Buying a used car is always a risk, but the platform Drome tries to minimize it through a review system. Here, each owner can share his impressions of his car, and a potential buyer can evaluate the real condition of the model. However, not all reviews on Drome are equally useful: among them there are both honest and detailed reviews, as well as custom-made “delights” or malicious “blaming” comments from dissatisfied customers.

In this article we will look at how to distinguish true reviews from fake ones, what to pay attention to when reading comments, and how to leave ratings that will help other buyers. You will also find out which models are most often discussed on Drome, which "pitfalls" hidden in popular cars, and how to use the platform's filters to find the most relevant reviews. If you are planning to buy or sell a car, this information will save you time, nerves and money.

Why reviews on Drome are more important than technical specifications

Car catalogs are full of numbers: engine power, fuel consumption, ground clearance. But these parameters are often do not reflect actual operating experience. For example, Toyota Corolla 2018, in theory, should consume 6 liters per 100 km, but in the urban cycle in winter, owners often record 9–10 liters. Such nuances are precisely what appear in the reviews.

On Drome you can find:

  • 🔧 Hidden defects models (for example, corrosion of thresholds in Kia Rio after 3 years of operation).
  • 💰 Real costs of maintenance (price of spare parts, frequency of breakdowns).
  • 🚗 Vehicle behavior under different conditions (how does he behave? Renault Duster off-road, does it get hot? Hyundai Solaris in traffic jams).
  • 🔄 Resale experience (how quickly and at what price one or another model can be sold).

Moreover, reviews help identify serial problems of specific car batches - for example, defects in gearboxes Volkswagen Polo 2019–2020 model year or electronics problems Skoda Octavia after restyling. You will not find such information in official dealer brochures.

⚠️ Attention: Reviews on Drome do not replace a full diagnosis of a car before purchase. Even if 90% of owners praise the model, a particular copy could have been in an accident or used in extreme conditions.

How to distinguish a real review from a custom or fake one

The Drom platform moderates comments, but fake reviews are still popping up. They are left by both unscrupulous sellers (to “disperse” the car’s rating) and competitors (to denigrate the model). Here are the key signs of fake reviews:

Sign Example of a fake review Example of a real review
Emotional coloring “THIS IS THE BEST CAR IN THE WORLD!!! I bought it yesterday and already fell in love!!!” “On the whole I’m happy, but after 80 thousand km I had to change the stabilizer links. Otherwise there were no breakdowns.”
Detailing “The car is super, I recommend it to everyone.” (no specifications) «Ford Focus 2017, 1.5 EcoBoost. For 2 years of ownership: replaced spark plugs (12 thousand rubles), front pads (8 thousand rubles). Consumption on the highway - 5.8 l."
Dates and history The account was created today, one review is about the “ideal” car. User on Drome since 2019, has a history of sales/purchases, reviews of different cars.
Photo/video There are no attached materials. There are photos of the interior, engine, receipts for repairs.

Another warning sign - mass reviews with the same style. For example, if in a week there are 10 enthusiastic comments about a rare model with similar wording (“incredible dynamics”, “luxurious interior”), most likely this is the work of a “recall factory”.

📊 How often do you check reviews before buying a car?
Always
Often
Sometimes
Never

Top 5 models with the most controversial ratings on Drome

Some cars are collected polar reviews: Some owners love them, others hate them. Most often this is due to design features or target audience. Let's look at the most “scandalous” models:

  1. Lada Vesta - praised for price and maintainability, criticized for build quality and electronics. Main controversy: Is it worth overpaying for the version with a robot (AMT).
  2. Renault Arkana — almost everyone likes the design, but many complain about Jatco variator, which begins to “kick” after 60 thousand km.
  3. UAZ Patriot — off-road qualities are unrivaled, but comfort and reliability leave much to be desired. More than 30% of reviews contain references to axle leaks and body corrosion.
  4. Volkswagen Tiguan — German quality vs. high cost of service. There are especially many complaints about engine 1.4 TSI (problems with the timing chain).
  5. Hyundai Creta - the leader in the number of reviews, but opinions are divided: some drive without problems for 200 thousand km, while others already experience knocking in the suspension at 50 thousand km.

It's interesting that Chinese brands (for example, Chery Tiggo 7 or Geely Coolray) reviews are often divided according to the principle “first owners vs. secondary market." The former praise the warranty and equipment, the latter complain about difficulties with spare parts and a drop in resale prices.

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Look for reviews that mention the VIN code or chassis number - this is a sign that the author actually owned the car and is not copy-pasting generic text.

Step-by-step instructions: how to search for reviews on Drome effectively

Just search for “reviews of Toyota RAV4"is not enough. To find the most relevant information, use these techniques:

  1. Filter by year of manufacture. Problems Kia Sportage 2015 may not apply to the restyled version of 2018.
  2. Search by modifications. Reviews about Skoda Kodiaq with 1.5 TSI engine and 2.0 TDI will be radically different.
  3. Sort by date. Current reviews (from the last 6-12 months) are more important than reviews from five years ago.
  4. Use keyword search. For example, “corrosion”, “oil consumption”, “the machine is jerking”.

Example query for exact search:

site:drom.ru reviews "Volkswagen Passat B8" 2020 2.0 TSI problems

So you will find discussions of a specific modification with mention of typical faults.

Vehicle mileage|Ownership period|Mention of repairs and costs|Photo or video|Comparison with other models-->

What to do if there are no reviews for the car or they are all positive

Lack of reviews - warning sign, especially if the model is not new. This could mean:

  • 🚨 The car is rare, and operating experience has not yet accumulated (for example, new Chinese electric car).
  • 🔍 Reviews were deleted by moderators for violations (for example, too many complaints).
  • 💰 This is a “gray” import or rarity that is sold without a guarantee.

In such cases:

  1. Look for discussions on thematic forums (for example, Drive2 or Autolada).
  2. Check similar models of the same brand (if there are no reviews on Haval Jolion, look Haval F7).
  3. Ask questions in VKontakte communities or Telegram chats by brand.
⚠️ Attention: If all the reviews about the car are extremely positive, but the model is not in demand on the secondary market, this is a reason to be wary. Perhaps the reviews are “custom”, and the real owners are silent or have already gotten rid of the car.
Where else to look for reviews besides Droma?

On YouTube (reviews from bloggers and owners), in Google Maps (reviews of dealers and service stations), on Avito (comments on advertisements), in social networks (groups for specific models).

How to write a useful review on Drome yourself: a checklist for owners

If you want to help other buyers, follow structure and honesty your review. Here's what it should contain:

Review section Example of a good description Example of a bad description
Overall rating “7 out of 10 - reliable car, but expensive to maintain.” “I bought it and didn’t regret it!”
Technical problems “At 78 thousand km the right CV joint began to knock (replacement - 14 thousand rubles).” “It breaks often.”
Expenses “TO-3 cost 22 thousand rubles. (filters, oil, pads).” "Expensive to maintain."
Pros/Cons “+ Spacious interior; − Poor sound insulation.” “Everything is great.”

Don't forget to attach photo or video - this increases the credibility of your review. For example:

  • 📸 Photo of the salon after 3 years of operation.
  • 📊 Receipt for oil change or repair.
  • 🎥 Video demonstrating the problem (for example, knocking in the suspension).
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An honest review is not only criticism, but also objective advantages. Even a problematic car will have its strengths (for example, cheap spare parts or simple design).

If you are a seller and are faced with unfair or defamatory review, you have several ways to solve the problem:

  1. Contact Droma support. The platform deletes reviews if they contain:
    • 🚫 Profanity or insults.
    • 📄 False information (for example, “the car is broken” if there was no accident).
    • 🔗 Links to third-party resources or advertising.
  • Reply publicly. Politely explain your position (for example: “The client did not mention that the car was sold with an indication of repair after an accident”).
  • Go to court. If a review discredits a business reputation, you can demand its removal through a lawsuit (Article 152 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation).

    • However, delete honest negative reviews (even if they are unprofitable) are unethical and can lead to the opposite effect: users will notice the “cleaning” and suspect deception.

    ⚠️ Attention: If you are a buyer and your review was deleted without explanation, check to see if you violated Droma's rules (for example, if you used swear words or the seller's personal data). Otherwise, you can write to support with a request to restore the comment.

    FAQ: Frequently asked questions about Drome reviews

    Can you trust 5 star reviews?

    Not always. A 5-star rating may be objective (if the car is truly flawless), but often reviews like this are left:

    • 🔹 Sellers or their friends to “overclock” the rating.
    • 🔹 Owners who have been using the car for less than a year (problems have not yet appeared).
    • 🔹 People who have not encountered breakdowns (they were just lucky).

    Pay attention to detailing — if the review consists of one sentence (“Super car!”), you shouldn’t trust it.

    How to find reviews about a specific dealer or service station on Drome?

    Go to the “Companies” section on Drome, find the desired car dealership or service and open the “Reviews” tab. Please note:

    • 📅 Date of revocation (current ones are more important than old ones).
    • ⭐ Rating (but read the negative ones too - they often contain useful details).
    • 📎 Attached documents (photos of contracts, receipts, video of the car inspection).

    If there are few reviews, check the dealer for Google Maps or 2GIS.

    What should I do if my review is not published on Drome?

    Possible reasons:

    • 🔹 The text contains prohibited words (swearing, insults, personal data).
    • 🔹 You have added links to third-party resources.
    • 🔹 Review is too short (less than 20 characters).
    • 🔹 The system considered it spam (for example, if you copy the same text under different ads).

    Try editing the text and resending. If the problem persists, write to Droma support.

    Is it possible to leave an anonymous review on Drome?

    No, Drom demands registration to write reviews. However, it is not necessary to indicate your real name - you can use a nickname. In this case:

    • 🔹 Your profile will be visible to other users.
    • 🔹 The administration may transfer your data at the request of law enforcement agencies (in case of slander or threats).

    If you want to remain completely incognito, use forums (for example, Drive2), where you can write without being tied to an account.

    How to check if negative reviews have been removed from an ad?

    It is impossible to completely track deleted reviews, but you can:

    • 🔹 View archived versions of the page through Wayback Machine (if the review was published a long time ago).
    • 🔹 Look for discussions of this car on forums or social networks.
    • 🔹 Pay attention to sudden changes in ratings (for example, if the rating dropped from 4.5 to 3.2 in a week, several positive reviews may have been removed).

    If the seller systematically removes negativity, this is a reason to be wary.