Inexpensive Oil Change

[Kevin Welch]

A couple of days ago I decided to carry out an annual service and oil change so checked around for prices and found Halfrods were the cheapest for the slippery stuff at just under £100.00 for 10 litres but they didn't have the oil filter in stock. As an after thought I checked my local Kwik-Fit who quoted me under £45.00 all in. As this meant that I wouldn't even get my hands dirty let alone having to dispose of the old oil I (no I don't pour it down the drain) I duly arrived at their depot and before handing over the keys I enquired what was included in their 'Oil Service' and was informed they change the engine oil with the correct grade of Mobil 1 0-40 fit a new oil filter and check/top up all fluid levels, tyre pressures,wiper blade condition and horn and lights operation. The car went off into the workshop and 10 minutes later the "technician" came back into the reception where I was patiently waiting and he collected the new oil filter from a shelf at the same time telling me that all the old oil was now out and it was just a case of fitting the new filter and refilling the oil. Some 40 minutes later my pride and joy reappeared outside the reception and I was told everything was done and alright now. As I had had a very slow puncture repaired (at my usual tyre suppliers) a couple of weeks ago and was unsure if it had been cured I asked if the tyre pressures had been checked and was informed they had been adjusted and were OK now, at this I began to feel a little uneasy in the stomach area and asked, quite politely, what they had been adjusted to thinking that the puncture repair had not solved the problem. The chap then said, in a nonchalent manner, 32 front and 34 rear. My worst fears were realised and I asked if he would now be so kind as to adjust the pressures again but this time to the correct pressure as per Porsche specification, it was while he was doing this that he mentioned the job had taken longer than usual because he couldn't find where the oil filler was. When I got home and put the car in the garage I noticed the rear spoiler was raised and can only assume that the technician couldn't work out how to open the boot and had pressed every button he could find until he got the right one. Upon opening the boot I found the few items kept in there were now scattered about all over the place. Neither the engine coolant nor the windscreen washer reserviours had been topped up. If I were an unsuspecting punter I dread to think what the consequences could have been regarding the improperly inflated tyres. The next day I received a telephone call from Kwik-Fit asking if I had a pleasant experience at their branch and did I have any suggestions to improve the Kwik-Fit service, My reply was cut short when my wife entered the room but be assured it is not suitable to be printed here.
BE WARNED.

 

[jdpef356]

Thanks for sharing that Kevin - I do let non Porsche Centre touch my car but only the ones I know well.

Grecian 2000 on order![]

 

[dpoynton]

There is an investment saying; "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is".

KF has had a poor reputation for many years now and when they offer an "all in" for less than half the cost of the oil alone, that is your warning sign.

David

 

[markiii]

if you must use Qwik Fit, the only sensible option is to supervise VERY closely

 

[adamos]

Pay peanuts get monkeys!

 

[chas3.2]

The quality of a job is remembered long after the price is forgot.

 

[jdpef356]

Hows this for a good idea?

Turn up at Kwik fit and tell them you are going to save them money[]

Ask if you can have the Mobil oil and the filter - then pay them £45.00 - tell them you dont need their labour[X(]

Then take your car to Charles Marsland or someone else you can trust and ask them to carry out the oil/filter change.

That should save you £55 on Mobil oil you were purchasing from Halfords[] Oh and the filter is FOC[][]

 

[grahamwhite]

I supervised them closely and had zero probs.
The guys were very prefessional and i would not hesitate to go back to my local kwikfit for an oil change.
See this thread for my experience...

 

[Kevin Welch]

Hi Charles

I usually try to service my cars myself but in this instance my thinking was the job only involved unscrewing and then refitting the sump plug and ditto for the oil filter. My mistake was in thinking that even a numpty would be able to manage that and I also assumed that a "specialist tyre company" would have information available regarding tyre pressures and that staff would have at least some training about where to look for this info. Unfortunately, and much to my surprise, the car was taken into the workshop at the rear of the tyre fitting bays and I was unable to supervise the proceedings. However that being said one does tend to attribute a certain amount of common sense even to a "monkey" wether or not it has any peanuts.