You cant trust a Kwik S@"t fitter

[gh3382]

A Tyre on my ML went low in pressure and I pumped it but two days later flat as a pancake.

Obvious puncture so took the wheel off and took it to Kwik S@"T who told me it couldnt be repaired as a screw on top of the tread was at an angle and the plug and patch would not hold. "I can get a quote for a new Tyre" which i said no and told him "I am so unlucky as the three punctures I have had over a few years all needed new tyres when coming here" and I was sure he was taking the ****.

i Took it to a local company who pulled the screw out and said this has not even gone through the inside. He then found the real hole and plugged it for a tenner.

Bit of difference a tenner or £235 for a tyre.

Gh3382

 

[Blobcat]

Terrible places, all about the up sell and zero customer service

 

[ajlsl600]

always drive straight past !!! and if NEED BE would walk past.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Why not programme your sat nav to avoid all KwikFit depots?
Works for me.

 

[A.J.]

I would always use a local independent, nearly always cheaper. My local Tyre Centre was £30 a tyre cheaper than 'Black Circles' last time I needed tyres

 

[Gazwould]

For over two decades I've been hearing of these calamity places from damaged wheels to over filled engine oil .

At least they are consistent .

 

[Blobcat]

For over two decades I've been hearing of these calamity places from damaged wheels to over filled engine oil .

At least they are consistent .

They've been bad for ever

 

[EmilysDad]

You've to watch what they're doing where ever you take your car.

I'm in the middle of replacing the grotty OE centre caps on my ML. Rather than just prise the originals out I thought I'd remove each wheel in turn & just check that they would in fact come off and grease stuff up. No amount of hitting (with the heel of my hand) would shift the first wheel ..... 2nd wheel I'd to swing off my breaker bar to undo most of the bolts and ended up with yet more blasted stainless caps coming off the bolt, I wish that garages wouldn't use rattle guns to remove/refit wheels, some of my bolts are now beyond refitting.
The last wheels to come off my car were the rears to check balance at a local independent tyre place and it was a rear that I'd to swing off the bolts.

 

[mioba]

Kwik fit been covered her for ages for upselling tactics, as long as the hole isnt so close to the tyre wall then it can be repaired. I dont recall the exact distance. sure someone will tell soon, just keep that in mind then you know when to walk.

Indeed huge difference 225.

 

[EmilysDad]

....

Bit of difference a tenner or £235 for a tyre.

Gh3382

And if you went to Costco, because your car is permanent 4x4 they'd insist on replacing all 4

 

[noonboots]

I've used the same independent since 1980. I'm on first name terms with all of the staff. If I find a better deal on the net for tyres that they can't match he says to get them and still fits them for a good price. You can't beat building a friendship with people and being loyal to their business.

 

[Bogus]

You've to watch what they're doing where ever you take your car.

I'm in the middle of replacing the grotty OE centre caps on my ML. Rather than just prise the originals out I thought I'd remove each wheel in turn & just check that they would in fact come off and grease stuff up. No amount of hitting (with the heel of my hand) would shift the first wheel ..... 2nd wheel I'd to swing off my breaker bar to undo most of the bolts and ended up with yet more blasted stainless caps coming off the bolt, I wish that garages wouldn't use rattle guns to remove/refit wheels, some of my bolts are now beyond refitting.
The last wheels to come off my car were the rears to check balance at a local independent tyre place and it was a rear that I'd to swing off the bolts.

Although most garages use impact wrenches for fitting/removing wheels, I dont beleive there are many who use them as final fit. Even the furthest back of the backstreet garages use a torque wrench at something approximating recommended torque for final fit, and kwik fit certainly do. if you are sure that a garage is hammering them up until their air operated impact wrench run outs of puff, then that garage needs to be avoided.

 

[Blobcat]

Although most garages use impact wrenches for fitting/removing wheels, I dont beleive there are many who use them as final fit. Even the furthest back of the backstreet garages use a torque wrench at something approximating recommended torque for final fit, and kwik fit certainly do. if you are sure that a garage is hammering them up until their air operated impact wrench run outs of puff, then that garage needs to be avoided.

I've seen quite a few tyre dealers fit the bolts with a windy gun then go around with a torque wrench - bit of a waste of time really as the wrench always clicks away first time as the windy gun took the bolts way past the required torque...

Another reason I removed the locking wheel bolts - taking them on and off with a windy gun is just playing russian roulette...

 

[EmilysDad]

Although most garages use impact wrenches for fitting/removing wheels, I dont beleive there are many who use them as final fit. Even the furthest back of the backstreet garages use a torque wrench at something approximating recommended torque for final fit, and kwik fit certainly do. if you are sure that a garage is hammering them up until their air operated impact wrench run outs of puff, then that garage needs to be avoided.

It didn't help that every wheel bolt on the car was as dry as a witches .....
It's a tyre place I've used for 20 odd years .... as said you just need to keep an eye on them. e.g. I was looked at dumb foundly as I said to turn the rim in the tyre as I wasn't happy with the amount of weights she was going to balance a tyre with.

 

[ajlsl600]

its a good idea to back off the bolt after tyre fitters have been at the car and tighten them yrself. before now i have had wheels stuck on so bad i have backed the bolts off and been around the yard in a tight circle ,this generally gets them unstuck .

 

[EmilysDad]

its a good idea to back off the bolt after tyre fitters have been at the car and tighten them yrself. before now i have had wheels stuck on so bad i have backed the bolts off and been around the yard in a tight circle ,this generally gets them unstuck .

After hitting the stuck rim when the heel of my hand I reverted to similar to you. Replaced all the bolts but backed of like you, but then drove backwards & forwards on my drive braking hard each time .... it worked.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Before any really long run - I'm talking cross Europe style run - I slacken each bolt, wipe it with an oily rag, and retighten it. Doing one bolt at a time while all the others remain tight on each wheel only takes a few moments.

I began doing this after I had to change a wheel miles from home years ago and actually snapped the breaker bar because the bolts were far too tight, and had not been checked for many months. My fault, but once bitten ....

 

[EmilysDad]

Before any really long run - I'm talking cross Europe style run - I slacken each bolt, wipe it with an oily rag, and retighten it. Doing one bolt at a time while all the others remain tight on each wheel only takes a few moments.

I began doing this after I had to change a wheel miles from home years ago and actually snapped the breaker bar because the bolts were far too tight, and had not been checked for many months. My fault, but once bitten ....

Not knowing how easily or not my wheels would come off was partly the reason for removing them all today. The hard shoulder isn't the place you want to find that your wheel is 'welded' to the hub.

 

[rorywquin]

Before any really long run - I'm talking cross Europe style run - I slacken each bolt, wipe it with an oily rag, and retighten it. Doing one bolt at a time while all the others remain tight on each wheel only takes a few moments.

I began doing this after I had to change a wheel miles from home years ago and actually snapped the breaker bar because the bolts were far too tight, and had not been checked for many months. My fault, but once bitten ....

Rubbish breaker bar if you're able to do that (or you spend a huge amount of time in the gym).

 

[umblecumbuz]

Rubbish breaker bar if you're able to do that (or you spend a huge amount of time in the gym).

The weakness with any breaker bar is the joint at the sharp end. Its strength relies on the pin going through both parts. It was the pin that allowed the joint to spread, and eventually come apart. The 'handle' was as strong as ever.