Can't get better than a quick fit fitter?

PAPILLION

My A*S!

I'm a little annoyed.

Background: I drive a 1.4 Astra with 16" alloys/low profile tyres.

Picked up a puncture in front right of the said alloys, big ass nail, slow puncture though so I was able to pop down to the good ol' boys at quick fit, even with a solw puncture it ran as smooth as an bowling lane with a smattering of chip fat sprincled liberally on the surface.

True to their name, in only 20 minutes I was back on the road, heading back down to Newbridge on the Naas road, no sooner had I hit 35-40Mph and continued to accelerate I noticed the vibration, they hadn't balanced the wheel, felt like it was going to fall off on me, so Back I toodled to Tallaght explained the problem, to which I got, I'm sorry sir, he probably forgot to balance the tyre, he's only new.

Ok just to interrupt myself: they leave somone that green work on a wheel unsupervised, cars are one of the most lethal things we get to control in our daily lives, surely more care should be taken.

Back to the point, I wait around for another 15 minutes while another fella goes in and balances the wheel, all done, back on the N7 again once again, hit 60Mph and the steering wheel starts to shake, a string of expletives pours from my mouth and I duck under the N7 using that new road and shoot back down to the Square. Fully pissed off because time's getting on and I had an important appointment to make.

When I arrive back the oldest fella there comes over, "whats the problem?" I tell him the story and he takes a look himself, a bit sceptical may I add, as If I would waste my time coming back again ffs.

He calls me in, and tells me that It was balanced correctly, however the other young fella used the wrong weights, (hmm contradiction if you ask me) there are long flat stick on weights which you are supposed to use for alloys and tap on ones that you use for regular wheels, he has used the tap on ones.

Now forgive me for being annoyed but guess what, at 70Mph I'm getting a very noticable steering wheel shake. your f***ing machine must be broken!

Does any1 know of any1 who would try and fix the mess they made, because I will be damned if I go back to quickfit again, the unbalanced tyres will wear down quicker im sure, and its going to cost me in the long run.

Anyone else found problems with them?

Borzoi

Got a set of Pirelli Asymetrics from them 2 years ago, same story as yourself, hit speed and got serious vibration. Stopped the car and checked the tyres - 3 of the 4 were fitted with the arrow in the wrong direction.

I have used them since, but I no longer trust them

kdevitt

I try to avoid them...not always possible though

They quoted me €1400 for a set of tyres a few weeks back, eventually got better ones for €750 fitted.

Got them from a crowd called Dave McCann tyres - very helpful and the work was A1. Advance Pitstop have a good rep too...

Sleipnir

well unbalanced tyres are pretty damn dangerous. I don't know if it's tested under the NCT, if not, it should be.
First the vibration your feeling is a helluva lot less then the vibration that actually happening at the wheel. If it's not re-done you will find that the tyres will wear faster, plus if left for long enough the suspension, shocks, brake parts etc will also feel the wear.
Secondly, if you need to swerve at speed, the tyres won't react as they should and so neither will the car.
Having said that balancing is tricky and takes time which is probably why you got fobbed off, they had your money and that's all that matters!

Silvera

Have you considered writing to their headoffice and giving them a piece of your mind ?

I've had trouble in the past with exhaust boxes/pipes not fitted properly.

Pain in the a** !
And they usually look at you as if you were nuts

Silvera.

Turner

Try heading to the kwik fit in Dundrum, I have been going there for years and have never had a problem.

They are all fairly old there with the exception of one or two.

For some reason I just dont like young fellas working on my car. I dont even like them driving it, never mind screwing my nuts on

Chief.

PAPILLION

might do that, i work in dundrum, where abouts is it chief?

Silent Bob

I believe it's on the left hand side of the road after passing under the LUAS bridge on the way towards the city centre.

PAPILLION

went to advanced pit stop, just after the lewis bridge in dundrum, they balanced it, aparantly the quick fit boyiz put too much wieght on , they put 80 when it only needed 50.. go figure. havent been able to get to a road to test it at speed yet, wont be able to until my way home, fingers crossed its sorted. they also balanced the front left, which is probably something quickfit should have done, to make sure they were even. what with different machine calibrations and all.

cost me a further €20 for the privalige, have the reciept and think I will post it to kwickfit's head office, as it was their franchise that created the problem.

in the mean time, the wheels feel lighter and there is no kicking when in the deadzone so.. fingers crossed.

PAPILLION

by the way apologies for the bad spelling of k**k fit

Seth Brundle

the amount of times the Kwik Fit type places have been criticised on news:uk.rec.cars.misc & news:uk.rec.cars.maintenance. (search google groups).