How to write a car dealer review that helps other buyers
The most useful reviews read like a short account of what happened, not a verdict. Here is how to write one that carries weight — good or bad.
The short answer
Say what you bought and when, walk through what happened in order, and be specific about anything that went wrong and how the dealer responded. Stick to facts you witnessed. If you have the invoice, add it — a verified purchase mark makes your review much harder to dismiss.
What to include
- When you bought, and what — make, model and roughly the price bracket.
- How the enquiry and viewing went, including anything you were told about the car.
- Whether the paperwork, V5C and any promised work arrived when it was meant to.
- What aftersales was like — that is where most dealerships actually differ.
- If something went wrong, what you asked for and what the dealer did about it.
What to leave out
- Claims you cannot evidence, such as accusing a dealer of clocking a car.
- Anything about a member of staff's private life, or abusive language.
- A review of a dealership you never bought from or visited.
- Repeating hearsay from a forum or a friend as if it happened to you.
A calm, specific complaint is far more damaging to a bad dealership than an angry one — and far harder to argue with.
Verified purchases
Upload your invoice or order form with the review and we check it against the dealership before adding a verified purchase mark. The document stays private: only our moderators can see it, never the dealer.
What happens if the dealer disputes it
A review of 2 stars or fewer is not published straight away. It goes privately to the dealership with a 7-day clock and a private message thread, so a genuine mistake can be put right first.
At the end of the window you decide: withdraw it because it was resolved, update it to reflect what happened, or publish it as written. Do nothing and it publishes automatically. A dealer can never delete it. The full process is on how reviews work.
Common questions
What should I include in a car dealer review?
The date, what you bought, what actually happened at each stage — enquiry, viewing, paperwork, handover and aftersales — and how any problem was handled. Specifics help the next buyer far more than adjectives.
Can a car dealer get my review removed?
On trustmydealer a dealer can never delete a review. Reviews of a low rating go to the dealer privately first with a fixed window to respond, and only the reviewer decides whether to withdraw, update or publish it.
Should I name staff in a review?
Naming a salesperson positively is fine and often useful. For complaints, describe the role rather than the person — it keeps the review about the business and avoids straying into personal accusations.
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