Worst First Car Buying Experience – Broken Promises, Faulty Workmanship and No Customer Care from Omoda

My experience with Omoda and Omoda Cape Town City has honestly been one of the worst customer experiences I have ever had.

This was my very first vehicle purchase, something that should have been exciting and memorable in a positive way. Instead, the entire experience has been filled with disappointment, frustration, broken promises, poor workmanship, and a complete lack of customer care.

I purchased a brand new Moda C5 on 15 April 2026. From the very day I collected the vehicle, I immediately noticed that the smash and grab window tinting had been done to an extremely poor standard, with bubbles visible throughout the vehicle. I raised this immediately on collection and was told the bubbles would “fade away.” I made it very clear at the time that the workmanship already looked unacceptable and that I believed it would remain a problem.

Weeks later, the tinting is STILL faulty, even after attempts to address it.

What makes this even worse is that instead of properly resolving the issue and restoring confidence in the brand, I was asked to take my previous complaint post down while the vehicle still has unresolved problems. How can customers be expected to remove complaints when the issues being complained about are still not fixed?

On top of this, promises were made to me regarding gifts and items that were supposedly included with the purchase of the vehicle, yet these promises were never honoured or delivered.

I have also had ongoing issues with basic service and communication. I still did not receive proper support regarding fuel costs to bring the vehicle back for repairs, despite the fact that the defect existed from day one on a brand new vehicle. I was informed by Jessica that her manager, Paul, refused any assistance outright.

To make matters worse, my permanent number plates were delayed while my temporary permit expired, creating even more stress and inconvenience.

The biggest disappointment here is not just the faulty tinting or the missing promises, it is the complete lack of accountability, empathy, and after sales care shown to a customer who has just spent a significant amount of money on a brand new vehicle.

At this stage, this entire experience has completely ruined what should have been a proud milestone for me as a first time vehicle buyer.

Honestly, I feel so disappointed and exhausted by this process that I genuinely feel Omoda should simply take their vehicle back and let me walk away from this nightmare experience altogether.

I expected professionalism, quality, and customer care from a new vehicle dealership and brand. Unfortunately, what I received was the exact opposite.