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Front tyre on wifes car was flat yesterday, so out came the Holts Trye Weld. Still up this morning, but we need to do some driving over the next few days and the local Kwik Fit was open.
Told him that Tyre Weld had been used, came back and he said he could not find the puncture. Told him again, then the penny dropped. He then says it needs a new tyre as its corrosive. So we let him fit a new tyre at £75 whilst I sat googling. I have zero knowledge of cars as I dont drive.
So I asked him their policy on tyre weld and flats, he started to wobble a bit and squeaked out its an ammonia based product that rots the tyre, then something about having to rinse it out and find the flat..... Its a water based product I told him and asked for my tyre back. Its now home and rinsed out.
Just rung 'customer service' and I have to wait till 'Tuesday'.
So any thoughts? Its a rip off I know but.... lets have some sport till I can sort it out. Guess a refund of the difference beyween a flat and the tyre? They can come round, fix the flat and take their new tyre back?
Little to add apart from Iv'e no idea how theyr'e still in business.
(Well I do really, It's by preying on people like you OP.)
Holts tyre weld doesn’t rot tyres, if it did I would be dead many times over!
i have had a kwik fit fitter tell me my brakes were worn out (i can assure you they weren’t)
that my tyres were illegal (they had more than 6mm of tread remaining, the legal limit is 1.6mm)
that my exhaust was rotted through (it passed an mot test for another 3 years)
that my suspension bushes were worn out and needed replacing (passed five mot tests after this).
Mother in law went in a number of years ago, to get a tyre fitted, they told her that her brakes were dangerously worn out and refused to give her the car back until she took out a loan to buy new discs/pads.
the discs and pads had been replaced for the mot three months ago.
she ended up going to trading standards and they got done for it.
Don’t trust them, ‘some’ of them are crooks.
I'm sure there are some decent branches but I've not found one yet. I think my favourite interaction was watching the "mechanic" drive my fairly spicy car at, I'm guessing, more than twice the speed limit up and down the road to check the tyres I'd had replaced "had seated properly".
I've also had all the usual "tyres dangerous", "brake pads worn", "discs are warped" bullshittery, and watched them try to tell an obviously struggling mother that the only tyres that would fit on her Corsa were £90 Michelins add they could only replace them in pairs "as a safety precaution". I pointed her in the direction of one of the online places where there were tyres from £35.
Borderline criminal buffoons in my experience.
We tend to use Halfords auto centres these days. I’ve used about 4 different ones and always had good service.
Are they a franchise?
I've used my local one for donkeys' years and never had a problem. (Tell a lie, once had an issue with them being overzealous with the wheel nut gun.)
passed the mot on my work van it had no working seat belts for the middle or passenger side seats.
not much more to say really
Have to use them for tyres and MOTs for my company car. God knows why the leasing company use them, must cost them a fortune in the long run.
It’s true - Used them twice ... both times they did their best to scare me into buying something I did not need.
no idea how they are still trading.
Many years ago, they offered a 'lifetime guarantee' as an extra on exhausts (lifetime = as long as you own the car). Since I keep cars until they die, it seemed worth a try. 3 years later, middle section was blowing, phones to see if they had one in stock; "We recommend replacing the whole exhaust if the middle section has gone". "OK, fine". "Do you want to know the price?" "Not really, it's on your lifetime guarantee" "Oh [splutter] the other parts will probably be fine..." They replaced the whole thing, unfortunately it lasted until it was scrapped or I'd have been back again. Nice to catch them at their own game.
Strange how all their advice results in you having to spend out lots more cash than needed on non existent faults,
I think they're alright. Took my car in for an MOT last year and they passed it, £25 for that. Took my car in to a different garage, not Kwik Fit, this year and I need over a grands worth of work to be done. That MOT cost me £40.
The main dealer told my wife the brakes needed replacing on her car. A few months later I took it to Kwik fit. They said the brakes didn’t need replacing. So there are some honest ones out there.
However a a complaint was made to the main dealer. They refunded all work previously completed on vehicle as I couldn’t be sure it needed doing.
Hence this kwik fit can have my business again.
Used our local one in Skipton a few times and they've always been great. No attempt to rip me off and competitive on price.
Always had fantastic service in Shipley and trust the guy who runs it. They have said stuff is fine when I’ve queried stuff.
however the Harrogate one is run by a bunch of cowboys.
And while we are at it a BMW main dealer said disc and pads were worn out on a 12 month old car. When I questioned why the sensors didn’t pick up that the pads were gone, they said they were faulty and had to be replaced too. I didn’t believe them but didn’t chase as company vehicle.
Ford have said pads worn on wife’s Fiesta. When I checked loads left.
Just like all companies, some good, some bad
If you are on about the Harrogate BMW garage then you are correct, they are utter asshats. I could go in to why but it would make me angry and it's put me off ever using a Stratstone dealership again.
Lloyds in Colne on the other hand are ace.
Many years ago, they offered a ‘lifetime guarantee’ as an extra on exhausts (lifetime = as long as you own the car)
My dad had that on his landrover the late 80's. He used to keep cars until they died too.
When the exhaust failed he took it in to Kwik Fit be told the studs had seized in the manifold and it would be £40 an hour labour to sort it as that wasn't covered. He got took the exhaust from them and got the local garage to fit it for less than half the price. ☺
I wouldn't go near them unless it was as a last resort. Them and National Tyres😡
Cheers everyone so far and appreciated.
I think these guys think they know everything; the sealant; reason why he can't find the puncture still makes ne laugh.
Yep, went in there once with a known less than legal tyre to get changed as it was the only place open.
They swapped it and then told me both my shocks were leaking and needed replacing,
'ok' I said. swap them for the same again please. The 'mechanic' looked really pleased.
He didn't look as pleased when he returned and I showed him the receipt with lifetime warranty on all gas shocks and had to reduce the bill by £185 to £50.
I got to know a guy who worked in the local one as I managed a local pub. He told me they were all on targets for the number of shocks/discs etc to be sold in a week.
Yes it was BMW Harrogate
I go in all the time with company vehicles. Let them go through all their standard bullshit about replacing stuff then tell them it’s a lex fleet vehicle.
They usually look crestfallen then tell me to come back when part x or tyre y is basically worn out.
Bunch of crooks
Many years ago, they offered a ‘lifetime guarantee’ as an extra on exhausts (lifetime = as long as you own the car). Since I keep cars until they die, it seemed worth a try. 3 years later, middle section was blowing, phones to see if they had one in stock; “We recommend replacing the whole exhaust if the middle section has gone”. “OK, fine”. “Do you want to know the price?” “Not really, it’s on your lifetime guarantee” “Oh [splutter] the other parts will probably be fine…” They replaced the whole thing, unfortunately it lasted until it was scrapped or I’d have been back again. Nice to catch them at their own game.
My Dad used to take advantage of this. Every year before the MoT he'd take the car there and ask them if they though it needed replacing, when they said 'yes, of course it needs replacing' he'd smile and produce the receipt...
There are a few good fitters on there books, but they are few and far between.
The not able to repair a puncture when using sealant is a common one, too much effort for not enough reward for them, I used to work for a lease company and when a customer had used sealant we retained the tyres for inspection, any found to be repairable we didn't pay for.
My old man was charged £40 for a puncture repair after insisting it was repaired, he kicked off and the reduced it to a tenner.
At the moment we have no choice as they are the only cowboys the wifes lease company allow, we had a puncture went in to Kwik Fit with it run flat as theres no spare, and they fitted the wrong size tyre, then tried to argue with me when I highlighted the issue.
Just remember the ad, they're kwik fit fitters not kwik mech mechanics. I'll happily use them for tyres or for other specifics (a cheap voucher aircon recharge was the last time i was in one) but not for opinions let alone actual spannering.
So glad I have a proper mechanic that I can trust tbh, that's worth a lot.
Had only good service from our local one. But that is just for tyres, when worn and I know need replacing. Knowledgeable, prompt, polite, and like my boy racer car too. They are less keen on the CRV :D. As for mechanical stuff, well I have a main dealer for that sort of thing. One who is also reliable and honest. Probably more important than choice of make to be honest.
I'm sure there are other good ones too, just like Halfords.