Am I Right To Be Feeling This Way?
Family Life1 min ago
'kf'
TWR regularly gives KwikFit, or KF as he calls it, quite a bit of stick, saying they are merely tyre fitters and generally rip-off merchants who shouldn't be let loose anywhere near a vehicle. Well, yes they do fit tyres and that's how they started out, but most garages fit tyres too in addition to fixing cars. Now I want to give you my recent experience of KF.
On Tuesday this week I took my Honda CR-V to my local KF with a front end exhaust rattle. When the car was up on the ramp the fitter did an inspection as I watched from outside the bay then invited me in to see the problem. Part of the heat shield covering the cat. converter had come loose. Within five minutes he had secured it with new nut and bolt. How much ? ' Thats ok mate, only took a minute' he said. I slipped him a tenner, thankful that I didn't need a new cat at £350.
Now that is not the first time I've had a similar reponse from fitters at this branch of KF. I am always invited to check the problem before work begins and I've never been ripped off. I do know a bit about car repairs but am now too creaky to get underneath.
I realise that some people have had bad experiences at KF but other garages can also perform badly, but I speak as I find.
Please don't go by hearsay.
Cheers.
D
On Tuesday this week I took my Honda CR-V to my local KF with a front end exhaust rattle. When the car was up on the ramp the fitter did an inspection as I watched from outside the bay then invited me in to see the problem. Part of the heat shield covering the cat. converter had come loose. Within five minutes he had secured it with new nut and bolt. How much ? ' Thats ok mate, only took a minute' he said. I slipped him a tenner, thankful that I didn't need a new cat at £350.
Now that is not the first time I've had a similar reponse from fitters at this branch of KF. I am always invited to check the problem before work begins and I've never been ripped off. I do know a bit about car repairs but am now too creaky to get underneath.
I realise that some people have had bad experiences at KF but other garages can also perform badly, but I speak as I find.
Please don't go by hearsay.
Cheers.
D
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My own experience:
My car's brakes seemed really soft, so I took it into a regionally-based 'tyre-brake-&-exhaust' place. They replaced the pads but it seemed as bad as ever, so I took it back. They couldn't find anything wrong.
I took it another similar (but national) company, who again checked my brakes and again found no fault.
I then took it to KwikFit, where they told me that (unlike the other places) they would make a charge for inspecting the brakes but, if a fault was found, they'd deduct that charge from the cost of repair. They very quickly stripped the brakes right down (further than the other two firms had done) and showed me the two leaking brake cylinders that were causing the problem.
Their subsequent repair was both inexpensive and efficient, leaving my car with brakes that felt like new.
I used them many times thereafter and always got excellent service. (The only reason I don't get there so often now is I've discovered a local guy whose really cheap - often doing little jobs for free - and provides excellent service. I'd feel disloyal if I went anywhere else!).
My car's brakes seemed really soft, so I took it into a regionally-based 'tyre-brake-&-exhaust' place. They replaced the pads but it seemed as bad as ever, so I took it back. They couldn't find anything wrong.
I took it another similar (but national) company, who again checked my brakes and again found no fault.
I then took it to KwikFit, where they told me that (unlike the other places) they would make a charge for inspecting the brakes but, if a fault was found, they'd deduct that charge from the cost of repair. They very quickly stripped the brakes right down (further than the other two firms had done) and showed me the two leaking brake cylinders that were causing the problem.
Their subsequent repair was both inexpensive and efficient, leaving my car with brakes that felt like new.
I used them many times thereafter and always got excellent service. (The only reason I don't get there so often now is I've discovered a local guy whose really cheap - often doing little jobs for free - and provides excellent service. I'd feel disloyal if I went anywhere else!).
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There's a fine line between legitimate 'upselling' and finding non-existent faults, Derek.
For example, it's perfectly legitimate for a firm to say "While we've got your car up on the ramps to fix your brakes, you might like to take a look at the back box of your exhaust. As you can see, it's badly corroded and probably won't last much longer. Perhaps you'd like us to replace that for you while you're here?; it'll be better than having it drop off when you're on an important journey, won't it?".
Such 'upselling' is sometimes seen by customers as 'finding non-existent faults' (and, of course, there may well be a few traders who'll do exactly that anyway) but it should simply be regarded in the same way as going to an electrical dealer and being offered 5-year insurance cover (or whatever) that you don't actually need. Just stick to paying for what you went in for!
For example, it's perfectly legitimate for a firm to say "While we've got your car up on the ramps to fix your brakes, you might like to take a look at the back box of your exhaust. As you can see, it's badly corroded and probably won't last much longer. Perhaps you'd like us to replace that for you while you're here?; it'll be better than having it drop off when you're on an important journey, won't it?".
Such 'upselling' is sometimes seen by customers as 'finding non-existent faults' (and, of course, there may well be a few traders who'll do exactly that anyway) but it should simply be regarded in the same way as going to an electrical dealer and being offered 5-year insurance cover (or whatever) that you don't actually need. Just stick to paying for what you went in for!
Dereck, in my previous job with the persons with L.D. It was part of my work to look after the Service users Van/ car, the car had a slow puncture, the K.F. Garage was local to the house so I went to get this sorted, I asked them to repair the Tyre which involved a plug, I had to go into the local town with an errand, on my return I was told that the tyre was U/S, I disagreed with this & asked to see the Tyre, there was a pause in their reply & I again demanded the tyre, I was asked for what reason, the reason, I use a home town garage for my own car's MOT's and I said that I would ask this garage owners opinion on the tyre & if found that the tyre was re-useable, this comment could not be handled by the fitter so I said I think you had better put the Original tyre back on, this this did, It was nothing out of my pocket but came out of the pockets of the Hire Car's dealers, to me that is devious & I do not like things like that going on, there is a site that am a member on called Piston Heads, a few months back there was an issue regards K.F. that would open your eyes with the devious tricks played by this company, In fact it has been on Watchdog, my opinion, be honest with people, advise them the MAY NEED A PART, don't stick it on, Frighten people by what could happen.
Dereck, the tyre was plugged, it was a nail in the centre, there was no problem as I checked this out with my local MOT Person, as he would have had no problem doing what I had said, if the tyre would have been U/S there would be no problem, regards the quality / repair of the tyre, the Service Users are my responsibility, I would not put their life's at risk, but I also do not like people getting ripped off.
I have only used KF as a tyre supplier/exhaust supplier and generally find they offer a good price and carry out the fitting with no problems. I think they have improved their 'act' but memories are long and 'find all faults' was part and parcel of them.
I always go by my own experiences and having a bit of mechanical knowledge goes a long way to help out.
Many years ago I had an Austin Allegro (no further comments plse !!) which required a new exhaust. KF put it on the lift and the mechanic came over and with a shake of his head told me that my shock absorbers were leaking fluid requiring replacement.
That was an awful surprise to me because Allegro's were not fitted with shock absorbers having Hydrolastic suspension units instead. So I summoned the KF manager. Whilst we were all standing underneath my car I asked him to point out where the shock absorbers are located? You could have heard a pin drop as they both realised I knew more about my car than they did.
I always go by my own experiences and having a bit of mechanical knowledge goes a long way to help out.
Many years ago I had an Austin Allegro (no further comments plse !!) which required a new exhaust. KF put it on the lift and the mechanic came over and with a shake of his head told me that my shock absorbers were leaking fluid requiring replacement.
That was an awful surprise to me because Allegro's were not fitted with shock absorbers having Hydrolastic suspension units instead. So I summoned the KF manager. Whilst we were all standing underneath my car I asked him to point out where the shock absorbers are located? You could have heard a pin drop as they both realised I knew more about my car than they did.
Just to make my position clear. I am not a champion for KF by any means.
I use them if I want something looked at quickly without having to book a week ahead, and I use my knowledge of cars to make a judgement on their assessment.
For servicing and most other repairs I use a wonderful local mechanic running his own trustworthy one-man- band business. He is reliable, trustworthy, reasonable in terms of charges and has a wide experience of many types of vehicle. Best of both worlds.
D
I use them if I want something looked at quickly without having to book a week ahead, and I use my knowledge of cars to make a judgement on their assessment.
For servicing and most other repairs I use a wonderful local mechanic running his own trustworthy one-man- band business. He is reliable, trustworthy, reasonable in terms of charges and has a wide experience of many types of vehicle. Best of both worlds.
D
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