A well known national fast fit chain has recently started re-advertising that having had fitted a pair of pads/shoes ,the same will be supplied and fitted ,for free ,for the cars lifetime.
I thought Trading Standards had stamped out this despicable con trick some years ago,but it would appear to be back.
The way it works is that when you return for your 'free' pads/shoes the car is put up on the ramp, wheels off and you are then given the grave news that your discs/shoes are so badly worn that they need replacing.Most of the time they are not, after all they can only have worn by one pad life since a fitter last inspected them.
I have seen people in tears,I have heard 'it depends how much you value the lives of your children' 'it's illegal for me to let you leave the garage' and other blatant lies.I saw one young mother with a couple of screaming kids being forced to take out one of their credit cards to pay for new discs. The old ones had a 1mm lip maximum.
The last time I witnessed one of these cons, I had been to a local motor factor and bought a pair of discs for 15-20 pounds en route to having an exhaust job done.The same factor's delivery van turned up and delivered the victims new discs for which he was charged IIRC £140+vat.
It may just be my local branch that behaves his way but I doubt it.
Has anyone out there had any 'free' pads/shoes fitted without the discs/drums?
Any victims care to comment?
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A fast fit chain with similar adverts took the wheels off my daughters car after it failed an MOT for the handbrake. They wanted about £500 to replace brake pipes, disks, pads, shoes and drums. She phoned me and I told them to put the car back together, or I would and tie up their car lift for the rest of the day, and explain to their customers why I was working on the car. They very rapidly changed their mind. The chain has changed ownership since this happened. I sorted the problem by adjusting the handbrake, 10 minute job. And educated my daughter in matters motoring.
At least she had the sense to phone me, (or was it financial shock, it was an eight year old Fiesta).
Edited by Pugugly on 31/01/2009 at 18:37
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There's only one reason why any garage / fast fit place offers things free or discounted, and that's to generate extra work.
However, it does seem to becoming the norm that disks need replacing every 2 sets of pads - you say you've seen them with a 1mm lip (I understand that would be estimated) but on some cars the difference between new an minimum thickness is only 1mm (1/2 mm per side).
Clearly the fast fit chain well understand this and encouraging people to come back for free pads gets them hundreds of pounds worth of business. Sure they're expensive, but front pads and disks (due to surface corrosion) on my C Class Merc were quoted by a Mercedes dealer at just under £500 - I told them not to bother.
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Whatever happened to discs that could be skimmed?
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Most discs can be skimmed provided you don't go below the minimum thickness but it is usually quicker and cheaper to replace them.
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I wonder how much they charge in the first place, my dad last year had new pads and shoes fitted for £60 all in, a year later still no problems. However my dads car needed a new back box so we got a quote from the fastfit place mentioned here and it was the cheapest. We took it there expecting them to tell us the mid section was rusted and we needed an entirely new exhaust. They didn';t they just fitted the back box with not too much fuss, that said they did not have the best customer service skills and the conversation went on the line of "yes mate what do you want mate".
With brakes though they can really get you I reckon if I took my old car there for a health check the bill would have been well over £1500 for repairs!
Fastfit places have their uses but I would never use them for brakes as I know this an area which is so easy to con people with because people have a fear for the safety. You can't really put the fear of god into somebody over an exhaust with a minor blow.
N&S snipped seeing as we're pretty close to the line on this thread anyway !
Edited by Pugugly on 31/01/2009 at 19:31
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>>Fastfit places have their uses
You've lost me there Rattle.
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Fastfit places have their uses >>
No,they do not.They are usually staffed by poorly trained "mechanics" and deal in second grade exhausts etc. They do not come anywhere near the quality of a good indie or main dealer.
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I'll never get my free brake pads and shoes, I'm afraid.
I stay well away from these places on purpose, and don't intend to change this policy to get some freebies!
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I put a customer's car through the MOT . It passed with flying colours as it had done very little milage. I did give her a recommendation on a tyre but I didn't fail as I knew her very well and knew it would be sorted asap. She took the car to a national chain the day after and they told her all four shocks were goosed and she needed new or she could have an accident. She came and told me and I re-assured her they were fine. I rang the manager whom I knew from the trade and had a go at him...he just blamed his 'grunt' Talk about preying on the innocent !
Ted
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Aparantly my dads exhaust is now blowing a bit :( I need to investigate tomorrow I think it is the mid section but if its the back box I shall be very interested to find out how the 3 year guarentee stacks up. If it is the back box and we don't get a refund or replacement then trading standards will soon find out. I have not heared it yet, its just what my sister has told me, the car has been making a boy racer noise tonight so I assume it can only be the exhaust.
I certainly do know it is not a Bossal and Bossals are the only OEM exhaust for that car.
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I didn't know that you could get a 3 year warranty on fast fit exhausts. When I used to get them from those sort of fast fit places, they usually lasted about 13 months. I now get original exhausts and have them fitted at an independent garage.
I once had rear brakes fitted at a fast fit place to my old Sierra. They didn't feel right at all, I took it back, but they were no better. I took it to a local garage where I was told that they hadn't been fitted correctly.
I went for a new tyre at one place, they told me I needed new shock absorbers, I had seen a "mechanic" going under the car with an oil can.
I will never go to these rip off places again.
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Well the one I went to for the exhaust had CCTV cameras in the garage they seemed to recording over the bays. I wonder if this is for the public benefit and also for theres? It could stop accusations of spraying shocks with oil.
I have just listend to the blow, its there but its minor it seems to be comming from the middle area. I will get it checked next time its in the garage.
What I will say though is if these places are really that bad how do they still open?
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This thread has now had over 500 views.Surely someone has had personal experience of the'free' pad offer?
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I don't think the OP was especially clear, or maybe my reading wasn't. Having just read it again, I now get it - you get 'free' pads or shoes for life, but seemingly you'll be "needing" new discs or drums every time which you will of course be charged for, along with the additional labour.
I hadn't seen this, as I don't frequent fast fits any more. It's not fair of course, but when did anybody ever give you something for nothing? I had a "free" MoT on Mrs Dugong's erstwhile Sierra at (the now defunct) Charlie Brown's a few years ago - failed, "needed" new suspension joints, bushes and dampers at £500+. Took it to village Ford dealer who passed it for the next three years without any work.
I'm glad that for the time being I know someone competent and trustworthy - if you don't, and especially if you aren't knowledgeable enough to look after yourself, you are almost bound to be diddled more or less.
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This is sadly becoming much too common. It's a pity Trading Standards don't act to put these fraudsters (for that is what they are) out of business. Not a rant, but reminds me of the time I took a car for an MOT at a so-called specialist for my particular type of car. Failed with over £1000 of work required. Took vehicle elsewhere and sailed through without even an advisory. Hope the song I sang to trading standards and VOSA contributed to their eventual well-deserved demise.
Would you be happy if you visited your dentist every six months only to be told you needed eight drillings and fillings. Neither would I, yet many folk accept what they are told and pay for unnecessary work which will be charged for and not carried out come MOT time.
Another sad episode happened when I took my Volvo to a main dealers for a service and was told on collection that it would need new front pads next time. "That's strange" I replied, "You replaced them at the last sevice, 9000 miles ago". "Oh, it's only advisory, sir, they may be ok when we check them next time!" They obviously didn't want repeat business.
The Volvo dealership closed down a few months later.
You can visit me on www.dogwithabone.com and
www.imnotgoingtostandforit.com ;-)
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