[Closed] Kwitfit FFS - never again

lol

Kwik fit do mobile fitting. Chap turns up in a van, fits the tyres, drives off. Much less effort for you. I think they are different companies so I doubt you can get them out to do the change now though.

About 15 years ago I friend was waiting in Kwikfit while his tyre was being changed. Looking into the workshop he watched one member of staff use a trolley jack to lift a car then remove the wheel. As he went off with the wheel to replace the tyre another member of staff released the jack so he could use it. The car dropped onto it's brake disc with a loud bang. They continued working with the first member of staff returning with another jack, lifted the car and fitted the wheel like nothing had happened.

I haven't used kwikfit anywhere since as they seem to be cowboys / idiots.

Sign along...

You can’t get thicker than a Kwik Fit fitter they’re the one to never trust!

Sign along…

You can’t get thicker than a Kwik Fit fitter

😂 You sure about that?

😂 You sure about that?

He’s just being inclusive for deaf people

I had a mobile fitter once fit 4 continental eco contacts instead of premium contacts.
After an easily won debate that I'd ordered the eco, he tried to convince me they were the same tyres and made no difference.

Then after that little debate was won, he offered me a discount, which was actually just the price difference between the ecos and the premiums.
I'd had enough by then so told him he wasn't being paid and to take all 4 tyres off and put my old ones back on.
Then I went elsewhere.
Unbelievable!

Meanwhile they'll have signed up your phone number to their insurance sales team who will call you 5 times a day at all hours over the span of a few months around renewal time.

I've got a pile of bigger gripes with KrapFit that's too long to go into, but will never use them again. Funny enough, not having bought their shitty exhausts for over 10 years now, I don't seem to need a new exhaust every year.

It surprises me that KwikFit are still open; I dont know anybody who has used them who has anything good to say about them.

Mainly due to the masses of bad stories about them I was always very reluctant to use them. However my local one has I have to say been very good over the last 3 or 4 years I’ve used them.

My only real problem with them is their insistence on up selling wheel alignment - I always say no and have it done elsewhere if needed, but it annoys me when people who don’t know different fall for it...

They fitted a set of tyres to my car that were the wrong (lower) load rating.

When challenged they said the manufacturer was in the wrong.

Multi-Billion pound company or scally with dirty fingernails? Who to believe...?

For all their balls ups, you'd think they'd be more apologetic

I use them and have never had a problem. Tyres and batteries. Never been asked to check alignment either.

It’s not the sign above the door it’s the people who work in the store. My local KF is fantastic, real honest service and done bits and bobs for free too. Servicing and MOT excellent and really cheap.

Yeh I guess it's a bit like Halfords in that respect, although I would never use kwik fit unless it was an emergency.

This was my last experience..

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=201855

Best option I did was getting tyres done by AA Mobile fitters. I was recovering from a broken back and couldn't drive. Competitive price and the balancing was perfect - and has stayed so for the last 3 years. Never had great balancing from many companies, usually needing a second visit.

Meanwhile they’ll have signed up your phone number to their insurance sales team who will call you 5 times a day at all hours over the span of a few months around renewal time.

This.

I blew a tyre at BPW this summer, the day before we drive back to Scotland. The only local garage with all-seasons in stock in summer was Thick-Fit.
Tyres were fitted just fine.

The week after I had two phone calls, starting with the 'we just want to check you're happy with our service' and rapidly moving onto '...so when's your insurance due?'.
Go.
Away.
Now.

Arnold Clark do the same though.

I've just shopped around using Black Circles & Asda for the past few years, then I phone the nearest place that can fit them & ask If they can beat the price, & quite often they can. In fact the last twice I've needed tyres I've just used a local independent garage who are ace & cheap. They don't try & mug people off either.
I'd never use Kwik Fit, NTS, ATS or any of the big guns.

I had a pair of rear tyre fitted by them, also Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance as it happens, and they'd fitted one of them the wrong way round with the inside on the outside. Noticed when I got home so phoned them up and they said to pop back so I did. The guy who fitted then was waiting for me in the car park and directed me to drive straight into the bay, quickly sorted the tyre while I had a drink in reception and gave me the keys back. I drove out of the bay and was about to leave when a suited guy tapped on my window. It was the area director who asked why I was driving out of one of their bays. Told him the story and he immediately apologised, said I shouldn't have been made to drive in and out of the bay myself and gave me £100 in vouchers as an apology!
Three weeks later I got a phone call from them, expecting the usual insurance speil but no, it was the area manager. He again apologised and informed me the guy I'd dealt with had been disciplined ie sacked. I got sent another £75 of vouchers too!

The company seems to be pretty good, it's the staff in the centres that are the problem.

I had them supply and fit a battery.

They fitted the battery and I went home. It then occurred to me that they are not the most trusted place in the world so i popped the bonnet.

Fitter had sheared of the bolt holding in the battery. This bike also held the whole battery tray in place too. So loose battery and even looser tray. MOT fail for a start. Also the fitter had even left a couple of his snap on sockets in the gutter of the hood!

Went back and had a fairly polite go at the manager who also called the fitter in so I could have a go at him too.

Bits break when repairing cars,I don't have a problem with that but to just conceal the fact and let me drive off obvious to it!!

Due to the fitter concealing it they supplied and fitted a new battery tray (at over £50) and refunded the cost of the new battery too.

I insisted the manager fit the battery whilst I stood next to him the whole way through.

I used to work at a place called Charlie Browns. Remember them? I was in the shop but we had to serve customers in reception and help with Mots etc. You guys wouldn't believe the **** that went on.

Fitters motivated by bonuses for every exhaust etc they fit is never a good thing.

I have had mixed experiences of Kf, on the good side was when I took one of my old Cortina’s wheels in with a leaky valve, they replaced it FOC.

More recently I was having some new tyres fitted to my car (they had a good deal on and nowhere else came close) I was sat in their waiting area with their propaganda videos on loop (the difference between a borderline and illegal tyre is just the thickness of 4 £20notes...buy premium tyres because budgets will make you dead...new MOT laws mean we can say your car can’t be driven away for repairs...) when a young lass came in for w new battery on her little french hatch. They quoted her around £150 to supply and fit when there was an ECP pretty much next door where the local RAC/AA guys hang out, she could have easily got her battery from there with change from a £50 and someone would have fitted it (I would have volunteered this but they had my car up on a ramp and you never know what they might do...)

The company seems to be pretty good, it’s the staff in the centres that are the problem.

When you see the wages on offer you can understand why.

Then there's the fact they were willing to employ someone like me with no formal training on the basis of am assessment interview.

Now for basic tasks that's fine...it's when shit hits the fan or deviates from the norm is when being skilled in your trade sets you apart from a have a go hero.

Why didn’t you start an ‘any advice please’ thread on here first? That’s your usual MO isn’t it?

P.S. The OP is part of our riding group, so I’m just doing a bit of gentle leg-pulling.

P.P.S. When will you be gracing us with your presence on a Wednesday night again?

Vowed I'd never use them again when I saw my car being absolutely hammered out of their carpark and down the road massively in excess of the speed limit after it had gone in for two rear tyres. Apparently it was to check they'd seated properly.

Don't deny any of these issues but the two I've used in Cardiff have been good (Newport Road loads and Penarth Road a few times).

It surprises me that KwikFit are still open; I dont know anybody who has used them who has anything good to say about them.

I do wonder if it’s a branch by branch thing. Kwik Fit Hereford saved us from a long Christmas with the outlaws a few years back. Didn’t even have the part in stock or have a supplier with the part in stock. Managed to get one from another garage (essentially a competitor) and fixed the car the following day.

Maybe the relief of escaping the out laws has distorted my perception of the experience.

I recently ordered 4 tyres online with ProTyre to be fitted at a local place.

On the day that I had booked I received a call telling me that only two tyres had turned up, apologies were given and I was told the other two tyres would be in the next day (Bridgestone Potenzas).

Next morning another call to say the tyres hasn't turned up again and they were on to the online sales to see what was going on. I asked what they had in as waiting day after day wasn't going to work for me. They rang me back with the offer of Continental Sport Contacts at the same price as the Bridgestones. Happy days, better rated tyres.

Then it went to shit with the tracking! To be fair they got everything sorted and waived the tracking and some extra labour costs from seized parts, but I did lose about 6 hours of my life getting 4 tyres and tracking done.

What exactly went wrong with the tracking that was their fault over an above the sized bits?

It’s not the sign above the door it’s the people who work in the store. My local KF is fantastic, real honest service and done bits and bobs for free too. Servicing and MOT excellent and really cheap.

Yup. My local one is pretty good; they’ve fixed numerous punctures for free.

They're on my list of shitbag companies to avoid. I made the mistake of prepaying for work online (it's a clickthrough from the booking page) earlier this year.

They couldn't do the work when I took it in because their equipment was faulty. Manager was fine, things like that happen and all was polite and cordial. He told me he couldn't refund because I booked online, and I had to contact the call centre.

There is no refund option on the call centre, and refunds are handled by some other office you can only find if you believe it exists. It's on a par with getting a refund off Ryanair.

I finally got refunded. By cheque. They told me they couldn't refund to card, even though I paid by card. Shower of shite company.

I used to use them every year for MOT as the chap who ran it was a really good bloke and wouldn't try to add a load of scare mongering bullshit to the invoice.

Then it was taken over by someone else, who failed the MOT (which tbf I expected and was willing to pay for) but then also proceeded to try and sell (and scare me) into a load of other work that "needed" doing (over £1500 worth) which I knew didn't need as I'd done it myself not long ago! E.g. brake discs, pads, cam belt, fluids. None of which were an issue. I won't use them again since then and actually quite pleased as I used a more local garage that were much better to deal with.

Well, people taking cars to Quick fit and then complaining. Who'd have thought it?
It's your own fault for being so Stupid.

Well, people taking cars to Quick fit and then complaining. Who’d have thought it?
It’s your own fault for being so Stupid

I first used them because my Tesco vouchers covered the cost of an MOT (there's no chance I'd let them service anything, and I used to do it myself anyway). I was pleasantly surprised that they were decent and didn't try to rip me off. So I kept using them until they changed owners who were more unscrupulous.

Well, people taking cars to Quick fit and then complaining. Who’d have thought it?
It’s your own fault for being so Stupid.

Well, to be fair, you can’t spell the company name correctly either, so I would be more careful chucking stones in glass houses....

Eagle F1's? Aren't they better/more expensive than the tyres you wanted?

What exactly went wrong with the tracking that was their fault over an above the sized bits?

Obviously it being seized wasn't their fault, but it took them a good 3 to 4 hours to release whatever needed released. And then when I drove off the car was pulling to the right when the wheel was centred, it has jumped 3mm on the front toe apparently!

Several experiences with them.
Some tyre changes without hassle.
One random temp job spending a day phoning up centres acting as a mystery customer. So management did put a bit of effort into checking up although that said since it seemed like a standard template I suspect savvy managers could have caught onto it and trained people.
Then one case where my exhaust hanger decided enough was enough. Was the nearest place far from home. Left it with them and came back an hour or so later after enjoying the pleasures of some post industry town. Cost of new bracket plus labour ==0.
So as per some other comments I suspect it really depends on the local staff not dissimilar to Halfords for bikes.

He again apologised and informed me the guy I’d dealt with had been disciplined ie sacked. I got sent another £75 of vouchers too!

The company seems to be pretty good, it’s the staff in the centres that are the problem.

That doesn’t sound like a good company. Maybe they need to train their staff better, rather than sack them.

If I mess up at work I have a chat to make sure it was just a mistake, check if there’s any knowledge lacking and extra training if necessary. Not disciplined.

A few answers...
They had a good price on at the time and going to the local Kwiktit worked that weekend with other things I had on rather than driving 15 miles each way to save £15 that could only be the day before - so yep, that’s me being so Stupid 🙄.
I like GYEGP as the ratings are good and for my driving on that car (lots of M1) they last ages with good grip at a reasonable price. Plus they match the newish fronts that I bought online elsewhere with zero hassle...that were more expensive this time round. Lesson learnt.
Not penned email to HO yet but it will cover basically what I put down here. Their website claims a 98% positive satisfaction rating...most opinions here and from other sources would suggest that is total bollux.

What does STW think the KF response, if any, might/should be? 🤔
I will slag these fuketards off at any opportunity from this point onwards - just not sure I should let them know that at this point.

Dan - soon.

aren't Kwik-Fit a franchise setup anyway? Strangely the last time I replaced two tyres they the cheapest for what I wanted and the mobile fitter was putting them on the car 2 days later.

I really think with any tyre place it is a lottery when it comes to quality of service.

I guess I’ve always been lucky with KwikFit as they’ve always done what I’ve asked and for a decent price.

The last time was a couple of years ago, when I got a puncture on a three week old car. Took it down 15 minutes before closing as it was just about holding air on the off chance they could sort it. They only had one of the right tyre (20in Continental of some type) that they’d ordered in especially for a customer the following day. Offered to fit that for me and they’d get him a new one overnighted.

I watched the fitter like a hawk as the car has diamond cut wheels, but it was done perfectly.

On the way out, I noticed a flyer from Continental about some competition, all you had to do was submit your receipt. Did so, and didn’t think anything more about it. Got a call a few months later, had won a day out at Mercedes Benz World thrashing AMG cars around the track, and a week all expenses paid at a fancy resort in Spain driving top end sports cars.

Not bad for 200 quid on a tyre 🙂

They fitted the wrong spec discs to my car. The brakes failed when the pads wore and fell out the caliper.
Took car back, they begrudgingly fitted the right, thicker, vented version but didn't bother to use any de greaser. Ruined the new pads I had fitted to be able to drive it to them to change the discs. You really can get better than a quick fit fitter.

1st time I used them in an emergency they smashed a locking wheel nut, on a limited production run car, with specific forged alloy wheels that were also no longer available new. Ruined the wheel to get it off. They had the RAC and the AA both trying to remove the shattered nub of the locking nut to no avail. I was absolutely livid, but I did manage to source a wheel. Then had to have them all powder coated to make a matching set 😡. They wouldn't accept liability because I 'told them to remove the wheel'. If they didn't just dive in with air wrenches they wouldn't have broken it. My usual tyre place never uses air tools on locking nuts.

Second time we used them for an emergency (ie overdue) MOT on the Mrs 330d. She rings me up saying its failed, they've told her the brakes are worn and it's dangerous to drive. These brakes were new, discs and pads all round not three weeks previous. I get in from work, ring the branch (who sounded suspiciously like they were expecting the call, they knew the car before I mentioned it...). I told them that the brakes on the car were new and there's no way they could have thought they were worn. Man tells me to bring the car in at the weekend. I told him I'd be there in ten minutes and if it wasn't retested properly there and then I'd contact the DVSA. Turned up to be presented immediately with a pass certificate and much staring at shoes by the manager. Makes me sick that they try and fleece a woman in a (at the time) nice car. Don't think I've ever been as angry, it wasn't even hard to see the new pads through the alloys! Tw*ts.

Third time, and just to balance out the previous tale, the same branch MOTd my work van, through the fleet company. Three weeks later the front pads were down to the metal. No advisories, no "get the brakes looked at mate", nothing. RAC patrol picked up discs and pads from ECP and replaced them at the roadside. He wasn't a big fan of Kwik Fit either.

Kwik fit are completely and utter SHITE and FRAUDSTERS..I've repaired there work..and its simpleton mistakes..not testing warning lights.. squicky brakes..frankely..shite..and usually we have to replace the parts again ..just to fix the problem..

And in regards to the earlier locking wheel nut..air tools are fine on STEEL wheel bolts including locking wheel bolts..not 5o be used on aluminium wheel bolts..its rare the wheel bolt snaps.. but should be not to brutal to remove..trust me I have taken on HUNDREDS OF WHEELS without any problems..but under conditions of fragile or aluminium wheel nuts..no air tools EVER get used even if it's just suspicion of those conditions..

They just wind everything up with the windy guns
grab a torque wrench set at 90 ftlb, click, click , click , clik .- all good.
No adjustmnt or setting the tightening torque, it could be 140ft lb, or 165ft lb. Its more than 90 so jobs a good un, till its a wet dark night by the side of the M62 and you cannot undo any of your wheel nuts