This year, I took out my motor insurance with Kwikfit via MS.com. The Kwikfit quote wasn’t the cheapest but it did offer a free MOT. Happy days, thought I.

I took the car in for its free MOT today and was surprised to see it had failed on FIVE points:

1) Offside headlamp aim too low and too far left (might be - no proof otherwise)
2) Nearside front brake disc excessively worn (complete fabrication)
3) Nearside front brake juddering severely (complete fabrication)
4) Offside front brake juddering severely (another complete fabrication)
5) Front exhaust system excessively deteriorated (untrue)

I knew the above was not true, so I took the car to a reputable dealer and paid £50.00 for an MOT. Surprise, surprise, the car passed!

I told the reputable garage owner about Kwikfit after the test and he was gobsmacked when I showed him the failed MOT report.

I believe Kwikfit are giving out free MOT's, then failing cars to generate revenue.

Has anyone else experienced their car failing a free Kwikfit MOT? Let me know. Could be a Watchdog special in this!!!!!

My second car has an free MOT with Kwikfit in June. I know it is totally roadworthy so it will be interesting if history repeats itself.

Please feedback

Thank you for reading this.

Hi --- While that proof is fresh I would involve the vehicle inspectorate VOSA in the article below, I have never had this happen as I don't use them for the reasons I suspect you have above.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/Mot/DG_4022113

Thanks Conmankiller. I would have looked into this but I am trading the car in for a new one this weekend so I guess I will have to let it lie...

I'd still be interested if anyone else has experienced this type of issue. I know that Kwikfit became a popular insurer choice because of the free MOT offering.

Thanks

i would challenge kwickfit and demand payment for having paid for m.o.t at other garage. threaten them with vosa....

Insurers offering a gimmick offer with gull. It's a shame so many people fall for these 'deals'. In this case, however, it sounds like a case of 'overzealous kwikfit employee' rather than the 'benefit' to the policy bearing sinister repercussions. I can't see a memo from HO stating "We must be more scrupulous where a customer initiates the free MOT inspection"... it just wouldn't happen in this day and age!

Ive just insured with KwikFit & must say I was dubious about the Free MOT. i told my wife that I suspected it was a ruse & that they probably failed cars more often than passed. I'm surprised there has not been further comment. I'll let you know how I get on with mt MOT next year

I got the free mot voucher with my insurance, used it in shirley, southampton branch and car passed no problem. 5 year old scenic that aint been serviced in 2 years and only point they made was back wheels were close to being illegal in next few months. It all depends where you go and if the manager has to get his sales figures up. Its the same story anywhere but if they do fail you are allowed to remove your car and have the defect checked or fixed and return within a set time for a free retest or partial fee.

KwikFit have always been a bunch of scammers, headlamp aim is normally corrected free of charge at MOT Stations and the other 4 Failure points on Darkstars post are surprisingly "repairs" that Kwikfit specialise in.

The only good result I have had with this crowd was dropping a tenner to one of their employees to weld a broken rear silencer and tail pipe instead of a full replacement (and that was nearly 20 years ago)

Also compare their tyre prices brand for brand with other tyre dealers (25% overpriced and too much extra cost for valves, balancing etc)

ATM

I was given a free MOT when I purchased my insurance with Kwik Fit which. At the time I mentioned to the other half it was probably a a scam and that they would foul the car regardless.I had the car MOT'D by them last Friday and what a surprise it fouled on headlamp aim low, worn front brake discs offside wheel bearing and worn exhaust rubbers/mounts somthing to that effect.When I complained and asked for my keys I was told that they couldn't let me take the car as it had no valid MOT. Anyway after a full gone row I took my car to a main dealer paid them £50 for an mot and they passed it with no problems at all. When I took the pass certificate back to Kwik Fit to ask for an explanation I was politly asked to leave and not come back.

I took my car for it's free MOT at Kwik Fit in St Helens after receiving a free voucher with my car isnurance, and am pleased to say it passed with no problems at all.

I had been dubious myself but it turned out good.

Dear Darkstar

Concerned to note your comments following your recent MOT at Kwik-Fit and would welcome an opportunity to discuss the matter with you.

You can email me at kwikfitwebcare AT kwik-fit.com or call me on 01506 864163

Lynda at Kwik-Fit Webcare

Wow - Lynda at Kwik-Fit Webcare, Darkstar posted about his problem over a YEAR ago on April 02 ...2008.

It's a good job you don't call yourself Kwik-Fix Webcare Response team, or you could be liable for misrepresentation. !

Seriously though, it's not exactly a good advert for your company, is it.?

I've had a similar experience with Kwik fit too.

Took my Mazda into the local Kwik fit centre with my free MOT coupon in hand.

The car unfortunately failed on front brake pads (according to the chap they were too worn), between me and you they had been on for thousands of miles and thought that they were probably due for replacement so I didn't query the nice mans findings......until he quoted me the price to replace them!!!!

I asked for the parts and labour breakdown and then suggested if they fit brake pads supplied by myself to help keep the cost down....they said no.

I promptly asked for my failure certificate and a few days later I went to my local garage.....the mechanic scratched his head and asked how the chap knew the brake pads were so badly worn that they would need replacing without actually removing them. He said brakes either work or they don't for an MOT - if they were scraping or scoring the disc - fair enough.

I explained the pads had been on for ages and I would feel happier if he replaced them. He was happy to fit the car with a set that I had bought from motor parts store. He kept the old pads to show me that there was plenty of meat on them. he charged me an hours labour and put the car through the MOT for half price.

The moral of the story is don't go to Kwik fit expecting friendly, helpful, skilled staff that won't try to fob you off when you question them....just use their free MOT voucher as a pre-mot and go to a reputable local mechanic for some expert advice!

Hi

This is so true I took my car to Kwik Fit again from Car insurance and getting the free offer, they faile dmy car and told me it needed lots of work to suspension and it was unsafe to drive! this scared me but I took it to another garage and was prepared for bill, but my car passe dits MOT and did not need a thing! I went back to Kwik Fit and challenged them on the info they told me, after a log serious of complaints to their head office , they admitted they had given me wrong advice and sent me vouchers to use for £100 which I got new tyres few months later, but I will never trust them as if I had paid for the work it would of all been not needed and I would never of known!

they need to be very careful with these scams I don't think it was kwikfit but whoever it was it was a fastfit here's the story, my friend operated a small independent garage a few months prior he had fitted new discs and pads to a customers car, the fastfit garage failed the car on worn discs, customer naturally went back to my friend in a very bad mood! Anyway after a discussion the customer took car somewhere else in the same chain and asked them to do a free brake check.....result 'absolutely fine infact they are almost brand new!', there then followed some very heated phone calls between branches. So basically i'd never trust any of the big chains to do an MOT