Gateway2Lease maintenance
Discussion
Anybody else got a maintenance package with Gateway?
Any experience of it?
I'm told for tyres you have to go to kwik s
t. Is there any way round this?
Do they make you wait until 1.6mm or are they happy to change early and claim their payment?
Can you get different tyres fitted?
Could I get the tyres from Nit Wit and take them to somewhere reputable for fitting?
Cheers
Any experience of it?
I'm told for tyres you have to go to kwik s
t. Is there any way round this?Do they make you wait until 1.6mm or are they happy to change early and claim their payment?
Can you get different tyres fitted?
Could I get the tyres from Nit Wit and take them to somewhere reputable for fitting?
Cheers
Gateway are a broker I believe and the lease will be with one of the major leasing funders. They all have agreements in place with Kwik-Fit on supply & discounts - any particular reason why you shouldn't use them?
Some funders will allow the tyres to be changed under the maintenance agreement when the tread reaches 2mm, check with the broker.
Some funders will allow the tyres to be changed under the maintenance agreement when the tread reaches 2mm, check with the broker.
I have taken my wife's work lease car into Kwik Fit a couple of times and have always found them good (different story with my own cars which is why I would never use them) - I overheard them explaining to another lease customer that a lease rep comes round to view the tyres they take off cars so they have to be 100% above board otherwise they could lose the contract (this could of course be nonsense).
Its a leased car why do you give a sh*t?
If they damage the wheels then they pay to get them fixed. Take pics before and after if you are that bothered.
Ive a car leased through these folk their supplier sends you a link to whats acceptable and what isnt come hand back time - if you havent seen this then I suggest you seek it out. Minor scuffs on alloys are fine.
Its sunny outside, worry about something else.
If they damage the wheels then they pay to get them fixed. Take pics before and after if you are that bothered.
Ive a car leased through these folk their supplier sends you a link to whats acceptable and what isnt come hand back time - if you havent seen this then I suggest you seek it out. Minor scuffs on alloys are fine.
Its sunny outside, worry about something else.
Edited by Broccers on Monday 4th August 17:41
Rick101 said:
and you believe everything you see on the internet? kwik fit aren't actually that bad compared to some other garages that cant be named.Broccers said:
Its a leased car why do you give a sh*t?
If they damage the wheels then they pay to get them fixed. Take pics before and after if you are that bothered.
Ive a car leased through these folk their supplier sends you a link to whats acceptable and what isnt come hand back time - if you havent seen this then I suggest you seek it out. Minor scuffs on alloys are fine.
Its sunny outside, worry about something else.
Yes it's leased but I take pride in my car as I do all the owned ones. I probably am more careful with it just as i would be anyone elses property.If they damage the wheels then they pay to get them fixed. Take pics before and after if you are that bothered.
Ive a car leased through these folk their supplier sends you a link to whats acceptable and what isnt come hand back time - if you havent seen this then I suggest you seek it out. Minor scuffs on alloys are fine.
Its sunny outside, worry about something else.
Edited by Broccers on Monday 4th August 17:41
Not only do I like it cosmetically right, I like it mechanically right. I ask a lot of it and am comfortable in the knowledge it's sound.
I'd like to keep it that way.
Rick101 said:
Broccers said:
Its a leased car why do you give a sh*t?
If they damage the wheels then they pay to get them fixed. Take pics before and after if you are that bothered.
Ive a car leased through these folk their supplier sends you a link to whats acceptable and what isnt come hand back time - if you havent seen this then I suggest you seek it out. Minor scuffs on alloys are fine.
Its sunny outside, worry about something else.
Yes it's leased but I take pride in my car as I do all the owned ones. I probably am more careful with it just as i would be anyone elses property.If they damage the wheels then they pay to get them fixed. Take pics before and after if you are that bothered.
Ive a car leased through these folk their supplier sends you a link to whats acceptable and what isnt come hand back time - if you havent seen this then I suggest you seek it out. Minor scuffs on alloys are fine.
Its sunny outside, worry about something else.
Edited by Broccers on Monday 4th August 17:41
Not only do I like it cosmetically right, I like it mechanically right. I ask a lot of it and am comfortable in the knowledge it's sound.
I'd like to keep it that way.
Yes because that's a much better option than spending £200 on tyres, spend £30K on a car just so I can chose the tyres.
It was a simple question, I wondered if anybody had experience. I'm glad you all love Kwik Fit so much, I hadn't realised they had become such a renowned specialist. Silly me thinking that they had just gone for the cheapest option.
It was a simple question, I wondered if anybody had experience. I'm glad you all love Kwik Fit so much, I hadn't realised they had become such a renowned specialist. Silly me thinking that they had just gone for the cheapest option.
rfoster said:
For what it's worth, I don't believe the leasing companies opt for a 'cheap' tyre when replacing them, they'll go for a mainstream brand.
This. I've had numerous leased cars over the years (company cars) and Kwik fit has always been the supplier and they've always replaced the tyres like for like - always Michelin, Continental etc. to Manufacturer spec.The service I've had had always been good, but then I've always used their mobile service - they come to your home or workplace to fit them so there's no waiting around. Give them the keys and leave them to it.
Thanks for that.
Wasn't too concerned about the brand, I know I'm covered for OEM, was more the skill and care of the fitter to remove and fit tyres without damaging the wheels and additionally orientate them correctly.
I have used Wheels in Motion in the past and they are expert at what they do. I would happily pay for the fitting if Kwik Fit were happy to save themselves the labour.
I'll pop down and see them at some point.
Edit - I'll add some information copied from Tony at WIM - Not sure my local kwik fitter would be as knowledgeable.
The reason for the dots...
............................
First, if the tire has a red dot, ignore the yellow dot. Then, if you have a steel wheel, look for the low point dimple on the wheel, and mount the tire with the red dot next to the low point dimple.
If the wheel is aluminium, or if it's steel, but has no low point dimple, mount the tire with the red dot next to the valve stem.
And if the tire has only a yellow dot?
Regardless of the type of wheel, if there is no red dot, mount the tire with the yellow dot next to the valve stem.
Why do it that way?
We'll start with the yellow dot, because it's easier to explain. The yellow dot indicates the overall light static balance point of the tire. In other words, it's as though the tire is a bit lighter in the area where the yellow dot is located.
How does that relate to the wheel?
On an aluminium wheel, the valve stem marks the heavy point of the wheel. So, you're matching the light point of the tire with the heavy point of the wheel, because that's likely to give the best initial balance.
Why is an aluminium wheel heavier at the valve stem location?
While steel wheels are forged, aluminium wheels are machined. For that reason, aluminium wheels are very uniform in their overall balance.
And, if you look at an aluminium wheel, you notice that where a hole has been cut into the wheel, an identical size and shape hole is cut at a location 180 degrees opposite it.
The result is that even with all their cut outs and holes, aluminium wheels are still very uniform in balance. Except for one place.
Where's that?
Where the valve stem is located. At that spot, the manufacturer has to bore a hole through the wheel for the stem, removing metal from the wheel.
That hole is about 9.7 mm in diameter and the aluminium at that point is usually about 7.6 mm thick. If we do the math, knowing that aluminium weighs about 2.64 grams per cubic centimetre, we find that the aluminium removed to make the hole weighs about 0.52 ounces.
So wouldn't that make the wheel lighter at that point?
If you didn't replace the aluminium you drilled out. But you do. Into that hole, you mount a valve stem. And one of the most popular valve stems, including its securing nut and rubber grommet, weighs about 1.7 ounces.
So, when the valve stem is mounted, the wheel is about 1.2 ounces heavier at the valve stem location, making it the heavy point of the aluminium wheel. When you mount the tire with the yellow dot (the light point) next to the valve stem (the heavy point), you are at least partially balancing out the assembly.
The same is true on steel wheels, so match the yellow dot to the valve stem on those.
OK, that makes sense for the yellow dot, but what about the red dot?
The red dot is much more complicated than the yellow dot. It indicates the "radial force variation first harmonic maximum." That's a mouthful, of course, but it's a way of indicating where the centrifugal force tending to pull the rotating tire away from the wheel is greatest.
Another way of looking at it is that in a sense, if the tire were out of round, the red dot would more or less correspond to the "high point" or place where radial runout forces are greatest.
Why not just measure the runout of the tire?
The radial force variation measurement is much more accurate in predicting tire behaviour. In fact, the red dot often isn't located exactly at the "high point." Instead, it accurately marks where the runout-like force is greatest.
But, if you think of it as marking the tyer's "effective" high point, it becomes pretty obvious why you'd match the red dot with the steel wheel "low point" dimple. It's as though the tire is a bit "thicker" (from wheel to tread) in the red dot area.
And, since the dimple marks the low point on the steel wheel, you might say the wheel is a bit "thinner" (from axle to flange edge) where the dimple is.
So, it makes sense to match the red dot to the wheel dimple.
And on aluminium wheels?
At the red dot location, the tire is trying to pull away from the centre of the axle a little bit, as a result of higher centrifugal force.
As in our last example, it's as though the tire is a bit "thicker" near the red dot, which has the effect of pushing the wheel and axle upward as the red dot gets to 6 o'clock.
Meanwhile, the fact that the wheel is a bit heavier at the valve stem location generates a centrifugal force effect trying to pull the axle downward as the valve stem gets to 6 o'clock.
Those forces tend to counteract each other.
And the final result?
Matching the dots is no substitute for balancing tire and wheel assemblies. What it does, however, is give you the best start, so you are more likely to use less total weight to bring an assembly into balance.
Wasn't too concerned about the brand, I know I'm covered for OEM, was more the skill and care of the fitter to remove and fit tyres without damaging the wheels and additionally orientate them correctly.
I have used Wheels in Motion in the past and they are expert at what they do. I would happily pay for the fitting if Kwik Fit were happy to save themselves the labour.
I'll pop down and see them at some point.
Edit - I'll add some information copied from Tony at WIM - Not sure my local kwik fitter would be as knowledgeable.
The reason for the dots...
............................
First, if the tire has a red dot, ignore the yellow dot. Then, if you have a steel wheel, look for the low point dimple on the wheel, and mount the tire with the red dot next to the low point dimple.
If the wheel is aluminium, or if it's steel, but has no low point dimple, mount the tire with the red dot next to the valve stem.
And if the tire has only a yellow dot?
Regardless of the type of wheel, if there is no red dot, mount the tire with the yellow dot next to the valve stem.
Why do it that way?
We'll start with the yellow dot, because it's easier to explain. The yellow dot indicates the overall light static balance point of the tire. In other words, it's as though the tire is a bit lighter in the area where the yellow dot is located.
How does that relate to the wheel?
On an aluminium wheel, the valve stem marks the heavy point of the wheel. So, you're matching the light point of the tire with the heavy point of the wheel, because that's likely to give the best initial balance.
Why is an aluminium wheel heavier at the valve stem location?
While steel wheels are forged, aluminium wheels are machined. For that reason, aluminium wheels are very uniform in their overall balance.
And, if you look at an aluminium wheel, you notice that where a hole has been cut into the wheel, an identical size and shape hole is cut at a location 180 degrees opposite it.
The result is that even with all their cut outs and holes, aluminium wheels are still very uniform in balance. Except for one place.
Where's that?
Where the valve stem is located. At that spot, the manufacturer has to bore a hole through the wheel for the stem, removing metal from the wheel.
That hole is about 9.7 mm in diameter and the aluminium at that point is usually about 7.6 mm thick. If we do the math, knowing that aluminium weighs about 2.64 grams per cubic centimetre, we find that the aluminium removed to make the hole weighs about 0.52 ounces.
So wouldn't that make the wheel lighter at that point?
If you didn't replace the aluminium you drilled out. But you do. Into that hole, you mount a valve stem. And one of the most popular valve stems, including its securing nut and rubber grommet, weighs about 1.7 ounces.
So, when the valve stem is mounted, the wheel is about 1.2 ounces heavier at the valve stem location, making it the heavy point of the aluminium wheel. When you mount the tire with the yellow dot (the light point) next to the valve stem (the heavy point), you are at least partially balancing out the assembly.
The same is true on steel wheels, so match the yellow dot to the valve stem on those.
OK, that makes sense for the yellow dot, but what about the red dot?
The red dot is much more complicated than the yellow dot. It indicates the "radial force variation first harmonic maximum." That's a mouthful, of course, but it's a way of indicating where the centrifugal force tending to pull the rotating tire away from the wheel is greatest.
Another way of looking at it is that in a sense, if the tire were out of round, the red dot would more or less correspond to the "high point" or place where radial runout forces are greatest.
Why not just measure the runout of the tire?
The radial force variation measurement is much more accurate in predicting tire behaviour. In fact, the red dot often isn't located exactly at the "high point." Instead, it accurately marks where the runout-like force is greatest.
But, if you think of it as marking the tyer's "effective" high point, it becomes pretty obvious why you'd match the red dot with the steel wheel "low point" dimple. It's as though the tire is a bit "thicker" (from wheel to tread) in the red dot area.
And, since the dimple marks the low point on the steel wheel, you might say the wheel is a bit "thinner" (from axle to flange edge) where the dimple is.
So, it makes sense to match the red dot to the wheel dimple.
And on aluminium wheels?
At the red dot location, the tire is trying to pull away from the centre of the axle a little bit, as a result of higher centrifugal force.
As in our last example, it's as though the tire is a bit "thicker" near the red dot, which has the effect of pushing the wheel and axle upward as the red dot gets to 6 o'clock.
Meanwhile, the fact that the wheel is a bit heavier at the valve stem location generates a centrifugal force effect trying to pull the axle downward as the valve stem gets to 6 o'clock.
Those forces tend to counteract each other.
And the final result?
Matching the dots is no substitute for balancing tire and wheel assemblies. What it does, however, is give you the best start, so you are more likely to use less total weight to bring an assembly into balance.
Edited by Rick101 on Tuesday 5th August 12:48
Just a Golf, but if I had the choice would I take it to one of the top specialists in the world, or take it to some young lad still half pissed from last night and too busy twitbooking to concentrate on what he's doing. Do they even use torque wrenches?
I suppose it's a bit like comparing a full concours detail to getting your car washed whilst you're in Tesco.
I suppose it's a bit like comparing a full concours detail to getting your car washed whilst you're in Tesco.
Edited by Rick101 on Tuesday 5th August 13:20
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