Kwik Fit car service

Tinks74

To be honest I've never had a problem with them, they have only ever picked up on things I already knew about, given me a price which, bearing in mind I had neither time to source a 'reputable' independent garage or the skill/facilities to fix the problems myself, I was content to pay.

At least dealing with a chain there is the possibility of escalating a complaint to a 'higher authority' i.e. someone other than the branch manager/owner, should the need arise.

Rogue mechanics are rogue mechanics, doesn't matter whether they are independents or chains, the mechanics at my local Kwik fit have a good reputation.

You can come back with all the "Wouldn't trust them with a bargepole" comments you like, but it doesn't change the fact that I've had good personal experiences with Kwik Fit.

oldagetraveller

"Exactly what is wrong with Kwikfit?"
1. I took a car into them a few years back for two front tyres. After some time had passed I was summoned to "come and have a look at this, you need both front dampers renewing urgently, your car would never get through it's MOT like it is". I was shown what looked like "oil" stains along the length of each damper. "Strange," I said, "they weren't there yesterday afternoon when it passed an MOT with an advisory about the tyres." The "fitter" suddenly developed a red face and rather sheepish look. Walking away I told him to just replace the tyres and nothing else. He or someone there had actually sprayed a fine coating of WD40 onto the dampers!
2. A customer took an Audi into a Liverpool Kwikfit for a new exhaust. The new exhaust didn't fit properly - it fouled the bodywork in a couple of places - they chopped away the offending bodywork.
I rest my case m'lud.
I'm sure others will have similar factual tales.

Tinks74

My car went into Kwik Fit for its MOT, they told me I needed new rear brakes discs & pads and track rod ends - which I did. About 3 weeks later I had 4 new tyres put on at a different garage (cheaper online quote) they said "Hmmm, front brakes need replacing now!".

From what everyone seems to say Kwik Fit should have pounced on brakes that were even approaching borderline and been recommending both front and rears at the same time just to add to the bill, but they didn't.

As I said - Rogue mechanics are rogue mechanics.

albionrovers

4 years City and Guilds (or current day equivalent) to become a errmmm.... KwikFit Fitter. Nah!

pitkin2020

dweeby wrote: »

I'm curious, other than just saying "they're crap", specifically - what problems has anybody had?

I personally wonder if many garages actually do all the work they charge you for, and sometimes "invent" work that needs doing.

Exactly what is wrong with Kwikfit? I ask simply because I was about to book a service with them...

Ta!

Andy

Its probably unfair to tar all Kwikfits with the same brush but they are very hit and miss. Theres plenty of people who have excellent service from them but there has been a hell of a lot that have had very bad experiences from their.

I used a kwik fit in the midlands for a tyre repair whilst away from home and the service was spot on, they did what was asked, reported everything else looked fine.

I have also used a local kwik fit after needing another tyre repair over a busy bank holiday weekend who told me I needed a complete overhaul of the brake lines as they were all corroded, 3 new tyres as they were all well under the legal limit. What the fitter didn't realise that only 2 days before the car had undergone its MOT. The only advisory on the MOT was slight corrosion to the brake lines, which my mechanic who is also a very good friend had gone over the brake pipes removing all surface corrosion and greasing the pipes, the same he had done for the 2 MOTs prior and 2 MOTs after!!. 2 of the tyres they wanted me to replace (rears) had done less than 5k and were wearing perfectly evenly as expected.

Being only 24 at the time but looking like a 17 year old new driver they thought I would buy any line they span and would part with my cash as they made it sound urgent. The brakes wouldn't last more than a few miles, the tires could explode etc.

Funnily enough they said the tyre couldn't be repaired which I did believe as it was close to the edge so opted to have both front tyres replaced and the balancing and tracking done at the same time. The car drove fine around town but once I got the car upto speed 50+ it was juddering around like hell, which it didn't do before. I popped it into another tyre place on the Tuesday who said the tracking was miles out and the tyres wouldn't have lasted long at all. They redid the tracking and it drove fine again.

So would I use a kwik fit centre again......HHHMMMM.......no as I have no faith in their abilities what so ever. They are now a jack of all trades within the motor industry but a master of none!! Find a local independent that others recommend, those that have built their business off good customer service instead of a brand name.

mark5

My theory is that the companies set the branch managers high sales targets for extras, like batteries, shocks etc. The managers then resort to underhand tactics in order to hit the targets.

johnnyroper

mark5 wrote: »

My theory is that the companies set the branch managers high sales targets for extras, like batteries, shocks etc. The managers then resort to underhand tactics in order to hit the targets.

coupled with un qualified monkeys that call themselves mechanics is a recipe for disaster.

look at it this way if the mechanics were so good why work at a kwik fit on less money than if they worked in a proper garage or dealership?
none of the lads i went to college with who qualified like me would ever work in one of those outfits,personally i would not let kwik fit clowns so much as put air in a tyre let alone go near my car with tools.

toastydave

I have to use them as I'm a company car driver and my company says so, but there really really bad

This year so far;

Visit one;

Quickfit Leaminton spa, puncture repair, told puncture to close to shoulder of tyre to be repaired (which later turned out to be false)

Wanted to replace tyre, said ok as long as same type and make, got my car back and same make of tyre but different model, told by the manger that the eco tyres on my four month old car were now obsolete (turned out to be a lie, but wrong tyre now on the car)

Visit two; Quickfit Oxford Headington

Puncture repair, told tyre unrepairable and that i now needed two new front tyres as well! declined and took the car elsewhere.

Got the tyre repaired without issue, no new tires required.

Friend took his non turbo diesel BMW to Coventry quick fit and was told by the mechanic that his turbo needed replacing!

Have also seen the trick on a previous car of the mechanic telling me my shocks where worn, by spraying some WD40 on them

Would never, never go there if I was paying!

johnnyroper

I don't think there are any normally aspirated BMW diesel engines?