Praise be to Kwik Fit

[Welly]

Her indoors Astra had a leaky tyre valve (it was leaking slightly from it's rubbery base bit) so I took it to get it sorted today.

There's only one place left in my prefered local "town" which is Kwik Fit

Nervously, I approached the friendly chappy in the tyre bay and involuntarily screamed "HERE, TAKE ALL MY MONEY - ALL OF IT I SAY"

After he reassured me he asked what was the problem. I explained the leaky valve and he proceeded to get on with the job. I was thinking to myself "I reckon a valve and balance - say £12.00 at the worse?".

Anyway I had: remove wheel, lower the tyre off the rim to get to the valve bit inside, new valve, and a balance on the machine - all of which I stood right there with the guy as he worked.

The wheel went back on so I said "how much fella?" ........"oh don't worry mate - it's only a valve isn't it?"

Now in shock I preceded to riffle through my pocket and produced a £2.00 coin and gave it to the lad as a tip and said thank you very much.

How weird is that then eh?

[steve_earwig]

Sometimes it happens, it's an easy way of getting a good name. Shame not more people do it. They do it here quite a lot, the first time I damaged my Flymo's hood they welded it up for free, last time I had to pay though, £4.40.

Just check he did your wheel bolts up properly - not finger tight or air wrenched on to 3,000,000,000 ft-lb.

[teamster1975]

That restores some of my faith in basic good will! Nice one Welly!

[Welly]

I see what you mean here. They're waiting to "get me" next time eh?

The wheel nuts were torque wrenched at the end to the required "torqueness"

[mjb]

think you must have gotten the new guy before he's had a chance to be trained on "ooh looks like you're going to need a new cat" and "incompetence 101"

[Welly]

your brake discs are below the minimum thickness - they're dangerous - you are now in danger.

[steve_earwig]

and... oh look, your radiator has sprung a massive pick-axe shaped leak

[Welly]

have you ever had your brake fluid changed Sir?

[mjb]

Watch me weld this exhaust on... blindfolded!

[Welly]

you can jack a car up from anywhere undeneath on modern cars Sir

[gRoberts]

I've had two good experiences with my local Kwik Fit.

First I needed a rubber mounting for the exhaust on my old Astra, in I went and asked how much they were. He gave me 3 for free...

Then, when I first got my old Vectra, I was unable to remove one of the wheels. It had been apparent that it had been welded on by friction heat or what ever, so I stood there and watched them get the hammer out, blow torch etc. 30 minutes later they finally got it off, and then put my spare on for me. All for nothing.

I did give him some money as I doubt he expected it to be that much of a job. He even got the manager out to take a look.

I wouldn't go there for anything major though.

[Welly]

I wouldn't go there for anything major though.

...and it was all going so well until you said that

Actually I forgot to say my bro in law was in Kwik Fit last year just as the were developing the air con regass service and they called him over and said "would you like your air con doing for free - we're training today"

And free it was, and a good job was done

[mjb]

I wouldn't go there for anything major though.

I wouldn't entrust them with even replacing a valve cap. Oh wait, I did and they lost it

Only thing I'll ever go there for again is wheel alignment because they've got an accurate setup for it. I make sure I get a printout of before and after, and I'll go into the service bay to let them know that the job's not done until it's straight...