Windscreen

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 8:57 am

Thats nearly as extortionate as the £600 odd Citroen quoted me for a new clutch on my 16V back in 1999! I had it done locally for £180, but they messed it up!

Why oh why are all these fast fit places so unreliable.

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:17 am

Because they get a bonus to get as much done as possible in the shortest possible time. One of the `leading` national chains of these types of garages are the worst of the lot. I have heard so many bad things about them (most coming from current or ex-employees) that I could write a book.
Did you know, for example, they hit you with as much work as possible because they`ve worked out there`s X amount of new motorists coming on the road every year so if you don`t go back they don`t really care?

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 5:44 pm

I worked at a fast fit place for 4 days. It was enough to see a Peugeot 405 4x4 get the air cleaner smashed because the bloke just didn't want to change the clutch (although to be fair, you can kinda understand that!) and I spent those 4 days being trained by a trainee as the top guy couldn't be arsed.

We kept on getting cars back with complaints (usually the reverse lights not wired back up) and generally, no-one gave a monkeys.

Paid terrible money too which also explains things and why I left so quickly!

Ian

Stewart (oily!) · Post by **Stewart (oily!)** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 5:52 pm

When I was in the trade these places were just beginning, one phrase which pops to mind is "not fit to fit arseholes to teddy bears" about sums it up really.
Stewart

AlanS · Post by **AlanS** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 7:32 pm

I'll give you a bit of info on screens following yesterdays capers.
I'm painting the sons Lancer as soon as I get the BX Estate done, so got a mobile screen fitter out to remove the windscreen as I suspected rust under the seal. He had to give up on it as it seemed as though he may bust the glass, so I asked for a quote for a tinted windscreen supplied and fitted.............. "about A$195; maybe a bit less" (85 UK pounds) was his response.
I'm cleaning it up, bogging and painting and he'll be back to reseal it before we reassemble.
As a thought, if they want an arm and leg to supply and fit, why not ask for a price to just remove it on the pretext you want to do a bit of body or paint work, then just clean it up a bit and fit the new screen yourself. Might get away with it for a fiver.

Alan S

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 10:56 pm

AlanS wrote: As a thought, if they want an arm and leg to supply and fit, why not ask for a price to just remove it on the pretext you want to do a bit of body or paint work, then just clean it up a bit and fit the new screen yourself. Might get away with it for a fiver.

Alan S

I've just asked a company to remove the old screen so I can do a bit of welding round the bottom (not on a BX) and although they didn't require me to pay the full amount up front, they want £50 for the work done

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 12:27 am

That's ridiculous! you can buy the proper tool for this (the one with the pull handle attached to a right-angle shaped cutter) for about £20, and they're fairly easy to use. I removed a bonded tailgate glass with one of these a few years ago. Took me about an hour, but it was safe, fairly easy, and not that difficult.

If you do use one of these, a neat little trick is to heat the tip up a little, as it tends to both soften and cut the bonding goop. Not too hot though, or the strength of the blade is lost. 80-100 celcius makes the job easier and doesn't damage the blade.

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 9:52 am

Needless to say I wouldnt use kwitfit, forula one or alike, as the service is truely awful! I once made the colossal mistake of entrusting them my prized SD1 for a complete new exhaust, (2 days befor the national rally and it fell apart) for which they stupidly used a "airgun" to tighten the donwpipe to the manifold! You guessed! it ripped the stud straight out and snapped the manifold! (which is s pecial type for cars with aircon as mine has!). £300 later I had a V8 that sounded like a diesel tractor. Their comment it was broken beforhand!!!!!! and they could do anything about it

A few days later I had a call from Kwikfit, asking how the service was, Imagine my comments, they apologised profusly and said they would sort it out and reimburse me the £30 it cost me to have a used manifold supllied and I had to fit myself. Plus the embarressment of driving 120 miles with a Sd1 that sounded very ill! I never heard another thing, even thought I wrote a rather strong letter.

To top it all the exhaust just looked wrong, and sat wrong under the car, althought amazingly it didnt leak or bang, so last year I bought a s/steel one and had it properly fitted so I wont ever have to go back there thank god!

I have alist of other mishaps with such places but that would take too long!

Best thing is find someone you know and trust and stick with them! Let the fastfit places fit tyres and nothing else!!!!!