[m1bjr]

I had the displeasure of having to get a puncture fixed by Kwik-Fit today.

Unfortunately Lex, who lease me this car, seem to only deal with KF.
Even after ploughing through the LEX phone menu drops you on the phone direct to Kwik-Fit's own callcentre, although you won't realise this until you ask some pointed questions - they never mention it.

I had an OSR fitted by centre 190 in Bridgwater.
Got out onto the local road and immediately felt a bit of a pull under acceleration, and a sway coming off the throttle.
Okay, so it's a fairly common feel for incorrect tyre pressures, and prior experience of several tyre shops has demostrated consistent problems here.
No problem I thought I'll get it home and, once cold, I'll set the pressures correctly.

I get on the job only to find the new tyre that Kwik-Fit have installed is a Bridgstone RFT, a runflat tyre!
My car has regular Pirelli P7 Eco tyres all round though and are oem fit ...

Dear God, why do we have to deal with these clowns?
At least the chap who was asked for £75 for an old MX5 battery had a choice.

[Swiller]

My local kwik fit guys are awesome. Top lads, love their cars and banta, salt of the earth types. Wheels, tyres , balancing, extemely thorough mot, all brilliant. Swansea marina
Its the same as any dealership, some are good, some bad. Sounds like you have been unlucky, but should always check any work before you drive off, wherever you get it done.

[RagingKileak]

Originally Posted by Swiller

My local kwik fit guys are awesome. Top lads, love their cars and banta, salt of the earth types. Wheels, tyres , balancing, extemely thorough mot, all brilliant. Swansea marina
Its the same as any dealership, some are good, some bad. Sounds like you have been unlucky, but should always check any work before you drive off, wherever you get it done.

My local KW is full of half trained, uninterested, moronic wankers who couldn't give a fuck. I'd rather suck Willhollins cock than trust them with my car. Only once have I encountered a shower of fuckwits who were less competent - at Alba tyres.

Matt

[m1bjr]

This is not my first complaint about Kwik-Fit.

I have had some other interesting experiences with them when forced to us them in other areas of the country.

So if I represent the average user, then I am surprised they are still in business.

What is amusing is the QA footnotes, including the ISO9001 ans UKAS accreditiation.
My company also has these.

Two people fecked up here, one was the fitter doing the job, the other was the centre manager who signed off the QA sheet after peer checking his work.
I will take a guess that he never even looked at the job, as I saw him in the reception the whole time.

I work on nuclear plant every day, thank fuck I dont behave like this or we'd all be in the shit.

[rich1068]

Originally Posted by RagingKileak

My local KW is full of half trained, uninterested, moronic wankers who couldn't give a fuck. I'd rather suck Willhollins cock than trust them with my car.

I'll go with that and I don't even know who Willhollins is.

My last encounter with Kwik Fit was when I had my A3 2.0TFSI Quattro and they ordered and were about to fit tyres with the wrong speed rating. It didn't really matter apparently.

[willhollin]

Originally Posted by RagingKileak

My local KW is full of half trained, uninterested, moronic wankers who couldn't give a fuck. I'd rather suck Willhollins cock than trust them with my car. Only once have I encountered a shower of fuckwits who were less competent - at Alba tyres.

Matt

I take offence at this.

Alba Tyres are not all bad.

[willhollin]

Originally Posted by rich1068

I'll go with that and I don't even know who Willhollins is.

My last encounter with Kwik Fit was when I had my A3 2.0TFSI Quattro and they ordered and were about to fit tyres with the wrong speed rating. It didn't really matter apparently.

Feck me, looks like i'm in for a gang bang.

[gIzzE]

Originally Posted by willhollin

I take offence at this.

Alba Tyres are not all bad.

Haha

[JLR1969]

I have just found a large screw in my rear tyre and as such have a flat.

Option 1 - take the wheel to Quick Fit and get them to fix the puncture

Option 2 - wait a day and drive 15 miles to Wheels in motion who have a touchless tyre machine.

If I go to QF I will no doubt be playing the will my wheels get damaged lottery.

[m1bjr]

Originally Posted by JLR1969

I have just found a large screw in my rear tyre and as such have a flat.

Option 1 - take the wheel to Quick Fit and get them to fix the puncture

Option 2 - wait a day and drive 15 miles to Wheels in motion who have a touchless tyre machine.

If I go to QF I will no doubt be playing the will my wheels get damaged lottery.

You wont seriously consider taking a car like that to KF right?

Tony at WiM is a class operation.

I know what I would do.

The centre manager at my local KF said he wouldnt comment further as I had involved his Operations Manager.
But he did say "mixing a runflat is not really a 'serious' mistake, and we all make mistakes"
BMW dont agree, and the insurance company certainly wouldnt, I'm sure.
Mondays phone calls will brighten up a boring day I suspect.

[JLR1969]

WIM originally swapped my old tyres on to my new wheels. I wouldn't use anyone else.

Rest assured the Merc would go no where near KF.......... Ever!

[Spoonhead]

I don't think you can label just KF as not not knowing what they are doing. I had to have my rears replaced on my 123d, and when I came back, they couldn't understand why they wouldn't fit.

Until I pointed out to them they had ordered the new tyres by taking the sizes off the front, and the rears are actually a different size. But when you have a lease car, you have to go where the lease company has an account.

Gazza

[JLR1969]

Originally Posted by gazzared_typer

I don't think you can label just KF as not not knowing what they are doing. I had to have my rears replaced on my 123d, and when I came back, they couldn't understand why they wouldn't fit.

Until I pointed out to them they had ordered the new tyres by taking the sizes off the front, and the rears are actually a different size. But when you have a lease car, you have to go where the lease company has an account.

Gazza

I agree but this thread is about Kwik Fit

[Ham09]

Originally Posted by gazzared_typer

I don't think you can label just KF as not not knowing what they are doing. I had to have my rears replaced on my 123d, and when I came back, they couldn't understand why they wouldn't fit.

Until I pointed out to them they had ordered the new tyres by taking the sizes off the front, and the rears are actually a different size. But when you have a lease car, you have to go where the lease company has an account.

Gazza

OMFG. I guess that it why they chose tyre fitting as a career. I know that sounds a tad condescending but wtf.

As for the RFT mixup, I suspect they were just doing what the computer told them. Again, missing some common sense here I suspect.

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by m1bjr

This is not my first complaint about Kwik-Fit.
.

So if I represent the average user, then I am surprised they are still in business.

Thing is none of us will ever be 'average' customers of Kwik Fit.

99% of KF customers couldn't give a rats ass what type of tyre is one their car as long as its cheap and they don't have to get their hands dirty.

Is is black with a hole in the middle? That'll do nicely thank you.



Its only because we are interested in what they do that their mass-market low skill level is so obvious.

[zltm089]

a letter to head office might help sort this out!

[JLR1969]

Need a new tyre as the puncture cannot be repaired

[edowen]

any update OP?

[Hotcoupe]

My local KF are great Guys.
Always fitting tyres supplied by me, often for free, bar a 'drink'.

Unlike National Tyres who are muppets!

[Kerr]

I've used them a few times in the past and have not had any issues with tyres. I order what I want and they have fitted them fine.

When you use their website and prepay for the tyres, they can actually sometimes work out to be the cheapest. However it seems that it's only certain brands of tyres available on offers at certain times.

One of my old neighbours was ripped off badly though after putting her car in for an MOT.

[m1bjr]

Update:
From bad to worse.

Car went back late on Saturday.
They fitted another Bridgstone but not an RFT this time.
However I have P7 Pirelli Eco tyres on the other three.
Still, its up to LEX, so off we go and park up at home all weekend.

Got in the car this morning to go to Scotland and within a quarter mile I got another flat tyre alarm.
Yup, new tyre is definately flat.
Remove dustcap to put a gauge on it and air leaking from valve stem.
Back we go.....

Tyre off again, another valve and stem fitted.
I'm pissed off already now and get in car after third 'attempt' to find alarm still standing.
Go back into centre office and remark to the manager (I call him that in the lossest sense)
"Erm, I thought you might have reset my tyre pressure alarm after all this palava?"
I'm informed that Kwik Fit dont do that, and they dont know how to do that.
Interesting insight here into a 'tyre expert' level of experiance.
I say nothing at all but simply shake head, turn and walk out.

Manager takes exception to this and storms out into yard to confront me about head shaking, which he seems to have a big problem with.
And he also adds he wished he had never seen the car in the first place.
Interesting attitude to customer relations these guys have.

I reply wishing I had never fucking seen him either, but that was not well recieved.
And after telling him to fuck off things went downhill quite quickly but physical contact was narrowly avoided (he went back inside)

Anyhow.
Got as far as Bristol today, about one hour on the M5.
Guess what
Tyre pressure light pings up again.

Check pressures (they were fine this morning at 2.8 bar rear pair) and find the new tyre is nearly three bar as its running FAR hotter than the Pirelli P7s.
Great, the difference has tripped the alarm.
And its going to keep doing this.
So now I will have to go back a fourth time to get the CORRECT type of tyre fitted to stop the TPS errors.

The Ops Manager never contacted me as promised by customer services.
Says it all really. WGAF attitude from top down.

I called through Lex and reached the 'tyre helpline' to request another option as I dont ever want to se another Kwik-Fit depot.
After a lot of umming, amming and 'on-hold' they tell me they cannot help me.
The number you are connected to through Lex is actually direct to Kwik-Fits booking line.
That was quite amusing to find out. No wonder the poor girl was so confused at my rant.

Honestly, you couldn't make it up.

But trouble is I need to go to another depot now

[Ham09]

Awesome post mate. Made me laugh. I don't know how you can keep going back to Quick Fit after all that.

I assume Lex provide maintenance with the car, hence having to go through them for the tyres? Could you threaten them with legal action for breach of contract if they don't replace with a suitable tyre?

Hope you get it resolved...