Should I go to Kwik Fit?

Expect to "need" new discs. And new shocks. And some tyres.

Si

OK - if they said discs need replacing as well, what evidence should I ask to see. I assume it will be looking for some (significant?) scoring on the face of the disc - would a light scoring be OK?

I wouldn't replace discs unless they're significantly scored/ridged. The only time I have ever changed them was on a Peugeot with no pad material left at all.

Si

The message from "Neaco" contains these words:

I've never seen a disc that was absolutlely flat - apart from new ones, of course.

The trouble is, once they've said that the discs need replacing they're not going to back down. I'd just say "No ta" then get them checked by SWK.

Si

Remember a friend of mine in for tyres, with a Golf, `your front shocks are leaking sir`

Really?

Yes sir look at the oil dribbling down them.

Thats strange mate they`re cartridge shocks which even if leaking wouldn`t dribble what looks strangely like release oil down the outside of them.

Similar expereince myself a while later with an escort that was also dribbling release oil down perfectly servicable rear shocks.

Not to mention the new pads and discs routine with perfectly servicable discs and pads that were less than a day old. Corrosion around outside of disc was claimed to be the problem and the new pads would be contaminated and require replacement.Total nonsense of course.

Another occasion brake pipes that were simply mud encrusted were claimed to be `dangerously corroded`. Missed the leaking rear wheel cylinder though....

With the cold weather coming in , flattening your battery with a discharge tester used to be another favourite.

Its not just that Kwik Fit up are on bonus trying to sell you any part that they stock, they`re not mechanics and can miss problems that a genuine mechanic would spot.

If their cheapest for tyres , after a ring round they`ll usually match lowest quote, thats fine. For safety critical things like brakes go somewhere trustworthy.

YMMV Adam

In news:stQdd.398$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net, Neaco decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

I took my Sierra to ATS Chester for an MOT.

They failed it on stuff it should never have failed on, drove it about 8 miles - hard, and missed the fact that it needed welding by a rear suspension mount.

They failed it on the steering rack - stiff and play to offside when it was just low on PAS fluid.

They failed it because the ABS light comes on "when driving", when they shouldn't have been driving it.

They failed it for "pulling to the left when driving", when they shouldn't have driven it.

They failed it for "brake imbalance to left" when there wasn't one.

They passed the knackered wiper blades, worn brake pads, borderline tyres.

They wanted to fail it for "over stiff suspension" - Konis.

I took it to another MOT station, they recommended I actually complained to the ministry about the ATS fail. I suppose I should have complained, but to be honest I just wanted an MOT on my car. After £75 worth of welding and a couple of wiper blades, it passed.

I won't be going back to ATS Chester.

However bad you think they are, the reality is they are probably worse.

My experiences with them have included new tyres underinflated by enough to be illegal, broken wheel trims that could not be refitted to the vehicle yet they claimed "must have been like that", tyre valves fitted that were so short it was impossible to get an inflator on them.....

I won't go on, suffice to say that I would rather not drive my car for a couple of weeks whilst waiting for somewhere reliable than ever go near a Kwik Fit again.

I would also advise avoiding AA service centres (ex Halfrauds garages) like the plague. The new owners of AA are desperately trying to sell them off, but their reputation is so tarnished I can't imagine their will be any takers!

However, my local Fast Fit (Ford dealership offshoot) have been really good. They will deal with all makes, and will usually match prices.

Failing that, the best bet is to ask friends or neighbours for recomendations/who to avoid.

HTH

Chris

Hi

I think it really depends on the staff at the place in question. I have never been asked to buy anything other than what i asked for at our local KwikFit. Ford Rapid Fit are also First Class.

HI Q However are a different story. Went in once for a wheel balance. They wanted to Replace 2 Tyres And 2 Shocks. Car went through 3 MOTs with those "faulty" parts.

ATS were advising me two change 2 shocks witch they had only fitted 4000 miles previous!!!! I said if they wanted to that was fine as they were still under warranty. Unsurprisingly they were suddenly perfectly serviceable!!

Regards

Matthew

most have already been sold and the rest will be shut down

Last time I went to kwikfit, I needed a handbrake cable for my cavalier.

I know I needed one of these because it had snapped over the weekend.

So I left it with them on Monday a.m for a quote and went to work in my wife's car. - about 30 miles distant. Kwikfit about 1/2 mile away from my home.

And I got a call from them

"It needs a new handbrake cable sir"

"That's good, thankyou, and how much does it cost"

"Your front discs are worn and you will need new pads"

"Thankyou, I'll sort those out later - how much does the handbrake cable cost?" (NB I had been keeping an eye on the front disc wear an knew it was not the case)

"Because of the mileage of the car, You should also replace the front shocks sir"

"Thankyou, but how much will the handbrake cable cost"

"Well, if you have it all done it will come to £400 sir"

"thankyou, but all I need at present is the handbrake cable, how much will that be?"

"We can't tell you that sir, we can't do the handbrake cable unless you have all the other brake work done as well"

To cut a long story short (involving conversations with KwikFits "help desk"), I left work early, and collected the car from kwikfit. They had parked it around the back of their workshop, with the steering pointing to the nearside, with a few inches gap between it, and the wrecked car on it's left, which had jagged pieces of metal sticking out, and the steering pointing to the left. ON A STEEP SLOPE! (Remember what it went in for?).

Just waiting for me to push the clutch down and put it in neutral to start it ...(it's almost automatic isn't it)

Oh - and they had also refused to provide me with the measurements they had taken of the thickness of my front discs.

Had the car transported to Halfords a few miles away.

"Can you quote for a handbrake cable and report on the brake condition please?"

Certainly sir, cable about £50 fully fitted.

On collection - got the car all done, full report on brakes including thickness of discs. And estimated no need to replace for quite some time.

I .lost a half a days work.

Did have some interesting conversations with my local Trading Standards office following that, and when I wrote to kwikfit to complain - they rang my home during working hours, but otherwise would not respond at all.

This is why I no longer do business with Kwik-Fit.

circumsized

once took a car to challenger, 79 celica, looked a bag of s**te. failed it, about 15 things, gave me a danger, do not move notice, next day cotnacted dep of mot place in sheffield, he said meet me at a mot station near me that day, he checked it, give it a full mot and then took the car along to the failure place fter making sure that mechanic was on, went thru everything together and made the tester take all his tests again. the car didnt need a mot but cops pulled me, and the female traffic officare hated my signiture after about 10 attempts, so did me for dangerous no bumper and protruding object (front oragne inicator lights stuck out thru missing bumper)so 3 points etc, hence i wanted a mot, now having a mot FROM the ministry of dept mot place i got no fine or points etc and reported her. she checked the tyres and said nothing, but belive it not (was taking 2 friends home) on my home bound journy, about 6 miles later i had a sffff sffff sffff that increased with speed, stopped, checked all tyres and one rear suddenly had all the wires come thru rubber, not worn down etc, just a failure, blood lucky she pulled me when she did, not 30 min later.

Even seen a AA guy say i needed a new rotar arm or dizzy top when i broke down, even tho the coil packed up so no nothing as i spent a hour checking everything you do check, fuel, sparks etc. had a big arguemt as he wanted to tow me to a garage nearby even tho i was

150 miles from home, after i threatend to report him he put down blown headgasket............and towed me home.

The message from "Pete M" contains these words:

ATS missed some seriously dodgy discs on my wife's Clio. There was clear evidence of the caliper being jammed, but not even an advisory on the sheet.

I think Sir needs a new punctuation fairy fitting. That'll be £200 + VAT.

-- Malc

Just what I was going to say.

-- Malc

If I was you I'd be looking through the yellow pages and the local rag to get phone numbers of other local independents and giving them a call.

Notmy fault i suffer from bad dyslexia. at least i make the effort and the meds im on at the minute dont help

You're still more coherent than the Xantia bloke

-- Malc

Neaco ( snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Yes, they can.