Tyre fitter damaged alloy

Damo H

Remind me, what's an indicator?
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Oct 3, 2012
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Car Length In Front
I know Kwik Fit is usually one of those places that people say to avoid, but the Wigan branch have looked after my last 3 cars. Admittedly I’ve gone there purely for the price of the tyres, but the guys in wigan have always been great.
 

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
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I know Kwik Fit is usually one of those places that people say to avoid..

Yip! If you've found a good one then hats off but that's not the norm. I've heard so many horror stories that there is no way I'd suggest anyone goes there.
 

zedlor

Active Member
Aug 24, 2017
298
123
Warrington
I know Kwik Fit is usually one of those places that people say to avoid, but the Wigan branch have looked after my last 3 cars. Admittedly I’ve gone there purely for the price of the tyres, but the guys in wigan have always been great.
I wouldn't have thought that, good tyre fitters in Wigan, well I never...
 

gof

Active Member
Oct 10, 2016
163
176
Croatia
Just to share my experience. Got my winters on a few days ago and the guy scratched both the caliper and one of the wheels. I told him earlier to be careful since wheel sits so close to the caliper (performance pack) and he was like yeah sure no problem we change wheels like this all the time. I picked up a car, glanced quickly and it seemed okay. After a proper wash when all the grease or whataver it is washed off i noticed a scratch on one of the wheels and scratched left caliper. Shame on me for not looking closer immediately.
Good luck to all of you I hope your tire fitters are a bit more careful than mine was, if not check your cars immediately and face them with the damage they caused.
 

Legojon

I only wanted a remap
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Jul 7, 2015
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Yeah, I've got a scratch on my brand new brembos where they took the wheel off and clipped it. I feel better now a stone has took a massive gash out of the other one.
 

RZ46

Active Member
Dec 4, 2018
65
37
East England
hey I have a cupra 300 on lease recently got 2 tyres put on the front.
I work at a body repairer we have a tyre machine but no one was confident doing the low profile tyres so I decided to take the car over the road to ATS (10 meters).

I thought I'd rather pay and be safe than someone at work scratch a wheel. we use ATS for customers wheels sometimes never had a problem.

so before I head over I wipe all the brake dust from the outer rim with a cloth and check for any damage. there was no damage as expected (I wash the car weekly).

I drive the car literally over the road park it up hand them keys.
I get a call to say it's ready and go collect the car. i drive it back over the road and I notice the damage when I get out.

i take the car back over go inside and im told to talk to the person who did the tyre, he is outside. I show him the damage and he denied it saying he has 30 years experience, I said I understand but accidents do happen I literally checked the rim a minute before drop off. He says it's not possible due to rim protectors (I know it is possible just from where I work) he told me the rim was dirty when he changed the tyres he had to wipe the dust off I said no i did that and grabbed the cloth from the car (bit daft I know) but it was a new cloth with 2 black marks.
I say where the damage is, it isn't possible to curb it there I said check the old tyre to see if it's damaged he said a curb wouldn't damage wheel there. I said exactly. The damage is clearly fresh it's a clean scrape.
He stormed off comes back with the manager he just tells me about the machine goes no where near the rim.

I head inside with the manager. I Had paid 20 cash as a favour job. He said all he can do is give me my money back! I wasn't happy.
I just wanted it sorted so I had to pay full price 30 quid( I would of paid anyway) so I could make a complaint and apparently they will call me. I got my 20 cash back.

sorry about the rant just a bit frustrated!

I doubt it will go anywhere .
annoys me I take so much care of the car and people just arnt bothered


damaged wheels https://imgur.com/gallery/6tHlGqF
Hi, I've just come across your post. I also visited ATS today to get two front tyres fitted on my 19 Cupra 290 and they have also come back damaged. The fitter was saying on one wheel the damage was not possible as they have a guard. I washed the car also and checked the wheels before going and they were as good as new. The scrapes are also completely fresh and also the black paint on one wheel has a chip out of it. He was admitting to one wheel possibly but the other he was more dismissive saying the damage may have been existing. I'm really annoyed as I have been so careful not to damage these wheels. I wish that I had taken a quick video on my phone before going there. I will definitely do that next time. I've always used Kwik Fit until today and never had any problems in all my years going to them. The lease company insisted on using ATS and this is my first experience. To be fair the run up and hassle to get these tyres fitted was a nightmare. It took over 5 days to get them fitted in the end. I had to get the tyres that were ordered from my local ATS 20 miles from my home delivered to anther ATS a further 16 miles away from me as the original ATS that ordered them was to busy to fit. Not good when the tread depth is 1.6 mm and the weekend is just starting.
 

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
2,614
906
To be fair, you're not totally safe anywhere. I bought a used MK7 Golf a few days ago and discovered what sounds like a bad wheel bearing on the back. Yesterday I took it into a local garage to have it checked out. I know the guy who owns it, all of the guys who work there are mechanics, not 'fitters' like you find in cheapo tyre shops.

The young guy span all the wheels, despite me tell him it was the back-offside that was making the noise, and started pushing the back-plate on the front-offside disk inwards. He was doing this very hard and I heard a bang!

I didn't say anything but a few minutes later he pointed out that the back plate was loose so could be rubbing!! Without mentioning that he'd just broken it. Idiot.
 

ChrisM75

Active Member
May 10, 2019
423
182
Place ive been to recently has been a black circles premier fitter. They always give me a sheet with an alloy condition report before fitting, so if there is anything I disagree with before or after there is a record. Always turn up with fully cleaned wheels as well so any damage is very easy to spot.
 

RZ46

Active Member
Dec 4, 2018
65
37
East England
To be fair, you're not totally safe anywhere. I bought a used MK7 Golf a few days ago and discovered what sounds like a bad wheel bearing on the back. Yesterday I took it into a local garage to have it checked out. I know the guy who owns it, all of the guys who work there are mechanics, not 'fitters' like you find in cheapo tyre shops.

The young guy span all the wheels, despite me tell him it was the back-offside that was making the noise, and started pushing the back-plate on the front-offside disk inwards. He was doing this very hard and I heard a bang!

I didn't say anything but a few minutes later he pointed out that the back plate was loose so could be rubbing!! Without mentioning that he'd just broken it. Idiot.
I’ve never used ATS before and will try again to use my local Kwik Fit next time. It’s only 4 miles away vs 20 for ATS. I don’t mind people making mistakes how annoying it may be it’s the outright trying denying it that makes it worse. Just own up straight away, I’d have absolute respect for them that way.
 

RZ46

Active Member
Dec 4, 2018
65
37
East England
Place ive been to recently has been a black circles premier fitter. They always give me a sheet with an alloy condition report before fitting, so if there is anything I disagree with before or after there is a record. Always turn up with fully cleaned wheels as well so any damage is very easy to spot.
Wow! That’s exactly how all tyre fitting centres should be. My front wheels had so much white gunk over them it was actually on the back wheels and the side of my car after the 35 mile drive home. Only after I washed most of it off which took over 40 minutes did I see the damage. Another 70 mile round trip back to the shop. I’m sure they don’t damage their own cars.
 

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
2,614
906
I don’t mind people making mistakes how annoying it may be it’s the outright trying denying it that makes it worse. Just own up straight away, I’d have absolute respect for them that way.

Not going to happen. Too much fear of getting in trouble and maybe getting the sack.

Probably the best one I've ever heard. I know a guy who had a Mondeo ST220 years ago as a company car. It was in for some work and when he went to pick it up he was given the keys and told it was parked out back. The car was parked parallel close to a wall, which he thought was odd, but he got in and drove home.

As soon as he got home he found a vertical cut right down the nearside of the car! As if someone had pulled a giant can opener down it. He drove back to the dealership but the service manager denied any responsibility insisting that the car was fine when it left. The manager of the dealership backed him up and he had to go to Ford UK to get it sorted out.

Both the service manager and the manager of the dealership were sacked. Turned out the mechanic had left a stand or some other bit of kit too close to the car when he lowered the ramp and it cut into the car.
 
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Maypack

Ambassador for Cumberland Sausage
Apr 20, 2014
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Gods Country - West Cumbria
I bought 4 PS4S Tyres from Blackcircles and got my dealer to fit them. Cost me £25 for all four to be done. I told them of a nark on one wheel and let them know I had took photos before leaving it with them.

They knew if any damage was caused they would have to deal with it and being a main dealer it’s easier/cheaper for them to get new wheels if they were needed.

I got my car back with no issues at all. Well happy and will do the same next time the tyres need changing.


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Legojon

I only wanted a remap
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Jul 7, 2015
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I take mine to a local place.. they were really careful and after fitting he gave me "5 minutes alone with my wheels" to allow me to inspect them for damage (and there wasn't).
 
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Maypack

Ambassador for Cumberland Sausage
Apr 20, 2014
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I take mine to a local place.. they were really careful and after fitting he gave me "5 minutes alone with my wheels" to allow me to inspect them for damage (and there wasn't).

Your alloys would show ANY marks at all.

On another note did you check out the Alloys at Donington?
126d7ff3f459aed27196a3ec8b049f78.jpg



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Legojon

I only wanted a remap
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On another note did you check out the Alloys at Donington?
126d7ff3f459aed27196a3ec8b049f78.jpg

Yeah, I did go round and have a good look at them. I'd actually have those alloys if I knew I could avoid kerbs for 2+ years.

I was almost due a colour change a couple of days back after driving through a flower bed. Luckily no marks. Just loads of top soil.
 

Maypack

Ambassador for Cumberland Sausage
Apr 20, 2014
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Gods Country - West Cumbria
Yeah, I did go round and have a good look at them. I'd actually have those alloys if I knew I could avoid kerbs for 2+ years.

I was almost due a colour change a couple of days back after driving through a flower bed. Luckily no marks. Just loads of top soil.

Get then and stick some Alloygators on them. @Deano j 1971 swears by them.


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kazand

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Jun 6, 2010
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Anyone recommend an independent in Birmingham area ? The one I used (BJ Bannings ) has ceased trading ☹️
 

ima

Active Member
Apr 6, 2014
53
7
I’ve used Chemix in Audnam near Stourbridge for 20 years and always been confident they won’t damage my alloys. Most of the people working there then are still there. They are the most honest and work proud group I’ve found and I wouldn’t go anywhere else. Even though I’ve moved 40 minutes away I won’t go anywhere else. I’ve black painted alloys and they were spotless after the new tyres. Well recommended. And just to say I have no affiliation to them in any way.
 
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