Ian Podmore Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Tales of the Tin Top at Kwik Fit today. Rear tyres badly worn on inside edges of my Octavia, needs camber adjusting so I phone up to make the local depot has got the Hunter kit up and running now. That question was easy to answer for them... Was then told 'They all do that, it how you load it, I used to work at Skoda'. Rolled up 1st thing with full tank of fuel as per Skoda instructions to save the waiting that everyone else suffered from 8.35 onwards. Explained again, 2 new tyres please and rear suspension adjustment. Tyres fitted no problem, put car on Hunter setup and then told me what I knew aleady that rear needed adjusting for camber, but they would need to adjust the front as well. Why I asked as the front is fine, 'because if we adjust the rear the front toe will change'. Fortunately I didn't have to have a long discussion and they only adjusted the rear. Where do they train their fitters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KugaWestie Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I think they train them at a singing and dancing studio somewhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FILFAN Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I hate most big high street motor companies. Usually full of muppets who would rather be doing something else and your putting them out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatbaldbloke Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I saw a car leave with a new exhaust wrapped round one of the wheels.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolf Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 They have always said: You can't get Thicker than a Kwik Fit Fitter :d 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Podmore Posted February 25, 2013 Author Share Posted February 25, 2013 One customer this morning actually told them to answer the phone, most of the time they ignored it. If it wasn't for the lease company we wouldn't use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Seabrook Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Front toe may need to be adjusted if rear tow is altered if the rear has thrust into it in the first place. If you don't adjust the front after correcting thust you will end up with a crooked steering wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottish Bloke Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Front toe may need to be adjusted if rear tow is altered if the rear has thrust into it in the first place. If you don't adjust the front after correcting thust you will end up with a crooked steering wheel. Agreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Tales of the Tin Top at Kwik Fit today. Rear tyres badly worn on inside edges of my Octavia, needs camber adjusting so I phone up to make the local depot has got the Hunter kit up and running now. That question was easy to answer for them... Was then told 'They all do that, it how you load it, I used to work at Skoda'. Rolled up 1st thing with full tank of fuel as per Skoda instructions to save the waiting that everyone else suffered from 8.35 onwards. Explained again, 2 new tyres please and rear suspension adjustment. Tyres fitted no problem, put car on Hunter setup and then told me what I knew aleady that rear needed adjusting for camber, but they would need to adjust the front as well. Why I asked as the front is fine, 'because if we adjust the rear the front toe will change'. Fortunately I didn't have to have a long discussion and they only adjusted the rear. Where do they train their fitters? Kwik Fit do have....ahem....a bit of a reputation but in this case I would agree that any adjustment of rear camber will affect rear toe/thrust axis, therefore the front should also be checked and adjusted if required. Generally it is poor practice to adjust any individual geometry feature without at least checking that all the others are in spec. Actually it sounds like this 'fitter' has been trained correctly but of course the customer is always correct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikef Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I've always found our little branch of Kwik Fit here to be very helpful, polite and efficient. They are also happy to haggle over the price of tyres for the tin top. I also like their "free for life" brake pad relacement assuming you keep the same car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zvezdochka Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Kwik Fit caused a serious incident for my son when he was a student in Sheffield. Kwik Fit Replaced rear wheel bearings on his Corsa (Kwik Fit MoT said they needed to be replaced??) and when driving back over the Snake Pass, one rear wheel locked and threw his car across the road. AA assessed cause as rear wheel bearing seized due to overtightening. Recovered back to Kwik Fit and I spoke with manager by phone. He said no problem, we will rectify. Did not seem to realize my son could have been killed if a car had been coming the opposite way. Son was not happy as he said if he had crashed, everyone would say it was down to his driving when in fact his driving had to be good to recover from the locked wheel and skid. I tried to take it higher in Kwik Fit, but they just said they had followed their procedures and work had been checked but rectified as goodwill. Son said he only ever saw one guy work on the car. Would not let them near any car in my family again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Seabrook Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I'm not saying Kwik Fit do a good job but in the case of the wheel alignment and front may need adjusting after rear adjusted look to have given good advise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 They have the gear but no idea , the ones i've met were to thick to read an instruction book unless it was in pictures , even then I wouldnt let them near my car for anything more technical then undoing a wheelnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Podmore Posted February 26, 2013 Author Share Posted February 26, 2013 Front toe may need to be adjusted if rear tow is altered if the rear has thrust into it in the first place. If you don't adjust the front after correcting thust you will end up with a crooked steering wheel. Yep, agreed, but thrust was near enough zero before they started, and was nil afterwards. There was a very minor toe adjustment to one side as other side was already OK. Trust went from slightly off zero to exactly zero. Steering is still dead straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Podmore Posted February 26, 2013 Author Share Posted February 26, 2013 Kwik Fit do have....ahem....a bit of a reputation but in this case I would agree that any adjustment of rear camber will affect rear toe/thrust axis, therefore the front should also be checked and adjusted if required. Generally it is poor practice to adjust any individual geometry feature without at least checking that all the others are in spec. Actually it sounds like this 'fitter' has been trained correctly but of course the customer is always correct All wheels checked after the adjustment as all wheel sensors stay on throughout.. The assertion that front adjustment would absolutely be required before they even started was not right and what I objected to. Didn't want to start having uneven wearing fronts in place of the rears! Thrust can be adjusted from the rear anyway so all adjustments required could be kept to the one axle. Anyway all appears well, just hope tyre wear is more even now. Time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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