Shocking MOT Experience
I brought my car in for an MOT and was shocked to find that unauthorised work had been done without my consent, along with discovering 7 areas of paint damage - the largest being a significant 8cm x 2cm and an unexpected bill of £138.85!
I’m deeply disappointed by my recent experience with Junction 1 BM, especially after being a loyal customer for 2 years and spending a significant amount of money there. I’ve even recommended them to friends and family, but after this incident, I can no longer do so or use their services again. The main issue is their lack of accountability when things go wrong.
Here’s what happened: My car's headlights were foggy, and without my consent to pass the MOT, they used a machine to clean and polish them. When I got the car back, there was white residue everywhere and noticeable paint damage in 7 areas, all just above the right headlight. They deny responsibility for the damage, but I can confidently say it wasn’t there before—there's no way I would miss 7 damaged spots, with the largest being 8cm x 2cm, especially as I see my car every day parked right outside my front door.
They tried to attribute the damage to stone chips, but when I had the car inspected at a body shop, they confirmed the damage was 'smooth,' with no evidence of stone chipping. The lacquer had been removed in those areas (with the largest being 8x2cm), leaving visible paint damage and noticeable variations in texture and color. There’s no similar damage anywhere else on the car. I suspect the damage was accidentally caused by the polishing machine and abrasive material used to clear the foggy layer from the headlights, as the damage is located directly above the headlights and nowhere else. To make matters worse, the body shop has quoted nearly £400 for repairs, as they need to respray the entire section of the wing around the headlights.
Because of this and their lack of accountability, I can no longer recommend Junction 1 BM. I’ll be returning to my original garage, Darren Wood, even though they’re more expensive and have longer availability wait times—at least you get what you pay for.