Kwik-Fit

Tight_Old_Git

ka7e wrote:

A few years ago my OH took his old Volvo to Kwikfit for a service and they recommended he have the brake pads replaced. When he picked the car up and drove away, the brakes failed completely and left him rolling down a ramp onto a dual carriageway. He drove back in to the garage where the car was "sorted out" and his service charge refunded!

A likely story, what kind of doughnut carries on driving a car after the brakes have failed completely and then takes it back to the same place to be repaired. A proper money saving miser would have sued the pants off of Kwik Fit easy money.

gizzmo_2

I too have had the experience that I have have felt ripped off by Kwik Fit - I once got a flat rear tyre and turned out there was a nail in it - the RAC Patrolman that changed it for me told me that it was repairable so I took it in to Kwik Fit on a Sunday - only place that was open - and asked them to repair it. They came back with a whole load of excuses that there were cracks in the side and that legally they can't repair it in that state and that I should get a new one. So I did - although I did feel it was a little strange as the RAC Patrolman would have told me had that been the case.

But it being a Sunday, and me desperate to get it all sorted I just went with it. Afterwards when I mentioned it to my OH he went mad because apparently both rear tyres had been replaced with brand new ones only about 6 months earlier when someone had gone into the back of my parked car at high speed. I hadn't realised cos the insurance dealt with it all then. So I went and checked and sure enough it had had 2 brand new, pretty high spec tyres - and I hardly drive it anywhere so couldn't have done more than 2,000 miles in that 6 month period. And the replacement I bought from Kwik-fit was the bog standard Kwik it own brand one.

That made me convinced that I was never gonna go there again - but now I have to replace my front tyres which are starting to be just below legal limit and the MOT is due in a couple of weeks - so if not Kwik Fit - where can I go where I will not be ripped off?

I live in Harrow so if anyone knows of any honest independents that they recommend please do let me know. I'm determined not to get conned this time.

tomstickland

I've found that you can always get tyres cheaper from a local tyre trader, or protyre/micheldever.
For other jobs, it's best to find a reasonable local garage who you can trust and if necessary source the parts yourself from motor factors.
Personally I DIY about 90% of the work.

MarkyMarkD

Tight_Old_Git wrote:

A likely story, what kind of doughnut carries on driving a car after the brakes have failed completely and then takes it back to the same place to be repaired. A proper money saving miser would have sued the pants off of Kwik Fit easy money.

I think you mis-read that post in your haste to slag off KwikFit. KF told him the car *which had been "fixed" elsewhere* was unsafe; he IGNORED KF and drove off in the dangerous car.

Not much scope for sueing KF there.

psychopathbabble

MiserlyMonkey wrote: »

It was in Harlow, Essex.

@ MORPH3US: No, I sold the car soon afterwards so I won't be going back to the Citroen dealer ever again. I think they were just trying it on.

Oh mygod, I'm glad I saw just your post! I was going to take my car to that Nationwide centre for a free 15 point check with the AA and my mot early next year as I would get it free with my tesco vouchers. I hope I can change my vouchers to something else :mad:

Also, Kwik-fit can be crap... my exhaust was once put on the wrong way round, had holes blown in it and welded closed and leaking rubber. not good. But then again, I had major problems with my brakes and they fitted master brake cylinder free of charge although I had spent £350 on the other stuff, but they didn't charge me for the weeks worth of work they had to do to figure out what the new problem was (they had fitted a faulty one!)

Hmmm... I dunno if that makes sense but thats the best way to explain it!

However, I have just had to go to a new Kwik Fit as my car was making a weird echoey grindy noise when accelerating around 60-70 and decelerating, so they changed 2 of the wheel bearings and 2 of the brake valves, charging me £300 for the priviledge. (I would have gone to a local garage but I had a 150 mile car journey I HAD to make later that day) However, my drivers side front wheel is now making a knocking noise whenever I'm turning so I hope they didn't cause the problem, or didn't fix the problem in the first place! going to go to a local garage now that I have time to get my car fixed, and hopefully that will sort it out. Shame I don't know anything about cars so I can't prove anything either way

pennineman

Nail through sidewall of rear nearside tyre.

Kwikfit took a full week to supply and fit replacement tyre.

Were rude and unhelpful.

Two months later another nail through sidewall of rear nearside tyre.

(Suspicious?)

This time took into local main dealer.

Took them one day to supply and fit the tyre and charge £20 less than KwikFit.

And they provided me with comfortable, clean, quiet area to wait with fresh coffee / tea on tap and large plasma TV to watch whilst I waited.

No contest.

criville8

i actually work for this crap company and belive me when i say crap all they think about is money. even if it costs them the saftey of their staff i was working under a vw van when the jack was released and the van came down and broke my wrist im actually a service Tech for them well i was and we do no more about cars then just fittin parts m8. i take tht as abit of an insult but i can understand wher ur cumin frm. they do ongoing training which is gud but at the centres they just want to take money off people its a nasty enviroment i would suggest that you dont go 2 kwik fit bcuz 1 it aint that kwik 2 it aint cheap its probably the most expensive tyre place around but people go ther cus they no the name. 3 ive seen people do sum shoddy work in ther that goes againts health and safety and against the regulations of the company. also i let u in on a secret next time you go 2 a kwik fit centre and u c them jack ur car up watch if they put an axel stand under bet u nefin they dont bcuz its to much hard work even tho company policy and health and saftey says that you should. Also if the jack falls ur car is gona be pretty messed up.

criville8

gizzmo wrote: »

I too have had the experience that I have have felt ripped off by Kwik Fit - I once got a flat rear tyre and turned out there was a nail in it - the RAC Patrolman that changed it for me told me that it was repairable so I took it in to Kwik Fit on a Sunday - only place that was open - and asked them to repair it. They came back with a whole load of excuses that there were cracks in the side and that legally they can't repair it in that state and that I should get a new one. So I did - although I did feel it was a little strange as the RAC Patrolman would have told me had that been the case.

But it being a Sunday, and me desperate to get it all sorted I just went with it. Afterwards when I mentioned it to my OH he went mad because apparently both rear tyres had been replaced with brand new ones only about 6 months earlier when someone had gone into the back of my parked car at high speed. I hadn't realised cos the insurance dealt with it all then. So I went and checked and sure enough it had had 2 brand new, pretty high spec tyres - and I hardly drive it anywhere so couldn't have done more than 2,000 miles in that 6 month period. And the replacement I bought from Kwik-fit was the bog standard Kwik it own brand one.

That made me convinced that I was never gonna go there again - but now I have to replace my front tyres which are starting to be just below legal limit and the MOT is due in a couple of weeks - so if not Kwik Fit - where can I go where I will not be ripped off?

I live in Harrow so if anyone knows of any honest independents that they recommend please do let me know. I'm determined not to get conned this time.

i no that u might have been peeved with them but they have standards of the tyres frm wot i hav read in your post kwikfit were only doing what is right if u have driven on a flat tyre and may not of even noticed u have bcuz belive people do even i have and i actually work for kwikfit sadly lol

it causes it to wear down the tyre wall and cause cracks even if ran on for a few miles and wher the puncture is and the size of the punture also affects it if its more than 3mm the hole that is it cant be repaired if anybody sez they can i wouldnt trust them bcus the patch they use to repair is only 3mm wide thats the only size they do and is due to safety standards.

also if the puncture was on the tyre wall then its actually illegal to repair and would have to be replaced due to the fact of safety. any questions about kwik fit give me a e-mail or woteva and id b happy to tell u all.

by the way ive actually left the company now due to my concerns with the way they treat the employees if u requested info about this just give me a shout

becky2011

I found the staff at Chelmsford(Essex) Kwik Fit to be very helpful. When I had my old car they saved me a fortune by tightening a bolt that was loose on my exhaust for nothing instead of quoting me for a new one like the Formula One and National did. The exhaust was fine for the next year and then I sold the car.
I did use them again recently though for 2 new tyres and found the tyres to be very expensive, but it was a Sunday and other garages were closed. The staff were friendly and did the job quickly.

CHR15

criville8 wrote: »

i actually work for this crap company and belive me when i say crap all they think about is money. even if it costs them the saftey of their staff i was working under a vw van when the jack was released and the van came down and broke my wrist im actually a service Tech for them well i was and we do no more about cars then just fittin parts m8. i take tht as abit of an insult but i can understand wher ur cumin frm. they do ongoing training which is gud but at the centres they just want to take money off people its a nasty enviroment i would suggest that you dont go 2 kwik fit bcuz 1 it aint that kwik 2 it aint cheap its probably the most expensive tyre place around but people go ther cus they no the name. 3 ive seen people do sum shoddy work in ther that goes againts health and safety and against the regulations of the company. also i let u in on a secret next time you go 2 a kwik fit centre and u c them jack ur car up watch if they put an axel stand under bet u nefin they dont bcuz its to much hard work even tho company policy and health and saftey says that you should. Also if the jack falls ur car is gona be pretty messed up.

Is there an English equivalent of this???