Adam Boreham from Autostrada Cars in response to Very bad experience

Thank you for your review, Samuel. We are disappointed to read your comments and feel it is important to clarify a number of points regarding your experience. Following the concerns you raised about your MINI, our then Sales Manager arranged for the car to be inspected by MINI Bristol, an authorised MINI main dealer, to obtain an independent assessment. We understand that MINI Bristol did not identify the major issues previously suggested, which was reassuring given the nature of the concerns raised. When purchasing a used car, it is important to recognise that age, mileage, condition and price are closely related. A higher-mileage car will naturally show more signs of use and wear than a newer, lower-mileage example, and this is reflected in its market value. Whilst every car we sell undergoes preparation and inspection, it would not be reasonable to expect a higher-mileage used car to exhibit the same condition as a significantly newer example. This does not, of course, mean that genuine mechanical faults or safety concerns should be disregarded. We understand that you subsequently chose to purchase a newer, lower-mileage car, which may have been better suited to your expectations. We take customer concerns seriously and believe that arranging an independent inspection by an authorised MINI dealership was a fair and responsible way to investigate the issues raised. We are sorry that your experience did not meet your expectations, but do not believe your review fully reflects the steps taken by Autostrada to address your concerns.

Adam Boreham from Autostrada Cars in response to Top notch

Thank you for your lovely review, William. It’s great to hear that you’re enjoying your new car and that you found both our pricing and the service from our sales team to be excellent. We work hard to offer a great selection of quality cars at competitive prices, backed by friendly, helpful service, so your feedback is very much appreciated. Thank you for choosing Autostrada and for recommending us. We hope to welcome you back in the future!!

Adam Boreham from Autostrada Cars in response to Poor Aftersales- No Warranty included

Thank you for your review, Kasim. As a returning customer who had previously purchased a car from Autostrada without any issues, we were naturally disappointed that your second purchase did not work out as anticipated. Firstly, we would like to correct your comments regarding where we source our cars. We purchase cars directly from main dealers and also accept part-exchanges. This particular BMW was taken in part-exchange against a Porsche Cayenne which we had purchased new from Porsche Bristol. Your suggestion that we do not source our cars through these channels is therefore incorrect. Ultimately, every used car has had a previous owner, regardless of whether it is purchased from a main dealer or an independent dealership. Unfortunately, this BMW had an intermittent fault which had not been disclosed to us by its previous owner and which did not present itself during our pre-sale inspection or road testing. Intermittent faults are particularly difficult to identify when they cannot be replicated and there is no indication that a problem exists. As a motor dealer, we also take risks when purchasing used cars. Unlike retail customers purchasing from a dealership, we do not benefit from the same consumer protections when acquiring stock. If a previous owner fails to disclose a fault, we can find ourselves responsible for resolving an issue we had no reasonable opportunity to identify. In this instance, we accepted that responsibility rather than passing the consequences on to you. Every car we sell comes with a standard return-to-base warranty, with the option to upgrade to more comprehensive protection, including breakdown recovery. We always recommend suitable breakdown cover, whether through an upgraded warranty or a provider such as the AA or RAC, because even the best-prepared used cars can occasionally develop unforeseen faults. As someone working within the motor trade, you were familiar with these options and chose not to upgrade your warranty, just as you had with your previous purchase. When the engine management light appeared, the car remained drivable and had not broken down. Nevertheless, once the intermittent fault was brought to our attention, we agreed to accept the car back without dispute. The car was purchased through a finance agreement and, upon its return, we refunded the finance company in full. No monthly finance repayments had been made before the car was returned. We appreciate that losing such a well-specified car, particularly one offered at a very competitive price, must have been disappointing. However, we believe the true measure of a dealership is not whether an unforeseen fault ever occurs, but how the dealership responds when it does. In this instance, we accepted the car back and refunded the finance company in full, without dispute. We are therefore disappointed that your reviews portray the experience so negatively without fairly reflecting the circumstances or the resolution provided.

Adam Boreham from Autostrada Cars in response to Not impressed at all

Thank you for your review, Tyler. We are sorry to hear that you were disappointed with the administration surrounding your car purchase. We would like to clarify our procedures regarding private number plates, road tax and registration documents. As with any car purchase, we require payment in full before transferring the registered keeper details or releasing the V5C. We cannot reasonably be expected to transfer a car into a customer’s name before the purchase has been completed. Where a customer wishes to transfer a private number plate, our preferred procedure is to complete the sale, register the car in the customer’s name and allow them to transfer their personalised plate once the new V5C has been issued by the DVLA. We appreciate that some customers prefer their private plate to be fitted before collection, but this can introduce delays and complications with DVLA paperwork. Road tax and insurance are the customer’s responsibility, and both must be arranged as required before the car is driven on public roads. Whilst we are happy to assist and advise, these are ultimately arrangements for the customer to make. Unfortunately, DVLA processing times are outside our control, and delays can occasionally occur. We are sorry that the process did not meet your expectations, but hope this explanation provides some clarity regarding our procedures and the responsibilities involved.