Tyres

Obviously you should have gone to Screwfix , pete
For the last 7 or so years I have used Blackcircles to buy my tyres on line. They deliver the tyres to an approved local fitting shop , it takes about 2 days and the prices are excellent . But if you need a new tyre fitted immediately you don't have the luxury to shop around.

 

Dealt with quick-fit in the past. Found their mechanics rubbish. Brake pads are so soft. Lost count of the times I'd have to take the car back. As I bought my present car from Ancaster I let them do the service etc. On a service I get free RAC cover for 12 months. Recently needed a new tyre. They charged the same as I'd have paid to Set Tyres, my usual tyre firm.

 

Sh*t Fit.
Scammers. They try to find work to do on cars and overcharge.

I compare tyre prices online first then decide my next move. Have used sh*t fit,ats and Costco for tyres,nothing else.
I buy my parts from eurocarparts and get my great garage to do the work.

 

I recently got a puncture while driving on a duel carriageway it was peeing it down and nowhere to stop safely so i carried on and drove straight to a small back street garage knowing i would need a new one, mid range Tyre cost me £55 fitted and balanced Tyre size 225 45 17, the same company charged me £90 for two budget ones fitted early this year.

 

With Quickfit you need to be in control from the start........armed with Quickfit's own internet cost and competitors' prices plus an additional haggle I find them as good as anyone.
Quickfit does charge more locally than online. They will price match esp if they think you will go elsewhere
In addition, compensation can be obtained if service is not up to par

 

Digressing,

When I had my last tyre fitted at Kwik-Fit, it fascinated me that the mechanic was South African. He looked and spoke exactly as did Anthony Quayle, in "Ice Cold in Alex."
Sadly, a film he'd never seen.

 

Was he wearing really short shorts?

I tend to think it's a well know fact that these places will try to find extra work, it's what they call a "free safety check", completely without obligation, so just doing us a favour

Hope my check turns up tomorrow, so I can cash it, if the manager sees this thread he will probably cancel it.

But to be honest he has said he will give me a refund, and without much hassle, so I'm pleased about that.
Just points out as @LauraRoslin said, you need to push them or they will rip you off at every chance.
I just find it bad these days that most businesses are run in this way.

 

Sadly, here I have to have some sympathy with crappolaFit. When you check the manufacturers wear tolerances (minimum thickness) of pretty much any cars brake discs nowadays they have more or less hit that figure after the use of just a single set of pads. Whilst common sense tells me that they're fine I have to advise the replacement of the discs anyway just to cover my ass from litigation in the event of an accident. I always do this by email and if the customer opts not to replace it is noted on the invoice.
Modern cars can wear out the front brakes (and tyres for that matter) quicker than the service becomes due as some are now running at 20000 miles between servicing.

 

Much nicer when it's called a free "vehicle health check"

 

Can't remember which quick fit outfit it was, but some years ago - they told me that my brakes were dangerous - which surprised me as the car had passed it's MOT the day before. When I told them it had passed on the brakes not 24 hours previous, he said "well, it's a matter of opinion."

Braking efficiency is not a matter of opinion - they either meet the required standards or they don't. Didn't go back again.

 

I keep every invoice or quote for vehicle maintenance with my vehicles. All in binders and filed chronologically.. Had someone tell me I needed a rad flush and I pulled out the binder and showed them the 2 month old invoice for the same service. It sounds anal but keeping these records has saved me long discussions and also alerted me to garages not to trust. I now have my trusted tyre man, my coolant system man and the rest goes back to the dealer. They all know me well and are careful to tell me what is necessary now, what needs doing but can wait and for how long and lastly, the nice to have done but not necessary. Then they let me decide what I want want done now. Guess being old and feisty helps but I do believe those 3 ring binders are also a cautionto them

 

The worst I've found on occasions are the main agents.
I like the fact that when you take your car in for service at Honda they video it with a mobile phone if anything needs doing showing the fault, (they start with the number plate and move round the car so you know it's yours) and e-mail you the video.
This happened a few years ago when a rear differential damper needed replacing. You could see the mounting had perished (Not an MOT failure). I took it back in to get it done a week later.

Fair enough, but the following year, there was no video and on the service report it said it needed replacing. When I queried it it was case of "sorry! We left it on the record as you didn't have it done with the service"

At this later service and MOT they told me my wiper blades needed replacing.

"How long are these supposed to last?"

"Well you might not get more than a year with them."

"But more than a week?"

"Of course!"

"Well, I changed them myself last week!"

Consequently, the wiper blades weren't changed.

I get a golfing pal to service my car now, as do many other members of our club, at "mates rates." He has his own garage.

 

@longk I cannot imagine going that long between servicing. My mustang manual recommends oil changes avery 5k miles but I di it ever 5k kilometers. I never go over 5,000 kilometers between servicing. I always insist on new airfilters every 10,000 kilometers. I think this (touching wood) has helped my macines run well. If nothing else, I feel as though they hop along better after each change. Who knew an oil change could have positive psychological consequences