'Watchdog' BBC 1 tonught 8pm

On Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:09:54 +0100, Mike G boggled us with:

But surely this isn't news or shocking to anyone?

Thus spake Mike P ( snipped-for-privacy@nosososospam.gmail) unto the assembled multitudes:

Perhaps not, but to help balance things out a bit, I have to say that all my experiences with KwikFit over the years - most recently about 2 months ago - have been entirely positive.

On the occasions I've used my local KwikFit, I've found them reasonably ok. But just for punctures etc and exhaust stuff.

Not like a local independant MOT place who reported several false 'faults'. All of which they offered to fix. Like adjusting a front wheel bearing on my E39 BMW. Good trick if you could do it. And worn out pads which had done only a few thousand miles - and measured at 6mm.

And don't get me started on BMW main dealers...

As with most things it depends on who you get & what you want doing.

On Fri, 17 Sep 2010 09:59:32 +0000, A.Clews boggled us with:

I've had a couple ok experiences with them, and a few bad ones. They told my bro he needed new dampers on his car, when he didn't.

My main gripe is the price. I'm in for 4 new tyres this weekend for the Xantia. I can get the same tyres £20 each cheaper at my local fitter, and he only charges a tenner for the tracking too. KF wouldn't do the tracking last time I took a Xantia in there - "can't do them guv, they've got that funny suspension innit"...

wankers.

Thus spake Duncan Wood ( snipped-for-privacy@dmx512.co.uk) unto the assembled multitudes:

Most of my dealings with them have been for tyres and exhausts, but in July

2009 my front offside brake was binding and overheating on a trip to Exeter, and I took it to the Exeter KwikFit, who fitted new pads and freed up the caliper. By strange coincidence, I had the same thing happen last March on another trip to Exeter, as I reached Honiton, but much more severely - smoke coming off the front brake - and my brakedown company took me to Exeter Kwikfit where they replaced the caliper, hoses and pads (the latter under warranty). They did a good job and it's been fine ever since.

Recently had all four tyres replaced and KwikFit were the cheapest at £115 per tyre plus £9.50 per tyre balancing/valve/disposal of old one. It surprised me that they were cheaper than blackcircles.com or etyres or wherever, but indeed they were.

On Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:45:23 +0100, John boggled us with:

Sadly, unless it's just a basic service, my car is main dealer only or specialist only due to the nature of it's suspension and brakes.

I have a choice of travel to a specialist or main dealer, and pay through the nose. Or do it myself.

I do it myself..

I would think it more likely that to the majorityof car owners, it 'is' news. Mike.

They replaced mine once and then I went back a few months later to have an exhaust fitted and they told me that the dampers were 'leaking' - lots of excuses and apologies when I told that they had changed then earlier! Never been back to them since.

The worst or best example from the prog, whichever way you look at it, was a woman who took a 3-4 year old Mitsubishi SUV in for a noisy exhaust.

She was told it needed a new exhaust, new front discs and pads. New front springs, and new shocks front and rear. New rear brake shoes and cylinders, (said they were leaking) at a total cost of £640 I think it was.

She took the car away to get a second opinion, (despite their advice that the car was unsafe to drive) and took it to a Mitsubishi main dealer. They checked the car and found the only thing wrong with it was a broken exhaust hanger, which they replaced for a few pounds.

'Kwik-Fit' servicing is only one example of how the average car owner is ripped off by garages.

'Which' has done many similar surveys of garage servicing over the years. All have reported that the majority of them either charge for work that was never done, and/or do not carry out the work that is done to a satisfactory standard. Many service checks not done at all etc.

Maybe not news to the subscribers of this n/g, but to the majority of car owners I'm sure it is.. Mike.

On Fri, 17 Sep 2010 18:21:17 +0100, Woodworm boggled us with:

My brother had a Citroen BX at the time. One thing it doesn't have is dampers , at least not in the conventional sense.

You should have let them change them then say warranty its your problem.

I took back some remould tyres to them (about a year old), the treads were separating in a crack all around the sides, they said that was what they all did and that they would not replace them. I asked for them to put that in writing. after phoning someone else about it they said that as a good will gesture they would replace them!!

I have found over the years, that it is worth ringing Kwikfit for a price for tyres, and then calling the local guys and telling them the price you've been offered. The local guys will always offer a better price. You might have to put up with pathetic service, and a cigarette smoke environment though!

John