Jean P.

Booked my car for mot and service with servicing stop as I thought what a good idea picking my car up and bringing back to me. ( big mistake). Booked online and they said if I paid straight away I would get £25 off. Got a text message with a phone number I was to put in my phone in case they needed to get in touch once they had my car. Car was picked up as arranged at 8.30. At 3.30 a London,number was trying to phone me but it was coming up suspected spam on my phone but when it rang again I answered it and this chap said I needed a timing belt,a engine wash out there was so much that I couldn't take it in. I knew my car didn't need a timing belt as it had only done 14,000 miles. I told him I wanted a copy of all the work he said needed done and I didn't want any of the work done and I wanted my car back,he told me if I didn't get the work done it would damage my engine and all sorts of things would happen,then i suddenly thought I don't know where my car is so I asked him and he couldn't tell me,at that point I panicked I thought my car had been stolen,I put the phone down on him and phoned the number that I was to put in my phone in case the needed to contact me. I got through and asked if they knew where my car was and he said we have it here over 20 miles away.I asked what was wrong with it and he said it had passed the MOT with a advisory that one of my tyres was near the legal limit and the service was done. I told him all that had been told to me and he didn't have a clue what I was talking about. He did say once you've paid I will release the car,I told him I had paid upfront he said there is a hold on your car. He gave me a number to phone and said once you spoke to them call me back and I'll get your car back to you. Well the number I was given doesn't let you talk to anybody in person it was a form and you put your Job number on it and it tell you how much you've to pay on it was £29.99 for oil and £39.99 to join their club to get money off when you use them again😂😂 you were able to remove that which I did. I paid the money for the oil as I just wanted my car back. Phoned the garage that had my car and told him about having to pay for oil and he said the oil was in the price of the service but they would get round it by saying it was special oil. He said he would get my car back to me. Then the spam number phoned me again saying I wasn't getting my car back until I paid and I told him I have a email saying it was paid and if he didn't release the car I was going to the police. Never again will I be so silly as I didn't do a review on them something I alway do when I buy anything.
I don't think the garage that was used is part of the scam but I don't trust anyone anymore.