Kwik Fit Full Service - still not getting what I paid for and now can't use my car!!!

[Appalled by KwikFit]

Hi all! This is my first time ever creating a thread but I'm looking for some advice please!

 

Basically, me and my partner booked our car in for a full service in our local Kwik Fit garage. We took the car there before 9am as requested and left it there. Around lunch time we had a phone call saying they had identified additional work that needed to be undertaken on the car - a replacement of 2 tyres and also the replacement of the exhaust box. In good faith my partner listened to the advice and agreed that the work could be carried out.

 

We received a phone call a few hours later and dutifully went to collect the car as requested. We paid a whopping £377.10 in total for this, a huge struggle for us as I am being made redundant. But my partner works in a steel works in an industrial area without public transport and so relies heavily on his car to get to work. We understand the importance of this and so paid the £377 without complaint!

 

Ever since we have had nothing but problems with the car. We have an engine warning light that keeps coming on and there is a strange noise coming from the back of the car and at one point I started the car and there was a loud clunking noise from the rear of the car. I was so concerned at this, that straight away I took leave from work and took the car into a local garage where I was at the time.

 

They explained to us that in no way had a full service been undertaken on the car. All kinds of things that had been ticked on our Kwik Fit service sheet - such as the changing of air filters, the oil change, and the replacement of oil filter - had not been done. There was proof of this in the fact there were no marks where the oil filter had been changed and this is impossible to do without leaving evidence. Also the oil had not been changed and in fact the car was now overfull with oil - almost as if some one had just topped it up instead of changing it! The same with things such as checking and lubricating the bonnet catch. The catch was so stiff that it took the mechanic quite a while to be able to properly open and close the bonnet. So not only had they not checked and lubricated the catch, but this suggests that none of the "under the bonnet" work has been done either!!

 

To top it all off they have not re-fitted the exhaust properly. So when undertaking their identified 'extra work needed' they had done such a bad job that my exhaust is now knocking and making clunking noises when I start the engine and we have an engine warning light on!!

 

So we need our money back to pay another garage to undertake, not just the full service, but to fix the problems Kwik Fit caused with the exhaust and warning light! We are not driving the car because of the engine warning light and so now I am paying for trains back and forth to work and my partner is paying for trains and then taxis!!

 

I originally called Kwik Fit about this over a week ago. They said the area manager needed to investigate as I want a refund. They quote three business days for him to contact us!

IT HAS BEEN EIGHT DAYS!!

We have heard nothing. I have made repeated phone calls and keep getting told that nothing can happen till the Area Manager contacts us. They have called him and left messages and also emailed him and still nothing. They tell me they cannot ask anyone else to look into this matter without him first responding! And yet I just keep waiting for a response!

 

What can I do?? Do I really have to just sit here and keep racking up bigger public transport and taxi costs because I cannot afford to pay another garage to fix my car because kwik fit won't respond to me?!

 

Does anyone know if there is a governing body or a regulatory body for the motor industry I can contact?

 

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Thanks!

[Conniff]

Yes, it is called the Law Courts.

[CHRIS44G]

First thing I would do was to get your bank to do a chargeback to your A/C if you paid by card , expain you have not recieved goods and services as requested. Demand a charge back. That seems to be easier with a credit card but more difficult with a debit card as most banks arn`t aware of their responsibilties!

 

If you paid by cash I`d storm in there and demand a refund pronto.

 

Kwik Fit are rip off merchants who should be avoided like the plague. They have a virtual rep on here as a damage limitation exercise, they may hurry your refund along a bit, butI wouldn`t bank on it.

 

Good luck!

Edited April 6, 2013 by CHRIS44G

[queensclose]

card charge back should be your first step. a letter of compliant to trading standards who should arrange inspection of your car. time and time again Kwik Fit have been warned about ripping off motorist and have failed to learn. receiving fines appearing on watchdog. they always seen to find none existent work.

even bailiffs cant make up the charges like these people

[scaniaman]

I am truely sorry to hear of your troubles with kwik fit but as i keep asking people "Why do you use KF for services?" AT BEST , they are only tyre fitters and also supply exhaust systems (which according to internet forums they sometimes even mess this simple job up).

Please in future go to a family run GARAGE, where their reputation is their best salesman.

[Conniff]

Do you intend to come back Appalled by KwikFit and let us know what is happening ?

[alanjackson222]

Didn't get what you paid for?

My daughter (trusting soul) went to Kwikfit for brake pads because they gave the cheapest quote.

They told her she needed pads AND disks all round and she believed them - very foolish/

£640 later she had the wit to get the old parts, we had the disks checked and they were less than half worn, still another 40 - 60K miles left.

Checking with a main BMW dealer they would have done exactly the same job for £507 (£125 less) and I suspect using better quality parts.

As another contributor above said WHY USE KWIKFIT, anyone who watches BBC Watchdog, or Googles KWIKFIT COMPLAINTS knows their dishonest tactics.

[queensclose]

is there an update on this