Lookers Kia Gateshead (1155)
0.0/5
0.0 /5
38 Verified Reviews
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At The Lookers Group we are proud to represent more than 30 of the world’s leading car manufacturers, offering our customers the widest choice of new cars and approved used cars in the UK. We also have motorcycle dealers throughout Northern Ireland, making the Lookers Group one of the UK’s most established automotive retailers.
38 Verified Reviews
I purchased a 2021 Kia EV6 from Lookers Gateshead to be collected on 15/04/26. The car was not cleaned sufficiently, not even close to dealership standard. There was dirt along the car's skirt, as well as dirt in the driver and passenger footwell, and along the driver-side door trim. In addition, multiple deposits of rubbish (assumed to be from the previous owner) were found inside the glove box and under the boot mat in the rear of the vehicle. This included a used/dirty tupperwear lid, used baby wipes, a letter and a nappy bag (fortunately empty.) The boot also has a significant build up of what appears to be dog hair in the lining. This level of service from the sales side of the business is unacceptable and needs to be addressed.Remaining on focus with the sales experience; I was told the car was unable to be charged prior to my collection due to an outage onsite. I understood this and accepted this. What I fear may have actually happened is that the members of staff 'prepping' this vehicle were unable to charge the car due a fault which I found myself when trying to charge a car I just bought so I could actually use it. I had also noticed a warning message displayed on the dashboard (which hadn't been present on the test drive just a few days earlier) pointing to a parking sensor failure on the front of the vehicle. Keen to remedy these faults, I attempted to contact the salesperson which handled the purchase via email as we were within 24hrs of the transaction. The salesperson chose to ignore my attempt to contact rather than offer assistance or guide to a different department. This level of customer service is laughable.As a result of the ignored communications, I contacted the service department to seek resolution. I explained the situation, outlined the faults and requested resolution within my right to refund window. The agent understood but advised that the earliest appointment available for such a repair (in Gateshead) would be in June. Needless to say, waiting 2 months for a new car to be functioning as intended is not acceptable, hence I declined and requested an alternative resolution which would the car working much sooner. The agent recommended the Middlesborough dealership as they have much more availability for repairs at present. Whilst this wasn't ideal as Middlesborough is much further out of my way, I accepted as it seemed I had no other choice. This appointment was booked for 27/05/26. I then received a phone call from Middlesborough Ford on 22/05/26. The agent on the phone explained that Middlesborough would not even be able to repair the Kia as they are a Ford garage and that the appointment should never have been made, hence the appointment will be cancelled. Excellent.As a result of the cancelled appointment in Middlesborough, I then contacted Gateshead Kia again explaining that this issue needs resolving ASAP. I was told it would be several weeks before I could be booked in, initially. I requested the earliest available date, was placed on hold, and an earlier appointment did become available (30/04/26) however I would be required to leave the vehicle with them all day, and I would not be able to use a courtesy car. This has resulted in me taking a day off from work and (due to the location of the garage) having to pay for taxis to an from the garage (twice). Upon returning to my vehicle at around 4:30pm the same day, I am told no work has been done on the car, but 2 parts are on order for the issues. I could either leave the car there (and continue paying for taxis around as no loan vehicle was available) or collect the car and receive a call-back when the parts have arrived. I opted to take the car and await a call from the service department. I was told while on site, they expected the parts to come through the following day (01/05/26) and should expect the call then. The call did not come. I have had to contact the service team myself again on 07/05/26 (3 working days after my previous visit) to find out where the parts are. The agent on the phone advised me that the parts have arrived and I can be booked back in. I asked when the parts arrived, they informed me they came in 05/05/26, 2 working days prior to my call. They did not have an explanation as to why I have not been informed but this is negligence I have come to expect.I have now booked in my (hopefully) final appointment on 14/05/05, one month after the original purchase of the car.This kind of customer journey is absolutely unacceptable. Customers (myself included) part with significant sums of money to purchase through established and seemingly reputable dealerships, like yourselves. As a result of spending that money customers should expect competency, service and transparency. I fear this experience has me believing none of those 3 characteristics are present in your dealership.I wish to be contacted to discuss recompense for the significant stress, disappointment and loss of confidence cause by the mishandling of my car purchase. I would also like to request a full, professional-level valet of the vehicle which I was denied on purchase, or allow me to choose a provider of such a service and refund the cost of the valet.I look forward to hearing from you.

Good afternoonI purchased a Ford Focus ST Line registration NK21XRD in July 2025 on a PCP deal form Dunston Lookers Branch. Before taking out this deal, I confirmed with the salesman, Cameron Beattie, that this vehicle had a full service history. This was confirmed.However, following the purchase I was not sent any documentation relating to the service of the vehicle. The service portfolio I was given with the vehicle contained no records of any service, which is understandable give that electronic service records are now kept. The service portfolio advises that the service month for this vehicle is April. Given this, upon further inspection of the service portfolio missing any evidence of past services, and in advance of April 2026 I contacted Cameron regarding the services for which I was given no records and asked for them to be forwarded. I understand that this may have been missed when documentation was sent to me regarding the vehicle after purchase.I initially contacted Cameron about the service records by email on 21st March 2026. Following this I was informed that this information would come from a separate service department for which I was given contact details. On 23rd March 2026 I was sent the details of one service that the vehicle has had, dated 19/05/2025.Given that the service period for this vehicle is every 24 months or 18,000 miles, at least one other service should have been conducted on the vehicle. The service department have informed me that have no other record of a service.I have since relayed this information to Cameron, in an email dated 23rd March 2026 to which I received no response. On 24th March I called the Dunston Lookers Branch and spoke to Cameron, who informed me that he had emailed Ford direct for the full service history but had not yet heard back and I would have to wait until he had received this response. I am yet to hear back from this last update, and a further email sent chasing up this issue and asking for an update on the 7th April has been ignored with no response in relation to the service history.Yesterday, 11th April 2026, I emailed Cameron asking for details of his manager, forwarding the email chain asking multiple times for updates. To this email I quickly received a response providing details of the manager, Nathan Smith, claiming that my other emails had gone to his spam folder. My other emails landing in a spam folder seem a great coincidence considering no other emails to lookers or Cameron have had such issue. Nevertheless, still no update was provided about the full service history. A further email was sent to Cameron yesterday, asking yet again for an update surrounding the service history, once again this has been ignored.The lack of communication and missing evidence of a full service history is causing serious concern, I bought a vehicle from lookers and entered into a financial contract on the understanding this vehicle had a full service history, the lack of which will significantly impact on the future value of the vehicle.I have sought advice on this matter, and I am aware that this lack of a full service history infringes on the legal rights protected under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the Consumer Credit Act 1974, and through Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulations.As previously, I understand that not receiving the full service history may be the result of a simple oversight which can be amended by sending the full history through now. I’ve checked my junk folder, I don’t seem to have anything there. However, the lack in recent communication and the lack of records held by the service department has raised the concern that such a full service history doesn’t exist and therefore the vehicle has been mis sold. Should this be the case, I will be taking this matter further.Given the advice I have sought, I require acknowledgement of the receipt of this email. Upon receipt of the full service history for this vehicle, no further action will be taken. However, should no response be received to this email before 18th April, 4 weeks since I contacted Cameron and therefore Lookers about this issue initially, and is ample time for a full service history to be sent to me, I will be seeking further advice on this matter and the necessary financial compensation.Please consider this email a formal complaint.RegardsMichael Ayre

Dear Vehicle Complaints Team,I am writing to formally escalate my complaint regarding the Ford Mustang Mach-E, registration FT71 DBY.Since purchase, I have repeatedly reported faults with this vehicle. Following my initial email, it took the Aftersales Service Team 3 days to respond. The vehicle was then booked in for the following week. At that appointment, 2 recalls were completed. However, 1 recall remains outstanding and I have been advised that this will not be remedied until June.The heating system also remains unresolved. I am concerned that, at the previous service visit, the response appears to have been limited to an HVAC software update, which did not resolve the fault. Cabin heat fails intermittently at random ambient temperatures, and during those failures the heating system appears not to engage at all. In those circumstances, I do not consider a software update alone to amount to a proper diagnosis, and it gives the impression that only the bare minimum was done to appease my complaint rather than identify and rectify the underlying fault.I have previously made clear that this matter has become time-consuming, inconvenient and unacceptable, and that I wished to discuss either a refund or a replacement.I am also very concerned that the vehicle was allowed to be sold with 3 outstanding recalls, particularly given the standard of checks and preparation Lookers advertises for its approved used vehicles. Lookers states that every approved used and nearly new car it retails has passed numerous checks and tests to give customers peace of mind, and that this includes verification that the used car has never been written off or stolen, up-to-date status on scheduled maintenance and MOT tests, a multi-point test carried out by a fully trained technician, and thorough and accurate inspections meeting your own high standards. Lookers also states that approved used customers will receive the same high level of customer service and aftersales support as new car customers.In those circumstances, I consider this a clear failure of the standards represented at the point of sale. A vehicle should not, in my view, have been approved and sold under the Lookers approved used standard while carrying 3 outstanding recalls.I am further disappointed by the lack of meaningful response. Although the matter was said to be urgent, it still took 3 days for Aftersales to respond, and my more recent email has gone unanswered. I was also informed that, once the complaint was escalated, it was above the salesperson and he could no longer be involved.From my own research, I do not consider it reasonable to continue treating the heating issue as merely the freezing-weather software TSB. The fault is intermittent, occurs at random ambient temperatures, and was not resolved by the HVAC software update. I also note that Ford’s earlier bulletin history states that pinpoint test J in the workshop manual was updated to aid diagnosis of this condition, which suggests that some vehicles would require proper structured troubleshooting rather than a routine software-only response. That reinforces my concern that the vehicle was not properly investigated and that the response to date has been inadequate.Given the history of this matter, the unresolved heating fault, and the fact that 1 recall will remain outstanding until June, I now require Lookers to set out clearly, in writing, how this matter will be resolved. I remain willing to consider an appropriate remedy, including repair, replacement, or refund, but I need a substantive response based on the actual condition and history of the vehicle rather than further delay or partial measures.Please provide your substantive response within 7 days of this email. If you propose any further inspection or repair, please explain why that should be considered reasonable given the history of this matter, the unresolved heating issue, and the fact that the vehicle was sold with 3 outstanding recalls, one of which will still remain unresolved until June. Given that one recall remains outstanding until June and the heating fault is still unresolved, I do not consider it reasonable to continue waiting indefinitely for this vehicle to be brought up to the standard represented at the point of sale.For the avoidance of doubt, the current unresolved issues are the heating system fault and the remaining outstanding recall due to be remedied in June.Please acknowledge receipt of this email and confirm the name and contact details of the person handling my complaint.Kind regards,John Ingham

The vehicle was sold with 3 outstanding recalls, which I consider a clear failure of the standards represented at the point of sale. Although 2 recalls have since been completed, 1 remains outstanding until June. The heating fault also remains unresolved despite a service visit and HVAC software update. Cabin heat still fails intermittently at random ambient temperatures.I am also dissatisfied with the complaint handling. Although the matter was said to be urgent, it took 3 days for Aftersales to respond, and my later email has gone unanswered.Given the unresolved heating fault, the remaining recall, and the history of this matter, I now require Lookers to confirm how this will be resolved. I remain willing to consider repair, replacement, or refund, but I need a clear written response without further delay.

vehicle has been in previously when the dealership was on Railway street for issue with the coolant system which cost the customer £200 for the system to be flushed, the issue has now occured again and customer has called to book in for vehicle to be checked again and now quoted £150 for the issue to be looked at again. customer unhappy that he is being expected to pay for this and being potentially over £300 out of pocket for something he has not caused.

customer unhappy that he has received 2 emails reminding him for service but after contacting bookings has been advised not due for another 12 month. secondly vehicle has an outstanding recall and he has been advised that the earliest it can be seen is 2nd July, customer is shocked and unhappy that this is the service being provided

Good MorningPlease see below a non regulated complaint received via our team mailbox.Many thanks.Regards.F and I ComplaintsManchester Head OfficeLookers House 1st Floor, Lookers Stoke, Bede Road, ST4 4GUlookers.co.ukFrom: C BateySent: 23 March 2026 10:52To: F and I ComplaintsSubject:External Sender: Confirm legitimacy before acting.Hello,iam complaining after waiting 3 weeks for return of £100. I used a card to order a Kia from lookers at Newcastle in December 2025,the order was transferred to Dunston and before picking up the vehicle on the 3 March 2026 I noticed on the agreement that the £100 deposit had not been taken into account and not taken from the final balance,I contacted my salesman Stephanie curry who apologised and said she would sort this issue out. When I arrived to collect the car I asked again about the £100 and if it would be refunded to the card I used as I would rather have it taken off the payments and reduce the monthly figure.,I was told I had to give new bank details different from the card to get the refund.The card I did use expired in February so was no longer in use , lookers decided to send the refund back to that card after asking for new details, consistently the payment was rejected and apparently lookers were awaiting return of this in order to send it back to me to the new bank details, after emailing Stacey several times iam still awaiting the refund.I have now been told I can't speak to her anymore as iam complaining and I don't remember making any official complaint.I want my £100 taken off my payments and have my balance reduced which is approximately £3per month saving me £8 interest,I also want interest paid to me for the 3 weeks you have had my money, absolutely ridiculous service I have had and after returning to lookers Dunston after leaving to go to Kia Newcastle this doesn't inspire me to buy from there again.I have bought 19 new cars from Dunston and 5 from Newcastle and never had this issue, always having deposits taken from the balance,can you sort this immediately please, regards Colin BateyCar reg NL26HYWReceipt reference 101670000109Order number 8247121Salesman Stephanie curry Lookers Dunston

After replacing the screen and washing the car. What ever chemicals they have used has taken off and stained all the lacker and plastics around the windows and rear quarter

customer had 30k service carried out in November time and after a few weeks brake fluid levels low message was intermittently flashing up but had assumed that it was a possible sensor issue. After it occurring more and more called to get it booked in as a safety issue to be given and appointment for the 23rd March and when speaking to the branch to see about getting it in any sooner was given the blunt response of call the AA. customer has since taken to independent garage who have topped the brake fluid levels back up to where it should be but customer is disgusted with the lack of accountability for it being missed and the attitude towards the safety aspect.

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