Halfords/Kwik Fit Brake Pads
Halfords/Kwik Fit Brake Pads
Author
Discussion

phil 5 aston

Original Poster:

153 posts

151 months

Tuesday 25th May 2021
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A good buddy of mine recently took his 2015 Vantage to kwik Fit for replacement brake pads, seems he saved lots compared with local dealer. Was told they use the same euro parts as AM service centre!

Anyone else tried using the likes of halfords or kwik fit for brake pad servicing with satisfaction?

phumy

5,827 posts

266 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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No and I doubt that many others would either.
In 20 years I have taken two different normal family cars there, one for front tracking and it got completely fked up, the other for a tyre replacement and they scraped the alloy. Never, ever, ever again.

oilit

2,808 posts

207 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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So I have used after market pads on the rear of my db9 - fitted them myself, and the pads have been fine.

However, in my experience the likes of some of the places mentioned can’t even balance a wheel properly, and I wouldn’t even let them jack up my Aston (I take wheels off and take them in for tyres).

Thus it’s the skill, knowledge and care of the workshop team rather than the parts that would concern me.

Pastie Bloater

694 posts

192 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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Looking on Autodoc there's the usual complement of brake pads from ste to OEM.
Depends if you're happy with 'Ridex' level brake pads on your Aston, as well as the risks involved in doing the work as mentioned e.g. lifting the car, alloy damage, using correct torques etc.

vernierMike

397 posts

123 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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oilit said:
So I have used after market pads on the rear of my db9 - fitted them myself, and the pads have been fine.

However, in my experience the likes of some of the places mentioned can’t even balance a wheel properly, and I wouldn’t even let them jack up my Aston (I take wheels off and take them in for tyres).

Thus it’s the skill, knowledge and care of the workshop team rather than the parts that would concern me.
This is about right, I fit my own too. I have to say that I have not, to date, had a good experience with Kwik Fit eg my son just had four tyres fitted there and not only did they fit completely the wrong tyres and then have to refit the spec he had on his receipt and was charged for (!) but they were so badly balanced that one rear tyre was 60g out and the others about 20g, causing vibration at 70mph and judder when sportily braking.

I have less problem with Halfords but still concerned, I had two front tyres fitted there but I did take my jacking pucks and told them they might write the car off if they didn't jack it very carefully with a single jack, to their alarm but happy compliance, but on reflection I too would take the wheels off now.

Having said all that, a tyre specialist has in the past fitted a Ducati rear and put the bearing spacers in the wrong way round causing brake drag, so you can only do do much...!

Jon39

14,921 posts

172 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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phil 5 aston said:
Was told they use the same euro parts as AM service centre!

Would suggest all that proves, is their jaw moves.

They once told me, my car needed new pads and discs.
What they did not say, was the existing pads were less than a year old, with minimal wear.
Not held in high regard.

Anyway, can you imagine Aston Martin permitting their dealers to bypass AML and buy stock from Euro Car Parts ?


oilit

2,808 posts

207 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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I suspect what they really meant was that the guys who make the oem for AM are the same company as the ones sold by ECP - hard to substantiate though!

Pastie Bloater

694 posts

192 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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oilit said:
I suspect what they really meant was that the guys who make the oem for AM are the same company as the ones sold by ECP - hard to substantiate though!
ECP sell Pagid and TRW at £400-480 front, £284 rear.
I doubt the Kwik Fit bill was £700 plus labour. I also doubt they use ECP, unless that's their solution for special cars (if so wtf).
As I understand it Brembo are the OEM Vantage brakes/pads, maybe someone that's done theirs can confirm.

Edited by Pastie Bloater on Wednesday 26th May 07:38

Jon39

14,921 posts

172 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
quotequote all

oilit said:
I suspect what they really meant was that the guys who make the oem for AM are the same company as the ones sold by ECP - hard to substantiate though!

My impression is they just say anything, to achieve a sale.
In their world, fiction and fact are the same.



R129 300SL

281 posts

161 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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Pastie Bloater said:
ECP sell Pagid and TRW at £400-480 front, £284 rear.
I doubt the Kwik Fit bill was £700 plus labour. I also doubt they use ECP, unless that's their solution for special cars (if so wtf).
As I understand it Brembo are the OEM Vantage brakes/pads, maybe someone that's done theirs can confirm.

Edited by Pastie Bloater on Wednesday 26th May 07:38
They always have coupon offers. The pagid fronts are just over £200 with discount code. These are essentially the same as the AM dealer ones. RS 4-2-2 compound.

Even Brembo pads say pagid 4-2-2 on them.

R129 300SL

281 posts

161 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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anonymous-user

83 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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I wouldn’t let Kwik fit or Halfords near any car of mine let alone an Aston Martin.

Neil1300r

5,763 posts

207 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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Cliffe60 said:
I wouldn’t let Kwik fit or Halfords near any car of mine let alone an Aston Martin.
This. So you get your brake pads cheap but bent chassis from the untrained monkey jacking the car in the wrong place. What is wrong with people, going for the cheapest place for brakes. Did they get them to fit some linglong tyres at the same time as they are the same as main dealers fit i.e. black and round?

Pastie Bloater

694 posts

192 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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R129 300SL said:
They always have coupon offers. The pagid fronts are just over £200 with discount code. These are essentially the same as the AM dealer ones. RS 4-2-2 compound.

Even Brembo pads say pagid 4-2-2 on them.
Oh yeah forgot about the discount malarkey.
Haven't used ECP for years after they tried to skank me on a core charge (signed for it but wouldn't pay out as they'd subsequently lost it).
I'd be happy with Pagid or TRW myself, but go with Pagid as they're OEM.
Would be interesting to know how much OP's mate paid.

SHIFTY

997 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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My wife took her car to Kwik Fit for a new tyre, now when a tyre states "outside" it should be on the outside but not according to Kwik Fit so a return journey to correct the error.

Shnozz

30,644 posts

300 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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Cliffe60 said:
I wouldn’t let Kwik fit or Halfords near any car of mine let alone an Aston Martin.
Also this.

Pastie Bloater

694 posts

192 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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Neil1300r said:
This. So you get your brake pads cheap but bent chassis from the untrained monkey jacking the car in the wrong place.
You've just jogged my memory, if I remember correctly it was Kwik Fit that bent the floorpan on my first car ('96 Fiat Bravo). I was fuming, my dad was incandescent.
It might not have been Kwik Fit but definitely one of the national chains, the risk is the same.

Pastie Bloater

694 posts

192 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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SHIFTY said:
My wife took her car to Kwik Fit for a new tyre, now when a tyre states "outside" it should be on the outside but not according to Kwik Fit so a return journey to correct the error.
Just put the wheel on backwards, job jobbed laugh

Froomee

1,501 posts

198 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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R129 300SL said:
They always have coupon offers. The pagid fronts are just over £200 with discount code. These are essentially the same as the AM dealer ones. RS 4-2-2 compound.

Even Brembo pads say pagid 4-2-2 on them.
Was quoted £600-£650 for a pair of rear pads fitted by Aston Martin.

Bought a set of Pagid 4-2-2 from car parts for less for £119 and had a local mechanic I know well fit them for £40 (based on info from the threads on here).

Cabin filters £100 quoted from Aston, bought a set for £8 from Amazon and fitted them myself (There is a nice YouTube video online, takes about 15/20 mins to do).




raceboy

13,899 posts

309 months

Wednesday 26th May 2021
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I wouldn't trust Halfords to change the brake pads on my push bike. eek
But saying that it is very 'mechanic' specific, I've know people work at these places that I would trust, but it's a bit of Russian roulette as to if you get the competent mechanic or the clueless chancer.