I've always defended Kwik Fit, until now.
Discussion
I have always been a supporter of my local KF mainly bacuse a very good friend was a fitter at my local branch, until recently, he's gone to a Halfords auto centre.
My daughter's diesel Mini was due an oil service, and because I was away on a trip, she took it there, instead of the local Mini dealer, or a recommended independent.
She rang me to say that there was over £500 of urgent work needed, rear discs corroded (correct), front discs worn below legal minimum (not correct) wiper blades split (correct) and a front tyre SO worn that she really shouldn;t go past any policeman as she will get a 3 point and fixed penalty for sure.(Wrong, it was just on the wear markers on the very inside). I told her to bring the car home and that we would sort it all out the following day.
So, that evening the fitter called her to say that he was on a day off tomorrow, and would be more thanhappy to pop around and do all the works for her, on the side. I bet he would. She declined, as dad would be home to sort it the following day.
Havong for home, I ordered new rear discs and pads (£75) and we wnet and had a new tyre fitted, and replaced the wiper blades.
Fast forward 2 days when she is back at work as an Army nurse, and someone flags her down at 7am to say something is dragging along the floor. It is, it's the undertray. She hasn;t got time to sort it, as she's due on shift at the Army hospital, so gets a taxi. When she's finished her shift, she goes back to camp,and calls out the RAC the next morning. They take the car to a local repairer and fasten it on, all but one of the screws were floating about, it was held on by just one.
I've emailed Kwik Fit, witht he detail all except the fitter phoning up to offer to do a "foreigner", that I'm holding back on as it WILL if proven cost him his job, and everyone needs a job !
Suffice to say, I'm through with them !
My daughter's diesel Mini was due an oil service, and because I was away on a trip, she took it there, instead of the local Mini dealer, or a recommended independent.
She rang me to say that there was over £500 of urgent work needed, rear discs corroded (correct), front discs worn below legal minimum (not correct) wiper blades split (correct) and a front tyre SO worn that she really shouldn;t go past any policeman as she will get a 3 point and fixed penalty for sure.(Wrong, it was just on the wear markers on the very inside). I told her to bring the car home and that we would sort it all out the following day.
So, that evening the fitter called her to say that he was on a day off tomorrow, and would be more thanhappy to pop around and do all the works for her, on the side. I bet he would. She declined, as dad would be home to sort it the following day.
Havong for home, I ordered new rear discs and pads (£75) and we wnet and had a new tyre fitted, and replaced the wiper blades.
Fast forward 2 days when she is back at work as an Army nurse, and someone flags her down at 7am to say something is dragging along the floor. It is, it's the undertray. She hasn;t got time to sort it, as she's due on shift at the Army hospital, so gets a taxi. When she's finished her shift, she goes back to camp,and calls out the RAC the next morning. They take the car to a local repairer and fasten it on, all but one of the screws were floating about, it was held on by just one.
I've emailed Kwik Fit, witht he detail all except the fitter phoning up to offer to do a "foreigner", that I'm holding back on as it WILL if proven cost him his job, and everyone needs a job !
Suffice to say, I'm through with them !
I can’t recommend Kwik Fit (potters bar), took gauges out of my alloy when changing a tyre and buggered up the tracking I’d asked them to check.
Cost me £300 to get a tyre changed because of them (inc tyre, alloy refurb, re-track the car).
Monkeys!
Can’t work out how they are still in business.
Cost me £300 to get a tyre changed because of them (inc tyre, alloy refurb, re-track the car).
Monkeys!
Can’t work out how they are still in business.
Haven't had a problem with them yet.. didn't try to scam any money out of me on a cheap MOT, I thought they might try their luck.
Been there a few times with friends and they have rightfully refused work (modifications, parts already bought etc.), but they have been happy to help at times. The other day they took the top nut off a shock (free) because we didn't have the right deep reach socket.
Been there a few times with friends and they have rightfully refused work (modifications, parts already bought etc.), but they have been happy to help at times. The other day they took the top nut off a shock (free) because we didn't have the right deep reach socket.
To be fair you've just described what I find to be the universal experience with garages/dealers at all levels of the car trade - EVERYTHING depends on the individual you end up with..brand/prestige of the premises means almost nothing.
My local National place were brilliant as the manager was one of the "good guys" - he left and overnight they went to s
t so I have to start my search again for a trustworthy tyre/mot place.
My local National place were brilliant as the manager was one of the "good guys" - he left and overnight they went to s
t so I have to start my search again for a trustworthy tyre/mot place.The thing i see with a lot of these places is that the people who work there tend to be young scrotes who look like they are on day release from the job centre.There is usually one experienced chap there but he tends to be the one in the office doing the paperwork.
I understand that most of the work done in these places isn't rocket science and young inexperienced workers = cheap labour which I can fully understand but changing tyres and brakes on other peoples cars is a job which must be done with the upmost care and responsibility or the consequences will be obvious and alot of the people who work for these places look like they couldn't give a st.
If you care about your car you are always better using a small independant garage whose staff are usually the owners of the place rather than a national chain who probably replace their staff on a monthly basis.
I understand that most of the work done in these places isn't rocket science and young inexperienced workers = cheap labour which I can fully understand but changing tyres and brakes on other peoples cars is a job which must be done with the upmost care and responsibility or the consequences will be obvious and alot of the people who work for these places look like they couldn't give a s
t.If you care about your car you are always better using a small independant garage whose staff are usually the owners of the place rather than a national chain who probably replace their staff on a monthly basis.
Edited by Nedzilla on Friday 9th November 14:43
I know we are not supposed to name and shame, but I cannot recall anyone else having nearly so much negative press anywhere else unbiased...
I have my own stories about these chaps from Mrs C (prior to us being together) I wont bother with the details but she was taken for a mug by them.
I have my own stories about these chaps from Mrs C (prior to us being together) I wont bother with the details but she was taken for a mug by them.
Massively variable between branches. One screwed over the MiL with her Megane, "did" a stload of work that didn't need doing. She later took it to the (very good) independent garage that I use, who weren't impressed by the standard of repairs.
Conversely, the back bracket on my exhaust came apart, so I strung it up. As it was a Sunday the only local place open was Romford Kwik-Fit, so I drove in. They bodged the old bracket together in five minutes and were quite honest that it wasn't a perfect fix and may need a new bracket assembly, showed me what to do if it did come apart again and said not to worry about money because it wasn't a proper fix, if it did come off then just come back and they'll get a new bracket on it. That was nearly two years ago, hasn't needed replacing or re-bodging since. Very friendly as well, only KF that I wouldn't hesitate to use.
tload of work that didn't need doing. She later took it to the (very good) independent garage that I use, who weren't impressed by the standard of repairs. Conversely, the back bracket on my exhaust came apart, so I strung it up. As it was a Sunday the only local place open was Romford Kwik-Fit, so I drove in. They bodged the old bracket together in five minutes and were quite honest that it wasn't a perfect fix and may need a new bracket assembly, showed me what to do if it did come apart again and said not to worry about money because it wasn't a proper fix, if it did come off then just come back and they'll get a new bracket on it. That was nearly two years ago, hasn't needed replacing or re-bodging since. Very friendly as well, only KF that I wouldn't hesitate to use.
I've been in to them on and off over the years and they've been mostly ok with me - they've botched up an exhaust and freed my sticking brakes (that I had done elsewhere) for no cost.
From an ancient post:
Twice recently I've used them:
Once was the back box fell off the Honda Jazz and as they couldn't get the system off they quoted me £3-400 for a whole new system - IQ (I think) in Shorpe fitted just the back box for £60 - This was the NEW Kwik fit
Another time, I took the Honda for an MOT and battery to the old Kwik Fit in Shorpe and negotiated the price for the battery, fitting and MOT - annoyingly the brake lines were corroded and they brought me out to show me the exact problem so I could see what was wrong.
Mostly positive, but as you can see, there's always negative - it seems to come down to the staff.
From an ancient post:
JTW said:
Once were brakes fitted by a dealer which were sticking and they resolved that for me and just said to think of them the next time I have a problem/need brakes/etc. I went back a few further time with business - only stopped using them as I moved.
Another time - the exhaust fell to bits (the down pipe, I think) on my Uno - they couldn't fix it so spent an hour making it good so I could take it back to the dealer and never charged me for parts or labour. I used that one a few more times again despite the fact that they were more expensive than other quotes
I have to use them for my Company car tyres (£1000 for 4) and they're ok albeit expensive, even helping me prove that my tracking was well out. Another time - the exhaust fell to bits (the down pipe, I think) on my Uno - they couldn't fix it so spent an hour making it good so I could take it back to the dealer and never charged me for parts or labour. I used that one a few more times again despite the fact that they were more expensive than other quotes
Twice recently I've used them:
Once was the back box fell off the Honda Jazz and as they couldn't get the system off they quoted me £3-400 for a whole new system - IQ (I think) in S
horpe fitted just the back box for £60 - This was the NEW Kwik fitAnother time, I took the Honda for an MOT and battery to the old Kwik Fit in S
horpe and negotiated the price for the battery, fitting and MOT - annoyingly the brake lines were corroded and they brought me out to show me the exact problem so I could see what was wrong.Mostly positive, but as you can see, there's always negative - it seems to come down to the staff.
GreigM said:
To be fair you've just described what I find to be the universal experience with garages/dealers at all levels of the car trade - EVERYTHING depends on the individual you end up with..brand/prestige of the premises means almost nothing.
My local National place were brilliant as the manager was one of the "good guys" - he left and overnight they went to st so I have to start my search again for a trustworthy tyre/mot place.
This.My local National place were brilliant as the manager was one of the "good guys" - he left and overnight they went to s
t so I have to start my search again for a trustworthy tyre/mot place.Used to take my non-company vehicle to Hi-Q...they were mint. When the old boy who ran it retired ...went to rat sh*t overnight with mechanics pleading with regular customers to ring their head office
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