# Tyre Fitters - Check Your Sills



## pld118 (Jan 19, 2011)

Replaced all 4 tyres on my car in the winter.

3 months down the line and whilst on my hands and knees giving the sills/ underbody a good wash/ degrease I noticed that a section of the underbody was effectively 'caved in', around the area designated for the car's own 'scissor' jack to be used. The 'caved in' area was circular in shape (but the damage was not on the 'scissor' jack point).

This is not damage to the side skirts, but to the underbody area that has an almost hammerite type finish.

I had seen similar damage on cars before where someone has tried to jack a car up, having sited the jack in the wrong place and the resultant weight of the car causes the affected contact point to 'cave in' when the jacking starts/ the jack takes the weight of the car.

After weeks of persistence, the national tyre fitter has (through a very courteous and understanding Regional Manager) agreed to pay for the damage repair. Initially, the Branch Manager did not want to know due to the time that lapsed from the tyres being fitted until me reporting damage.

The moral of the story? Get on your hands and knees and check your underside before you leave a garage.

Damage pictured below:

http://s1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff476/pld118/?action=view&current=Q7OffSillDam1.jpg

:doublesho


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## Ducky (Mar 19, 2007)

Have seen this on countless cars that come into the shop, where they have been jacked incorrectly and hence caused the damage you mention! All too common unfortunately.


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## rorz_vts (Sep 8, 2010)

yea ive come across this a fair bit when buying cars to sell on especially on 'frist time' cars like fiestas, saxos etc from kids not doing it right when changing wheels


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## Dohnut (Feb 4, 2011)

Yep refuse to take my car to kiwk fit for this very reason on a car I had years ago. Stick the jack under randomly and push the handle a few times was obviously the training process.

Kwik Fit = Thick ***


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## Bratwurst (Jan 23, 2009)

pld118 said:


> The moral of the story? Get on your hands and knees and check your underside before you leave a garage.


Moral of the story - don't go there in the first place. Take it to a mechanic NOT a 'fitter'. Yes you might pay a wee bit extra, but your car is sure as hell safer!


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## Mad Ad (Feb 7, 2011)

This is the problem with some of the fast fitting places (NOT ALL BUT SOME) they employ people that sometimes don't know what they are doing or don't really care. I am lucky that my best mate is a good tyre fitter and looks after my car with great attention. When you work on other cars you treat it like your own and everyone happy. 

But a good tip by pld118 check before you leave a garage.


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## pld118 (Jan 19, 2011)

Dohnut said:


> Yep refuse to take my car to kiwk fit for this very reason on a car I had years ago. Stick the jack under randomly and push the handle a few times was obviously the training process.
> 
> Kwik Fit = Thick ***


Brilliant... still laughing!


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## big ben (Aug 25, 2009)

i take the wheels off my car myself and take them in. Would never use kwik fit though, is there actually a bigger bunch of cowboys around?


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## toomanycitroens (Jan 14, 2011)

Nasty that. You were lucky they admitted it though.
I don't know if people are stupid or just don't care anymore.......


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## pld118 (Jan 19, 2011)

*Easier said than done?*



wee_green_mini said:


> Moral of the story - don't go there in the first place. Take it to a mechanic NOT a 'fitter'. Yes you might pay a wee bit extra, but your car is sure as hell safer!


You might have a point... but...

First: I don't skimp on cost to maintain my cars (and I'm not saying that's what you were suggesting).

Second: What many people don't realise is that when you take your car to your local franchised dealer, many actually use national tyre companies via a mobile fitter service that go into to the franchised dealer anyway... my local Audi dealership does that.

Third: You can still barter/ price match, whatever you want to call it, with your franchised dealer. I did it with my local Audi dealer and amazingly, after hard bartering, they price matched a national tyre company with whom I'd already bartered/ agreed a superb price with. When you're talking 18" wheels and above, that can mean a price difference of hundreds of pounds.

What car do you drive and who fits your tyres?


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## pld118 (Jan 19, 2011)

toomanycitroens said:


> Nasty that. You were lucky they admitted it though.
> I don't know if people are stupid or just don't care anymore.......


Well... they've not actually admitted it... they've made the offer as 'a good will gesture so as not to lose your custom'. That was senior management and not the 'ground crew' at the garage where it happened (those lads basically told me to swivel!).

The first quote I got was for £1100... which I thought was ridiculous and excessive. The tyre company offered to pay 50% of that.

The second quote I got came in at under £500. The tyre company has agreed to pay the full amount because I pointed out that they had offered to pay £500 plus based on the first quote.


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## Bratwurst (Jan 23, 2009)

I wasn't suggesting anything about you or your car. I was merely saying that rather than 'risk' going to a fitter in the first place and _then_ check for damage, why not just not go to them at all? As you said, you managed to get the price down to a comparable level with a 'fitter' and got it done by your dealer. Good move that I say.
I have a classic mini and get all garage work done by a trusted independent mechanic, all in-house, and all by people who have experience of working with them. Most previously owned classic mini's (not owned by experienced owners, but by 'the man on the street') I'll bet have damage under them due to not being lifted correctly.
It's crazy that anyone who works on cars for a living/business sometimes don't even have the sense to lift them properly!


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## pld118 (Jan 19, 2011)

wee_green_mini said:


> I wasn't suggesting anything about you or your car. I was merely saying that rather than 'risk' going to a fitter in the first place and _then_ check for damage, why not just not go to them at all? As you said, you managed to get the price down to a comparable level with a 'fitter' and got it done by your dealer. Good move that I say.
> I have a classic mini and get all garage work done by a trusted independent mechanic, all in-house, and all by people who have experience of working with them. Most previously owned classic mini's (not owned by experienced owners, but by 'the man on the street') I'll bet have damage under them due to not being lifted correctly.
> It's crazy that anyone who works on cars for a living/business sometimes don't even have the sense to lift them properly!


No, I knew you weren't suggesting anything about me or the car.

I was curious to know what your method is, that's why I asked.

I think the bottom line these days is that it can be hit or miss if anybody gives a damn... and then you don't always find people's integrity as you would hope for... Thanks.


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## Bratwurst (Jan 23, 2009)

If I'm doing it myself, I get the trolley jack under a strong subframe point. Never on sills or floorpan or even a weaker subframe point.


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## 500tie (Oct 15, 2009)

I always take my wheels off myself and take them down to the local fitters although to be fair to them they are very carefull when fitting the tyres. But that damage looked quite nasty im glad you got your money back for the repair mate


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## Mini 360 (Jul 17, 2009)

Common thing....hence Im having to replace the Minis floor......ffs!!!


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## pld118 (Jan 19, 2011)

big ben said:


> i take the wheels off my car myself and take them in. Would never use kwik fit though, is there actually a bigger bunch of cowboys around?


A good idea... For clarity, I didn't say it was Kwik Fit


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## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

I always dread having tyres replaced as most tend to just throw the jack under.


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## G51 NAV (Jan 14, 2007)

toomanycitroens said:


> Nasty that. You were lucky they admitted it though.
> I don't know if people are stupid or just don't care anymore.......


The latter.


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## tom-225 (Aug 30, 2009)

I always stand and watch as the either put the jack under or position the padson a lift to make sure they are putting them in the right place, and i check before i leave. I also go for using people that trust.


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## Superspec (Feb 25, 2011)

I take them to a local business, they have 3 units in the Midlands, prices are competitive, service is brilliant and they love cars so look after them. Never had an issue and wouldn't go anywhere else. I don't even shop around.


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## nicp2007 (Apr 25, 2007)

some places just don't care, 

i had a slow puncher a while back and took it in, they then put the spade that removes the tyre straight through the side wall and tried to tell me i had run it flat :wall:

they would not replace the tyre so i went round the corner to the same company but in a different location and they changed it no questions asked as they said it was obvias what had happened


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