I blame myself for not recognising the red flags early on, but I write this in the hope that future customers don’t make the same mistake I did when dealing with Sinclair VW Newport. My experience has been nothing short of appalling and rife with the kind of practices you’d hope the car industry had left behind.

The journey began with a quoted delivery time of 8–12 weeks. Reasonable — or so I thought. This quietly turned into a staggering 20-week wait, with no explanation, apology, or sense that my custom mattered in the slightest. A complete lack of communication and transparency.

The first sign that something wasn’t right was when Autoglym Lifeshine was added to my order without my consent or even a mention of it. An assumption, perhaps, that I wouldn’t notice or object. I should have walked away then.

But worse was yet to come. Upon eventual delivery of the vehicle, I discovered the PCP agreement had been set to 10,000 miles per year, despite my clear instruction for 12,000. This feels like a deliberate move — perhaps to match a competitor’s quote and hope I wouldn’t catch the discrepancy. Whether out of incompetence or deception, it’s unacceptable either way.

When I raised these concerns, the response from the sales manager was as unprofessional as it was dismissive. A tank of fuel was offered, essentially as a bribe to silence my dissatisfaction. I was effectively told to “accept it and move on.” Frankly, it was insulting.

Even on the day of collection, I was subjected to repeated pressure to purchase an additional servicing package, despite making it very clear I would never do business with Sinclair again. This persistent upselling, when my experience had already been so negative, was the final nail in the coffin.

The whole process has left a bitter taste. This dealership seems far more focused on short-term gain than customer service or honest practices. I worry for future buyers who may fall into the same trap, trusting a brand name that, at least at this branch, fails to uphold basic standards of decency and respect.

Avoid Sinclair VW Newport if you value transparency, communication, or being treated like a customer whose time and money matter.

Excellent service

Dave, Harry and Mike were all excellent. Communication and level of care throughout the whole process was brilliant. I felt looked after and well informed.

Easy transaction from start to finish.
Phil at Newport kept me in the loop and was more than helpful and patient whilst waiting for a personal loan to be approved.
When we arrived for collection after the long drive down from Scotland, all of the staff were very welcoming and couldn’t be nicer.

Adam was great and sorted my perfect new car promptly and professional . So refreshing to deal with a helpful , informative and professional sales person . Thank you

Absolutely Appalling Experience – Avoid at All Costs!

I recently purchased a vehicle from this dealership, and I can honestly say it has been nothing short of a nightmare. When I went to collect the car, it was in a disgraceful condition – filthy and clearly not valeted. This immediately raised red flags about their attention to detail and overall professionalism.

Even more disturbing was discovering that the previous owner's account was still active and logged into the VW infotainment system. This meant they could not only see my car's location and data but, through the app, they could also remotely control functions like switching the engine on and off. This is a serious GDPR breach and a complete failure on the dealership's part to reset and prepare the car properly for a new owner.

To make matters worse, just over a month into owning the vehicle, the steering wheel buttons for skipping songs stopped working, and the car began having intermittent audio issues. The only way to get sound working again is by switching the car off and on – which is not only frustrating but completely unacceptable for a vehicle that's meant to be reliable.

When I contacted the dealership to address these problems, I was told the earliest available appointment would be at the end of August – more than a month away. This level of service is shocking, especially considering how many issues I’ve encountered so early on.

Frankly, I would return the car in a heartbeat if I could, but the dealership has shown no willingness to take responsibility or make things right. It feels like they are doing everything they can to offload a faulty car rather than stand by the quality of what they sell.

Save yourself the stress and go to a different dealership. This experience has been nothing but disappointing and deeply concerning. STAY AWAY.

This was my first experience of dealing with VW and buying a car from a VW dealership. My plan was to check out VW first, as I searched for a new car, and then investigate other car brands but I found what I was looking for with VW. Stylish cars, quality and very good service from Dave Skinner and all the colleagues I met during the process. Everyone was friendly, efficient without being pushy, and I was treated very fairly. Dave kept me updated thorughout the process and I left the showroom with a car I was pleased with. Dave explained all the finance options clearly during the process and covered what I needed to know about the car I have bought. It was a good experience and I see Dave Skinner as being a very conscientious member of the VW team.

Just bought a new Golf and as always received excellent service. Both friendly and efficient.

Despite being unfamiliar with the latest innovations which cars now contain, we were led through the features available with patience and care.
The service package and various insurances were clearly explained and we were given confidence by our salesman's personal experience with our chosen vehicle.

Adam Roberts in Newport went above and beyond to make my purchase of the Polo a joyful experience. He made the transaction one that made me smile and that gave such a good start to my journeys. It was a very professional, friendly and easy handover, just as I hoped it would be.

Dave was very helpful from our first visit to purchasing car. Advising on difference in models and year changes, also keeping us updated on stock and additional extras.

Very professional and helpful- they don't push you into a decision

I had recently lost my wife and our Motability contract had expired. At a difficult personal time, I was faced with the challenge of sourcing a replacement vehicle and a significant financial outlay all within a short time frame. I approached Sinclairs in Newport and found the people there helpful and knowledgeable and sensitive throughout. They sourced an ideal replacement and dealt with all the administrative matters with impressive efficiency. I could not have had a better experience in difficult circumstances.

Picked up brand new VW T-Cross on Saturday. 2nd time buying from Sinclair VW in Newport. Sales - Eliott was fab. Sourced me the exact vehicle I needed, kept in touch and gave brilliant service throughout. Great service from VW and the people at Sinclairs.

It was a friendly and relax atmosphere.Also their took their time to explain all aspects of the purchase of a car.

I still prefer buying a car from the dealer rather than the competition (who sell every make of car) because, quite simply, the dealership KNOW their cars and can answer every question you have. It’s very reassuring.

And VW Newport did just that.
Friendly not pushy.
Knowledgable not vague.
Polite - no hard sell.

I really couldn’t have asked for the car purchasing journey to be better.

And let’s not forget the lovely lady on the front desk who was so welcoming, warm and genuine.

Thank you for a fabulous experience - all of you.

Friendly and welcoming staff. Wonderful with my dog. Great deal. Treat me as an old friend.

The staff at Volkswagen Newport was very helpful and attentive. i’m very happy with my polo the second one I have bought at Volkswagen Newport

Everyone was really friendly and helpful, and the process was really easy.