Would you trust Kwik-Fit with an oil change?!
Discussion
As the proud new owner of a monte carlo blue S2000, I'd like to follow the advice of the previous owner-it needs an oil change. I can't imagine my landlord being too happy about oil stains on the drive, so i'm looking at paying someone to do it. My usual garage (nice, family owned in Bristol) want £70+VAT, whereas Kwik fit reckon they'll do it for £34.
They seem cheap, but should I really trust them with my beautiful new car? An oil change seems simple enough!
Has anyone had any great or terrible experience of them with oil changes?
They seem cheap, but should I really trust them with my beautiful new car? An oil change seems simple enough!
Has anyone had any great or terrible experience of them with oil changes?
Quite simply NO!
I've seen their work and I wouldnt trust them to work on my push bike, let alone my car!
I've had company cars come into us when I worked at VW that were running oddly, mainly due to non PD oil being used and the Long life servcing being followed all done by them.
Some years back I used them out of desperation and they screwed the sump nut up wonky, meaning another trip to a proper garage to have that sorted.
I've seen their work and I wouldnt trust them to work on my push bike, let alone my car!
I've had company cars come into us when I worked at VW that were running oddly, mainly due to non PD oil being used and the Long life servcing being followed all done by them.
Some years back I used them out of desperation and they screwed the sump nut up wonky, meaning another trip to a proper garage to have that sorted.
I wouldn’t judge a company like kwik fit as a whole, they are only as good as the individual who works on your car. The chap who changed the oil on my old s2000 in Milton Keynes did an adequate job, I stayed and watched which was fine. They fitted the filter to correct torque etc, I would just ask if it’s ok to watch if you’re worried to check it’s not given to the work experience boy etc.
They change the oil on my boxster now for £39 all in, this includes 9 litres of special order Mobil one oil and the filter, I can’t buy the oil for that so will certainly continue to use them.
They change the oil on my boxster now for £39 all in, this includes 9 litres of special order Mobil one oil and the filter, I can’t buy the oil for that so will certainly continue to use them.
Probably not an issue for your car, but there's a recent thread on one of the Merc forums where they sucked the oil out through the dipstick tube - but in fact sucked the ATF out the auto-transmission's dipstick tube. Then didn't replace the missing ATF and didn't tell the owner.
One other thing is they apparently will not use manufacturer oil filters - even if you buy one and take it in, they won't use it. I don't knwo if this really matters in practice, but it's one of those things that some people get concerned about.
One other thing is they apparently will not use manufacturer oil filters - even if you buy one and take it in, they won't use it. I don't knwo if this really matters in practice, but it's one of those things that some people get concerned about.
I wouldn't want them to set the valve clearances on my Cerbera, but I'm sure they can change the oil on a Honda. In fact, my eight year old probably could.
Dealers really earn off the back of people thinking that there's some special procedure which requires decades of experience when the reality is that most things are very straightforward.
They can get the oil so cheap due to economies of scale - if you aren't worried about a dealer stamp then just book it in.
Dealers really earn off the back of people thinking that there's some special procedure which requires decades of experience when the reality is that most things are very straightforward.
They can get the oil so cheap due to economies of scale - if you aren't worried about a dealer stamp then just book it in.
It might be simple but there's still a few things they can do wrong, not the least of which is things like snapping undertray or engine cover mountings (a common complaint).
They probably do thousands of oil changes every week without a hitch (or at least, without the owner realising there was a hitch).
However if you're the kind of person for whom things tend to go wrong, and then you get angry, then it might be as well to avoid KF.
They probably do thousands of oil changes every week without a hitch (or at least, without the owner realising there was a hitch).
However if you're the kind of person for whom things tend to go wrong, and then you get angry, then it might be as well to avoid KF.
jsl20 said:
hondafanatic said:
Well don't do it then? Or am I being slow?
i'm voicing a concern whilst asking for comments, apropos helping me make a decision. 
Rereading my response, it sounds arsey. I didn't intended that inclination.
What I meant was; for the sake of your lovely new car, if i were you, I would spend the money using the nice family run garage that you have a relationship with, rather than chance it. It could easily pay off in the long run.
hondafanatic said:
I had to look up the word 'apropos'. It looked like a made up word. Everyday is a learning day.
Rereading my response, it sounds arsey. I didn't intended that inclination.
What I meant was; for the sake of your lovely new car, if i were you, I would spend the money using the nice family run garage that you have a relationship with, rather than chance it. It could easily pay off in the long run.
no worries, i just watched some classic alan partridge and he said apropos to a man who works in currys. Rereading my response, it sounds arsey. I didn't intended that inclination.
What I meant was; for the sake of your lovely new car, if i were you, I would spend the money using the nice family run garage that you have a relationship with, rather than chance it. It could easily pay off in the long run.
Haighermeister said:
Small family run garages screw up just as much, they just cover it up better. Kwik fit have a decent liability insurer so they just admit things. Lol
It's certainly easier to shout at a "faceless" corporate than your local garage, where they're likely to take any complaint as a personal insult.jsl20 said:
hondafanatic said:
I had to look up the word 'apropos'. It looked like a made up word. Everyday is a learning day.
Rereading my response, it sounds arsey. I didn't intended that inclination.
What I meant was; for the sake of your lovely new car, if i were you, I would spend the money using the nice family run garage that you have a relationship with, rather than chance it. It could easily pay off in the long run.
no worries, i just watched some classic alan partridge and he said apropos to a man who works in currys. Rereading my response, it sounds arsey. I didn't intended that inclination.
What I meant was; for the sake of your lovely new car, if i were you, I would spend the money using the nice family run garage that you have a relationship with, rather than chance it. It could easily pay off in the long run.
They have changed the oil ( mobil 1 ) on my ITR for last 8 yrs with no problems. Except a slight overfill a few times. As good as the honda dealers.
They have done the intermediate oil changes on my Boxster and I have watched them do the work. Spot on. There is not much to go wrong with an oil change esp if you check the oil filter for drips in the next week. They do the job cheaper than I could buy the oil.
They have done the intermediate oil changes on my Boxster and I have watched them do the work. Spot on. There is not much to go wrong with an oil change esp if you check the oil filter for drips in the next week. They do the job cheaper than I could buy the oil.
te, they screwed up the steering on my wife's car and they charged us for the pleasure. They are useless con-artists. Do not trust them at all.Gassing Station | Honda | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff