Formula One Autocentres - Kettering Reviews 121

One star is too generous.
Avoid at all costs.
Took them almost 3 days to send me my service sheet with the work I needed doing. Had to chase them multiple times and on the final time the guy I was talking to (i believe called kieran) hung up on me
Also took a full day for them to do my service despite me dropping the car off at 9am.
And earlier this year they also replaced my brakes and messed it up which left me with no brakes at all and they advised me to still drive it to them, with no working brakes!!
They used to be fantastic but they've severely went downhill and some of their staff need training on how to be polite.

Booked and paid for a puncture repair only to be turned away due to no repair kits available! No record of my appointment on their system. Customer service closed and no answer to internet sales.

Just spent 2 hours waiting for a tyre change. (Consequence of a pothole). Then told by receptionist that the manager had walked out and it couldn't be done. I desperately needed the tyre changed as had a long journey up north tomorrow.
Not at all happy with this company

I contacted the Kettering branch as I urgently needed a quote for four tyres after my car failed its MOT. I spoke with Shaun, who was incredibly understanding and immediately went above and beyond to help.
Shaun acted quickly to find me the best possible price and even managed to book my car in for the very next day. The level of customer service was outstanding and made a stressful situation so much easier.
Absolutely fantastic service from start to finish. This company truly cannot be beaten on price, and Shaun is a real assest too the team.

Avoid at all costs..so called mechanics and receptionist are all liars

Usual great experience and competitive price.

This place used to be amazing, not sure what's happened.

Came to get tyres fitted on Monday, an hour later car hadn't moved and was told it wouldn't be done today. Booked in for next day.

Rang ahead 3 times during the day to check they weren't overbooked again and it would get done on time and no answer. Brought car on time, told it would be 30-45 mins. 90 minutes later they tell me the tyre fitter has stripped the wheel nut and alloy and they are unable to fix it today but will call tomorrow with an update.

The next day zero contact.

Thursday I give up my lunchtime and ring, they tell me it will be 7 days waiting for parts.

Quite how you can mess up changing 2 tyres this badly to the point I'm left without a car for 7 days. I do not know. No offer of a courtesy car or hire car.

So happy to see the place is under new management as well as a few new mechanics. They were helpful and honest, showing me around under my problematic car to back their claims! Highly recommend and relieved to see 2 women working there!

Went for a mot , I had a issue with my car , but the lovely sales man helped me , made me feel relaxed and not nervous as I’m a woman costumer , where some garages like to con women , will defo go back there for any other work on my car

KETTERING AUTOCENTRE
Last year we had two front tyres fitted, only to discover the following morning one of the tyres was flat. Took it back but they couldn’t look at it as there wasn’t a Senior Technician on shift. Went on the following day and literally it took most of the day to sort. Six months later both tyres were losing air. Due to the previous experience I went elsewhere to find both wheels had bowed and they hadn’t been fitted correctly! The tyres I purchased from Formula One were premium tyres so nothing was wrong with the tyres, it’s how they were fitted. I did advise my wife not to go to Formula One as many years ago the company was renowned for higher prices and sub standard workmanship. As this was the only place that sold Avon tyres and these are what she wanted that’s why she went. It looks like Formula One has not changed.
BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE, POOR FITTING…….DO NOT GO!!!!!!

Put my car through MOT which it failed on rear tyres ( which were not even on limit ) so asked to put budget ones on. They did but I have realised they fitted proper winter tyres. Came back to be told they will order some diffrent all season ones and I will be contacted ( left my reg and number again) two weeks later no phone call nothing. Had to go to diffrent garage and pay for new set of tyres again.....

I will not use Formula 1 again.
It took 2 hours 20minuits to fit 4 new tyres.
After about half a mile the tyre pressure warning system showed low pressure, when pressures checked the next day, all were too low and different.
Also, no mileage recorded.

I visited the Kettering centre on Saturday 15th and November 2025 , and received the most amazing service that started within less than being on site 1 minute.

I was wanting to get a view on the situation on my tyres Chris came out to me before as I got out of the car and measured all the tyres and gave me an update

Chris was brilliant in his service , communication, and professional.

I will share this with all my friends

Thanks

Once again Formula 1 get a A++ from me. Popped in this morning just for a tyre check. Nothing to much trouble, seen by Chris at the Kettering branch, checked tyres, pressures etc. My go to place.

After having an awful experience last year, I decided to give Formula One Autocentre Kettering another try and booked my vehicle in for a major service and brake fluid change. The new manager, Jeff/Geoff, and his staff were very informative and helpful, particularly in detailing any advisories and the costs associated with these. The Kettering branch now seems to have got its act together and I am happy now to give them 5 stars! Well done.

I got my car serviced and it wasn’t serviced properly, air filter wasn’t changed and my cabin filter wasn’t after paying for it , unacceptable

Once again friendly helpful service from Kettering branch.
The All Terrain tyres i wanted couldn't be sourced by your tyre supplier, luckily i managed to find a set elsewhere, so gave the Kettering site a call to see if they would fit them for me, as usual yes was the answer.
Dropped the Landcruiers and tyres off and picked it up 1.5 hours later with tyres fitted and balanced and not one single mark to the wheels.
Much obliged to the people there.

Small job took 30 minutes to complete very good. But had to wait 2 hours for them to start. Make shore you clear you day before booking in.

Kept my vehicle overnight even though I booked a service for a specific date and was told they hadn't even started on it by 5pm. Following day, still no contact.

This is the 2nd time I have used this car garage and both of my experiences have been disappointing. My car needed to be at the garage for opening hours so I arrived early. The manager arrived late so the garage failed to open on time. All of the mechanics were also waiting and didn’t seem bothered. My car was booked in for a MOT and full service a week advance. All work undertaken had taken all day to complete, despite not requiring any additional work. I was not alone, with others having to wait for their cars to be ready. I received a call late afternoon to tell me that my car was ready. When I arrived to the garage, I had to wait 50 minutes for it to be taken off the car jack and be handed the keys. Staff seemed unmotivated. I heard comments how bad the day had been. I didn’t receive any invoice or receipt from the garage, despite asking for the work. Advised that I would receive this by email, I still have no record of the service or MOT being undertaken. Rather than receiving news that my car had passed its MOT and the service was done, I was given recommendations for my car for wheel balancing and pollen filter change etc quoting me £200 Rather than have the work undertaken, I declined and decided to take my car away to much my relief knowing that I would never use that garage again.