I took my car to my local kwik-fit as I had a puncture.

It needed a new tyre I had the tyre replaced but 4 miles Down the road the wheel fell off my car.

Now kwik-fit hired me a car while they repair my car I wasn't injured.

Should I put a claim in for some compensation?

That's bad news dude. Pretty important part of fitting a tyre is torquing the wheel nuts up after re fitting. Hope you car wasn't too badly damaged. As for compensation I'm not sure what you could claim for other than any damage incurred. At least no one was hurt it could have been a very different outcome. Hope it all gets sorted for you soon and without too much more hassle.

You would think that if Kwik-Fit where going to be competent at one thing, it would be taking off wheels and putting them back on. I would go to town on them!!!!

Imagine what could of happened if it had been on a motorway at speed.

Go and see your solicitor,

Hell I dread to think of the damage caused. Take them for everything you can

Sent from my Galaxy S5

Wow....rule number one check and recheck the wheel nuts!

They guy only had one wheel off, not exactly a difficult task.

You need to advise your insurance company and they will act on your behalf with a claim against their insurance company.

Or if you don't want you insurance involved (no idea why you wouldn't) then I would insist it is independently inspected for the damage, to cover you.

Edited 21 July, 201411 yr by Defenderben

But if the OP does involve the insurance company, even though no claim is being made it will be recorded and used against him in the future. To be fair to KF it does sound like they have admitted liability and sorting the OP out.

 

The only thing compensation can be claimed for is uninsured losses and there do not appear to be any, the OP has a car to use at KF's expense and that is the only loss which has been dealt with. The car is being dealt with, which apart from a new brake disc probably need nothing else since the car will not have been on floor, the brake disc effectively became the wheel.

 

We've said it before on Briskoda, never use Kwik Fit. Me and many members have had bad experiences, and have vowed never to use them again.

This must have been quite a shock and stressful, also inconvenient. I think you should have some sort of compensation.

Sorry, I can't agree with just going for compensation 'for the sake of it'. What a disgusting attitude.  You're not stating any reason for it, just that you think you're somehow entitled to free money. Which is not really free as someone has to pay for it at the end of the day and that is going to be all the other customers. They've given you a replacement car while they put right what they did wrong.

Think I'd be after a new wheel 

But if the OP does involve the insurance company, even though no claim is being made it will be recorded and used against him in the future.

 

He'll have to declare it anyway.

But.. better to go through KF insurance since that will side step issues around your excess which can drag on (trust me on that one )

 

I think I'd be expecting an engineers report on the car to ensure the chassis isn't twisted or any damage has occurred to the suspension, under-trays, hubs, bearings or wheels.

If the underbody sealant has been damaged I'd expect the underside of the car to be protected again.

 

While this is ongoing I'd expect a comparable hire car for the duration.

 

I'd also be speaking with Trading standards because this was a potentially fatal error. What if that wheel had let go when you were doing 60 round a  corner on a country road?.

Wow - looks like you have all the pictures and evidence required.

Solicitor job i would think.... that is shocking!

 

I certainly hope you get a new wheel and some compensation as a minimum.

Edited 21 July, 201411 yr by samuir1974

Yes same thing happened to my neighbor,they put four new tyres on and over torqued the wheel bolts.Luckily his son was in the passenger car and noticed things flying off the car ,before it got too dangerous.Luckily the car didn,t collapse on to its suspension.The tyre firm had to source and replace all the wheel bolts.

If this goes through insurance, how can this in any way go against the OP?

 

Someone at work hit my car in the carpark while I was inside and admitted responsibility cos a few people saw her do it. Her insurance company sorted it completely but because I didn't think it needed mentioning to mine because I wasn't within 50 feet of the car, when it came to renewal, they happily took my money then two weeks later told me I hadn't declared it and it was found when they were checking the GISC register, so were gonna charge an extra £70 or something for the 'paperwork' and the increase on what it should have been had I notified them originally. I could cancel but they would keep roughly the same amount for the time I was insured!! Had me either way. Wasn't even anywhere near the car which is what annoyed me just as much!

 

Insurance companies are massive c*nts!!

If this goes through insurance, how can this in any way go against the OP? Kwik Fit have admitted liability, and it is obviously through their negligence. There is nothing that the OP could have done to prevent this happening.

 

 

Someone at work hit my car in the carpark while I was inside and admitted responsibility cos a few people saw her do it. Her insurance company sorted it completely but because I didn't think it needed mentioning to mine because I wasn't within 50 feet of the car, when it came to renewal, they happily took my money then two weeks later told me I hadn't declared it and it was found when they were checking the GISC register, so were gonna charge an extra £70 or something for the 'paperwork' and the increase on what it should have been had I notified them originally. I could cancel but they would keep roughly the same amount for the time I was insured!! Had me either way. Wasn't even anywhere near the car which is what annoyed me just as much!

 

Insurance companies are massive c*nts!!

 

As said insurance companies are just massive ******s. If you have a couple of no fault claims in a certain period your premium will go up for just being unlucky. Insurer will just claim on the statistics you present a greater risk. Not a lot you can do about it other than minimise the impact by declaring it and avoiding them screwing you over on excess recovery which is what happened to me.

Edited 21 July, 201411 yr by Aspman

Sorry, I can't agree with just going for compensation 'for the sake of it'. What a disgusting attitude.  You're not stating any reason for it, just that you think you're somehow entitled to free money. Which is not really free as someone has to pay for it at the end of the day and that is going to be all the other customers. They've given you a replacement car while they put right what they did wrong.

Not going for compensation for the sake of it, they are supposed to be professionals and there error could have caused serious damage even death, they should be accountable

If you had crashed and killed someone I imagine they would be in a whole heap of trouble 

no need to inform your insurers in my opinion. its not an accident and kwik fit will be picking up the tab and therefore it shouldnt end up on any accident register

Jesus! That's unbelievable. You could try claiming for stress etc, but I personally wouldn't bother as long as the car was being sorted 100% and you were supplied with a suitable hire car for the duration.

As said above though if it's recorded through insurance companies then it will affect your premium next year. I also had someone reverse into the side and rear quarter of my car in a car park while I was loading the boot, they admitted 100% responsibility and their insurance company repaired my car fully.

But come renewal time, I got penalised for being involved in an accident. It didn't seem to matter that I was not even remotely to blame, nor was I even in the car at the time.

It is a complete **** take!

When you get your car back from crap-fit id pop it in to your dealer & ask them to put it up on the ramp & inspect the work done & see if there has been anymore damage thats not been repaired. If this was my car id be fuming!

Think I'd take it elsewhere to get it checked and let kf foot the bill. Least they can do.

You handed the car back to them?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

It should be a minimum of getting the whole rear corner checked by an engineer to make sure there is no serious residual damage once it has been sorted & bill KF.

 

I would have the disks, suspension & top bolts checked, in fact the whole rear end.

Notwithstanding getting the car checked I would be informing VOSA and/or the HSE. That is simply beyond just an oversight and it is not just you crashing that could have been the outcome, the wheel flying off could have killed a pedestrian etc.

I am not sure why your car insurance will be involved with any claim from K.F's  neglect in doing their work correctly. Take some legal advice.