Reply to: Are Kwikfit reliable? (I am doing an MOT with them)

[vetran]

I take my 12 year old ford to Apple MOTs in Slough every year if it has a failed bulb they change it free of charge and it costs me £40 all in.

Sometimes they say the tires are close to being worn out and I call etyres.

Sorry Kwik fit & co are not as trustworthy IMHO.

[WTFH]

Why don't they fill them with helium or hydrogen, i.e. lighter than air to make the tyres and therefore the car lighter and more fuel efficient.

In fact, could fill all the voids in the car with it and it would almost float.

I sometimes wonder whether I'm an actual genius (or not one).

Because if you have something which is "lighter" then...
1. You need more of it at a higher pressure to fill the same space While maintaining structural integrity.
2. By containing smaller molecules it is more likely to leak, so valves and all materials need to be constructed of thicker/denser materials with better seals.
3. The tyres are the most important part of keeping a car stuck to the road, you do not want to reduce their road-stickiness if you want the car to accelerate, brake or go round corners effectively.
4. Using hydrogen would be interesting cause when you had a blow out it would be explosive.
5. Probably the biggest improvement in economy and safety would be achieved by replacing the nut behind the wheel.

[stek]

The facts about nitrogen filled tyres

Nitrogen is used in Formula 1 racing, aviation tyres, military vehicles, NASCAR and heavy construction vehicles. True
Nitrogen maintains tyre pressure 3 to 4 times longer than air-filled tyres and disperses heat more effectively resulting in better fuel economy. bolloxs
Nitrogen delivers longer tread life due to less heat generation. bolloxs
Nitrogen inflated tyres deliver optimum handling characteristics for longer as pressure is more likely to be maintained at the correct level. bolloxs
Nitrogen also slows the chemical ageing of the tyre’s rubber components resulting in fewer tyre failures. bolloxs
Nitrogen results in improved performance, increased safety and lower maintenance. double bolloxs

Why don't they fill them with helium or hydrogen, i.e. lighter than air to make the tyres and therefore the car lighter and more fuel efficient.

In fact, could fill all the voids in the car with it and it would almost float.

I sometimes wonder whether I'm an actual genius (or not one).

[Troll]

The facts about nitrogen filled tyres

Nitrogen is used in Formula 1 racing, aviation tyres, military vehicles, NASCAR and heavy construction vehicles. True
Nitrogen maintains tyre pressure 3 to 4 times longer than air-filled tyres and disperses heat more effectively resulting in better fuel economy. bolloxs
Nitrogen delivers longer tread life due to less heat generation. bolloxs
Nitrogen inflated tyres deliver optimum handling characteristics for longer as pressure is more likely to be maintained at the correct level. bolloxs
Nitrogen also slows the chemical ageing of the tyre’s rubber components resulting in fewer tyre failures. bolloxs
Nitrogen results in improved performance, increased safety and lower maintenance. double bolloxs

[Jim Spector]

Tyres

As an aside, I have found them to be an absolute rip off for tyres. I can recommend tyres on the drive dot com - competitive pricing and zero hassle.

[greenlake]

Barstewards charged me £10 over the usual for a puncture on my Merc by doing a nitrogen fill on the tyre (planes, F1 cars perhaps but not a road car )

That was the last time I used them

I'm sure they gave you that special 78% nitrogen/21% oxygen blend.

[greenlake]

I am more worried about the fact that they can steal parts from my car!
How am i to check it afterwards??

If your car looks anything like one of these, there's a possibility some parts might have gone missing....

[stek]

I popped in for tail light bulb, wanted £1.50, ok, but they come in packs of two, ok, £3.00, I'll take a spare, minimum charge £5.00, getting a bit silly now, then guy says they have to fit, £15.00 charge, so £20.00, then VAT on top, fecking £24.00 for a £1.50 bulb.

I said thanks and walked out.

[Troll]

Had a good job done by Kwikfir earlier this month, new tyre had gone flat so took to them as easier to get to than my usual garage. Leaking around the edge of some old and corroding alloys. Patched them all up for a decent price and was happy with the service. I guess it depends who you get on the day, some of them will be honest and will sort you out, some won't.

Barstewards charged me £10 over the usual for a puncture on my Merc by doing a nitrogen fill on the tyre (planes, F1 cars perhaps but not a road car )

That was the last time I used them

[NickFitz]

I suspect every branch is different.....

WBPS.

If possible, wait and watch them rather than just dropping the car off and coming back later. There's usually some kind of customer waiting room from which you can see them work; don't just sit in there reading stuff on your phone or whatever. Stand at the window watching them work, and they're less likely to try anything out of order like pulling bits off or poking holes in it.

Also, when you arrive, make sure they don't get you to sign anything up front giving authorisation for any other work besides the test, or indeed get you to do so verbally. If they do, make it absolutely clear you just want the test done before considering anything else.

Remember, the process is:

1. The test is done, and the car either passes or fails;
2. If the car has failed, you get the faults fixed;
3. The test is done again and, assuming step 2 was done correctly, the car passes.

Note that step 2 doesn't say "they fix the faults", and step 3 doesn't say "they do the test again".

So firstly, if they start saying you need x,y, and z doing, you should check if they're actually saying the car has failed. An unscrupulous garage may tell you stuff needs doing on the assumption you'll just go along with it, when in fact the car has passed. So make sure they've actually failed the car; they're supposed to give you a printed notification of failure, so get that before you agree to anything.

Secondly, the printed notification will list the precise reasons for failure. You want to check that so that if, say, it failed because your front brake pads need replacing, but they're also saying you should get the rear shocks replaced, you can tell them to GTF and just fix the brakes.

Thirdly, you don't necessarily have to get them to do the work. Under certain circumstances, mainly involving the car not actually being unsafe to drive away, you can if you wish take the car elsewhere to be fixed. You'll lose out on things like a free retest, but it may still be worthwhile.

If, when you ask them for the printed notification, it turns out the car actually passed but they're trying to upsell you on stuff, you have confirmation that they're unscrupulous tulipbags. That alone is good enough reason to just pay the test fee and get out of there, then have the stuff they mentioned checked elsewhere at your leisure. If there's actually anything that needs looking at but isn't a reason to fail yet, such as corrosion that isn't yet affecting one of the "prescribed areas" of the car, it should be listed on the pass certificate under the additional notes section.

Quite honestly, unless you've been making a point of driving like a maniac through salt beds on a regular basis, there's very little likelihood of a three-year-old car legitimately failing if its been serviced regularly. My fifteen-year-old Toyota had its MOT a few weeks ago, and the only problem was that the number plates had started delaminating, so they fitted new ones for a tenner. A car one-fifth its age should be fine, but watch the bastards like a hawk

Also, read all the official info at Getting an MOT. Forewarned is forearmed, and having a good understanding of the procedures allows you to catch them out if they try to pull any stunts.

But also bear in mind that some branches of Kwikfit are absolutely fine - you may be lucky and get one of the good ones

Your last thread was only on its second page, which isn't too long at all - TPD is currently on page 28,542 and is only just getting started

[PurpleGorilla]

If it passes - no problem - if it fails, they won't be able to fix it Lol

[BrilloPad]

A big shout out for KwikFit New Eltham. They were brilliant.

I suspect every branch is different.....

[MrMarkyMark]

How am i to check it afterwards??

If you hear scraping sounds, and have a huge amount of sparks coming from under the car, your wheels have been nicked.

HTH

[AtW]

Yes.

They try to upset you every time you go to them.

You will never get a straight and simple MOT pass from them, and if you're a woman they will try and take you to the cleaners.

HTH.

FTFY

[anonymouse]

I've used Halfords for my last 2 MOT's and thought they were really good. No upsell at all just advice that my front suspension needs keeping an eye on (car is 13 years old and I live in London so loads of speed bumps!)

I've used Kwikfit for tyres and found them great especially the mobile service. Mobile service was the same price, prompt and friendly
and they were by for the cheapest

Last time I used Halfords, they ran a car into a post with the door open, luckily it wasn't mine. Three of them swinging on the door to try and straighten back.

Kwikfit mobile for tyres, but they don't always get the balancing right, so had to go back and get them redone.

Most garage are the same these days, try and find an independent one. Had a last minute drive in MOT done in the past, they don't sell any other services so they were honest about it.