|
I had a slow punture on one of my back tyre and i had it checked in KwitFit and they showed me a nail was in the inside of the tyre but they said its not worth fixing...i was wondering if he just wanted to rip me off and buy a tyre from them...btw it cost me £144 for one tyre (ouch)
|
|
Kwikfit put nails in tyres. I personally never buy tyres from Kwikfit as they are usually far too expensive.
|
I have to use Kwik Fit and I had a severe vibration problem over 50 mph.
I went to four outlets before I found one that would balance the rear wheels.One outlet took the wheels off span them and said they were fine with no further work, which was not the case it transpired.
Pleaded with the leasing company when in for a service and they allowed the main agent to do the work.
I would NEVER use Kwik fit given a choice.
|
|
|
Really ? How very intersting, and prey tell, how exactly to you go about putting a nail through a tyre without a customer noticing? Can't imagine it would be too easy when the tyre is off the rim. Wouldn't fancy attempting to hammer it into an inflated tyre. Placing a nail on the ground and driving the car over it in the hope if will go through hummmm..... unlikely, and all in a fitting center with large windows !?!
Even though I do not like kwik fit I am not convinced.
Forums are not the place for unfounded allegations
|
Speaking figuratively. What I should perhaps have written was that fat fit outlets quite often do not give the customer the best advice (nor do a lot of other outlets) and as someone has written, try and sell you a new tyre rather than replace it.
My personal experience of them, based on the branch near me is that the staff are disinterested, uninformed about tyre makes and very expensive (I suppose advertising has to be paid for). Maybe that is just a London branch.
|
|
|
|
|
Starman
Your post raises a number of questions.
I assume you mean that the nail had penetrated right through the tyre when you say the nail was 'inside the tyre', rather than rattling around loose in the tyre?
As it was a slow puncture, I assume there was not major casing damage, so this sort of puncture would normally be repairable. Therefore you need to define 'not worth fixing'.
Was the tyre so near the legal limit that a repair was not cost effective in view of the remaining life?
Was the nail in an area of the tyre where a repair was illegal?
At £144 I assume it's a high performance tyre, so were kwikfit sugesting a repair may be unsafe?
Always worth asking a few questions than just taking a bland 'Not worth fixing Gov'.
Regards
John
|
|
|
|
My local independent charges £10 to repair if it can be done. Usually worth doing
|
I have had two punctures (several weeks apart) where a nail has entered the tread very close to the sidewall. I took each to a convenient 'quick fit' tyre outlet (two different companies but of similar type) and was told that a repair would be illegal and I would have to buy a new tyre.
I then took the two tyres, separately, to Central Tyres in Peterborough. They examined each very carefully and explained the exact legal situation and where the puncture fitted in with that. One of the tyres they were able to repair straight away, the other was sent to a specialist for repair as it was very close to the 'no go' area and Central wanted to be sure that it was OK.
I asked for a quote for a new tyre from Central Tyres on the second occasion, just in case, and this was far cheaper (by about £25!) than the quick fit outfit had quoted as a "special offer that can't be beaten so it would be a waste of your time to go elsewhere".
|
|
Further to my recent posting but not necessarily related to it (!), I wonder what sort of experience members of this forum have had with Just Tyres and Motorway Tyres? I am not particularly impressed with either of them. Wasn't sorry to see that the Peterborough branch of Just Tyres has recently shut down.
|
David, if you look back you'll see that we've already covered this topic in some depth some months ago. Furthermore, you'll also see that I make a very strong request that people who use The Back Room to comment take care not to make statements that could be construed as libellous. I can't afford to fight litigation, even if the final responsibility is the poster's.
We all know horror stories about fastfit organisations, but by and large I'd prefer that they be talked about in the privacy of your local, not here in The Back Room.
|
Martyn,
I am always wary of making statements that could be construed as libellous and thought I had avoided doing so in this case in that I purposely avoided any allegation of *intent* to deceive. However, I am sorry if I overstepped the mark with regard to what is acceptable on this forum.
David.
|
David Withers wrote:
>
>
>However, I am sorry if I overstepped the mark with
> regard to what is acceptable on this forum.
>
> David.
On the contrary, you didn't. But I was concerned that your post might have encouraged other, less considerate, contributors to do so. (As moderator I have to try to look two or three steps in front!)
|
|
|
|
|
A friend had a tyre fitted by Kwik Fit. Two days and only 20 miles later it was flat. On being returned to the depot, they reckoned she had run over glass or similar. The tyre showed no damage at all, and I got to inspect it the same afternoon on hearing her concerns. I too couldn't see any damage whatsoever, however they reckoned that this damage is often microscopic and pointed to some yellow crayon marks on the tyre. I passed a finger on the interior of the tyre behind the marks they'd made, nothing. They offered to return it to Dunlop for examination. 1) What are the chances of this actually happening, and if so 2) of Dunlop coughing to a duff tyre?
|
|
|
|
I've used Just Tyres in Sheffield and Huddersfield, and found the service to be excellent. They were cheaper than anyone else, but that might have been their undoing as the branches around here are now closed.
They also repaired a puncture in SWMBO's Clio when I'm sure other (nameless) tyre repairers would have seized the chance of a sale.
Just my experience though.
Lee.
|
May I refer you all to my post last week called "tyre choice and fitting", quick post in the forum to confirm tyre choice 10min on the phone to get a good price and a indication of each companies attitude, my local ATS came out trumps with 1 or two others close behind. Called in on my way home and my impressions of them over the phone were confirmed I left a happy camper. All this started out with a nail in the tyre slow puncture that morning. Bit of effort before you rushed in would have made the difference.
I did check KwiK fit but there quote was laughable and I generally try to avoid them at all costs (personal opinion).
|
|
|
|
I use a small local branch of a chain which has a good reputation, the same staff for years and will generally match a quote from other local firms.
If I need a tyre in a hurry I will consider a fast-fit outfit, but for repairs and an honest opinion would rather stick to my guy.
|
|
|
Kwik Fit is owned by Ford.
Ford are in the process of disposing of some of their "non-core" businesses in order to reduce their debts. Kwik Fit is one of the companies they are thinking of disposing. Rumour is that the founder of Kwik Fit, Tom Farmer, is putting together a buy-out package.
|
My local Ford Dealer has it's own Tyre and exhaust fitting section called RapidFit...
They were not the cheepest but in the longer run turned out to be the best value for a couple of small fornt dunlops for my Matiz. (It's just too much fun round the round-a-bouts...)
CV
|
|
|
|
|
I can't believe rip-off Britain, though everyone keeps giving me examples. I have recently had 4 new Goodyears for our spare Mazda Astina fitted at the local Goodyear Servitek Center for 1900 Pesos each. At today's exchange rate that's GBP24.66 per tire plus a 40p tip for the fitter.
|
|
|
I had a slow puncture fixed last week at ATS. The tyre was bought from them last summer, and my wife insisted that we take out the guarantee - an extra three quid! But they are now going to repair the tyre at no extra charge, so I have to admit I'm pleased.
Chris
|
I needed tyres urgently on Saturday and Kwik fit had a pair of Pirrelli P6000 in stock. They wanted £150 fully inclusive.
My usual local supplier always charges £120 but needs to order them for the next day.
I rang Kwik Fit and over the telephone, without any hassle, they agreed to match the £120. They also managed to jack up my Mondeo using the correct jacking points at the rear (on the sill) using timber blocks I supplied with a groove cut into them.
On a negative note, the fitters had hands blathered with oil and I found oil all over my boot lid, key and interior door handle.
Compared to most other tyre centres I thought they were slightly above average and were and always have been very polite and courteous.
As with most things, you pay peanuts you get monkeys and until people are willing to pay a lot more for highly trained expery tyre fitters then we will all have to put up with the problems mentioned on this site so many times before.
|
|
|
|
Paul
I had occasion to return a tyre to Dunlop for examination a few years ago when it showed signs of failure after about 1,000 miles.
The report was in my favour but I only got back, IIRC, about half the purchase price in spite of the minimal wear.
Regards
Brian
|
|
|
