Shocking Service and Vehicle Mishandling at Gobid East London – Avoid at All Costs!

My experience with Gobid East London Branch has been nothing short of frustrating and disappointing. I reached out to sell a car to them and disclosed from the onset that the vehicle had been parked for a long time and had a faulty clutch master, making it undrivable. Despite this, Gobid provided an offer and asked me to tow the car to their Wilsonia branch for assessment, which I did at my expense, costing R2,000.

Upon arrival, things quickly spiraled downhill. The assessor could not locate the stamped VIN on the vehicle body and even showed me a similar car at the branch to compare. However, after inspecting the other vehicle and discovering it also lacked a stamped VIN, it became evident that the issue might be model-related. Despite this, I was told to leave the car for further checks. Days later, Gobid informed me they couldn’t find the VIN and would not purchase the car. I then inquired about arrangements for towing the vehicle back since I had already spent money towing it to their branch. I received no response.

When I returned to retrieve the car on December 17th, 2024, I discovered the vehicle had been moved, despite its undrivable condition. The security guard casually mentioned that they had used a forklift to move it. Upon inspecting the vehicle, it wouldn’t start, and the assessor claimed the battery was low. I didn’t think much of it at the time and arranged for a tow truck.

The real trouble began when I tried to jumpstart the vehicle on December 19th for a potential buyer. It still wouldn’t start, which was puzzling because it was running when loaded onto the tow truck. After charging the battery and adding R200 worth of fuel, the engine started, but I noticed fuel pouring out from underneath the car. This damage was not present before I brought the vehicle to Gobid.

When I raised the issue with Gobid, both the branch staff and sales representative denied any responsibility. The sales rep rudely denied ever instructing me to leave the car at the branch and refused to provide the branch manager’s contact details. The branch manager, once contacted, was equally dismissive, insisting that the damage was not their fault and advising us to contact their head office.

Throughout the process, Gobid’s staff, particularly the sales representative, demonstrated an appalling lack of professionalism. Their handling of both vehicles and customer concerns is unacceptable. The use of a forklift to move my vehicle likely caused the fuel system damage, yet they completely disowned responsibility.

I would strongly advise anyone considering doing business with Gobid, especially the East London branch, to think twice. Their customer service is abysmal, and their handling of vehicles is careless at best. If you choose to buy or sell through them, thoroughly inspect your vehicle afterward, especially the undercarriage, wiring, exhaust, and fuel tank, as their processes seem to cause unnecessary damage.

Verdict: Avoid Gobid East London Branch. This was the worst service I’ve ever experienced, and their lack of accountability makes it clear that customer satisfaction is not a priority.