Tony Brooks Motor Company, Northampton

I have been bringing my cars to Tony Brooks for five years now. I buy old cars for about £1,000 and run them until they die, so I'm a regular customer. Their labour rate is lower than most garages but they deliver great service. They offer £25 MOT tests and are happy to fit either new parts or used parts that I source from scrap yards. When my old Volvo wouldn't start last year it was towed there by Green Flag. Tony Brooks found very low compression on two cylinders: a terminal diagnosis. They refused to charge me for the compression test because "you don't want to be spending money on a dead car, and you'll need it to buy another one." I highly value such reasonable and helpful service.

I have used this garage for servicing and repairs for longer than I care to remember - maybe 20 years or so. Also, I bought my last two cars there (I buy second-hand and I do keep them a long time). Tony and his staff are always helpful and very knowledgeable on Citroens and other French cars and probably a lot of others as well. I've had BX, Xantia and now a C5. Especially helpful on getting secondhand parts for my 'old' cars - especially things that don't wear out but just get broken - like a wing mirror. The ratings (below) may look a bit high - but if I had scored anything less than 5, Tony would ask me how he could improve and I really wouldn't be able to tell him! So I have to give him 5/5., Very happy to recommend as I seem to have a better experience than some of my friends who use other garages.

Nothing sorted on the paint as the scratches that were not there before weren't painted only mopped out but still can see them but only faint, then got told I'm only trying to get the panel painted as there's abit missing on that panel, they lost one of my locking wheel nuts and replaced it with a normal but and all u get told is why would the mechanic have to gain from it. Point is that it's missing what's done about it erm sweet fa 15 min argument about it as well, all I get is I'll ask the mechanic is that I'll ask him if he lost it and see what says and if he didn't say that he lost it I'm lying blar blar blar yeah they are aftermarket wheels yet I'm missing a locking wheel nut. Not impressed after paying a lot of money to have it fixed to then only have damage and missing nut and clutch pedal rubber not put back on what a joke safe to people don't bother going there

Goes out of his way to help regular customers. Does his very best to help even if that means lending you the car he is driving to allow you to get to work.

French car specialist. Managed to notice and fix problems which the previous garage hadn't (like the headlights pointing the wrong way)! Drove better and was very fair with pricing. Work completed when they said it would be. Certainly use them again.

On purchase of my vehicle from Tony Brooks I felt safe that me & my children was going to be taken care of by them & the warranty provided. Unfortunately I was wrong. When my vehicle went back in after a week of ownership they took the keys and provided me a courtesy car, and from there on Disappointment was coming. Poor communication, long delays & shoddy repairs. It was also interesting that as I was at their premises it also seemed another unhappy customer was being dealt with by the Young chap that worked there. I would not recommend as you can gather.

Used them for well over ten years to service/repair my various Citroen or Peugeot cars. Always come up with goods on diagnosis of faults and, while not the cheapest in town, try to reduce costs where they can. Phone is usually answered by Mrs Brooks and Tony is around the place and available to answer queries or advise his techs.