Formula one Auto centres, BEWARE

Boris7

Boris7

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So having looked on line and elsewhere for new tyres I found Formula One Auto Centre were much cheaper than anyone else.

Little annoying that you have to pay on line and make an appointment for fitting but they were much cheaper.

Dropped the MH in at 08:20 for its 08:30 appointment and went for a walk as they said 1hr (never doing that again) I returned after 90 mins just in time to stop the fitter from wrecking the awning, he‘d left the rear of the van sticking out the door and was just about to jack it up enough for the awning to hit the door frame, he was looking at the side without an awning and hadn’t walked around.

In 90 mins they had only don’t the front tyres.

So I suggested turning the van around so the door wouldn't be an issue, I was told there wasn’t room so I did this for them.

The lad then could get the van high enough to get the rear wheel off, told this was because they didn’t have jacks for vans only low entry jacks, the foreman was moaning that they shouldn’t be doing it, and so I asked why they sold van tyres if they couldn’t fit them.

Eventually I explained to them how to properly jack it up, but I also put levelling ramps under the wheels to make access easier, then showed them the chassis jacking points.

They could do the tracking as their kit wasn’t wide enough.

Now I’m not knocking Formula One Auto centres completely, they were cheap and car drivers seemed to get a good service, but if you’ve got a Coach Build I’d think twice, and under no circumstances leave the van unattended.
 
They are all like that over here, I take my wheels off and put them in my car trailer to the depo and stand over them.
 
Boris7 said:
So having looked on line and elsewhere for new tyres I found Formula One Auto Centre were much cheaper than anyone else.

Little annoying that you have to pay on line and make an appointment for fitting but they were much cheaper.

Dropped the MH in at 08:20 for its 08:30 appointment and went for a walk as they said 1hr (never doing that again) I returned after 90 mins just in time to stop the fitter from wrecking the awning, he‘d left the rear of the van sticking out the door and was just about to jack it up enough for the awning to hit the door frame, he was looking at the side without an awning and hadn’t walked around.

In 90 mins they had only don’t the front tyres.

So I suggested turning the van around so the door wouldn't be an issue, I was told there wasn’t room so I did this for them.

The lad then could get the van high enough to get the rear wheel off, told this was because they didn’t have jacks for vans only low entry jacks, the foreman was moaning that they shouldn’t be doing it, and so I asked why they sold van tyres if they couldn’t fit them.

Eventually I explained to them how to properly jack it up, but I also put levelling ramps under the wheels to make access easier, then showed them the chassis jacking points.

They could do the tracking as their kit wasn’t wide enough.

Now I’m not knocking Formula One Auto centres completely, they were cheap and car drivers seemed to get a good service, but if you’ve got a Coach Build I’d think twice, and under no circumstances leave the van unattended.
Click to expand...
I guess what you are really saying is shown in your avatar!
 
It sounds like they were a little short on cells
Just like a local tyre centre near me that we’re going to lift my sprinter van on the sills,
I too had to show them where the jacking points are,
Then I noticed that they were only going to blather front tyres and not the rears,
Their explanation was they only balance fronts because you don’t feel any vibration from rear wheels,
That was many years ago, I haven’t been back to them since
 
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Boris7 said:
So having looked on line and elsewhere for new tyres I found Formula One Auto Centre were much cheaper than anyone else.

Little annoying that you have to pay on line and make an appointment for fitting but they were much cheaper.

Dropped the MH in at 08:20 for its 08:30 appointment and went for a walk as they said 1hr (never doing that again) I returned after 90 mins just in time to stop the fitter from wrecking the awning, he‘d left the rear of the van sticking out the door and was just about to jack it up enough for the awning to hit the door frame, he was looking at the side without an awning and hadn’t walked around.

In 90 mins they had only don’t the front tyres.

So I suggested turning the van around so the door wouldn't be an issue, I was told there wasn’t room so I did this for them.

The lad then could get the van high enough to get the rear wheel off, told this was because they didn’t have jacks for vans only low entry jacks, the foreman was moaning that they shouldn’t be doing it, and so I asked why they sold van tyres if they couldn’t fit them.

Eventually I explained to them how to properly jack it up, but I also put levelling ramps under the wheels to make access easier, then showed them the chassis jacking points.

They could do the tracking as their kit wasn’t wide enough.

Now I’m not knocking Formula One Auto centres completely, they were cheap and car drivers seemed to get a good service, but if you’ve got a Coach Build I’d think twice, and under no circumstances leave the van unattended.
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Thank you, this is why I would never take and defiantly not leave a vehicle with a garage. Main dealers are not much better. I don't understand why low quality work is the accepted normal now.
 
My last fitter tried to jack the car up in the middle of the back axle torsion beam, even though there is a big sticker with a picture of a jack and a cross through it.
 
Picked my van up yesterday. Main dealer service.
Just as well I checked the oil.

IMG_3176.jpeg
 
I used to work as a consultant for 2 of the largest tyre manufacturers and over the years I (sadly) met one hell of a lot of tyre fitters and to be honest, I can't recall meeting a single one of them who knew anything correct about tyres, they were generally all as thick as the proverbial!!!!
 
I took my car in for tyres, as it was around the corner from where I was working.

Pick Up, two tyres done. Buuuut, needs new rear springs as terribly corroded, discs and pads all round, and because the shoulder is worn on the other two tyres they are illegal too.

Firstly, worn shoulder does not equal illegal. Secondly, it had an mot 2 weeks ago, from someone I trust a lot more than you. So feck off!

It was the mot that flagged the tyres I did change, they were very borderline lol.
 
Some years ago we took our car to Formula One for an mot only because we were going away and had not realised that the mot was due. When we brought the car back there was a large dent and scratch on the passenger door, the car was a mazda sports car and the love of Rons life. I immediately phoned Formula One and their response was "did you go shopping on the way home" I told them no. Took pictures and started to record events. They refuse to pay for the damage so we took them to small claims court for the cost of repairing the damage and won. Ron now would not touch them with barge pole.
 
Boris7 said:
So having looked on line and elsewhere for new tyres I found Formula One Auto Centre were much cheaper than anyone else.

Little annoying that you have to pay on line and make an appointment for fitting but they were much cheaper.

Dropped the MH in at 08:20 for its 08:30 appointment and went for a walk as they said 1hr (never doing that again) I returned after 90 mins just in time to stop the fitter from wrecking the awning, he‘d left the rear of the van sticking out the door and was just about to jack it up enough for the awning to hit the door frame, he was looking at the side without an awning and hadn’t walked around.

In 90 mins they had only don’t the front tyres.

So I suggested turning the van around so the door wouldn't be an issue, I was told there wasn’t room so I did this for them.

The lad then could get the van high enough to get the rear wheel off, told this was because they didn’t have jacks for vans only low entry jacks, the foreman was moaning that they shouldn’t be doing it, and so I asked why they sold van tyres if they couldn’t fit them.

Eventually I explained to them how to properly jack it up, but I also put levelling ramps under the wheels to make access easier, then showed them the chassis jacking points.

They could do the tracking as their kit wasn’t wide enough.

Now I’m not knocking Formula One Auto centres completely, they were cheap and car drivers seemed to get a good service, but if you’ve got a Coach Build I’d think twice, and under no circumstances leave the van unattended.
Click to expand...
With that trading name they should be able to do all four in less than three seconds. 🤔

Cheers

H
 
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not slating formula One auto centres ( I’m not promoting them either) I’m just saying they are not the first place I’d go again with a van or MH.

The lad who did the tyres was doing his best with inappropriate kit.
 
Well they sound like consummate professionals compared to the idiots who did the tyre change on our old T25.
 
The last two occasions that I have had new tyres fitted the alloys have been damaged by the fitter. This was with two different companies. At least they acknowledged it was their error and had the wheels refurbished.

The problem on each occasion was that the fitter did not have experience handling commercial vehicle alloys.

Beware!
 
Unfortunately it isn't just Formula1 that are useless, my car failed the MOT with two tyres so I popped up the road to get al my tyres changed and decided on all season tyres, they were fitted and balanced so I went back to the MOT centre who failed it again because three of the four tyres were fitted incorrectly, all season tyres like a lot of modern tyres are directional and were fitted in the wrong direction, when I went back to the tyre company I didn't even get an apology, I was told it was a new young trainee who had never seen directional tyres before, no explanation as to why he wasn't supervised.
I will not tell you what my response was but I don't think they expect me to return 😵
 
I have an hydraulic Jack levelling system ( made by E&P, )
This has proved very useful for tyre changes as I can lift the vehicle off the ground myself, well at the touch of a button.
In rural France and again in Portugal I could not have had punctures repaired as the garage could not lift my vehicle with their jacks. Both times I had a nail in the tyre so could safely drive a short distance.
Last time I had new tyres the garage in the UK was not prepared to lift the vehicle as due to the height they could not get it through the doors onto the concrete floor and didn't want to use the the trolley jack on their tarmac.
I always watch the work they do. In France the garage was the most untidy one I have ever seen but the person who did the repair was excellent, he even checked the date on the tyre solution he used.
 
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