My Kwik-Fit experience
Hi everyone, just wanted to know everyone's opinion on this.
I have a VW Polo 2003 1.4, this is my first car.
It all started when I realised my MOT had run out, so I booked an MOT test at Kwik-Fit for a discounted price due to an offer I found online. My car was running fine, and drove perfectly, however as getting an MOT is a legal requirement I had to get it booked.
I booked the test for 3pm, and arrived on time. I was then told the person who would perform the test on my car had gone for lunch and would be back in 15 minutes. 45 minutes later, the guy comes back.
Another half an hour passed by, and the guy drives my car out of the garage and takes out the key. He then came back with the results and my keys, however my car had failed the MOT (surprise surprise). It turns out there was a problem with the stabilizer bar (a bit of rubber had peeled off or something), which I was a bit annoyed with as it was going to cost around £40 to replace and fit.
I then asked the employee to show me the issue out of curiosity, and we both went outside to my car. The person working for Kwik-Fit needed to turn the wheel to the side in order to see inside where the damage was. In order to turn the wheel fully the car had to be started. He then got into my car and the car then failed to start, in fact when turning the key it didn't even rev (by rev I mean the noise it usually makes when you attempt to start a car). There was no life left in the battery, it was completely flat. It started perfectly fine and I had experienced no issues in the past, coincidence right?
I guess you know what happened next, they asked me to buy a new battery as well. I then argued the fact that the car started completely fine before entering the garage, and that I shouldn't have to pay for a new battery. In my opinion this is too much of a coincidence, and I think they killed the battery on purpose just so I had to purchase a new one. A new battery from Kwik-Fit costs £60.
I then walked down the road to a store called Halfords, who also sell batteries to see if I could get one there cheaper, seeing as Kwik-Fit weren't budging and saying it wasn't their fault. I explained the situation to an employee working for Halfords, who then told me if I had done my MOT test there, it is part of their policy that they would replace the battery free of charge. At this point I was pretty p*ssed off as I feel as if I'm being completely ripped off.
It turns out the battery was cheaper at Kwik-Fit, so I had to pay for the original stabilizer issue that needed fixing costing £40, and also had to pay and extra £60 for a new battery.
I then contacted head office, who hung up on me 3 times, and at the 4th time of asking they gave me £20 off the battery, which to be honest isn't good enough. The employee working for Kwik-Fit then moaned at me for contacting head office and because of this he will get in trouble.
Lesson learnt, never go to Kwik-Fit, and an MOT test at a discounted price is most likely just a catch and in the end the whole process turns out to be more expensive than if I paid full price elsewhere. What a stressful day, a process that should take a maximum of 1 hour took 5. MOT now passed.
I have a VW Polo 2003 1.4, this is my first car.
It all started when I realised my MOT had run out, so I booked an MOT test at Kwik-Fit for a discounted price due to an offer I found online. My car was running fine, and drove perfectly, however as getting an MOT is a legal requirement I had to get it booked.
I booked the test for 3pm, and arrived on time. I was then told the person who would perform the test on my car had gone for lunch and would be back in 15 minutes. 45 minutes later, the guy comes back.
Another half an hour passed by, and the guy drives my car out of the garage and takes out the key. He then came back with the results and my keys, however my car had failed the MOT (surprise surprise). It turns out there was a problem with the stabilizer bar (a bit of rubber had peeled off or something), which I was a bit annoyed with as it was going to cost around £40 to replace and fit.
I then asked the employee to show me the issue out of curiosity, and we both went outside to my car. The person working for Kwik-Fit needed to turn the wheel to the side in order to see inside where the damage was. In order to turn the wheel fully the car had to be started. He then got into my car and the car then failed to start, in fact when turning the key it didn't even rev (by rev I mean the noise it usually makes when you attempt to start a car). There was no life left in the battery, it was completely flat. It started perfectly fine and I had experienced no issues in the past, coincidence right?
I guess you know what happened next, they asked me to buy a new battery as well. I then argued the fact that the car started completely fine before entering the garage, and that I shouldn't have to pay for a new battery. In my opinion this is too much of a coincidence, and I think they killed the battery on purpose just so I had to purchase a new one. A new battery from Kwik-Fit costs £60.
I then walked down the road to a store called Halfords, who also sell batteries to see if I could get one there cheaper, seeing as Kwik-Fit weren't budging and saying it wasn't their fault. I explained the situation to an employee working for Halfords, who then told me if I had done my MOT test there, it is part of their policy that they would replace the battery free of charge. At this point I was pretty p*ssed off as I feel as if I'm being completely ripped off.
It turns out the battery was cheaper at Kwik-Fit, so I had to pay for the original stabilizer issue that needed fixing costing £40, and also had to pay and extra £60 for a new battery.
I then contacted head office, who hung up on me 3 times, and at the 4th time of asking they gave me £20 off the battery, which to be honest isn't good enough. The employee working for Kwik-Fit then moaned at me for contacting head office and because of this he will get in trouble.
Lesson learnt, never go to Kwik-Fit, and an MOT test at a discounted price is most likely just a catch and in the end the whole process turns out to be more expensive than if I paid full price elsewhere. What a stressful day, a process that should take a maximum of 1 hour took 5. MOT now passed.
(edited 9 years ago)
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Halfords aren't cheap for batteries either. suppose you couldn't have bought jumpleads and phoned a friend?
Imo
Better off getting mots from the backstreet joes garage type of place, especially if you can get recommendations. They probably wont give you a phoney discount but they're less 'corporate' which in this day and age means likely to be more honest.
Imo
Better off getting mots from the backstreet joes garage type of place, especially if you can get recommendations. They probably wont give you a phoney discount but they're less 'corporate' which in this day and age means likely to be more honest.
Original post by Joinedup
Halfords aren't cheap for batteries either. suppose you couldn't have bought jumpleads and phoned a friend?
Imo
Better off getting mots from the backstreet joes garage type of place, especially if you can get recommendations. They probably wont give you a phoney discount but they're less 'corporate' which in this day and age means likely to be more honest.
Imo
Better off getting mots from the backstreet joes garage type of place, especially if you can get recommendations. They probably wont give you a phoney discount but they're less 'corporate' which in this day and age means likely to be more honest.
haha yeah. Lesson learnt I guess.
Original post by Alfissti
A usual experience then.
Lol yeah I suppose. Bloody outrage!
Original post by JC.
Who actually goes to ****fit anyway?
Not me. Never again, and neither will anyone I know. Going to leave bad reviews. Overall just disappointed with the service.
I go to one that only does MOT's and not repairs. That way you know they aren't going to wreck your car in order to get your money for repairs. I also get my Dad to check the car before to see if there is anything he thinks it will fail on.
But if the car doesn't start that doesn't mean you need to replace the battery.... did you (get them to) try and jump/ bump start it? I would have done that, driven home and tried starting it a few hours later to see if there actually was a problem.
But if the car doesn't start that doesn't mean you need to replace the battery.... did you (get them to) try and jump/ bump start it? I would have done that, driven home and tried starting it a few hours later to see if there actually was a problem.
Original post by Runninground
I go to one that only does MOT's and not repairs. That way you know they aren't going to wreck your car in order to get your money for repairs. I also get my Dad to check the car before to see if there is anything he thinks it will fail on.
But if the car doesn't start that doesn't mean you need to replace the battery.... did you (get them to) try and jump/ bump start it? I would have done that, driven home and tried starting it a few hours later to see if there actually was a problem.
But if the car doesn't start that doesn't mean you need to replace the battery.... did you (get them to) try and jump/ bump start it? I would have done that, driven home and tried starting it a few hours later to see if there actually was a problem.
Yeah, the car jump started once, then every attempt after that failed. They then tested the battery and the % was very low. Thanks for the advice, it helps to know someone who does MOT's, sadly I don't
Original post by Camoxide
Kwik fit for tyres and air con only.
I most certainly won't go there for their air conditioning servicing. Sure way for something else to get buggered along the way. In any case an air conditioner doesn't need maintenance beyond just changing a cabin filter which you could do yourself on most cars.
Tyres, maybe but one thing I would thoroughly check first is whether the tyres they are about to mount is a current year of manufacture or one that's been in their warehouse for some time.
Original post by Alfissti
I most certainly won't go there for their air conditioning servicing. Sure way for something else to get buggered along the way. In any case an air conditioner doesn't need maintenance beyond just changing a cabin filter which you could do yourself on most cars.
Tyres, maybe but one thing I would thoroughly check first is whether the tyres they are about to mount is a current year of manufacture or one that's been in their warehouse for some time.
Tyres, maybe but one thing I would thoroughly check first is whether the tyres they are about to mount is a current year of manufacture or one that's been in their warehouse for some time.
I just meant the re-gas. The ones that only do tyres and air con and MOTs shouldn't be bad because it's the only thing they know how to do and there's no reason for them to purposely mess something up.
They were alright with me for tyres. Even knocked £5 off because they didn't have a £5 note in the till (got £10 back). It was their own cheap brand one anyway.
But yeah for the air con there's probably cheaper places you can get it done. It's always £50 at kwik fit just for the re-gas
Kwik S*** are a joke, I usually fix what I can fix may self then go to an independent garage.
Original post by Camoxide
But yeah for the air con there's probably cheaper places you can get it done. It's always £50 at kwik fit just for the re-gas
Air Con re-gas is, well a con. The gas does not get used up, it is a sealed system.
If you need a re-gas you have a leak.
Original post by mphysical
As the previous poster stated Air Con is almost maintenance free.
Air Con re-gas is, well a con. The gas does not get used up, it is a sealed system.
If you need a re-gas you have a leak.
Air Con re-gas is, well a con. The gas does not get used up, it is a sealed system.
If you need a re-gas you have a leak.
It's an offense to fill up a leaking system. So by that logic air con re-gases should be illegal.
Original post by Camoxide
It's an offense to fill up a leaking system. So by that logic air con re-gases should be illegal.
Original post by Butterfly92
Why on Earth did you go there?! ARGH. They are USELESS :/
I'm sorry
Original post by Walkaah
I'm sorry
Don't EVER do that again!
Original post by JC.
Who actually goes to ****fit anyway?
Well they wouldn't exist if no-one went to them, but tbf to the OP, they will not be the first and nor will they be the last to discover what scumbags Kwiks**** the hard way and they may just have not known about what the company is like beforehand, like I didn't really either But my experience certainly wasn't as bad as the OP's, they made up numerous faults and tried to charge me £700 for the necessary work (whereas the independent garage I went to the next day only charged my £30 for work to be done), but I haven't heard of the scam in the OP, very sneaky of them.
Its ridiculous really, the company shouldn't be allowed to exist, they've been exposed on national television for being completely dishonest and conning you out of money for imaginary faults, yet unfortunately they still get enough business to continue to exist
Original post by Olie
Well they wouldn't exist if no-one went to them, but tbf to the OP, they will not be the first and nor will they be the last to discover what scumbags Kwiks**** the hard way and they may just have not known about what the company is like beforehand, like I didn't really either But my experience certainly wasn't as bad as the OP's, they made up numerous faults and tried to charge me £700 for the necessary work (whereas the independent garage I went to the next day only charged my £30 for work to be done), but I haven't heard of the scam in the OP, very sneaky of them.
Its ridiculous really, the company shouldn't be allowed to exist, they've been exposed on national television for being completely dishonest and conning you out of money for imaginary faults, yet unfortunately they still get enough business to continue to exist
Its ridiculous really, the company shouldn't be allowed to exist, they've been exposed on national television for being completely dishonest and conning you out of money for imaginary faults, yet unfortunately they still get enough business to continue to exist
That's the idea!
support your local independents.
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