Kwik Fit / ATS and Centre Lock wheels

[Rioja]

Some advice please, one of my tyres is very slowly deflating ( half pressure over a month). the other three are fine. i need to get this checked out. Has anyone experience of Kwik Fit / ATS etc of sorting problems of this nature as I have 19" centre lock wheels. Do these franchises know what they are doing when it comes to removing the centre locks?

Is this an OPC issue?

Thanks

[drpep]

You're essentially putting your safety in their hands. I'd go OPC as they will have seen more if them and know the correct torque settings etc. the idea of losing a wheel due to incompetence is less than palatable to me.

[mikecassie]

Considering the amount of bad reports we hear of similar tyre centres ruining bog standard locking wheel studs, why risk it with some 'technology' which will stump them totally?
I'd go to an OPC or live with checking and topping up the pressure more often until the tyres are needing replaced. The latter also gives you an excuse to get out and enjoy your car more often. :-)

[Inverted]

Sound like a proper PITA the centre locks. For piece of mind I would either use a porsche specialist or buy the correct tool for the torque settings.

I wouldn't trust kwik fit to fit the wheels to my Bicycle.

[gsewell]

You could try E-Tyres. They seem to have a reasonable reputation and they come to you (unless you happen to live next door to an OPC).

[jms1]

I'm sure that 'Lance' their apprentice mechanic would do a great job removing your centre-lock wheels!

The advice on here is sound. Get your nearest OPC to intervene. The care and level of attention I witnessed when my tyres were fitted by my local OPC was first-class. Have a friendly chat with the Service Manager at your local OPC to see what you can arrange and tell him that you don't want your leg lifting :-).

[Ian_UK1]

mikecassie said:

......live with checking and topping up the pressure more often until the tyres are needing replaced.

Definitely not this - unless you're suicidal or just like the idea of a tyre letting go on you completely!

Whatever has caused the puncture could easily be doing more damage. E.g. a nail through the edge of the contact patch that's now impacting the sidewall every time you turn the wheel.

[mrmr96]

As others have said, this is a not a run of the mill wheel and it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't have the equipment to get the nut off and back on again. I'd take it somewhere where they see these wheels more often.

[Chippy99]

Last time I took a car to Kwik Fit, they jacked the car up (not my Porsche thank God!) and completely missed the jack points and put a 2 inch dent in the undersills on each side of the car.

I saw it as it happened and said "What the **** are you doing"??? and the supervisor said "sorry about that - he's new."

Echoing others here, I wouldn't trust them to change the dust caps on the tyres, let alone the tyres.

[The Wookie]

God no, I wouldn't have even let them near my old dog of a Focus when I had it. Taking a nice car there, even with regular studs, is just crazy if you ask me!!

[supermono]

Ian_UK1 said:

mikecassie said:

......live with checking and topping up the pressure more often until the tyres are needing replaced.

Definitely not this - unless you're suicidal or just like the idea of a tyre letting go on you completely!

Whatever has caused the puncture could easily be doing more damage. E.g. a nail through the edge of the contact patch that's now impacting the sidewall every time you turn the wheel.

Haha well you don't overreact much do you lol

SM

[mrmr96]

supermono said:

Ian_UK1 said:

mikecassie said:

......live with checking and topping up the pressure more often until the tyres are needing replaced.

Definitely not this - unless you're suicidal or just like the idea of a tyre letting go on you completely!

Whatever has caused the puncture could easily be doing more damage. E.g. a nail through the edge of the contact patch that's now impacting the sidewall every time you turn the wheel.

Haha well you don't overreact much do you lol

SM

To be fair, it could be a screw or something which is currently plugging it's own hole - but one day hitting a stone wrong could split it?

[BaronVonVaderham]

gsewell said:

You could try E-Tyres. They seem to have a reasonable reputation and they come to you (unless you happen to live next door to an OPC).

+1 Used them before and they took very good care of my (non centre-lock) wheels. Good price too and came to my flat at 0830 on a saturday.

[Moosh]

Rioja said:

Some advice please, one of my tyres is very slowly deflating ( half pressure over a month). the other three are fine. i need to get this checked out. Has anyone experience of Kwik Fit / ATS etc of sorting problems of this nature as I have 19" centre lock wheels. Do these franchises know what they are doing when it comes to removing the centre locks?

Is this an OPC issue?

Thanks

What part of the country are you located at. I have an excellent tyre company that will even loan you wheels while yours get fixed.

Cannot recommend highly enough Exelwheels <[e-mail]> Ask for Chris

[Pugley]

+1 for Chris at Exel Wheels

Great service

[MadMark911]

Rioja said:

Some advice please, one of my tyres is very slowly deflating ( half pressure over a month). the other three are fine. i need to get this checked out. Has anyone experience of Kwik Fit / ATS etc of sorting problems of this nature as I have 19" centre lock wheels. Do these franchises know what they are doing when it comes to removing the centre locks?

Is this an OPC issue?

Thanks

OMG - You have an expensive car whith specialist wheel nuts and you're debating taking it to a firm that employs the rejects nobody else wants in the motor trade?

If you're really short of time - ring Porsche assist and have it taken to the dealer ....

Edited to add that you'll only need the outstanding skills of Excel Wheels if you take it to Kwik st!

Edited by MadMark911 on Thursday 29th November 13:12

Edited by MadMark911 on Thursday 29th November 13:13

[stefan1]

The re-fitting of wheels with centre wheel lock nuts is a complex process, with very precise instructions, including the use of appropriate greases.

I would only ever trust an OPC (or a highly reputable independent like JZM), and even then I'd ask whether the technician doing the work has done it before.

This blog aptly demonstrates that this is not something for your average Kwik Fit chap.

http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2012/01/s...

Cheers

[STiG911]

mrmr96 said:

To be fair, it could be a screw or something which is currently plugging it's own hole - but one day hitting a stone wrong could split it?

And if it is a screw / nail, it'll eventually overheat and probably cause a blowout.

[supermono]

STiG911 said:

And if it is a screw / nail, it'll eventually overheat and probably cause a blowout.

What the nail/screw will overheat? And PROBABLY cause a blow out? Surely it'll most likely stay put and wear out with the tyre. Or do you have access to some studies done of this kind of thing?

Oh it might come out at an inconvenient time so definitely should be fixed but overheating blowout? Surely that's a bit scaremongering?

SM

[STiG911]

supermono said:

What the nail/screw will overheat? And PROBABLY cause a blow out? Surely it'll most likely stay put and wear out with the tyre. Or do you have access to some studies done of this kind of thing?

Oh it might come out at an inconvenient time so definitely should be fixed but overheating blowout? Surely that's a bit scaremongering?

SM

Friction caused by the tyre rotating heats up the metal and, along with the loss of pressure while driving (which also heats and expands the remaining air in the tyre), can cause a blowout.