JCB Group Reviews 

My review relates to JCB Van Centre Crawley.

I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience with this dealership has been very disappointing.

The sales process was positive at first. Ben, the salesperson, was helpful and responsive right up to the point of sale. However, once the vehicle was purchased, the level of service changed significantly.

Shortly after collection, the vehicle required a NOx sensor replacement under warranty. While the repair was completed, I had ongoing difficulty obtaining basic documentation about the work carried out, initially being told it was “internal only” before eventually receiving it after escalation and referencing my consumer rights.

When the vehicle returned for warranty work after only around 600 miles, I was told that tyres, brake discs and pads were already approaching replacement thresholds. This raised concerns about the condition of the vehicle at the point of sale.

I requested the pre-delivery inspection (PDI) measurements. I was initially told this information was “immaterial”. I was later provided with tyre tread depth readings, but only limited brake-related information from the return visit, rather than full transparency of the original PDI.

At no point did I request a refund or ask for the vehicle to be bought back, yet this became a repeated focus from the dealership rather than addressing the concerns raised.

I also received multiple calls from various staff members, some of which felt confrontational rather than constructive. My dealings with Joao, the After Sales Manager, were particularly disappointing — he eventually stated he no longer wished to deal with the matter and passed it on elsewhere.

In contrast, I do want to acknowledge Victor, the General Sales Manager, who did make a genuine effort to arrange the return of my vehicle when I was left without transport and living around 200 miles away. That effort was appreciated.

Overall, communication and transparency after the sale were poor. I was repeatedly forced to chase information that should have been readily available, and only received some documents after escalation.

I have lost confidence in JCB Van Centre Crawley and would not use them again. My concerns have always been about transparency and the condition of the vehicle at point of sale, not a refund or rejection.

Based on my experience, I would advise others to ensure all documentation is provided before purchase and to keep clear records of all correspondence.

Having had time to reflect on the situation, I have decided to edit my review to ensure it better reflects my overall experience.

From the moment I sat down and explained why my vehicle was at the garage, I unfortunately found Steve from Parts and Services’ attitude disappointing and unhelpful.

Before fully understanding the background or the extensive process already undertaken prior to the vehicle arriving there, dismissive comments and conclusions were made without, in my opinion, having the full picture.

What made this more frustrating was that these opinions appeared to be formed before the vehicle had even been properly inspected or assessed.

Throughout the repair process I found Steve’s manner abrasive, overly involved and, at times, unnecessarily confrontational rather than constructive or supportive.

Given the already stressful nature of the situation, this made matters significantly more difficult than they needed to be.

For context, I have over 30 years’ experience as a trained and qualified technical engineer and had already spent months carrying out extensive diagnostics and fault-finding alongside multiple garages and recovery services before the vehicle even arrived at this garage.

A detailed chronology of events, supporting photographs, technical findings and existing diagnostic information already existed.

On reflection, I also acknowledge that I raised concerns regarding Steve’s comments with the third party responsible for arranging the repairs shortly after the vehicle arrived.

Looking back, this likely contributed further to tensions between all parties involved.

However, the reason I felt compelled to do so was because technical opinions and assumptions continued to be made regarding matters that already had an extensive documented history and ongoing investigation behind them.

At no stage had Steve been involved in the original events leading up to the vehicle arriving at the garage, yet opinions continued to be expressed regarding faults, causes and responsibilities without full awareness of the chronology and wider background.

Even when I later attended to collect the vehicle, I was met with further comments made from a distance in a manner I personally found dismissive and unprofessional.

Unfortunately, after more than three weeks at the garage, I collected the vehicle with the same EPC and engine management warning lights still present, which was extremely disappointing given the circumstances and ongoing dispute surrounding the repairs.

I was also disappointed to later discover that various removed components, including the scuttle/bulkhead cover, associated drip protection and fixings, had not been reinstated to the vehicle prior to collection and were instead left within the rear of the van.

Given that the wider dispute already involved concerns relating to water ingress affecting electrical components and the ECU area, this further increased my concerns regarding the condition in which the vehicle had been returned.

By the end of the experience, I unfortunately left feeling as though the situation had become unnecessarily personal at times rather than remaining focused purely on the vehicle and resolving the issues professionally.

Whether intentional or not, that was genuinely how the overall experience came across from my perspective and it added further stress to what was already a very difficult situation.

That said, I do want to mention that when I collected the vehicle I was also greeted by another member of staff whose name I unfortunately did not get, and he was polite, respectful and professional throughout. His manner genuinely stood out and showed the level of customer care that should be expected during difficult situations.

Overall, I left feeling that a calmer, more balanced and more professional approach could have helped de-escalate matters considerably rather than intensify them unnecessarily.
Disappointing experience overall.

Awful service oveecharge you and con you. Hope you go bust.

I had an urgent medical appt but had to ruzh back as the woman Kelly was harassing me by phone for the loan car. She was smirking and i heard her make disparaging remarks aboug me. You should be retrained or better still sacked. This is Ashford Kent branch.

JCB Medway have been let down by faceless back room bureaucracy who justified cancelling a service plan without any notification. Imagine receiving excellent service from the Service Department and showroom staff to be told that a service plan of the past 2 years has been cancelled. Now faced with a bill for hundreds of pounds and the threat of not getting my car back unless payment is received. A new service plan was started again that day, but this time at a 50% increase in cost for the same car. JCB Medway you treat Customer Service as an optional extra, this is a failing by any standard.

I accompanied my parents to both the JCB VW showroom and the JCB Skoda showroom in Quarry Wood, Aylesford. Having looked at a T-Roc and Kamiq, my parents decided the latter was for them, and Scott, the Skoda Sales Manager, could not have been more helpful. Both he and Sami worked tirelessly to find them the right car, and Sami was so patient and understanding with them. He really took the time to understand all their needs, take them for a great test drive and, despite it taking several weeks, persevered and found them their perfect car, and at a great price. No hard sell, just genuinely nice people, my parents could not be more pleased with both their car and the whole experience and asked me to leave this review.

Tunbridge Wells.
Disappointing service. One time you use to get a 21 point plan and have your car washed. With all the competition around you would expect service standards to improve..

I recently needed a very expensive repair at JCB. I had to wait for a repair slot. The repair was not satisfactory. The service department at Cupra JCB is poor. I requested the cost be kept low, but no good parts were used from a damaged wing mirror. I had to request the damaged parts back & was told the mirror was damaged, so never saw that part again, so wish I removed it 1st. The other parts I had to sell privately. The repair is defective, after a few miles and bumps in the road the wing mirror housing comes apart. Customer service is also diabolical. It took me 4 attempts to speak to a call handler today. I was told I would be called back today. No call to me at all. I will update this review when the repair is completed successfully.
22/5 Appointment with Senior Service Manager, polite & apology received. Fault fixed & minor compensation voucher worth less than the manager thought on a scratch card. I was assured of improvements in staffing & assurances are hopeful.

They lied to us in confirming power output of vehicle. They misled us. And Mr JCB himself would not comment on individual points raised and actually felt his initial response was the poorest part of their service. Dont believe his client focus claims on website, this group justifies the old rip the customer off image that used to be prevalent. It is easy to see how they make £30m profit and able to give£1m dividend to one individual

Advice for anyone thinking of using JCB Crawley, please read this.

The facts:

- Car taken in for diagnostics

- Car inspected by their staff on handover and any blemishes pointed out, including a stone chip on the front bumper.

- On collection - CAR WAS DAMAGED but not initially noticed - bill paid. At no point were we told about the damage.

- Before leaving dealership the damage was noticed. A huge 4 inch strip of paint removed from the bumper where the stone chip was. This was obviously due to careless jet washing.

- Response from dealership staff was “that bumper isn’t a factory finish, it’s not our problem”. They didn’t even deny stripping off the paint!, they admitted they had done it but blamed the quality of the paint job.

- Refuse to take any responsibility when the issue was escalated. Franchise manager has washed his hands of it.

I have since reported to citizens advice and they have advised to escalate to the motor ombudsman and potential issuing court action.

Consumer Rights Act 2015 states that they must return the car in the same condition as when it was given to them. Whether or not the paintwork on the bumper was not a factory finish is irrelevant, THEY still damaged it.

I purchased a vehicle from JCB ŠKODA Crawley in April 2025 and unfortunately my experience after the sale has been very disappointing.

At the point of purchase, I was clearly given the understanding by the salesperson that the vehicle would receive a free MOT and full service before March 2026 if returned to the dealership. This formed part of my decision to proceed with the purchase and finance agreement. At no stage was it explained to me that this was conditional upon finance approval through a specific lender.

When I later contacted the dealership in February 2026 to arrange the MOT and service, I was informed that no such plan existed on the system and that I would need to pay in full. As the MOT and service were time-sensitive, I had little option but to proceed with the work and incur the cost myself.

What disappointed me most was not just the financial aspect, but the way the matter was handled afterwards. I made multiple attempts to resolve the issue directly with management and also contacted Škoda UK Customer Services. However, I felt that my concerns were repeatedly dismissed, and the responses I received focused more on internal finance arrangements rather than addressing the fact that these conditions had never been explained to me during the sales process.

One manager even acknowledged in writing that there may have been “miscommunication during the sales process,” which only reinforced my belief that the situation could and should have been handled more fairly.

Throughout the process, I remained polite, patient, and willing to resolve the matter amicably, but unfortunately I was left feeling ignored and financially disadvantaged because of information I relied on in good faith at the time of sale.

While the staff I dealt with were professional in tone, the overall handling of the complaint left me very disappointed, and I cannot honestly say I feel confident recommending this dealership based on my experience.

Extremely disappointed with my experience with warranty work. Car came back more damaged than taken in, tracking off. Dirty rear seats. And now waiting again for parts. Please avoid.

Really pleased with Dacia Duster , the whole experience from start to finish was second to none Luke was great , such a helpful person , help me sort all the paperwork, could be more helpful , there was no pressure to buy , would definitely go back
Best wishes
Bill Eastwood

I bought a Volkswagen Polo in April 2024. In March 2025, I reported that the air conditioning was not working, but JCB Volkswagen Maidstone (formerly Group 1 VW Maidstone) told me the car had no warranty. Three months later, they admitted the warranty had not been correctly applied.

I returned in July 2025 and was told parts would take around 8 weeks, but the repair was never completed. In April 2026, I called and emailed for 8 days with no response. After escalating to Volkswagen UK, I was then informed the repair had been cancelled.

The delays have now pushed the case beyond the warranty period, even though the issue was reported well within it. Very poor communication and aftersales service.

Car was damaged whilst being serviced. Look elsewhere for a garage that cares about customers and their vehicles.

To start it is very difficult to get through on the phone to discuss and book service. We reported an issue with the car spluttering and cutting out when cold when booking in for service. It was returned with same problem so we took it back only to be told that we would need to book it in for a diagnostic check at a cost of £125 plus VAT. I asked why it wasn’t checked at the service as requested and was told they just do the service. I asked why they have a section for you to fill in for other things to be done. I said I have had cars serviced at garages for 48 years and if you request something to be looked at when bringing in for service that has always happened. In response I got a shrug and asked if I would like to book it in. Our family has 3 cars serviced there but that certainly won’t be happening again. Shame on them. From other reviews I can see I am not alone.

I visited the VW JCB Tunbridge Wells dealership for a service and to look at a fault with the ambient lighting in my 2 year old Golf. It was horrible experience. Although the service was carried out ok (didn't reset service computer though), they failed to look at the lighting issue, and tried to fob me off with "it worked when we looked at it", even though it hadn't worked consistently for 5 months and it wasn't working when i collected my car from the car park on pick-up. Pretty rubbish really. Now have to go back 6 weeks' time and experience more inconvenience and incompetence

I took delivery of a brand new 26 plate vehicle from this dealership on 26 March 2026. Unfortunately, the vehicle was supplied in a condition that falls significantly below what would reasonably be expected of a new car.

On the day of handover, I identified and reported multiple defects, including scratches, paint imperfections and a poor overall finish. This was documented immediately. Further inspection has since revealed more extensive issues, including heavy swirl marks across multiple panels (indicative of improper machine polishing), surface contamination, smeary interior glass, and trim discolouration.

These are not minor cosmetic issues. They are clear indicators of inadequate and substandard pre-delivery preparation.

Whilst the dealership initially acknowledged the damage and proposed body shop repairs, their subsequent handling of the situation has been unsatisfactory. Concerns have been dismissed without proper inspection, including issues relating to the windscreen and wipers, and there has been a clear attempt to minimise the scope of the problem and limit the proposed remedy to selected items rather than addressing the full extent of the defects.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the vehicle must be of satisfactory quality and meet the standard expected of a brand new vehicle. The condition in which this vehicle was supplied clearly falls below that standard.

In order to bring the vehicle up to an acceptable standard, it would require professional paint correction and detailing work, typically in the region of several hundred pounds, in addition to rectification of interior and trim issues. This is wholly unacceptable for a brand new vehicle.

The matter has now been formally escalated, and I am seeking full rectification by a suitably qualified professional, along with appropriate compensation for the inconvenience, time, and diminished condition of the vehicle at delivery.

This experience has been extremely disappointing and falls well below the standards expected from a main dealership. I would strongly advise prospective customers to thoroughly inspect any vehicle prior to accepting delivery.

jcb seat medway . i picked my new car up last thursday i couldnt inspect it ,it was 8am and covered in dew no offer to dry it . on getting home i washed and polished car and noticed 12inch scratch on bumper .under the bonnet its flthy its like someone has thrown flour over all plastic parts and the lights ive no idea what this is . the oil and screen wash isnt topped up i dont beleave they have done a pdi inspection . the manager has refused my rejection under the 30 day terms as damaged . he said show me a photo car was wet with dew how pathectic and immature . ovb i will now seek legal advice .dont buy from this garage unless you want a damaged car . and filthy car . and oil level low and screen wash low .ive rejected your faulty filthy damaged car come pick it up im not driving 4 hrs to return it . .this bumper and faults has been confirmed by carl AA who inspected it .it is not a warranty claim as its not a manufacturer fault its jcb seat medway london rd fault lack of care AVOID THEM .i want the pdi form and form saying i excepted car in this state .there wont be a pdi form it wasnt done . and i didnt sign a form .what is this white stuff under bonnet is it hazardas waste .seat uk confirmed i can reject my faulty dirty damaged brand new car within 30 days ,im deciding whether to have repaired cleaned tested at my local garage so i can keep my red one or reject it and have grey one with black roof i will make my choice nxt week im certainly not going nr medway jcb again they have to pick up car if i reject . as customers in law we have rights .yesterday further harrasement from manager reported to seat uk to quote i want this put to bed unquote ,fine refund me my money 21300 and pick your car up . manager states all calls recorded listen to salesman stating i must of missed damage john not there was no damage john ,i will be requesting all calls as is my legal right yesterday 29th AA attended again two bolts missing rear wheel .local seat garage confirmed pdi issue .latest today i requested cctv footage as manager wanted proff car was wet at 8am so impossable to view it ,manager just came bk saying they only keep footage for 48hrs so very convient . lets see about recorded calls which holds evidence to support my claim car was damaged 31 3 2026 .case put with ombudsman as seat uk and seat jcb medway just liers 31st march ,theyve forged my signature hand over form and every box has been ticked inc used car boxes mine is brand new . salesman writes corrctly no smart phone then ticks box saying he connected my phone to car more lies like pdi form .im going after this firm via bank charge bk ombudsman and trading standards vile firm DONT BUY FROM THEM ignoring my freedom of imformation request all calls and manager seat medway ignoring my request for correct address managing director for pre court letter .trying to cover his lies i will get it from companys house .TWO BOLTS MISSING IS MECANICAL FAULT GROUNDS FOR REJECTION AS IS DAMAGE TO BODY WORK .asked 5 times emails ignored by manager about my 299 refund as i cancelled 2 yr service plan will open complaint monday with vw finaces just robbers at seat medway .autotrader are now looking in to this you cant advertise car brand new showing it in showroom when its 11 mths old .the director j bischoff hasnt even got a live email its pathectic .email today from jcb medway were only give you 500 to partially repair car with seat uk paying remainder 150 if you remove your post NEVER I HOPE TO PROTECT OTHER CUSTOMERS FROM WHAT IVE BEEN THROUGH

JCB Kia Ebbsfleet. Thank you to Jenny for a great customer service. Dropped off my Niro4 HEV this morning. Staff very friendly and welcoming. Slick operation, loan car ready and Car serviced in excellent time, washed as well. I can highly recommend this garage.
Thank you

helpfulness of Sapphire on reception, professionalism of mechanic doing the service