Kwik-Fit - Dodgy guarantee or poor training?

Forris

I had an interesting 'debate' at my local Kwik-Fit on Saturday when I took my car to have an exhaust part replaced. I'll start at the beginning:

Aug 2004: Had whole new exhaust system fitted with KF 2 year guarantee. Good price, good service;

June 2006: Had middle box of exhaust replaced under guarantee as baffles were rattling. No arguments, good service;

December 2006 (last Saturday): Took car to get middle box replaced again as baffles had gone again (my regular garage reckons it was just cheap parts!). Explained to chap at desk, who said that they had been having to replace a few of these on Peugeots and Citreons recently (mine's a Peugeot). I explained that it was under guarantee and, after a bit of a wait, he had my car up on the ramp and replaced the exhaust.

When he had finished, he went straight onto another job, and the manager came to process the paperwork. She asked to see the previous receipt and guarantee which I produced. She then said that as the exhaust was originally fitted in Aug 2004 that my guarantee had expired. I explained that the part that they had just replaced was fitted only 6 months ago. She replied that this did not make any difference and that the guarantee only runs from the original date of fitment (ie. the last date that I PAID for a part).

I said that I had never heard anything so ridiculous and that any part fitted should be guaranteed for the full term from the date of fitting. She said that the guarantee does not work like that. After a few minutes of 'debate' she 'phoned the customer service line, telling them that I didn't understand what she was telling me (I told her that I understood, I just didn't agree with it). They backed her up, unsurprisingly!

A few more minutes of debate ensued in which I asked her to show me in the Ts & Cs where it said that a part could only be replaced once under guarantee, to which she replied that she didn't have it written anywhere, 'that was just how it works'. She the said that her only other option was to remove the new part and refit my original part. Realising that she was trying to call my bluff, I replied 'Fine, go for it, if that's what you feel you have to do! At this point she hesitated and called a (senior) colleague in a different branch. I spoke to him on the 'phone and after explaining the situation, he confirmed what I had been told as correct. Another debate ensued, where I raised the point that this new part was replacing a part that was only 6 months old, which seemed a very short time for an exhaust to fail (I do normal mileage, nothing stressful). Eventually, he agreed to let me have the new part for free and with a full guarantee (now 3 years).

So, I ended with a good result, but I don't feel I should have had to work so hard to get it! I have since checked all of the fine print, and have found nothing to support their assertions. I don't like arguing with people, so when I do it is normally with the knowledge that I am in the right and I'm pretty good on Consumer Rights!!

I would be interested in any comments.

impy78

Kwikfit are the original shysters.

They have a long history of overcharging and poorworkmanship, so what you're saying doesn't suprise me.

BANANABUS

but the guarantee runs from the date of the origional purchase... I sure it does on most things doesnt it?

Any way you stuck to yuor guns and got a result!!!

BANANABUS

but the guarantee runs from the date of the origional purchase... and can be replaced as many times in that period Im sure it does on most things doesnt it?

Any way you stuck to yuor guns and got a result!!!

Bossyboots

I tried this argument with Hoover when the replacement parts they had fitted to our dishwasher failed within weeks and just outside the guarantee period. They stated the same thing, that the parts were only covered within the time span of the original guarantee.

We got the replacement parts from them to fit ourselves but only after we resorted to the Sale of Goods Act as the machine had been expensive and we couldn't use it without the parts and it had not lasted a reasonable time.

astonsmummy

Kwik fit IMO are con artsist, they done a break check on m car and quoted me £600, wen i took it for an MOT i asked them to do a break check, surprisinggly all; that needed to be done was the handbreak cable needed adjusting or something like that and the front pads need changing but ti didnt fail the MOT :rolleyes:

seraph

Got a Peugeot 406. in Auto Nationwide having some work done a couple of weeks agothe fitter said he thought the exhaust was blowing slightly but I couldn't hear it. Sure enough it got somewhat worse so off to Kwik-Fit. Centre section; baffles blown so heat getting to the externals and a small split developed. Surprise- the car was on their records; exhaust replaced to 2007; centre section replaced in summer 2008 under guarantee; so it's stillin guarantee? No it's not says KF as I bought the car 3 months ago and the guarantee was for the owner - not the car!! The manager said "if you bought a house and it had a washing machine within the purchase then you wouldn't expect the washing machine to be in the house guarantee; would you?" i wasn't quick enough to say that in this analogy the exhaust is like a chimney and if the chimney broke then I would expect it to be in guarantee. No option really but to pay- and i did say "under protest"

Seems to me that if the centre section was replaced after one year and needed replacing after another 2 years that we're looking at a manufacturing fault.

I did get 15% but will be checking the car records (we have them all) and will take QF to task as necessary; moneclaimonline is wonderful!!!

dacouch

Their "Lifetime" guarantee is for the period the purchaser of the goods owns the car

jrrowleyws

In all honesty if the car was already registered with Kwik-Fit and had had the part replaced twice, why did you pay for it a 3rd time? I'd have gone elsewhere in the hope they use different parts.

dreamypuma

Hate to say this but Kwik-Fit are correct on this one. The guarantee runs from the date of the original purchase, regardless of how often it is replaced during that period.

You do not get a new 2year guarantee each time the item is replaced.

Rolandtheroadie

dreamypuma wrote: »

Hate to say this but Kwik-Fit are correct on this one. The guarantee runs from the date of the original purchase, regardless of how often it is replaced during that period.

You do not get a new 2year guarantee each time the item is replaced.

So would you not then go down some sort of "fit for purpose" route? The part is 6 months old, it isnt fit for purpose.
Who would you complain to? Would you not go back to the company that supplied the part within a certain timescale?