Review Time
I can finally share my Cinch saga…
After months of stress, emails, and persistence, I’ve now finally received a full refund under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. 🥳
I bought a 2017 Vauxhall Mokka X in July last year. After six weeks, while I was on holiday, it broke down with a head gasket issue, engine management light, and other faults. 😭
It took around a month before the car was even admitted into the garage. After six weeks with very little information or meaningful progress, I formally exercised my right to reject the vehicle on the basis that the repair was taking an unreasonable amount of time (despite having a courtesy car from them).
Cinch refused to accept the rejection and directed me to ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) with Doncaster Trading Standards.
Later, Cinch and the garage informed me that the car had been repaired and was ready for collection. However, I refused to collect it because I had already rejected the vehicle due to the excessive delay and was waiting for the ADR outcome. They then took away the hire car - fair enough - but I was then left without a car while waiting for the dispute to be adjudicated.
By chance, when putting together my evidence for ADR stage 2, I came across the live dealer repair records in an old email chain from the garage and discovered that, even three months after the original breakdown, the car was still NOT actually repaired for the original issue (namely the head gasket). Cinch had simply accepted the dealer’s word that the vehicle was fixed without independently cross-checking what work had actually been completed. 🤯
Very disappointingly ADR ultimately sided with Cinch and, in my view, did not properly engage with the documentary evidence. The only practical benefit of ADR was being able to demonstrate to the court that I had attempted resolution before issuing proceedings. I did not accept the ADR outcome and then prepared to take them to court.
In the end, after sending my Letter Before Claim and several deadline extensions where I shared my evidence in great detail, Cinch agreed to unwind the sale and refund me - 22 minutes before the court deadline. 🙌
This has without a doubt been the most stressful customer experience of my life, but I’m glad I persisted. 💪
Know your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and be prepared to enforce them if necessary. ⚖️
In my experience, you will need to be incredibly persistent and very clear about your statutory rights - otherwise it is easy to get worn down.
For context, this was the second car I had bought from Cinch. I had previously rejected another purchase within 30 days due to a serious oil leak where the engine was not retaining oil at all. I genuinely thought I had just been unlucky the first time and liked the convenience of ordering online - but never again.
I’ve now gone back to an older Ford Focus with careful previous owners and it drives like a dream. 🚗
Stay strong people. ✊
Very poor experience with Cinch from start to finish.
The car arrived with the engine management light already on, despite us being told before delivery that the vehicle had previously gone into limp mode but had been fixed. Clearly this had not been properly resolved, as the problem was still present when the car was delivered.
We had to call the RAC out, who then identified multiple faults with the vehicle, he could also see that the car had diagnostic checks ran that day and we therefore assume fault codes cleared before delivering the car to us. Cinch then expected my partner to drive the faulty car back to the garage himself, which we felt was completely unacceptable given the car had known issues. He was then left at the garage with no courtesy car or support to get home.
Throughout this process we repeatedly asked for a formal complaint to be raised and requested to speak with a manager. We were told on more than one occasion that a manager would call us back, but this never happened. Our requests to escalate the issue were essentially ignored.
For a company that advertises thorough vehicle checks and a smooth, hassle-free buying process, this experience was the complete opposite. Delivering a known faulty vehicle, expecting the customer to return it themselves, and then failing to properly handle a formal complaint is simply not acceptable.
Although the car was eventually returned and the refund processed, the level of service and communication we experienced was extremely poor. Based on this experience, we would not recommend Cinch. like:
Cinch have replied with a generic response but still haven’t addressed the issues raised.
I was a bit worried when the employee doing the handover at Derby said to me, he wasn’t bothered about checking my bank card as long as the car goes, that’s his job done then. Professionalism lacking? He also emphasised 3 times how as soon as I drove off if there was a problem, even at the end of the road, don’t go back to them ring no matter what, call customer support. Not exactly reassuring and again, really unprofessional when you’re spending a lot of money.
The car itself, immaculate on the outside, its clearly had a clean externally, the inside however was awful and definitely hasn’t been valeted. There was tobacco in the seat crevices, cobwebs on the back windows and grime in the drivers passenger door. The car also stinks of cigarettes so the seats and upholstery haven’t been valeted.
Finally, over £12000 and the car didn’t even have screen wash in. Completely empty. These small touches make a difference.
I have had to spend a lot more getting these bits sorted so god knows how a £99 admin fee can be justified. I’d love to know what the £99 fee is to do other than send off a V5C (£3 in the post) and an extremely unprofessional handover.
Overall not the best experience.
It was the easiest purchase of a car ever. Plus the trade in beat another network dealer by £1500!
The support has been great and very personal.
A bog thanks for the delivery/collection process. I'm sorry, Parish was very helpful.
My grandson bought a car from Cinch and initially it drove well. Within 48 hours however an engine fault light came on and a garage told him it was the O2 sensor and that the cat was failing. The car had been driven less than 150 miles by my grandson. He immediately completed the 14 day no quibble return form for the car. Cinch is supposed to collect the car free within five days but it was two weeks before the car was collected. My grandson having to insure the car during that time and unable to drive it!
I would not be able to recommend Cinch to anyone.
All very good except that we have not been able to see the old log book. The DVLA will send us one but it might take more than 2 weeks. We were told the logbook and service history would be in the paper work in the vehicle.
Very disappointed with my experience with Cinch. My car delivery was originally scheduled for 21st February but was delayed. I was then told the new date was the 24th, so I rearranged work and took time off — only to later be told this date was a typo and the actual delivery would be the 25th.
This mistake caused unnecessary disruption, stress, and financial impact.
Overall, the process felt disorganised and customer inconvenience did not seem to be taken seriously.
Purchase of car went smoothly and quick. Car was in excellent condition apart from a rear speaker not working. This was reported and replaced quickly. Happy with my purchase and the aftercare process
Awful communication, was lied to several times. The company "lost my car". When car finally delivered it was in an awful state, not as described. Was left out of pocket with charges not being refunded. No-one really cared or was helpful at all.
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