Kwik Fit nightmare

[Amateb8]

About three months ago had an oil change at Kwik Fit. I brought my own oil (Mobile 1) and asked if they could change the oil for me. It was a routine sort of exercise. To cut the story short. I've used the car perhaps once a month. It ran fine, but there were moments, as if something was stopping the car from moving. It was like you were running, and someone suddenly grabbed your arm to stop you running. It felt weird, and thought perhaps the car needed a service. Last week, took the car out for a drive, the engine just stopped and would not start (engine had difficulty turning with lots of steam coming out of the air vents). Pushed it to one side. Opened the engine compartment, and the engine bay was completely (literally) drenched in engine oil, all the way to the exhaust/carb area. The dipstick was out and entwined on the houses. Called the AA. It transpired, Kwik Fit over-filled the engine with oil!!! The AA mechanic drained some of the oil to the correct level. Literally, cleaned the engine bay (fantastic work ) of excess oil. Afterwards, luckily, the car started immediately. The engine compartment was steamy from the engine oil until the oil evaporated.

Next time, I'll try to change the oil myself, but how do you dispose of the dirty oil?

[stuey]

you can take it to any council refuse site they have bins for old oil normally. if you check online they show what you can take to them.

[amam]

Kwik Fit one of the worst places you can take a vehicle, especially a old vehicle

you never know what sort of service you are getting the staff are a mix of youngsters who dont have much of a clue and old timers who they usually park behind a desk

thats before you start with all the scams and tricks they pull

[Gadge]

I tell you what it comes to something when a garage can't even change the oil properly!

[ChrisRLewis]

Lucky you did'nt ask them to change the oil filter, that would have confused them

[Rusty's Uncle]

Seen the ad ?

You can't get thicker than a Kwik Fit Fitter 

[Amateb8]

I was fortunate the oil didn't damage the alternator, electrics, and most of all, the engine. However, some oil got into the exhaust. I wouldn't have been able to get compensation from Kwik Fit if the engine got damaged, as I took advantage of the technician's offer to pay cash to save on VAT and labour costs. Hopefully, there is no internal damage to the engine. I took the car out today. It drove fine.

He gave me the Mobil container with a bit of oil left in it, stating, I may have to top it up later when the oil settles. He placed almost 5 Litres of oil in the engine!

[Gadge]

Well your standard BIS engine takes 2.4 so he's probably dumped about 4.5 litres in ...... which is the usual amount for a four cylinder engine. I have very little hope for garages these days if they can't even do a basic job like that correctly

The good news is that it's probably not caused any internal damage as the dip stick seal acted as a kind of primitive pressure valve releasing the oil that was building up in the engine. The only down side it that it leaked over a hot engine plus you could've got two oil changes out of the 5 litre oil can which would bother me as I hate waste!

[amam]

i would still go back and complain anyway, you may not be able to get compensation but i think its well worth telling a mechanic he cannot just dump a random number of oil in a engine and expect it to be correct.......thats what the dipstick is for

i'd be surprised if you dont have some oil leaks after double the amount of oil in the engine causing some oil seals to burst

[DEYAN IYI]

Enzo Ferrari have lost a race with a brand new mega cool engine because of the same. It took a while for the team to realize the issue. 

I can imagine the horizontal pistons beating the oil 

Cheers!

[drcdb15]

i would still go back and complain anyway, you may not be able to get compensation but i think its well worth telling a mechanic he cannot just dump a random number of oil in a engine and expect it to be correct.......thats what the dipstick is for

i'd be surprised if you dont have some oil leaks after double the amount of oil in the engine causing some oil seals to burst

It never ceases to amaze me how Kwik Fit remain in business. I have avoided them since the early 1980s when they trashed my light alloy wheel trim (10" Mini wheels) taking it off using a crowbar... I kid you not - it actually is removed correctly by pulling by hand.

Personally I think you are just wasting more time and effort going back. Just take the hit and move on. But if you *do* want to contribute to a better world, report your experiences with as much detail of time, dates, names if you have them etc to the local Trading Standards office. TS will not take any action specifically on your behalf, but they will log the information and collate it with more from other dissatisfied customers.

It may be your experience was a one-off, but if TS sees a pattern emerging they may well take action against the company. You might be a lone voice in the wilderness, but again, you might just be the extra complaint TS needs to jump on a cowboy operation. How long will it take you to write a letter, plus the cost of a stamp?

[Gadge]

Well if reading the above posts doesn't put you off then maybe this will. An article in the Sunday mail today revealed branches mis-selling customers things they didn't need, charging customers for stuff they never changed and scare mongering customers into having things they never needed. Even if I had a flat tyre outside a branch of kwik fit I'ld still never use them!

[Rusty's Uncle]

Just read an ad to recruit KwikFit fitters locally. 
Must be 16 or over, no need to drive or have licence, no experience necessary. Training will be given including working on brakes and MOT testing.