Kwik Fit having a laugh?

shauncr91

shauncr91

shauncr91

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Joined
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Sheffield
Today the back of my exhaust dropped off it's mounting and was resting against some other part of the car (Not just scraping along the road), I took it to Kwik Fit on the way home assuming it'd probably be a £10 job to fit a new mounting and was shocked that they want to charge £220 to replace the mid and rear section of the exhaust.

Tbh I think they could just be trying it on, the exhaust is absolutely fine and showing no signs of wear, it's just the mountings that have rusted through and given way (It is an 8 year old car).

Anyone else think this sounds a bit off? Would I be better taking it elsewhere and getting a few second opinions? It's back in place with a rubber mounting atm but I don't want to leave this as a permanent solution, want it fixed properly.

Car is an '03 mk1.5 Focus.

Cheers :)
 
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Are Kwik Fit having a laugh?

No, you are - they're the joke :P

Ba-dum tish!

Seriously though - jon.bda's advice carries much value :)
 
Haha, another Kwik scam. Yep independant is the way to go there, just a matter of welding the hangers back on or making up some new ones, easy job and should take around half an hour at most.
 
shauncr91 said:
Tbh I think they could just be trying it on, the exhaust is absolutely fine and showing no signs of wear, it's just the mountings that have rusted through and given way (It is an 8 year old car).
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Sounds like wear to me?

Aren't stock exhausts on cheap cars often galvanised, and will rot from the inside out. So they may 'look' fine on the outside but there isn't a great deal of good metal left. They also are often one piece systems, and so need cutting up to remove.

If I had an exhaust dropping to bits, I'd want it replaced - not bodged up. Good luck finding ANY garage that'll remove your whole exhaust sytem, weld a new hanger on it and re-fit it for a tenner!
 
eBay or local factors buy the exhaust for half that and fit it yourself it your happy to get your hands dirty just remember safety first axle stands etc
 
If the hanger has rotted off, there may not be a great deal of metal left to weld it to.
 
GeX said:
SIf I had an exhaust dropping to bits, I'd want it replaced - not bodged up. Good luck finding ANY garage that'll remove your whole exhaust sytem, weld a new hanger on it and re-fit it for a tenner!
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The actual hangers are often formed from hollow tubing, not always. but very often. And the exhaust wouldn't need to be removed to weld a new hanger on...what is it they say about fools and money...
:rolleyes: :D
 
It depends on who runs the branch you go to. My local tyre and exhaust centre is now a kwikfit, with the same guys working there. Good bunch of guys. Theyre doing my rear tyres for me, 265/35/19 CS3's (BMW spec) for £221 each, balanced and fitted. I cant find them anywhere else that cheap. A lot of them will try it on though and recommend it as their advice to replace unnecessary parts.
 
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My mum's exhaust fell off last year, she called the AA as she worries about everything and he ripped it off, stuck it in the van and followed her to the nearest Kwik Fit. They wanted something like £350 until the AA guy told them exactly what was needed and it was a £25 job.
 
Any half decent garage / indy exhaust/tyre centre will sort it out.

I had a new hanger welded on my old e38 - it was about £40 iirc.

When my father owned my e39 528i he was "advised" it needed a new back box by Krap fit, this was in 2007 iirc

He ignored them & the car still has the exhaust it was built with.
 
jon.bda said:
should have listened to them...the budget replacement would have fallen off by now and they could have sold him another...
:D
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I agree (in a way!)

For every driver like my Dad who thinks "Hmm, BMW said nothing about a duff exhaust at the last service" and ignores them, I would guess 10 or perhaps more think "OMG! They must be right!" & pay up accordingly.

Come to think of it, its not just Krapfit who try this on, I recall ATS saying I needed a new box for my e36 318i, it had done about 135k on its factory system, it did get a new back box, @ 170k miles.......
 
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We too recommend against welding onto a old exhaust section, depending on the thickness and condition of the metal you cant always guarantee a good weld and in 6 months the customer will be back in whining their faces off because the repair failed.

If the customer insists then we will give it a go but the invoice will state clearly that its a bad idea and absolutely not guaranteed.
 
To be honest, for a car like that? A bit of wire brushing to find some good metal, two little pieces of metal from almost anything, and weld it yourself in 15 minutes? :confused:
 
Kaeo said:
To be honest, for a car like that? A bit of wire brushing to find some good metal, two little pieces of metal from almost anything, and weld it yourself in 15 minutes? :confused:
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On the assumption the OP just happens to have a welding machine at home.....
 
My favorite bit with Kwik Fit is when they tell people they "cant allow you to drive the car in that condition" when you refuse to have the work they advise you needs doing.

I'm sorry? YOU wont give me the keys to my car back unless I pay you a £300 for discs and pads my car doesnt need as they were only replaced 2000 miles ago?
 
atpbx said:
My favorite bit with Kwik Fit is when they tell people they "cant allow you to drive the car in that condition" when you refuse to have the work they advise you needs doing.

I'm sorry? YOU wont give me the keys to my car back unless I pay you a £300 for discs and pads my car doesnt need as they were only replaced 2000 miles ago?
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kind of linked to a annoying grey area, we as a garage cant keep peoples property from them so if they insist on having the car back we cant stop them, if something happens though the court will rule against us as 'the experts' saying we shouldn't have handed the keys back if we considered the car to be in a dangerous condition. It doesn't matter what forms are filled out stating we have informed the customer we can still be considered liable. Although with any of the 'fit' places it is a utter con and anyone who goes to them deserves all the suffering they will get.
 
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