The Great Kwik-fit Rip off

[The Famous Cash]

After eight emails to Kwik-fit they continue to ignore my requests for refund of overcharging.

 

They held my car over New Year having displaced a broken coil spring on examination, saying car was now too dangerous to drive.

 

They quoted £170.

It finished up £180.

 

I remarked they were overcharging.

 

They, of course, denied it.

 

Subsequently manager said he would refund if I could show a proper garage cheaper quote.

I contacted seven.

Six responded from under £100 to a whopping £122.

Despite all the emails.

 

Copied to Member of Parliament and BBC Watchdog.

 

Despite the proof from Watchdog about their repeated overcharging and doing work which was not necessary.

 

Despite the internet littered with similar complaints about them, they continue to regard themselves above the law!

Big mistake Kwik-fit!

Edited February 8, 2013 by Conniff
correct a couple of typos

[huggy41]

Despite the internet littered with similar complaints about them

 

you still used them

[The Famous Cash]

I had no alternative! Car was too dangerous to drive. Job had to be done.

[ericsbrother]

There is a quik fit rep on this site, search for other complaints and contact him directly via his posting ID

[KwikFit Official Customer]

Hi there,

 

We were very disappointed to learn about your experience at Kwik Fit. If you'd like to contact us on kwikfitwebcare AT kwik-fit DOT com, we'd be very happy to speak with you.

 

Kind regards,

 

Andy

[The Famous Cash]

Interesting. . . . I have already done so. That contact has also been ignored!

One of the most unprofessional companies I have ever come across.

[KwikFit Official Customer]

Interesting. . . . I have already done so. That contact has also been ignored!

One of the most unprofessional companies I have ever come across.

 

How odd. We haven't received your email. Did you try to contact us directly?

Please re-send your complaint to kwikfitwebcare@kwik-fit.com - in your email please give us a link to this conversation

 

Kind regards,

Andy

[The Famous Cash]

Not odd at all! Kwik-Fit's unprofessional behaviour, incompetence and total inability to follow the simplest of instructions are occurring on a daily basis. I have now sent many emails. EVERY single one of them requests a read receipt and a response from the Complaints Manager. I have NEVER received a read receipt nor a response by email, other than an early one stating my email would be passed on. Two letters were received. Both astoundingly unprofessional and ignoring the issue. One of my recent emails also included a screenshot of the ignored web site mail! My email sent yesterday (22/01/13) demanded a read receipt and a response from the person to whom the email was addressed; by email. As per their habit. NO read receipt or email response was made. Bear in mind this is in the knowledge (I have warned them constantly) all communications are being sent to my Member of Parliament and BBC Watchdog. Also, I will be posting details of this travesty on every conceivable site at every conceivable opportunity. To date still no refund!

[The Famous Cash]

Just an update on Kwik-Fit's incompetence.

 

Despite my Member of Parliament writing to them, they STILL refuse to stand by their promise of refund!

 

I will do everything within my power to expose Kwik-Fit's unprofessionalism, incompetence and ignorance to customers' attention.

 

Just because they are a huge company does not mean they will get away with ripping ME off !

 

SODS !

[ims21]

Thread moved to the Garage Services forum

[Conniff]

Stop pussy footing around, send them a letter before action by recorded delivery and stipulate a time, say 10 days, when you expect a response, also say that if no response is received within that time you will start a court claim against them without further notice.

 

Don't say it if you don't intend to go through with it though.

 

You can do it on line and it costs about £40 which you add to your claim - https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/web/mcol/welcome

[The Famous Cash]

Thank you for your comment.

I certainly do not "pussy foot" around. Just doing things in the correct order. Now I have given them the chance to correct their error and they have failed to respond in the affirmative, I will take further action.

There is NO WAY Kwik-Fit will get one over on ME !

[Conniff]

Have a go at the CEO as well - Kenji.Murai@kwik-fit.com

[The Famous Cash]

Sure will. He is the clown who responded to my M.P..

[scaniaman]

Sorry, don't understand "displaced a broken coil spring" could you please clarify for me.

[The Famous Cash]

Car was driving ok. They jacked car up. As a result the broken coil spring was displaced. They did not reseat it. Car was unsafe to drive. Actually could not be driven more than a few feet.

[Westmead Fan]

Car was driving ok. They jacked car up. As a result the broken coil spring was displaced. They did not reseat it. Car was unsafe to drive. Actually could not be driven more than a few feet.

 

was it broken before they looked at it??

if so did you know about this?

[The Famous Cash]

Car was low at front nearside. I was not sure if problem might be shock absorber so spring was broken.

[j66]

They quoted for the work at the time, which you must have accepted at the time, otherwise they wouldn't have fixed your car. So are we talking about the disparity between the final invoice and the quote which is £10, or the difference between your lowest quote and the invoice £80?

 

Did this £180 include the MOT and presumably VAT?, did the £100 include VAT? You didn't have to get the car repaired with them, some people do drive dangerous cars away from test centres (not recommended), you could have had it transported away (at your cost) and then you'll have to get it back there for a retest - which may be chargeable depending on repair timescale. At the worst case the £100 quote could well end up costing more than £180 taking car recovery and retest costs into account.

 

You may feel that you paid over the odds, what price do you place on the convenience of the repair and the retest?

 

The spring unseated on test, it's a fault with your car, the tester does not have to reseat the spring, it's not his job as also it's not his job to speculate on the cause of any MOT failure.

[The Famous Cash]

MOT was never mentioned. No MOT was involved. As I said, car was a bit low at front nearside. I took it in to be checked. Their jacking displaced the broken coli and they did not replace it properly so the car could not be driven. Spring was now rubbing wheel so I was trapped. When they ESTIMATED £170 I made it clear I realised I was being overcharged and said so. They were not bothered because I am an old chap and they knew I had no option but to leave it over New Year, costing me a lot in taxis. There was no way at the end of the year I could hire a car or take to a proper garage.

On collecting the car they wanted £180. I made a big deal out of complaining we all knew I was being ripped off and legally paid UNDER DURESS.

I asked for their head office address. They asked, "WHY?" ! They did not give me it ! I asked for an email address. They did not give me it.

I immediately found address on web and sent email. They did not reply by email. I got a phone call from area manager. (He actually had dealt with the car.)

He said if I could find cheaper price they would refund.

So, I did. I got four quotes within an hour starting at £57 plus part.

They then ignored all my emails. They did not comply with my requests for read receipts.

They did not comply with my demands for an email acknowledgement.

I got one highly unprofessional letter from a person who did not even appear to have a surname stating they had, "Closed the case" !

Eventually another letter stated they maintained price was fair. They have never made an reference to the fact they said I would get a refund if I could prove proper garages would be much cheaper.

My Member of Parliament wrote to them and they sent a response saying price was fair. Again, no comment about their promise.

Kwik-Fit, in my experience, is highly unprofessional, unbusiness-like, unable to follow the simplest of instructions and ignorant.

Despite the proof of their overcharging and doing work which is not necessary, (BBC Watchdog" and hundreds of complaints littered throughout the web and confessions of employees who state they are told to over charge, Kwik-Fit think they are untouchable.

WRONG, Kwik-Fit. You have not had ME to deal with before !

[blackknight]

So its all over £10.00 lifes too short, move on

[The Famous Cash]

NO! It's all over £ 100.