SHOCKING EXPERIENCE – WARNING TO ALL CUSTOMERS CONSIDERING HYUNDAI BELLVILLE

I’m writing this review after a deeply frustrating and traumatizing experience with Hyundai Bellville that began in February 2025 and still hasn’t been fully resolved.

What was meant to be an exciting milestone has turned into a frustrating and traumatizing experience due to a series of issues with both the vehicle and the service provided.

From the beginning, I have been clear and transparent about my budget and preferences. Unfortunately, my experience with your dealership in Hyundai Bellville has fallen far short of expectations. Below, I have outlined the key concerns I have encountered:

1. Miscommunication About Availability: I was initially informed about a 2023 i20 that matched my specifications. However, upon arriving at the dealership, I was told the vehicle was already promised to another customer. I drove all the way from Mitchells Plain on the 7th February 2025, day for 2 hours to source a vehicle, every time I say I'm going to go home, Alu and Godfrey insist I wait.

2. Unsuitable Alternative: Instead, I was offered an older model that was sourced by the dealership on 10th February and was asked to come in and made me wait for 2 hours signing nothing, got stuck in traffic for more than an hour to get home.

3. Dropping off of vehicle on the 11th February 2025 where I clearly ask them to drop off the vehicle earlier at my workplace and sales lady Alu came at 4h30pm when I work until 3h45pm, and sat in the car until after 5pm, the key got stuck in the casing. I called her to tell her that I'm struggling to get the key out, she advised me to use my mail to pull it out whereby I broke a nail. And resulted me to be stuck in traffic for more than one hour to get home.

4.Unprofessional Conduct: Alu repeatedly emphasized the discount provided and profit that was not made, even discussing my personal financial deal purchase in front of a colleague, which I found unprofessional.

5. Undisclosed Accident History: I was not informed that the vehicle had been in an accident or undergone a respray. This critical information was only discovered after the purchase, raising concerns about the car’s structural integrity from a work colleague that picked it up.

6. Missing Spare Key: The vehicle was delivered without a spare key, and the only key provided was malfunctioning.

7. Surface Rust: The car exhibits surface rust in several areas, leading me to worry about potential rust in hidden parts, such as the engine bay or undercarriage. I am also concerned about this resurfacing a year from now if it is “repaired” for now.

8. Inadequate Inspection: When I raised concerns, I was told that the dealership skipped a thorough inspection because I needed the car urgently accordingly to Alu, I found this to be a really weak reason, this should never be skipped for safety reasons.

9. No Fuel Provided: The car and my trade in as a courtesy car delivered with barely any fuel, the least you expect when buying a vehicle. On the 13th February Alu came to collect the vehicle after I have reported the manufacturing fall out rust and have my old vehicle as a courtesy car and returned the vehicle on the 14th February with absolutely nothing being done on it.

10. Missing Documentation: I have not received the logbook nor even an invoice to confirm my purchase for the month of February 2025, only received it end of March.

This experience has been deeply disappointing and has caused me significant stress.

I initially reached out to the Dealer Principal, via email on 15 February 2025, detailing the issues I was facing. He later claimed not to have received the email, even though it was sent to the correct address. I took a friend with me to the dealership because I felt like I was being taken advantage of, and when we mentioned taking the matter to the Ombudsman and requested a refund, the DP was clearly displeased. However, he promised to resolve the issues with the vehicle and reassured me that I would no longer need to deal with Alu or Godfrey, both of whom had treated me poorly and displayed a complete lack of customer service.

On 17 February 2025, a new salesman came to collect the vehicle, and I was provided with a 2024 Hyundai i20 courtesy car while my vehicle underwent a full respray. I only received my vehicle back on 28 February 2025—a two-week turnaround. The DP also told me he had investigated the car’s history and discovered that the previous owner had driven into a gate—not once, but twice. He insisted this didn’t classify as an “accident,” which I strongly disagree with. Damage that requires a full respray is an accident, plain and simple. I was also informed that the spare key was missing, which had not been disclosed before purchase.

Then on 14 March 2025, I alerted the DP to a loud sound coming from the pulley, which was never present in the courtesy car. He said he had notified the service manager to assist. On 17 March, I visited Hyundai Bellville expecting the spare key to be ready, but instead the service manager told me the pulley was faulty and the part would take two days to arrive from Johannesburg. I told him I couldn’t keep coming back, and to his credit, he then took a pulley from another vehicle to resolve the issue. He also fitted my number plates and gave me the vehicle documents. From there, I had to constantly chase the DP about the spare key. Instead of taking responsibility, he redirected me to Godfrey, fully knowing I had made it clear I no longer wanted to deal with Godfrey or Alu due to their unacceptable behaviour.

On 25 March 2025, I contacted Godfrey and received rude, unprofessional responses. He didn’t greet me and gave dismissive replies. He said they were busy with month-end and the car would be collected the following week. I followed up again on 31 March, and he told me someone would collect the car on Tuesday or Wednesday to sort out the key. To make matters worse, on 31 March, I encountered a serious safety issue: the accelerator began sticking, causing the car to suddenly shoot into full speed. This happened three times on my way to work, and I immediately alerted them.

Tuesday, 1 April, came and no one showed up. I contacted Godfrey, who told me he was off, and then Alu (who I did not want to deal with) contacted me. She said she would collect the car but expected me to find my own way home and to work, which was completely unreasonable. I told her I needed a vehicle.

On 2 April 2025, Alu finally showed up—20 minutes late at 9:50 AM after saying she’d be there at 9:30 AM. This was unprofessional and frustrating. She had a maintenance staff member call me to explain that they would test drive the car and do a diagnostic test. He said he would oil the accelerator spring but could not find a fault at that moment. I asked again about the spare key, and I was told the part still had to be ordered and would take three more days—contradicting Godfrey’s earlier promise that it would be sorted by 1 April.

At this point, I have shown nothing but patience and professionalism as a cash customer, and in return, I’ve received broken promises, mechanical issues, zero accountability, and complete disregard for customer care. Now, I’m also hearing a clicking sound from the clutch. The problems never end.

I gave Hyundai Bellville every opportunity to make this right. Instead, they’ve failed at every turn. I will now be escalating this to Hyundai Head Office and sharing my experience across all forms of social media, and I truly hope it reaches the press. People deserve to know what kind of treatment they can expect, even as paying customers.

All I wanted was a proper vehicle or a refund within 4 days of buying it. This has been a nightmare from the start. If Hyundai treats its cash-paying customers like this, I will never buy or recommend the brand again.