Another Kwik Fit tale

[ANDY.T]

Hi,

 

Just a tale to tell re Kwick Fit.

 

I have passed my old ford focus onto my daughter for uni transport.

 

Brilliant car..now with over 200,000 miles on and still going strong. Just to put into context.

 

The car passed an MOT in Jan (5 months ago) , has almost new tyres and had the front brakes changed with new discs and pads/fluid at the same time as the service.

 

However some 10,000 miles later the rear brake drums and shoes now need replacement , the hand brake adjustment having reached it's limit.

 

I went to my local Kwick Fit for a quote.

 

I asked at the reception for a quote for replacement rear brake drums and brake shoes. I understand the work that needs completing for this including pressing in of new rear wheel bearings into the hubs that often need replacing once the drums are taken off. Lock washers, new hub nut, etc...

 

I had priced the parts up with the local ford dealer who couldn’t do the work until next week. Local Ford garage labour rates are lower with FORD fixed menu serving for rear brake replacement for disc/drum and pads/shoes (both sides) atunder £200 including all parts/labour and VAT !!!!

 

The Kwick Fit receptionist/manager kept saying that I needed to have the whole car checked over before they would do any work.

 

I said that I just wanted a quote for new rear brake drums and new rear shoes, hub bearing, lock washer etc...

 

I was told I would need the brake fluid changed although I told him it had only been done in Jan (5 months ago)...

 

I again asked for a quote to just change the rear brake drums and brake shoes..

 

He then told me it would be £398 + VAT !

 

Now I thought this was excessive as all the parts are available ..2 x brake drums, 2 x sets of brake shoes, 2 x new lock nuts and washers, 2 x brake fitting kit for under £100 for quality parts and under £120 for Ford OE parts.

 

It appeared that Kwick Fit are either paying more than anyone else for parts or charging me over £250 for fitting... !

 

I was not impressed and the demeanour of the staff did give me the feeling that I was about to get ripped off big time.

 

I asked the manager to tell me the price again and asked why it was so expensive when I could get the Ford OE parts cheaper and Ford could do the work for almost half the price !

 

I then got a spiel about this included the free brake test and lifetime warrantee.

 

I politely replied that the quote seemed very excessive and I'd rather wait for Ford to do the work at half the price.

 

I have given Kwick Fit feedback via their web site and then found all the other info re customer complaints and I'm very glad I didn’t let them start work on the car as I suspect I would have been pressured to have unessasairy work carried out !

Edited July 9, 2013 by citizenB
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[kabukiman]

Seems slightly excessive but putting it into perspective, I went to have my zafira fixed at Vauxhall pentagon, clutch and associated bits bill came to just over £1000, they revised the bill to about £750 after I quoted "fixed price repairs" and what they cost.

In reality there would not be the big difference you see without the fixed prices.

[citizenB]

I then got a spiel about this included the free brake test and lifetime warrantee.

 

Not exactly free if you are being charged 50% more for the work ?