Kwik fit wheel allignment

[johnvarney]

I usually take my car to kwik fit regurarly although people have a stigma that they are "rip offs" but iv generaly found that you get what you pay for and the works always been good so dont see the issue of going back.

 

Up untill the other day I asked for a wheel allignment which was fine as the price stated £44.95. So the guy asked me to sit in the waiting room while he carried out the work and I could see the progress on the screen they provided. Everything was great, guys were helpful and polite untill it came to the price!

 

I was greeted with a price of £104 for the wheel allignment which was a joke, I was astonished. They never told me it would cost this much before it was done. I didmt anticipate how much it would cost so had only had £100 cash on me which I told the person serving me and he managed to brimg the price down to £99.95!

 

Now if a price stated clearly at £44.95 then whacked upto £104 and then brough dowm to £99.95 this tells me theres something not right somewhere.

 

I need my clutch replaced, waterpump and top mounts done next week but certainly wont be going to kwik fit unless rectified.

 

I personaly think no work should ever be done without being given a full price, maybe I was nieve in thinking a price in the wall would be what I pay. I felt embaressed not having the full ammount there

[BankFodder]

So what was the reason they gave for upping the price?

[johnvarney]

Because for every adjustment they make they charge £19.95, so basicaly its £45 to just look at the alignmemt?

 

Doesnt sound right to me....never ever had to pay £100 for an alignment in my life......iv owned 15 cars. I just moved area amd used my old kwik fit garage in my other area for years and they were always between £30 to £45 dependent on who served me. I just moved to this area 8 months ago and the first time iv used the kwik fit in this area and its suddenly increased by a HUGE ammount

[BankFodder]

Can you post an image of their advertisement for the service please.

 

Also, phone 2 or 3 KwicFits in other areas and find out what they charge.

[Bandit127]

I have had 4 wheel alignments done at various places. Generally around £60 and that includes the alignment.

 

If they advertised a 4 Wheel Alignment Check and made it clear the adjustments were extra before you proceeded then that might be fair.

 

However, if they advertised 4 Wheel Alignment what you are purchasing is the alignment. Not the check. Trading Standards would probably be interested in this.

[johnvarney]

Hanks for the replies. I will most definately be taking a trip into the shop tomorrow to take a photo of thier advertisement. I have phoned 3 seperate kwik fit garages and all have given me a price range between 30 and 45 thats including each change I had to have done.

 

Basicaly when I arrived I seent he advrrtisement of £45 for the wheel alkignment and asked for it to be done with the views that it would be £45. The person then saif to me to wait in the waiting room where you can watch on screen how bad the toe, caster and camber are, he had done the front two and was taking a while so I oopped over to soeak to him etc then popped back into watch the rear being dne and after that well.....iv explained the rest in regards to how much I was charged etc.

 

I just dont understand how prices can vary between each kwik fit unless its some kind of franchise? You dont goto tesco and see the same thing for a different price......

[johnvarney]

I have just had my alloy wheels refurbished 3 weeks ago and redone in gloss black, I got my hunter wheel allignment done by kwik fit last week which I have already complained about in an earlier post as the price stated was £45 however they charged me £104!

 

I cleaned my alloys yesterday and noticed the exact same distinct mark on all 4 of my alloys and didnt know what it was.......I then had my car back in today to have the allignment recheckedas I wasnt happy with it.

 

Watching them this time I noticed they hooked something onto all 4 alloys and thats when I thought maybe whatever they are placing on the wheels is what made the first marks.......

 

As soon as the allignment was done I checked the wheels again and voila the exact same 4 marks where on the wheels again in different placed but again all symmetrically spread over the wheel the same as before!

 

The devide they attach onto the wheels has 4 arm type things that hook and grip onto the alloy!

 

Im not confrontational and was scared to say anything so I have wrote on here........

 

What should I do?

[Bandit127]

You seem to have had a good whinge about (probably) being overcharged £104 for alignment. Despite the sound advice you were given, you don't seem to have followed up on it. You certainly didn't post a picture of the advertisement as promised in post #6.

 

Have you got your £104 back?

 

If not I have no sympathy for your for taking it back to the same place for more abuse. Sorry.

[johnvarney]

Sorry I apologised for not updating beforehand. I did get in contact with a "Mr Wheeler" and did have money reimbursed in regards to the price for the wheel allignment.

 

This is now a new issue and didnt find it necessary to start a new topic.

 

Thankyou gor the reply

[johnvarney]

One alloy, all 4 are the exact same

[etoc2001]

I just go to Halfords nowadays, Kwik fit now worth the hassle