when they mot’d prior to delivery mileage, the tyres paid for were ilink powerlink 79 which do not come in a winter format and I didn’t check to see if the cam belt had been changed, but by the sound of the car it hadn’t. The car was really dirty inside. Which you could forgive and the other bumper damage and panel gap misalignment.
They said they would call me the next day. I had to call, then on requesting a full refund, the sales person became belligerent. Causing me to speak out of tune.
They will not speak to you over the phone post sale if you have an issue. Only via email. Which is good as you have a paper trail, for any legal requirements.
They refused to refund the full value paid, as required by Cra2015 and the distance selling regulations. Only paying the car value, not the other items paid for, after stating they would refund the money. Not 8 days as stated in a different review but 11 days later.
I am still waiting for the rest of the money, this is after the 14days time frame has lapsed.
They have the car for sale with items I paid for on it, which current are mine as I have not been reimbursed for. The stated in a email, they would only give me the extras if I could prove the car was involved in an unreported accident. Which again under cra2015 and distance selling regs, is not required, I refused on the undisclosed damage, the extra 3000miles than advertised and the incorrect tyres put on.
He states he has a zero tolerance policy for abuse, but on reading other reviews on here and other review sites in which they state “ threatened to send people to my house” it seems to be a one sided view to that policy.
He also states 2000 good reviews and considering by companies house its been operating less than 7 yrs that’s more than a car a day in sales, which would outperform major car dealers? Interpet that as you like.

Avoid at all costs! They've sold us a car that came with more mileage than stated in advert when it got delivered. Filthy,we also saw signs of significant damage in the car that was never communicated,like it had been in a crash. We returned the car and asked for a refund straight away, it took more than a week to get some of the money back, having to deal with rudeness,threats and unprofessional owner. He still owes us £1400 that he says he is not willing to refund, he doesn't even reply to us anymore. They have that same car for sale again at much higher price, white Audi Q5 DE03 JKE reg.
Browns Car Company Ltd

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Browns Car Company Ltd
4.6
988 reviews
Used car dealer

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27 The Causeway, Heybridge, Maldon CM9 4LJ
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Open · Closes 7 pm
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brownscarcompanyltd.co.uk
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01621 840782

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PMQJ+8X Maldon

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4.6

988 reviews

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"Great service friendly staff nice selection of cars."

"Customer service is exceptional and helped me get a new car very quickly!"

"Brilliant service lovely workers excellent work environment

Your review

Lidi Pr
3 reviews

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I would not buy from them if I were you. They've sold us a car that came with more mileage than stated in advert when it got delivered. We also saw signs of significant damage in the car that was never communicated. We returned the car and asked for a refund, it took more than a week to get some of the money back, having to deal with rudeness and unprofessional owner. He still owes us £1400 that he says he is not willing to refund, he doesn't even reply to us anymore. They have that same car for sale again at much higher price, white Audi Q5 DE03 JKE reg.

-Update after their reply full of lies-

It's not Mr Ali, I have a very visible name. I have never contacted you on the phone personally, it was my partner communicating with you. nor being abusive in any channel. I posted reviews on social media with facts,just like here, which u do not like. More than happy for you to provide any evidence of myself being abusive or stating any false information about the service we have received, as I'm afraid, you are the ones using defamation techniques, don't expect any less from you anyway. You advertise national delivery which we paid for,and we offered to still cover the cost of that to sort this matter fast and get refunded for the rest; something very generous as you would agree, since under the consumer law , we have the right to a full refund within 14 days, which have now passed and you still owe £1400.you did not want to do this. There was no evidence of any work done in the car, which again, was part of the deal and paid for, no paperwork of it. Tyres paid for were not winter tyres like promised, again more of the same, not thruthful with your practice and not adhering to agreement. Still, you do not want to give a full refund (which you will eventually have to, as this is going to court and being investigated by Police for fraud). You are now selling a car with products you are stating we paid for, therefore, our property, aren't you?
I think my review is quite respectful for what I could've said, happy to post screenshots of your unprofessional manners if you would like me to?you have exposed yourself even more.
The car was advertised with significantly less miles than what ,in fact had. and the damage we saw upon arrival. the untruthful mileage alone gives us the right to return the car and get a full refund.
For everyone dealing with these people, know your rights, don't let them trick you into taking the car for a repair or anything like that. They are not registered with motor ombudsman for a reason, the surprise is how they are still operating after the amount of people stating the same awful facts. I have had more than 50 people within 4 hours contacting me after posting a review on social media, telling me all sorts of dodgy and threatening techniques these people allegedly used with them to try and cover their mess.know that you can go to citizen advice, trading standards, claim in court under consumer law, report to autotrader, reviews , reddit,etc, create pressure and expose them so it foesn't happen to more people, all they have to stand on is what it lools like fake reviews. Report for fraud to Police if needed.

excellent service from browns car company tyler was amazing and really helpful couldnt have asked for more from browns and the team

Bought the discovery from Tyler happy with the car and great people to buy from

Tyler sorted out everything for me, it was a very easy experience and I am very happy with my new car. Even though I called up last minute, on the day he managed to sort everything for me. Highly recommend great company!!

I purchased a car from Brownscarcompany in Heybridge Essex and I would have given a no star review if it was possible. The car developed a serious fault with the engine management light coming on and the ECU reporting error codes, I returned the vehicle to them and after a couple of days they said the car had been repaired and they have replaced the faulty parts, when I collected the car I ask for the mechanics report of the work carried out on the vehicle and receipts for any parts replaced, I was assured that they would email them to me later that evening, I never received either. I contacted Brownscarcompany the next day as I noticed that the engine management light no longer works at all, I informed them that the engine management light no longer works and that the car has the same faults as what it was returned for, I have received no response from the dealership at all and have had to seek help from a solicitor as the car not only still has it's original faults but is now not able to pass an MOT due to a non functioning engine management light, the light must illuminate when the ignition is switched on and go out if there are no faults when the engine is started, if it doesn't do this the car would automatically fail the MOT.
The engine management light no longer functions at all so the car has more faults than what it had when it was returned. I am in the process of trying to return the car to them for a full refund, they have not responded to any of the messages sent either by myself or from the finance company, I am hoping that the solicitor will have better luck getting a response from them. This has been going on for several weeks and I am still no further forward than when I first returned the car for repair, avoid this dealership at all costs as they are friendly and helpful while they are taking your money but no help at all when things go wrong, in fact they have put the car in a much worse condition than what it was before it was originally returned to them for repair.

Great service, thank you

Well looked after good customer service.

Bought a scirocco from Tyler at browns car company easy to deal with and friendly. Highly recommend

The people that work here are fantastic and friendly..they sort out my problems with vehicle straight away...

Fantastic service , everyone is friendly ans helpful. Would definitely use them again

Great people. Very professional service.

Very friendly staff sorted me out with a good car at a good price. No complaints.