Kwikfit

mllgnc

Slowhand wrote: »

So what regulatory body would you report a VOSA regulated MOT garage to for claiming that £700 of unnecessary work was required to get a car through an MOT?

Not to point out the obvious, but if you re-read the original post you will see this took place in Northern Ireland. M.O.Ts are not carried out in garages in N.I, they are done in test centres. The poster took their car to kwik fit to have a Pre M.O.T check. The test was then carried out at a designated test centre.

Just to add, you should absolutely report kwik fit to trading standards.

r748spx

Slowhand wrote: »

The point is a VOSA regulated garage claimed £700 of unnecessary work was needed in order to get the car through an MOT. VOSA is the place to take the complaint to. The contact details for VOSA are on the MOT.

VOSA only control the mots not the garage and what they want to charge.

if the car was MOTed and failed on things that was ok then vosa could do something about it.

r748spx

did Kwik fit give you any paper work with your bill that stated what work was needed?

do call kwik fit customer services and keep on at them as they will do something about it.

HoneyAndLemon wrote: »

Is there anyone I can report Kwikfit too?

Basically my partner brought our car in for a service last Wednesday, as the MOT was today. We went for the full service as we got the car 2nd hand in January with no service history so wanted to cover all bases. This would cost £145 kwikfit said. We've both only started driving this year and this was our first MOT and we're a bit clueless with cars so thought we could trust this well known company to keep us right.

So a couple of hours later they call me and after inspection they said the car needed £700 worth of work or it definately wouldn't pass the MOT. The car is barely worth £700 as it is. They said tyres were illegal, brake pads and discs all worn away etc etc. I was nearly sick. We have had a stressful few months as it is with a miscarriage, and other things and this felt like more bad luck. I told them to go ahead, but after mentioning it on facebook, lots of people started telling me there was no way it could need that much work. I phoned kwikfit (this was about 20 mins later) and told them to stop. The guy got really aggressive, basically spoke to me like an idiot, and said I'd have to pay for the time they spent taking it apart etc, and that I couldnt pick the car up until the morning as they were closing soon.

So OH picked the car up the next day, and said we would only be paying £145 for the service and no more. They also spoke to my partner quite rudely when he picked it up, again making out like it was going to fail the MOT without the extra work,and that we didnt know what we were talking about.

So today, the car had the MOT. I've been worried sick all week panicking about it failing and that we would have to pay out to get it fixed. We can't sell it as partner needs it for his job now.But the car passed the MOT with no issues whatsoever.

I honestly think kwikfit were just looking to make money out of us. They saw our 'R' plates (which must be displayed in northern ireland for a year after passing test) and knew we were inexperienced in all this and saw an opportunitity to scam us. To think that if I hadnt posted on facebook and people convinced me not to do it, I would have trusted them and we would have been out £700 sickens me.

I have sent a complaint through their website but wondered if I should be reporting them to trading standards or anything?

r748spx

also a service has different limits/tolerances for ware in a part for when its replaced. E.g most garages will say you need to change your pads at 3mm or below where as for an an mot will only fail at below 1.5mm.

its like tyres legal limit is 1.6mm but once a tyre gets to 3mm or less it starts to reduce your grip ad increases braking distances ect

HoneyAndLemon

I do have paperwork documenting all the work they suggested. I wouldn't have been so annoyed if they had said it was fine for the MOT but they recommend x,y and z being done. Instead they put it to me that the car would definately not pass the MOT and that the tyres were illegal, and the brake pads etc were completely worn away etc. Clearly they weren't. The guy even said 'trust me you'll be back next week when it fails' in a very aggressive way.

I had a missed call from Kwikfit today so going to ring them tomorrow to see what they have to say. I cant see them being very apologetic. I'm really considering trading standards. I dont want to gain anything for myself from it, but I really hate people being ripped off, and hate to think how many people are hundreds of pounds out of pocket for no good reason.

What really gets me, is that if I had of let them do the work, the car would have still passed the MOT, and I would have thought it was all down to the work they had done, and would have probably gone back time and time again, maybe even recommending them to others, all the while paying for stuff I didn't need.

Thanks for all the replies.

michaelvintner

After my last experience with Kwik Fit when they f*cked up my wheel alighment I would not trust them to change my air freshener.

Driver8

michaelvintner wrote: »

After my last experience with Kwik Fit when they f*cked up my wheel alighment I would not trust them to change my air freshener.

I would have a very strong word with your financial advisor too, 23K in debt, jesus !

mkellerman

I've had positive experiences with Kwikfit, but you definitely need to be careful of them saying things need doing when they don;t

michaelvintner

Driver8 wrote: »

I would have a very strong word with your financial advisor too, 23K in debt, jesus !

I would not argue with you on that statement. Young and stupid. If I could go back in time I would have gone back to when I was 19 and given myself a good kicking. I would also have gone back 10 years later and done the same. However I spent it and I will do all I can to repay it.

Victorthe2nd

Horror story from the OP.....I'd suggest you write a comment via their website. I had a puncture recently and had to use the emergency sealant that is the substitute for a spare tyre in my car. I was advised that the use of the sealant meant the tyre could not possibly be examined so could not be fixed so paid for a new one. On chatting to some friends, they said "not so" and I checked with my BMW dealership who confirmed that the sealant could indeed be removed. Contacted Kwik Fit via their website then had to chase them but who then 'phoned me within a week and advised the fitter had dealt with it wrongly / hadn't explained things properly. Result - 50% repayment of cost of new tyre plus a voucher for next time....It;s always worth chasing these people if you feel you've been badly advised. They've got a reputation for dodgy dealing that they're trying hard to shift and don't want any more exposure on "Watchdog"!