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MG ZR ZS ZT Technical - Savage - Kwik-Fit, Newmarket Road, Cambridge

Unfortunately too late...

I have noticed today that, after wiping off some excess lubricant put on to help put the tyres on, Kwik-Fit in Newmarket Road, Cambridge have damaged my alloys. 3 of my alloys now have a 1mm deep slice out of them - about the size of 5 or 10 pence pieces!!!

I know that I am unable to do anything about it now as they will not admit to it, and say that they must have been damaged when I brought the car in.

The Car went in for an MOT a few days after, but that sort of damage would not come from an MOT check.

I am angry at myself for not checking when they were done, but you would have thought Kwik-Fit would be able to do something they do 100 times a day quite easily. This will be the 2nd time I will have to pay out for repairs on the car that were not my fault :o( I am so frecking depressed.

I cannot wait to buy a battered old Diesel runabout and I will take no mercy on the roads...

A. I shall no longer brake on roundabouts when people pull out in fron of me. I shall just ram them.

B. I shall SLAM my brakes on extremely hard when people get too close to my rear instead of touching the brakes lightly to make them think I am braking.

C. I shall still be kind on the road in that I will let people out of junctions, but I will not slow down for them, I shall make it look like their error and T-Bone them.

I have had enough!
DemonTraitor

Go back and complain!! - tell them u know every mark on the car and wheels, and that they were ok before u visited them!

Somewhere I have mentioned a couple of places in Cambridge where to get the tyres, KwiK Fit on Newmarket Rd, was not one of them!!

Kelv.
Kelvin

Do tyre places actually know what they are doing? My centre caps were damaged when they used a screwdriver to lever them out.

In future I shall remove these myself before taking it for a tyre change.

And what would it cost them to clean the rims while they're off the car? Mine always seem to look worse than before it goes in. Or is it part of the lack of service we've come to expect in the pursuit of cheap prices?
Martin ZT

If you search on Kwik-fit in the archive and read all the bad reports and problems, why do people still insist on using them? Like any other business, the smaller, owner-run places almost always offer far better service. And like all buying decisions - especially as a three-figure sum is usually involved- a little research and forethought by the buyer goes a long way.
David S

Having been forced to use 'tyre places' for many years for company cars I would never, ever, use them for my own, having seen some of their antics!!! The F has always gone to Protyre - not necessarily the lowest price, but a very professional, slick operation. All very impressive, with care, quality, and attention to detail. I will do likewise with the new ZS, and FWIW, even my son and daughter now use them in preference to some of the larger multiple chains!

Mike H
Mike Hall

I got a call from Kwik-Fit yesterday querying about the service I got. I said "Funny you should call..."

A customer service agent called me this morning and gave me a reference number and told me to call the branch I got the tyres done. They were going to call them too. It will be interesting to see what the outcome is.

I will let you know, I will call them today...
DemonTraitor

brilliant, what a turn-up! Hope you get it sorted...
David S

Well, I have spoken to Customer Services again, the Operations manager is going to call in a few days and arrange to come round and inspect the wheels.

This is going excellently, and I must say I am shocked (and embarrassed) with their professionalism. They obviously understand what many companies fail to spot - that existing customers are extremely important and cheaper than trying to advertise for new cusotmers. If this all works out I will definately use KF again, and again...

So - if anyone else gets a similar problem, speak to Customer Services :o)

I will keep you all updated- if you are interested...
DemonTraitor

I always emove the wheels myself and take them in the back of Janet's estate and stand over the guys as they do the work

learned a long tome ago when the Kwik-fit apes damaged a set of chromadoros fitted to my X1-9
Neil

I have been to the KF branch again and shown the damage to the manager. He did say that they do not use any tools that could have caused such damage and showed me various tools. One of the tools was for pulling the valve through after fitting the tyre - the one he showed me was some rusty thing that looked like it had not been used in years - and was just a bar with an end that you screw onto valve and pull - I know for a fact that it was not the tool used on mine as I saw them use some great big thing, which required a lever action to work, pivoting on the rim of the alloy.

In the end he did not actually deny the damage after I had told him the facts and obviously had shown him the damage. He is going to talk to his bosses and see what can be arranged. I am going to telephone Customer Services again today...


Pics of the damage:-

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dtabradnick/store/Dscn1399.jpg

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dtabradnick/store/Dscn1400.jpg

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dtabradnick/store/Dscn1401.jpg
DemonTraitor

I am getting the 3 alloys touched up by Chips Away. Kwik-Fit are going to pay half the costs - £50 per wheel - so I have to pay £75.

Not sure if I should fight and risk KF turning round and saying they aint gonna pay anything.

:o/
DemonTraitor

on what basis do they claim you should pay half - are they saying you are half to blame !?!? Just get it done and send them the bill and if they don't pay in 1 month go to small claims court.
David S

You shouldnt pay a penny, they damaged the wheels and its obvious they are admitting this to be the case otherwise they wouldnt be paying for half the costs.

Just get nasty, it sometimes pays not to be polite in cases like this, no one likes an irrate customer especially one threatening legal action.
G.K

Aha! posssibly the old 50-50 ploy ..:lol:

Such repairs could be less than 50 quid per wheel I would imagine. Last time I got one done locally in Gloucester, I was charged 25 quid. Thus three wheels would cost 75 quid which is what it appears they want you to pay.

Like Mike Hall, I too have used Protyre (Location - Bristol Road, Gloucester). Their premises are almost Palatial compared to most tyre places and they do not do price matches. However, their prices on some brands are still reasonably competitive. I watched as they replaced the tyre on my 17" ZS alloy wheel. They worked really carefully and used a leather(?)protective 'cushion' on the rim to reduce the chances of damage. One of the Guys in Protyre Gloucester lives in my street - he's a car enthusiast and has restored a 2.4 Jaguar which he's had for years. Things like that can and do make a big difference to service given.

To be fair to Kwik-Fit, I too wrote a polite letter of complaint about the service I got in one of their two Gloucester Branches. I simply wanted a tyre swopped on my trailer's spare - I provided both wheel and new tyre - they did not have to remove the wheel. I needed it done quickly and was charged 14 quid for this simple job. On arrival home I checked the invoice - I was charged quite heavily for valve and balance which I specifically did not request. I was given a refund of the difference and the matter was treated very heplfully and fairly. Their other branch in Gloucester fitted a 195/55-15 Pirelli to my Tomcat for 30 quid less than the other branch quoted - and 40 quid less than other prices I was quoted elsewhere for the same item. They had one on the shelf which probably helped. It certainly helped me as they did it as soon as I arrived so I did not have to wait at all. In and out in a few minutes.

Whenever I use ANY tyre place, I ask the staff NOT to use power tools on those stainless covered wheel nuts fitted to MGs. Their power tool sockets get a lot of use and when worn, always damage those stainless covers making subsequent removal at best difficult, or worse impossible with ordinary DIY but good quality tools. I often loosen all the nuts before they work on the car whilst waiting for service .. and tighten them up myself afterwards. Never had any problems when politely explaining what I want and why.... Those MG stainless nuts are 4-5 quid EACH! 16 = 80 quid!

Happy New Year to all....especially to the good folks up at Longbridge.
MGJohn

Spoke to Kwik-Fit again and they are going to pay half of a total refurb of the wheels costing 70 + VAT each wheel.

Not bad. atleast i get rid of some kerb scuffs too.
DemonTraitor

Got the wheels done last saturday. they look great.

cost me £161 in the end (i went halves with kwik-fit).
Demon

NEVER GO BACK

Use "Cambridge Performance Tyres" instead, they are a much better company to deal with and you will find them if you continue down into the industrial estate instead of turning into the bowling ally (you get to avoid newmarket road that way as well!)
Will Munns

This thread was discussed between 22/12/2004 and 14/01/2005

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