Summary of Issues

• Car delivery was delayed unexpectedly, causing inconvenience and additional travel costs.
• Vehicle was delivered with visible damage that was initially denied by the salesperson.
• Mechanical faults appeared within 12 months, including a critical timing chain issue.
• Car became undrivable and broke down in traffic, requiring police intervention.
• Arbury and SPOTiCAR have not provided adequate support to resolve the issue under warranty.
• Customer has been left without a usable vehicle since March 2025.

Timeline of Mechanical Issues

• 20 Feb 2025: Vehicle fails MOT at Arbury due to engine light. Returned to me with light off.
• 22 Feb 2025: Vehicle passes MOT at a different garage.
• Late Feb – March 2025: Engine light intermittently returns. I limit use and arrange a diagnostic.
• 20 Mar 2025: Independent diagnostic reveals timing chain and clutch issues. Advised vehicle is unsafe to drive - limit to short, necessary journeys only.
• 29 Mar 2025: Vehicle breaks down after a hospital appointment. Police attend. Recovery via friend’s service.
• 10 Apr 2025: Contacted Arbury to initiate warranty support.
• 14 Apr 2025 - 2 May 2025:No response from Arbury despite three emails chasing a response during this period.
• April–May 2025: Car remains undrivable. Ongoing delays, limited support offered, recovery and diagnostics not fully covered.
• 20 May 2025: Arbury arranges recovery and agrees to cover two hours of diagnostics at Stoneacre Stafford.
• 22 May 2025: Stoneacre advises a further five hours (£720) is needed to remove oil sump and inspect for debris.
• 29 May 2025: Stoneacre confirms SPOTiCAR will not cover additional diagnostic costs. Vehicle remains undrivable. Formal complaints initiated.

Concerns Raised

• Lack of meaningful communication for weeks despite a serious issue.
• No support offered for vehicle recovery despite the car being undrivable.
• Potential for high diagnostic costs - even though I’ve already paid for a third-party diagnostic.
• Warranty sold as peace of mind but now creating financial uncertainty before support is even confirmed.
• Early sales process raised red flags, including unexplained delivery damage and resistance to resolving it.
• The vehicle has been off the road for over two months, losing practical use and market value.
• SPOTiCAR warranty has declined to support extended diagnostics despite being necessary to determine claim validity.
• Unclear and burdensome customer experience around what warranty actually protects against — potential mis-selling concerns.

What I’m Asking For

• That Arbury covers the cost of recovery, or arranges it without charge, given the condition and circumstances.
• That no further diagnostic charges are passed to me, whether the repair is deemed valid under warranty or not.
• That the full cost of any repair related to this fault is covered either under the warranty or by Arbury - I do not believe it is fair or acceptable for me to bear the repair costs in these circumstances.
• That SPOTiCAR clarify and amend policies that leave customers liable for excessive exploratory diagnostics.
• That Arbury clarify what duty of care they provide when selling such warranties alongside used vehicles.

Initial Resolution

Arbury have arranged recovery for 20 May 2025 to a Vauxhall garage and 2 hours of diagnostics will be covered by Arbury.

Latest Development

As of 29 May 2025, my vehicle remains undrivable and unrepaired, now over two months since it broke down. Arbury arranged recovery to Stoneacre Vauxhall and agreed to fund two hours of diagnostics, which were completed.

Stoneacre has since advised that an additional five hours of labour (quoted at £720) is required to remove the oil sump and inspect for debris — work that must be completed just to determine whether the issue is covered under the warranty.

I provided my SPOTiCAR warranty policy number so that a claim could be raised. Despite this, I was informed on 29 May 2025 that SPOTiCAR will not cover any of the further diagnostic costs. This places the full burden of investigation on me before even confirming whether any repair work will be covered.

I have now raised a formal complaint with both Arbury and SPOTiCAR. I believe this approach undermines the entire premise of a "peace of mind" warranty, and may constitute mis-selling. The car continues to sit idle and is depreciating in value daily while this dispute remains unresolved.

Disclaimer

This website is a factual account of my personal experience with Arbury Motor Group and the SPOTiCAR Extended Warranty. It includes opinions based on documented correspondence and actual events. I welcome any correction or clarification from Arbury if any information is inaccurate. This is not an attempt to defame, but to inform others and seek accountability.

To get in touch regarding this content, please email me.