Kwik-Fit tried to rip off the wrong person today - For sure!

[uklee]

The wife's polo needed a pair of front tyres. It's an old 9N diesel , they're front heavy and it had been running under inflated. So i booked her in for a pair of Goodyears using Kwik Fit online. They're only around the corner, and inc fitting & balance they were competitively priced. I pre-paid online , so all she had to do was turn up.

I came back from work "Get your tyres babe ?" - "Yep , but they said it needed wheel alignment - so I had to pay another £45 "

"WHAT ?? " Her receipt said , front toe adjust £45.99 . I grabbed my keys & screamed around there in the rocco , my blood was boiling !

I got hold of the manager , and asked him why he'd performed an unnecessary wheel alignment on my wifes car - when it was only due in for 2 new front tyres ?
He could tell by my body language , and my tone that i wasnt a happy bunny...
He said they were worn on the edges , and started to try and tell me it was due to the alignment. - "Show me the data ?" i asked . He looked puzzled - "The before & after data" , i repeated.
"Oh , we dont keep it" - he said sheepishly. "OK , show me the old tyres ?"

He huffed , walked over to the corner of the workshop & pulled them out , Proudly displaying them - he pointed out the heavily worn inner and outer shoulders .
"That , pal - is due to under inflation - i know for a fact that there was nothing wrong with the alignment on my wifes car ! " i said.
"Nah , not always mate " - he was having none of it.
I then explained that excess positive toe would give wear on the outside and excess negative toe would give wear on the inside. You cant wear both sides of the same tyre at the same time with bad front toes ! - He then pulled a very cynical face and said "How do you know that ?"

-brief pause , whilst i counted to 5 in my head -

"Let me tell you something before i really lose my shit -I'm a senior wheel alignment engineer for Jaguar Landrover. In the plant i have 6 wheel alignment rigs that cost over £1.2 million each - I run those rigs . I also manage the service equipment at the Technical Academy, and I train the people , who train your people , how to use that kit !"

- long silence -

"I'll just get your refund Sir " ...

[Rob]

Just a refund? How many gave they conned and got away with?

[uklee]

I was incensed that they'd ripped the missus off - simply because she doesn't know any better . i just took my money and left before i did something that i would probably regret .
I'm not a violent man - but he was dangerously close to flicking my switch.

[Rob]

Get onto watchdog get the scirocco on telly

[uklee]

Lol , sadly it was Julie's (rather tired looking) 02 plate polo . I've just written a 'strongly worded' letter to their HQ - we'll see what comes back !


From my phone

[Rob]

I'm guessing they'll offer you free puncture repair for the life of your new tyres

[Jason81]

Glad you got your refund and good on you for standing up to them and correcting them!

[robb]

because this ended in a refund i can't help but find the actual conversation hilarious, the manager must of been mortified at being proved wrong by someone he assumed was an 'average joe' with no real technical experience, well done lee!

[uklee]

because this ended in a refund i can't help but find the actual conversation hilarious, the manager must of been mortified at being proved wrong by someone he assumed was an 'average joe' with no real technical experience, well done lee!

Yes - i could see the colour literally drain from his face as it dawned on him that i knew exactly what he'd done...

[skippy]

Well done Lee, only just read this. I know from your posts you know your stuff alright, so I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that one.

That is really bad to have been ripped off in the first place for clearly doing work that is not required. When some of these places offer you to come in for a 'Free winter check', or 'free safety check', you can bet your bottom dollar they will try and find something that needs attention.

I don't think I would go back to a KwikFit, I would prefer to pay a little extra at a specialist independent. Well done anyway, but I bet this unnecessary work goes on all the time.

[uklee]

apparently so mate - just google 'kwik fit review' - i wish i had of done ! . Scores and scores of customers reporting shoddy / unnecessary / over priced work

I received a phone call from the 'area manager' yesterday and he pretty much called me a liar ! . After i ran rings around him on the technicalities of wheel alignment , and asked him to prove to me that the adjustment was necessary - he said "well , you prove to ME that it WASN'T ?"

Clearly i wasn't going to let him get away with that , so today , and after much searching on the internet - i got through to the head of customer services and gave them a full account whilst expressing my extreme displeasure in a calm but authoritative way. After less than 20 minutes , i had (apparently) the chairman of Kwik Fit GB call me back on the phone with a grovelling apology and a full refund for the £109 that i'd originally spent on the tyres.

Job done - again..

[Rob]

But did you get an apology from he area manager?

[uklee]

No Rob, the guy that i spoke to today promised to 'coach' his area manager - i suggested that if he's really interested in 'transparent customer service' (his words - not mine) then he'd be better off by sacking the idiot.

[Rob]

Hope you told him word gets round on forums!! I've linked this thread on network too

[Ozmosis]

Well I'm glad for you that you got the refund, and a full one at that. However, there is nothing worse than an 'Area Manager' being a conceited d**k... So much for the customer always being right...?!

[dimexi]

What a story!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!

Absolutely LOVE IT!!! Serves him right! He will think twice before he pulls a fast one again. What a numpty

[dimexi]

No Rob, the guy that i spoke to today promised to 'coach' his area manager - i suggested that if he's really interested in 'transparent customer service' (his words - not mine) then he'd be better off by sacking the idiot.

Ahhh, the "we will make sure our managers get the necessary training" bullshit! Their priced get out clause. What a bunch of absolute d**ks..

The fact that they tried to claim you lied, even though you have proved them wrong!!!! I'd have had molten larva pouring out my ears

[lloydie63]

Many moons ago my car needed the two front brake pads replaced, kwik fit quoted £22 ( it was a long time ago) I agreed and went for a stroll whilst they fitted the pads. On my return kwik fit pointed out they carried out a brake check for free and found my rear discs were worn at least 1mm below the recommened 8mm limit. It will be another £122 for new disc's and pads. I said no way. They said the car was too dangerous to take back out on the road, after a heated exchange I got my car back. After work next day ( engineering) I took a micrometer home to check my disc's there was no point on the disc's under 9.5 mm! I decided to write a letter to head office about my experience and findings but never got a reply.


A friend once worked for kwik fit and a common scam he mentioned was when the car is up on the ramp was to wipe the dampers over with a cloth so as to make them relatively clean then spray oil on to the damper and tell the customer their damper/s were knackered as they were leaking.

[TheRustySheriff]

ATS tried to con me for a new exhaust as mine was sagging slightly. Was told it was rusty and needed new centre pipe and back box (about £200). I told em where to go as i knew this wasn't the case and all i needed was new rubbers (£5).

Moral of the story - The chain garages don't always have you're best interests at heart.