Verry Disappointed

On 25 April 2024, I traded my Nissan X-Trail, which had no issues, for an Audi Q5 at Arnold Motors in Klerksdorp. The problems started almost immediately. In the same week, I contacted Jean to inform him that the sunroof wasn’t working and the car kept giving warnings that it was overheating and needed water. This went on for about two months until the car broke down completely.

I informed Jean, and they fetched the Q5 from Rustenburg, where it stood for about a month before being worked on. After repairs, they delivered it back to Rustenburg on a Friday. However, by Saturday, we discovered the car was still not fixed. I parked it again and contacted Jean, who told me his boss, Johan, said we should take the car to a garage in Rustenburg on Monday. The garage refused to work on the car, saying the engine was completely damaged. They even contacted Johan themselves and sent videos as proof.

Jean then arranged to collect the Q5 the following week. In the meantime, I was forced to purchase an engine warranty for R16,500. Later, Jean informed me I should no longer contact the warranty company directly as they would handle it. Their driver picked up the Q5 from Rustenburg and drove it to Klerksdorp with several bottles of water in the car because it was still overheating. The car was with them for another two months.

When I finally got the car back, they claimed it was now 100% fixed and that they had done a major service. However, after only a month, the car broke down completely again on the side of the road, leaking oil and refusing to start. I contacted the warranty company, who arranged for a tow truck to take the car to a garage in Thabazimbi. After hours of arguments between the warranty company and the tow truck service, the car was eventually taken to the garage. Now, I have to wait for all the other vehicles in the garage to be fixed before they can even look at mine.

What frustrates me the most is that I traded my reliable Nissan for a car that has been nothing but problems from the start. On top of that, Arnold Motors didn’t even provide a proper contract—I had to ask for one after the car broke down. They simply told me to “sign, sign,” took my Nissan, and left without even inspecting it. I feel they took advantage of me because I’m a woman.

What can I do in a situation like this? Arnold Motors has failed to take responsibility, and I feel completely let down. I would not recommend this dealership to anyone. Their service and ethics are severely lacking.