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Ponko
27 Royston Road, Foxton, Cambridge, CB22 6SE
cambridge
4.1 (608 reviews)
Ponko
27 Royston Road, Foxton, Cambridge, CB22 6SE
Visited Ponko today looking for a car for my son. Really liked their approach. Was helped by Adam R, and Ross. Adam was patient, knowledgeable and didn’t push which I really liked. I didn’t feel under pressure at all. Listened to what we were looking for and made sensible suggestions. We haven’t chosen yet but will definitely go back and would recommend their service to anyone looking for a used car.
I purchased a Ford Kuga LG63 YCE (2.0 diesel AWD) from Reed Autos Ltd (trading as Ponko Ltd) in July 2025. At the point of sale, the experience was positive. Unfortunately, within just 56 days of purchase, the vehicle developed serious mechanical faults, including drivetrain (major safety issue) and warning system issues. It was returned for repairs on multiple occasions, yet the problems persisted. At this point my customer service experience became horrible. in my experience my car’s problems were minimised, my questions were seen inconvenient problems and my autonomy was not respected. I felt laughed at and intimidated during visits and phone calls when I firmly asserted my disappointment and requests for refunds. I recommend reading other negative reviews. During this period, I began researching my rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA 2015). The dealership appeared to take the view that warranty repairs were sufficient and did not in my experience recognise how the CRA protects consumers when repairs fail. It is important for buyers to understand that statutory rights under the CRA sit above any warranty arrangements. Warranty work keeps them out of the obligations of CRA. After repeated repairs, I commissioned an independent automotive engineer’s inspection. That report concluded the vehicle was unsafe to drive following the dealership’s multiple repair attempts and promises of good workmanship. I was shocked to learn that I had been driving a vehicle for so long in that condition. When I exercised my final right to reject the vehicle under the CRA 2015, the tone of communication changed again significantly. What began as friendly and attentive service became defensive and dismissive and upsetting. I felt I had no realistic option but to pursue the matter formally. I sought advice from Citizens Advice, who were excellent and free — knowledgeable, calm, and very clear about consumer rights law. Their guidance was free and extremely helpful. Following their step by step east to apply advice, I issued a claim via the Small Claims Court Money Claim Online (MCOL) service. The court process itself was straightforward and relatively inexpensive. The dealership instructed an external legal firm to correspond with me. While the letters were strongly worded, Citizens Advice made it clear that such correspondence does not override your statutory rights and the dealership are responsible not a third party. It is important for consumers to understand that legal letters do not replace the protections provided by the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The matter was ultimately resolved through the court process. The dealership hoped I would go away like many others. If this particular vehicle (LG63 YCE) is offered for sale again, prospective buyers may wish to carry out thorough independent checks. As a former owner, I am willing to discuss my experience to the best of my knowledge so that others can make an informed decision. I also obtained an independent inspection report for this vehicle during the dispute, which detailed significant mechanical concerns at the time. My advice to anyone purchasing from any dealership is simple: • Understand your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 • Ensure repairs are clearly addressed under statutory rights, not solely warranty • Seek advice early from Citizens Advice if issues arise and request all repairs at any stage of ownership be conducted under CRA2015 I was surprised to learn how strongly the law protects consumers, even months after purchase. I hope this review helps others to be informed and prepared. I will never buy again from this dealership Zero one two two three four four one five nine nine Edit update (12/2/26): Following my review, I received correspondence from a third-party legal firm acting for the dealership asking that I remove this review.
A huge shout-out to Steve, who was absolutely fantastic. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional throughout, and most importantly, there was zero pressure at any point. They took the time to answer all my questions and made sure everything was clear and straightforward.
Reviews provided by dealership customers who were invited to provide feedback on their sales experience using TrustPilot.
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