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Apr 15, 2006 18:05:24 GMT
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Not a very retro problem but...
Driving back from Shephard's Bush the other night (went to see We Are Scientists- highly recommended!) the brake pedal lost all pressure and I had to put my foot through the floor to stop it in a decent distance and even then it felt a bit twitchy under braking.
Anyhoo, I took a look at it today- decent amount of fluid still in the system but there did seem to be some fluid on the ground underneath the car.
Long story short- I ended up taking it to Kwik Fit as I didn't really have time to mess about with the car as I'm meant to be decorating my whole house in one long weekend.
Firstly they kept the car for over an hour and when I get back to the garage I see my car unattended on the ramps with all four wheels off. They then proceed to tell me that the pads and discs all round need replacing and they reckon it's the master cylinder that's gone.
Now, I bought the car from a mate who's dad is a mechanic and the car was meticulously mantained and has only done 500 miles since the last MOT a couple of months back and I also have a receipt for brakes and pads all round that's 18 months old. So although the fronts may have worn out (unlikely as my mate drives like my nan!) there's no way the backs have worn as well.
The Kwik Fit chap then says that his boss has said he can't let the car just have the master cylinder replaced and he can do all of the work or nothing at all! I opted for the latter and took my car back home ready to take to my usual mechanic next week.
Not much a point to this tale other than to vent!!
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Nick
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,483
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Kwik FitNick
@rearwheelnick
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Apr 15, 2006 18:10:54 GMT
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why couldnt his boss let the master cylinder be done without doing the "pads and discs" sound like a bunch of money grabbing cock jockeys to me.
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idea stolen from rattely eddie.
this weeks car count "5"
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Apr 15, 2006 18:11:52 GMT
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utter plums
sounds like somethings slightly loose go round the brake hoses and calipers
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2001 HONDA CT110 (NOT RCV)
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Apr 15, 2006 18:18:06 GMT
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I agree- as I say, I just didn't have the time to screw around with it today and thought that if it was a case of £10 parts (as I figured it may be a split line) and faffing about when I'm meant to be painting (which sucks incidentally!!) or getting it straight back into service for £30 or so then I would as I kinda need it for the many runs to Homebase I seem to be making!!
It probably is something really simple though as it was fine and then suddenly I lost a lot of braking power and the pedal has no pressure to it. Hopefully it won't be too expensive but I know that it certainly doesn't need new discs and pads.
I'm surprised they didn't try and shaft me with a new set of tyres as well- but then i guess they wouldn't as that's harder to convince the layman when he can see there's plenty of tread.
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Apr 15, 2006 18:30:40 GMT
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It sounds to me more like a slave cylinder seal (or caliper seal if it's disc brakes) has gone which is why there is fluid under the car and the brakes were a bit twitchy. When the seal goes, instead of pushing the shoes against the drum (or pad against the disc) it lets some fluid through which is why the pedal goes down. The fluid leaks all over the drum or disc which makes the brakes a bit unpredictable as well.
I'm surprised they didn't notice that your tracking was out though. It normally is when you pull into Kwikfit
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Kwik FitDave Dorson
@cappuccinocruiser
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Apr 15, 2006 18:37:05 GMT
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take the car back, tell them what they told you then demand you watch them while they do all the work You want every component they replace back so you can take it to an independant party to have them inspected, if they are not excessivly worn, you want a refund for a) your time wasted b) the cost of parts needlessly replaced c) the labour they've wasted on your car. If they agree to those terms, I'd say they may be telling you the truth. If they don't (which they won't), suspect them of foul play
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The lurker formerly known as Cappuccinocruiser.. or wedgedout..
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Apr 15, 2006 19:26:45 GMT
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???AAARRRGGGHH...This type of daylight robbery really pi$$es me off. I work as a mechanic/MOT tester in a small independent garage and see the results of fast fit carry ons all the time. To be fair to the actual fitters I guess they only carry out practices like this because of bonus schemes and it's the only way they can get a decent wage.
Shock absorbers are another favourite...so many times I've had customers come to me having been to a Speedy/Rapid/Fast/Quick fit place to have a tyre fitted and being frightened to drive away from the place because of severe warnings about dangerous shockers. They drive on a knifes edge to me to get a 2nd opinion thinking something horrendous is about to happen..then I look at it and see that either someone has squirted oil to make out that they are leaking,or no squirted oil and curse word all wrong in either case anyway.
I realise that we all have to make a living, and that it's important to drive a safe car, but frankly the garage I work at makes plenty of money without needing to resort to Bullplop and scare tactics. We charge £35[the lowest around here that I know of] per hour + VAT, no freebies, or 2 for 1 offers and more importantly...a good job is done and no bullshitty scare tactics!
BTW I don't own the garage or have anything to gain from saying this stuff about where I work.
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MWF
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,945
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Apr 15, 2006 19:33:05 GMT
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Tis a shame, I've seen it a few times where people have taken their car to Kwik to be told it's a death trap, I've even known them 'impound' what they claim to be dangerous cars.
Dealers are just as bad.
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hameth
Part of things
Posts: 81
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Apr 15, 2006 19:58:08 GMT
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i used to work at a 'fast fit' garage for many years (rapid fit) at a ford dealer and can honestly say i have never ripped anyone off although the pressure is always on from above to make more money! kwik fit however are well known in the industry for this kind of thing especally shock absorbers! your experience doesn't suprise me but not all fast fits are like that...
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Apr 15, 2006 20:00:24 GMT
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Was the KwikFit guy 11 or 12? The 11 year olds do tyres and the 12 year olds do brakes.. Allegedly
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Last Edit: Apr 15, 2006 20:01:48 GMT by ImpJimbo
BS Nymph Singer Chamois Coupe Series 3 Landy
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Apr 15, 2006 20:01:00 GMT
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Kwik Fit, don't get me started...
Many years ago when I was young and foolish I needed the wheels ballanced on my Capri, so I dropped it into them as they had a branch just by the shopping part of town. I thought, leave car there, pay like a £10 when I got back and no parking hassles and nice ballanced wheels.
When I get back they tell me they can't ballance the wheels because the brakes are shot. Needs new callipers, be £175 +VAT each +fitting. And the steering is shot, needs track rod ends or something. £20 +VAT a pop. Gave me the whole "you can't drive it away" but I did when I asked what they planned to do to stop me (it was in the car park at this point, hmmm.... exactly where I'd left it.... Anyway a quick call to Ford dealer and they said callipers were £36 each plus VAT (was a few years ago LOL) and the track rod ends were like £3. Add to this that I'd had a new rack fitted about 2 days before then for the MOT, and they'd not queried the brakes or the rod ends on the test. Took it to an independant garage, got it checked out, all was fine, just needed a ballance job. Took it to an independant tyre fitter and they did it for like £6.
Kwik Fit also charged my ex's mum £400+ for pads & discs on a Mk4 Escort 1.4L
Same lady foolishly took her Mk5 there for an exhaust. It split in half because they mangled it so bad fitting it and then charged another £60 to refit a replacement....
Kwik Fit put a jack through the floor of a workmates' Mini because they couldn't be arsed to look for the jacking points. Then denied it even tough he saw them do it. Said it was like that when it came in.
A local "service super centre" charged a guy £450 for changing the passenger side wheel bearing on a Mk2 Fiesta. Turns out they hadn't got a press so they just replaced the whole hub and stub axle assembly. Heck, its easier and the customer is paying... This guy needed anouther one and took it to my mate at the time who was an independant garage owner. He thought he'd save a few quid, maybe get it done about £350. Couldn't believe it when he was given a bill for £40. I beleiev he was unsuccessfull in an attempt to sue the service centre place.
it goes on and on and on
Robbing barstweards
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Apr 15, 2006 20:09:51 GMT
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Was the KwikFit guy 11 or 12? The 11 year olds do tyres and the 12 year olds do brakes.. Allegedly Yup, well maybe a bit older but certainly not old or big enough to be getting arsey with me because I said "I don't want new discs and pads and they're not knackered anyway as there are wear sensors- I just want the pedal feel looking at". Shortly after that the master cylinder story was spun and I asked for the car back. I can't prove it (as I've only had the car about a week and may not have noticed) but I think they also scratched the leather on the steering wheel as well. Probably with the 'geezer's' sovereigns. I wasn't exactly happy about going Kwik-Sh*t but I had already gone out in the car to my mate's dad's garage for him to have a look and found him closed for the holidays so I thought I'd swing by KF as it was on the way home. I mistakenly thought that by demonstrating a touch of mechanical know-how to the guy when I dropped it off I would be spared the usual curse word they give customers but it seems not! I didn't stick around to argue when they brought the car out as I was so hacked off I just wanted to get out of there!! I've driven (classic) cars with worse brakes so it wasn't a danger to take it home but I feel for anyone who has to drop it in to one of those places in a real emergency as it seems they want to replace any parts they can! Funny thing is that after a few terse words and getting the car put back together they couldn't even get the parts until Tuesday anyhow. Seems to me they stuck it up on the ramp immediately and then thought they'd leave it up there for an hour until I came back and then make out like they'd be looking at it the whole time and the problem was more widespread than it really was! All just IMHO of course- I'm sure there's many fine Kwik it establishements
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Last Edit: Apr 15, 2006 20:12:17 GMT by aaronm3
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Apr 15, 2006 20:19:07 GMT
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i took my correct height merc 200t to get the tracking sorted a few years back. w123s have got some negative camber on the front as standard, but was told they couldnt track them "cos the wheels didnt go straight up and down". i told the guy thats how they were meant to be, he argued saying i was wrong so i told him to go and fcuk himself, and left. bunch of cock knocking clown shoes.
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Apr 15, 2006 21:27:37 GMT
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lol- would you mind if I tried my damndest to get the phrase "cock knocking clown shoes" into popular usage :-) ?
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minicity
Part of things
Finger Lickin Good!
Posts: 160
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Apr 15, 2006 22:30:00 GMT
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Kwik Fit put a jack through the floor of a workmates' Mini because they couldn't be arsed to look for the jacking points. Then denied it even tough he saw them do it. Said it was like that when it came in. Fave of theirs that... couple of weeks after I passed my test I had a tyre let go... Pop inot Kwik Fit before college. Yeah no problem mate... Next thing is me running into the workshop screaming don't you dare as they look to jack it up by the floor. for them to insist its a jacking point... Never been back since!
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Apr 15, 2006 22:32:04 GMT
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Yea, I drove in and needed 4 new tyres and tracking just like that!
I didn't point out the 500 miles of wear on a brand-new set of freshly tracked tyres.
Bunch of timewasters and money grabbers!
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street
Posted a lot
6.2 ft/lbs of talk
Posts: 4,662
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Apr 16, 2006 10:16:51 GMT
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I sympathise, I had an experience with those useless bastrads... You can picture the scene- they're were about six 15 year olds in ovaralls sitting around the office, and one guy in a suit that I assume was the gaffer. He was probably sat there spinning stories about how he's made old Doris pay £800 for a new set of mudflaps or something, and when i came in I got the feeling he was trying to show off his conning skills. I wanted lower profile tyres on my 15" rims, the suit said "you can have 45 profile tyres, but your gonna have to go up a size in width to restore the rolling radius so your speedo is still accurate". He thought he was feeding me a load of technical jargon that I wouldnt understand to make me buy the more expensive tyres, but what he did instead was lose any custom they might have had from me. If i'd have left it with them the retards would have probably tried to tell me the car needed re-shelling or something....... Took it to a smaller independand little tyre place- no problems whatsoever. friendly, cheap(er), honest. Moral: NEVER go to kwik-fit
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street
Posted a lot
6.2 ft/lbs of talk
Posts: 4,662
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Apr 16, 2006 10:38:36 GMT
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The other reason I replied to this thread was so that I could send this to the Kwik-fit customer comments section on kwik-fit.com ;D "Dear sir/madam, I have been meaning for several months to tell you about the service I recieved from the (high st) Stapleford, Nottingham branch of Kwik-fit, as I feel you should be aware of how they attempted to extract a large sum of money from me by sabotage, deception and lies. But after reading the testimonies of many other motorists, I now realize that it was not an isolated case. This link- retrorides.proboards29.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1145124324&page=1-Is to a well respected forum dicussing their experiences with Kwik-fit, which i'm sure you will find very enlightening. I don't think i'm alone in saying that I will NEVER use kwik-fit again, not for so much as a puncture."
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Last Edit: Apr 16, 2006 10:38:57 GMT by street
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Apr 16, 2006 11:07:33 GMT
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Apr 16, 2006 11:10:13 GMT
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The other reason I replied to this thread was so that I could send this to the Kwik-fit customer comments section on kwik-fit.com ;D "Dear sir/madam, I have been meaning for several months to tell you about the service I recieved from the (high st) Stapleford, Nottingham branch of Kwik-fit, as I feel you should be aware of how they attempted to extract a large sum of money from me by sabotage, deception and lies. But after reading the testimonies of many other motorists, I now realize that it was not an isolated case. This link- retrorides.proboards29.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1145124324&page=1-Is to a well respected forum dicussing their experiences with Kwik-fit, which i'm sure you will find very enlightening. I don't think i'm alone in saying that I will NEVER use kwik-fit again, not for so much as a puncture." It would be interesting to see their reply. They'll probably not bother, either that or they'll say something along the lines of "re-training" their staff so that these "isolated incidents" don't happen again.
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