McDonnell Motors, Coleraine

Mrs_Mac_1

Random question, but has anybody ever used this car dealer; it's just I cannot find any reviews of it and I don't know anyone who bought a car from here?
Thank you.
Mrs Mac

steveymp

I bought a 4 year old car from them a few years back, as it had turned 4 when sat on their lot for a few months it had no MOT. They kindly MOT'd it for me before I picked it up.

This car is a seldom used family MPV that mostly does the school/ supermarket run piloted by my OH. The milage was low but the suspension always seemed very soft and braking distances needed adjusted accordingly. I just thought it was because it was a larger and heavier car than we previously had.

2 separate warning lights in the first 6 months where sorted by them (just replacing sensors in EMU not fixing the problem) and each time the car was returned I mentioned the brakes and suspension to their mechanic. No problems there squire solid car that one

Needless to say by the time it came to the next MOT it cost me £800 quid to replace the front suspension, brake discs and drums all around. I put 4,000 miles on the car in that first year and my mechanic described the suspension and brakes as lethal:eek: In his opinion there is no way that the car should have every passed the first MOT.

Contacted McDonnell Motors just to let them know my wife and kids had been driving a death trap for a year and as my 6 month warranty had expired there was nothing they could do :rotfl:

These good folk MOT'd the car and had it again twice for repairs within 6 months, each time the brakes and suspension problems flagged up to them by myself

The car had just passed it's 6th MOT this year and turned 10:) but I would avoid them like the plague and Coleraine MOT centre too for that matter, although I think my car was one of the last put through pre computerisation of the MOT centre, when a brown envelope would get any car through:rotfl:

I'm sure all 2nd hand car dealers are the same, so always take your new purchase to a trusted mechanic after buying to get a report done on it, that £100 quid or so could save you a fortune;)

ballyblack

I'm sure all 2nd hand car dealers are the same

Nonesense

they are rare.........Dodgy car dealers don't survive in business long term

steveymp

ballyblack wrote: »

Nonesense

they are rare.........Dodgy car dealers don't survive in business long term

I'd put them right up there with estate agents in terms of honesty and integrity :rotfl:

I know it's unfair to tar all with the same brush and indeed my experience with above seller could have been a one off for them, but I believe in telling it like it is and sharing my experience for OP who asked the question.

I would indeed recommend James O'Hara and Sons further up the road in Ballykelly for a 2nd hand motor, never had a problem with any of the 3 cars I bought off him and shall be returning to him for my next.

tommie

steveymp wrote: »

I'd put them right up there with estate agents in terms of honesty and integrity :rotfl:

you`re not wrong there stevey,

and coming a close second are the shower of miserable local farmers that according to them are `on their knees`

qwert_yuiop

tommie wrote: »

you`re not wrong there stevey,

and coming a close second are the shower of miserable local farmers that according to them are `on their knees`

Cost of producing milk - 30 pence per litre
Price received for milk - 22 pence per litre

You've noticed that the price of milk hasn't gone up since you were a child?

qwert_yuiop

ballyblack wrote: »

Nonesense

they are rare.........Dodgy car dealers don't survive in business long term

You'd think that, but one not far from here has been in court a few times for mileage "haircuts", and he's still in business. I don't understand it either.

qwert_yuiop

steveymp wrote: »

I bought a 4 year old car from them a few years back, as it had turned 4 when sat on their lot for a few months it had no MOT. They kindly MOT'd it for me before I picked it up.

This car is a seldom used family MPV that mostly does the school/ supermarket run piloted by my OH. The milage was low but the suspension always seemed very soft and braking distances needed adjusted accordingly. I just thought it was because it was a larger and heavier car than we previously had.

2 separate warning lights in the first 6 months where sorted by them (just replacing sensors in EMU not fixing the problem) and each time the car was returned I mentioned the brakes and suspension to their mechanic. No problems there squire solid car that one

Needless to say by the time it came to the next MOT it cost me £800 quid to replace the front suspension, brake discs and drums all around. I put 4,000 miles on the car in that first year and my mechanic described the suspension and brakes as lethal:eek: In his opinion there is no way that the car should have every passed the first MOT.

Contacted McDonnell Motors just to let them know my wife and kids had been driving a death trap for a year and as my 6 month warranty had expired there was nothing they could do :rotfl:

These good folk MOT'd the car and had it again twice for repairs within 6 months, each time the brakes and suspension problems flagged up to them by myself

The car had just passed it's 6th MOT this year and turned 10:) but I would avoid them like the plague and Coleraine MOT centre too for that matter, although I think my car was one of the last put through pre computerisation of the MOT centre, when a brown envelope would get any car through:rotfl:

I'm sure all 2nd hand car dealers are the same, so always take your new purchase to a trusted mechanic after buying to get a report done on it, that £100 quid or so could save you a fortune;)

I've had some odd experiences with testing. No bother one year with an old Vauxhall, failed on 14 counts the next year. Fourteen - beat that. I drove it one mile to wilsons auctions.

qwert_yuiop

steveymp wrote: »

I bought a 4 year old car from them a few years back, as it had turned 4 when sat on their lot for a few months it had no MOT. They kindly MOT'd it for me before I picked it up.

This car is a seldom used family MPV that mostly does the school/ supermarket run piloted by my OH. The milage was low but the suspension always seemed very soft and braking distances needed adjusted accordingly. I just thought it was because it was a larger and heavier car than we previously had.

2 separate warning lights in the first 6 months where sorted by them (just replacing sensors in EMU not fixing the problem) and each time the car was returned I mentioned the brakes and suspension to their mechanic. No problems there squire solid car that one

Needless to say by the time it came to the next MOT it cost me £800 quid to replace the front suspension, brake discs and drums all around. I put 4,000 miles on the car in that first year and my mechanic described the suspension and brakes as lethal:eek: In his opinion there is no way that the car should have every passed the first MOT.

Contacted McDonnell Motors just to let them know my wife and kids had been driving a death trap for a year and as my 6 month warranty had expired there was nothing they could do :rotfl:

These good folk MOT'd the car and had it again twice for repairs within 6 months, each time the brakes and suspension problems flagged up to them by myself

The car had just passed it's 6th MOT this year and turned 10:) but I would avoid them like the plague and Coleraine MOT centre too for that matter, although I think my car was one of the last put through pre computerisation of the MOT centre, when a brown envelope would get any car through:rotfl:

I'm sure all 2nd hand car dealers are the same, so always take your new purchase to a trusted mechanic after buying to get a report done on it, that £100 quid or so could save you a fortune;)

Why would you trust a mechanic and not a dealer? Just wondering.

steveymp

qwert_yuiop wrote: »

Why would you trust a mechanic and not a dealer? Just wondering.

Quite simple really, the mechanic I and my family and friends have been using for the past 24 years is a small one man band. I consider him a personal friend now, he has nothing to gain and everything to lose from doing just one bad job.

I wouldn't say he is the cheapest around, but for the safety of my family on the road I don't mind paying to have a job done right. Anyone I have sent to him has always gone back to him year after year, that speaks volumes to me.

qwert_yuiop

Well that's different. I thought you believed mechanics to be honest and dealers to be corrupt.

Do you drive a Volkswagen?