You're not allowed to do that

[Jack Ratt]

Left the house this morning 05.45 as normal to find one of my front tyres is flat. I have a van that doesn't have a spare wheel, just a small electric compressor and some tyre repair gell.

"No probs" thinks I, I'll wait until half past eight when Kwik Fit opens and I'll go back in and have another cuppa.

At 8 oclock I leave for Kwik Fit at St Austell about 10 miles along A390. Approaching St Austell I come to the end of a line of stationery traffic. The road is block by a fallen tree and a car accident. No entrance into town this way so I turn round and thought I'll try Kwik Fit at Truro.

Got to Kwik Fit Truro only to be told that they can't fit tyres to wheels unless the vehicle they come off is there too???? WTF ???? Sorry mate, company rules.

I tell them my van only has 3 wheels on, I can't drive it.

I call our office in Southampton, who then call our national transport office who tell us we are not allowed to change our own wheels.

So I drive home and refit the punctured wheel back on my van and I have to wait for a recovery vehicle to sort me out.

You couldn't make it up, what a shower of s**t I work for

 

[Bozzy]

It's all about covering their own backs as usual with all this claiming for a broken finger nail whilst doing what you think is the right thing to do.
Ends up costing a fortune in comparison to using common sense .

 

[Lee]

Must be something in the air, My battery in my Audi died on the way to work I was loosing car functions one after the other. Power steering went followed by lights then stereo. Luckily It's a diesel so I limped it home and took the zed to work.

 

[Fender2004]

Still think it was a bad move when purchasing a new car and there was no spare tyre, so you could easily change it.

 

[Synclare]

Be like the French and do it anyway using the internationally recognised hand gesture

 

[Redline]

Stupid rule. I Didn’t have a problem taking 4 wheels to have tyres put on though. Probably thinking about the money then.
TBH - no insult intended, but, maybe Kwikfit recognise that their average customer is as thick as two short planks and need to be protected from themselves.
Guessing that you were restricted to using them for your company’s contract reasons. I presume your days work clock started the moment you first stepped out the door. Any grief - refer your boss to get the commercial manager to discuss with the car contracts manager and that a personal mileage claim is on its way in. You did your best to get mobile at the earliest opportunity.

 

[Stevo7682]

Gary if your van is on an account ( ie a fleet van ) then yes no repairs to be carried out without the vehicle being there.
( as wheel may not be even off your van )
If it's your own and your paying for it yourself then no reason why they should not have fixed it.
Stephen.

 

[Redline]

Gary if your van is on an account ( ie a fleet van ) then yes no repairs to be carried out without the vehicle being there.
( as wheel may not be even off your van )
If it's your own and your paying for it yourself then no reason why they should not have fixed it.
Stephen.

Fair comment about fraud protection Steve. Hadn’t thought of that.

 

[Stevo7682]

Fair comment about fraud protection Steve. Hadn’t thought of that.

Tyre inspection is required on all fleet vehicles every visit ( even if in for say a wiper blade) so unless vehicle is there unfortunately no work can be done .

 

[Jack Ratt]

Yes guys it's a Lex lease van. We are contractually obliged to use Kwik Fit for tyres, punctures etc and ..... wait for it ........ Halfords for MOT's and repairs

I just got home from Kwik Fit after waiting nearly 2 hours in reception waiting for Lex to authorise two new front tyres.

I'm just winding down now with a cuppa before I set off for Pompey

 

[Stevo7682]

Gary
Sometimes its unfortunate when you try to do something that speeds up the solution to your issues only to find bureaucracy has got in the way and hands are tied by procedures .
Stephen.

 

[t-tony]

God I'm pleased to be out of that game. The world's gone kin mad.

Tony.

 

[Redline]

God I'm pleased to be out of that game. The world's gone kin mad.

Tony.

It’s always been mad Tony. Just winds you up more as the world gets faster and we get older

 

[t-tony]

I disagree Ian, there used to be a thing called trust. Evidently Kwik fit and Lex don't know what that is.

Tony.

 

[DelGue]

That's judt crazy!

 

[DelGue]

God I'm pleased to be out of that game. The world's gone kin mad.

Tony.

My dad used to say the older he got, the less he understood. Now that I'm old myself, I understand what he meant...

 

[Redline]

I disagree Ian, there used to be a thing called trust. Evidently Kwik fit and Lex don't know what that is.

Tony.

They do know. The problem is that there are all too many people that misuse and abuse that trust and are willing to rip them off without any second thought. It’s a societal issue and not of their making. It’s the only protection they can do in this kind of situation. Makes life more difficult for everyone though.
I know listening to company car drivers over many years that, despite having a nice car to drive as a perk, they are often trying to buck the system on their contract and often complain consistently about their contract company and controls placed upon them. In this instance it’s a work-need vehicle not a benefit, but, the same controls have to be put in place. My response to those is - don’t like it? buy your own car then...

The one problem under these contracts companies is that they impose is that car tread has to be down to 2mm before changing tyres - that’s against the insurance company direct recommendations of 3mm. Being legal isn’t the same as being safe. Quoting back their increased liability for imposing reduced safety margins by acting contrary to insurance company recommendations often gets a different decision. It’s all a game...

 

[Bampz]

Agree with @Redline don't miss that hassle one bit ( retired depot manager )

 

[t-tony]

Me either, from another part of the hassle.

Tony.

ps. I find it hard to see how the Insurance companies can grumble about tread depths which surpass the minimum required by law?

 

[mrscalex]

Unfortunate load of hassle. But in fairness I can see why the rule would be in place.

It's the sort of thing I would do with my Lex lease vehicle so I appreciate the heads-up.