|
Advert in one of today's tabloids in which Kwik Fit are saying that if they fit you new brake discs and pads you will never pay for replacements so long as you own the car (Terms and conditions apply). When I asked them about replacements some weeks ago they were the same price as the Main Agent but with this offer they would be worth considering. What do other BR people think? Is there a catch?
|
If there's not a catch, they're simply working out the odds of people ever wanting replacements....
A set of pads on an average car will last what - 25,000 miles? Many people will change car before this mileage has passed. If the pads do go while you still own the car, a set of pads from a cheap supplier is about £10 per axle, and takes about 20 minutes to fit (£15 labour cost @ £45/h). So they can charge a main-dealer price to begin with, and it'll only cost them about £25 for the few people who come back wanting a replacement set of pads.
I'm guessing the terms and conditions are that it's for private drivers only - some taxi drivers get through a set of front pads in a month! The phrase "own the car" is also a big one - if it's not registered to you, I doubt you'd get anything out of them. Kwik Fit will lose out in some cases, but for the majority they'll be cashing in.
|
|
I agree with GregSwains post, and add that for the few private drivers who do keep their car for longer, you can be sure that there is a significant margin in Kwik Fits price to cover these. Personally I would give Kwik Fit a very wide berth from experience..
|
|
Whilst my car received a well needed wash yesterday I had a quick look at the pads. After 24,000 miles they are barely touched - hardly a generous offer for me. But when Kwikfit get the Fiat owner I followed yesterday, who over 5 miles used his brakes 68 times (my wife noticed he was tailgating and kept having to brake so decided to count!) they may regret their promotion!
|
|
As a steady driver I was surprised to be told that I needed front discs and pads @ 24K miles and 2 years. £250 from main agent and Kwik Fit, something about rear discs being either corroded or glazed as well. It is stopping OK, the front discs have a detectable 'edge' where the inner part of the disc has worn and the outer partt hasn't, obviously. I'm going to leave it to 2 yrs and 11 months and get it MOT'd, before it goes in for its 3rd service.
|
As a steady driver I was surprised to be told that I needed front discs and pads @ 24K miles and 2 years.
Agree, we have a 3 yr old Focus with 25k miles and the pads are not even half worn, we also have a 28 month old Audi A4 with 38k on it and the pads on this are about half worn front and rear.
The reason why I why I said earlier that I would give KF a wide berth is that I once saw them rip a nice old gentleman right-off on loads of things they wanted to do to his car, while I was having tyres fitted on my company car. I was standing right by the car (with the wheels off) when they told him in an almost scare-mongering way how badly he needed the brakes replacing when in fact they were about half worn.
In my day we used to call this bare-faced lying !
|
|
|
|
>>>'A set of pads on an average car will last what - 25,000 miles?'
Hmmmmm I must be doing something wrong then? I have had my Perodua Kenari since new (2001 Y), done nearly 70,000 miles and never had the pads/discs changed.
Had a stone trapped the other day (horrible metalic scraping noise), diddn't know it was a stone until I took the wheel off and checked it. Examined the pads/disc while the wheel was off and all is well.
>>>'Kwik Fit will lose out in some cases, but for the majority they'll be cashing in.'
So in this case Kwik Fit would be onto a winner with me!
|
>>>'A set of pads on an average car will last what - 25,000 miles?'
Depends entirely on your driving route and driving style.If like me the majority of your commute is long distance motorway/dual carriageway then brake wear will be minimal.My mazda 6 which has now covered 33000 miles has virtually no brake wear.On the other hand I have to change the discs/pads on my wifes polo every 18000miles/2 years as her commute is cross country on very twisty and hilly roads.
|
|
Sadly around 32k on the last three series I had, but then again it was caned on country roads.
|
As a steady driver I was surprised to be told that I needed front discs and pads @ 24K miles and 2 years.
>>
armitage had a thread on his discs/brakes wear in technical section a few weeks ago, see here:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=42556&...f
|
|
|
|
|
