Can a garage refuse to give your car back...

LandyAndy

If they try to tell you you can't drive it away ask to borrow their phone to call the RAC (or whoever you use) to have it recovered.

Dave101t

most kwik fit braches are terrible, but you will find one which is good (i have) and just use that one, trial and error tho...
ps. get a haynes manual and DIY!

smitchy73

Most cars if they have pads you can actually check them yourself just by putting your hand in to them to check them. Most brake pads will last for the best part of 50k miles. Discs I think will last a bit longer.

Have you been experiencing problems with your brakes that you feel the need to get them to check them for you.

As others have said, your best bet is to find a local independent garage through recommendations from other people locally eg family/friends/work colleagues. There may even be a nice fellow who will do the job DIY for you, one of my mates at work does this, it's great.

robchap_2

the one near me is good imo had a few bits i know needed doing on my old car there never any issues
then i bought a newer car and it had a noise coming from the front wheel took it in to them to look at it the guy checked the brakes ect he was there for 20 mins looking then he tested it on that rolling road thing they have.
after that he took it with me on a 20 min drive said he could hear the noise but could not find it

now i asked how much i owed them for all the looking and time he had spent on it his reply was nothing m8 sorry i could not help futher


i know that they can be bad but not all of them are


also the main dealer could not find the issue nither did an smaller garage


btw turned out to be the rear brake caliper locking on replaced it myself :P

SteveJW

Went many years ago as they had a cheap offer on an exhaust for my old Cortina. Did the exhaust and then came out and said my rear shock absorbers were dangerous, they had a quote ready and printed out and surprise they had them in stock. Asked if they could show me the problem, certainly sir, showed me the lower bushes on the rear shock absorbers (top hat type for anyone in the know) slight cracks in the rubber, shock absorbers were fine no leaks and no play in the bushes. A bit put out when I said they would pass an MOT, didn't like it when I told him I was an MOT inspector. And had no answer when I said the bushes were about a fiver anyway

In my opinion they prey on people especially females, tell them something is dangerous, they ring their partner who says if dangerous get it done

Flyboy152

Summer of last year, I was taking the family out for the day. I heard a clatter and a thud coming from the bottom of the car whenever I went over a bump and discovered that the exhaust was falling off. I took the car to the nearest Kwik-Fit (about two minutes away-thank you Yell.com/mobile). They looked at it and found that it had become dislodged from its bracket, damaged the hook and had come away at the join. It took them about twenty minutes to re-fit the bracket, repair the hook and close the pipe. I asked how much I owed them and was told, "nah, your alright, it didn't take long and clamps are ten a penny." I thanked them, slipped a tenner in the technicians hand (which he reluctantly accepted) and we went on our way. I am only sorry that as it was quite a way from where we live, otherwise I would return and use them for all fast fit services.

Whiteknight

Thanks for all your replies, the only reason I went to Kwik Fit was to get a price for new disks and brakes. I normally go to an independent garage but he is always so busy that you need to book weeks in advance.

lucylucky wrote: »

Are there major problems with your car?

I don't think so however I am worried about the back brakes and disks as they were only changed about 18 months ago and look a lot more worn than the front disks which have been on the car longer. I will use their no obligation brake inspection find out how much work they think needs doing and how much it will cost, compare how much it will cost at the independent and more than likely get it booked in.

wba31

I had a car MOT'd at kwik fit (free with insurance).

they did the MOT, told me i had a few months to go on tyres by they should be alright... passed the MOT, and let me go... no rip off there...

Flyboy152

Whiteknight wrote: »

Thanks for all your replies, the only reason I went to Kwik Fit was to get a price for new disks and brakes. I normally go to an independent garage but he is always so busy that you need to book weeks in advance.



I don't think so however I am worried about the back brakes and disks as they were only changed about 18 months ago and look a lot more worn than the front disks which have been on the car longer. I will use their no obligation brake inspection find out how much work they think needs doing and how much it will cost, compare how much it will cost at the independent and more than likely get it booked in.

Typically, in a front wheel drive car, it is the front brakes that wear more than the rear. What sort of driving do you do and how many miles have you done?

vikingaero

Flyboy152 wrote: »

Typically, in a front wheel drive car, it is the front brakes that wear more than the rear. What sort of driving do you do and how many miles have you done?

Isn't that the point? On a low use car the fronts will normally be OK and cleaned off each time it's driven. The rears will never have a chance to clear the rust and the pitting gets worse over time.