Kwik Fit servicing bikes

[Jameshow]

Why anyone would go to a chain is beyond me. Local businesses have so much more to lose if things go wrong. Look for someone with a decent reputation.

True story about Halfords MOT centres. They once had a look at Mrs667's Micra and came up with a list of "faults" that weren't anything like MOT failures. She told them to go ahead and paid £1000 instead of the £200 or so it would have taken for an MOT and routine servicing. I looked at the quote and the work they did and immediately thought they were chancers.

I took it to my local garage, got a proper list of MOT work required and came back to them with a list of the work that wasn't MOT related and that if I didn't get a full refund I'd contact Trading Standards and VOSA about their quoting for unnecessary work. They gave me a full refund.

Having said that took my van to my usual garage for tracking which it wasn't it was a damaged tyre they charged me £300 for two tyres which I can get for £100 each!!

 

[Fastpedaller]

They did the same to Volvo. Ruined the product by using cheap Ford engines and components which brought about a marked drop and qua,ity and, consequently, sales, then sold it a few years later for barely a quarter what they had paid for it. 5 minutes later the Chinese have turned it round and are making the killing that Ford didn't have the nouse to do.

Ford have dropped big money clangers like this regularly since the 50's, so it always amazes me they managed to remain in business.

Having worked at Ford, it was clear to me the management rarely got it wrong (Jac Nasser was probably the exception) - They seemed to be always ahead of the general press in predicting the downturns in the Uk economy, and the product with very few exceptions is/was first class. I can confirm the product testing goes beyond the level any customer would expect, and probably that of most vehicle manufacturers.
I have also worked at another manufacturer (no names no pack drill) where quality control, and any interest in improving the product was just about zero!

 

[Drago]

Yet the two examples cited above show where Ford lost billions on bad judgement calls and poor management of ancillary brands. Buying volvo for 6 billion dollars, dimininshing the product in terms of both quality and market perception and ruining sales, then selling it for 1.6 billion was hardly a minor matter. The loss of almost a billion sterling on the KwikFit acquisition and subsequent sale was also a bit of a clanger.

Imagine where they could be today without these bad decisions and management? They could be an absolute juggernaut.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Ooh, can I now pay to pointlessly have nitrogen in my bike tyres without being asked too?

I always fill my tyres with 78% Nitrogen as I find that optimises rolling resistance.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

I find Kwik fit fine, I guess it's down to the branch

This^^^^.

There are two branches near me. One I avoid, the other I do use. They never try and upsell and readily discount their price. Last work I got done they estimated in the region of £x. Bill came to £x +£y but they knocked off y without being asked.

Bottom line here is that a third party, Fettle, are setting up in three Kwik-Fit branches to offer their services. It’s not Kwik -Fit working on the bikes.

 

[Brandane]

I always fill my tyres with 78% Nitrogen as I find that optimises rolling resistance.

Mixing it with 21% oxygen gives the optimum result IME...

 

[Drago]

Rubbish. 0.93% argon gives the best results.

 

[Jameshow]

Having worked at Ford, it was clear to me the management rarely got it wrong (Jac Nasser was probably the exception) - They seemed to be always ahead of the general press in predicting the downturns in the Uk economy, and the product with very few exceptions is/was first class. I can confirm the product testing goes beyond the level any customer would expect, and probably that of most vehicle manufacturers.
I have also worked at another manufacturer (no names no pack drill) where quality control, and any interest in improving the product was just about zero!

Obviously never owned a ford!!

Build quality is carp!

Transits for instance rust like nothing else.
Not galvanised like sprinter, crafter, sevel vans..

Euro 6 dpf is a joke. £1000 just to clean it £3k to replace.

2.0 tdci engine is carp too.

Not to mention powershift auto VW's dsg is lightyears ahead!!

 

[Tom B]

Back in the day when shock absorbers were a thing that didn't last and I was young and daft I took my car to KwikFit for tyres. They fitted the tyres and told me I needed a shocker, and the should be replaced in pairs. I agreed and the changed them presenting me with a 12month warranty.

9months later I needed more new tyres (I used to drive a lot of enthusiastic miles) and went to a different KwikFit, they told a slightly more cynical me that I needed new shockers.

I told them to get on with it.

Went back the following day to pick it up and pay for the tyres.

Mr Manager wasnt too overly chuffed when I presented him with the previous invoice and in date warranty. Apparently I should have told them before they did any work. Presumably the dampers would be fine then.

Thankfully they went on to last another 180k

I think I'll stick with old Gerry in his shed for mey bike

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

Rubbish. 0.93% argon gives the best results.

I add around 0.4% CO2 to the mix. Helps on the potholes around here.

 

[Drago]

Euro 6 dpf is a joke. £1000 just to clean it £3k to rereplace.

It's an afternoon's work to clean it yourself for free.

 

[PaulSB]

Bottom line here is that a third party, Fettle, are setting up in three Kwik-Fit branches to offer their services. It’s not Kwik -Fit working on the bikes.

A point which seems lost on many.

 

[Drago]

It's not lost, we simply don't entirely believe it.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I add around 0.4% CO2 to the mix. Helps on the potholes around here.

Plus 0.000524% Helium to help go faster up hills.

 

[tinywheels]

It's not lost, we simply don't entirely believe it.

I find it odd that a company would want to associate with another organisation that has a chequered history.
As evidenced here, the Kwik fit brand is not well thought of.
I fail to see the value for Fettle.