Halfords Autocentre

mcweasel05

Sorry if this is a little long winded, but I figured you'd need to know the whole story... and it's a warning and praise and vent (3 for 1 how great!!!)

Via our car insurance, we got a free MOT at a Halfords Autocentre. When the time came for the MOT, we dug out the voucher and to our dismay, found it needed to be booked 21 days in advance, we had 14 days until it expired
Tried calling them anyway as figured it was worth a go, they booked us in! :j
Dropped it off at 08.30am (told to and they would phone us when ready, which I thought unusual as every other MOT we'd had had an allocated time - sit and wait).
13.30 received a phone call saying the car had failed (it's 8 years old and had 1 advisory on a tyre) so we went through it's failing points

• Parking efficiency below minimum level
• Windscreen wiper not providing full clearance

Asked how much it would be to fix. Was told the parking efficiency was due to it needing new calipers. They were £250, and the wipers would be £25, plus a retest of £20 odd. So around £300.
Arranged to collect it without having the work done as the calipers were 3 months old and we wanted to speak to our mechanic who lives next door (please don't think I mean someone who does the work on the street, it went to his garage)
Spoke to our mechanic who couldn't explain how they had failed it essentially for the calipers so I went to collect.
I phoned their head office on Monday to complain and they said they'd have the area call me back. He did, and it was the same guy I'd seen on Saturday.
The manager was taken aback a little when I questioned the price. He explained the parking efficiency was due to needing new calipers, so I broke the news to him the calipers were 3 months old, to which he said, yes, they look new!
He then went on to say that what was needed was anti-rattle clips/springs for the calipers (the new calipers didn't come with them and we'd checked with 2 garages at the time of having the calipers done who'd said it was ok not to have them). Halfords Autocentre would replace the clips for £25, plus £25 for the wipers and if the clips didn't improve the efficiency, they would do a rear brake strip for £22. As they were doing the work, the re-test would be free.
Booked the car back in, and dropped it off. Received a phone call later saying it was ready and I asked how much it would be. Was informed it was £70 as agreed (we didn't agree a cost, we had an idea)
Went to pick up the car, and they explained they had done the clips, replaced 1 wiper (only had an issue with the passenger side) and done a rear brake strip. We asked to see the receipt showing what we were paying for. Had a look and saw the clips, 1 wiper, (£12.50) and a retested fee! Asked why we were being charged a re-test fee and he explained that as it was a free test, the re-test fee applied. I stated I spoke to the manager who said the re-test would be free. It turned out it was the manager who was stood in front of me! He knocked off the re-test fee, and we left paying £48 something.
A couple of days later, when it started raining, my wife used the wipers and the replacement wiper didn't clear the screen. I had a look and it didn't sit on the widescreen properly (it was bowed). Phoned Halfords up and the manager said to bring it back. Did so, and they had someone look at it straight away. Turns out it was the wiper arm spring had become stiff, meaning it didn't sit on the widescreen correctly. This left me a little bemused on how they replaced the wiper and it had the same effect on clearance as before the MOT, yet they passed it, and charged us £12.50 for the wiper!

Oh, and they also tried to say the locking nuts on one of the wheels had been fitted the wrong way wrong round. I'm not a mechanic, but I thought the locking nuts were like screws - they can only go in 1 way. If a mechanic could confirm that please as I think it was scaremongering.

So, praise for booking the test in within 21 days and sorting the problem out with the wiper
Vent for trying to say we needed £300 of work done
And Warning to other MSE's in that you should always try to be aware of what work actually does need doing and try for a second opinion.

s_b

to be honest halfords come out of this smelling of roses in my opinion
how are they to know if clips are missing from brakes what other deathtrap problems they might find if they dont replace everything safely?
your mechanic if he fitted new calipers for you in a garage (not in one of those self stimulating good garage schemes by any chance where they sell wonder potions for the elexior of engines is it?)could have at least got them to the very poor standard of holding the car so it can pass an mot
as for the wiper its an easy mistake to make depending on car fitted to

seems to me your mechanic should be avoided
and you sir/madam are the customer from hell
i thank you:)

shaun_from_Africa

as for the wiper its an easy mistake to make depending on car fitted to

Easy mistake!
How can fitting a wiper blade that doesn't do its job be an easy mistake?

Surely the first thing that you should do after putting it on is to test it to make sure that it actually works, especially if this is a requirement of the MOT.

Reasons for a car to fail an MOT

A wiper blade insecure, missing, or in such a condition that it does not clear the windscreen effectively to give the driver an adequate view of the road (through the windscreen) to the left and right sides of the vehicle, as well as to the front.

So the company that you think "come out of this smelling of roses in my opinion", gave a vehicle an MOT when it should have failed.

s_b

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

Easy mistake!
How can fitting a wiper blade that doesn't do its job be an easy mistake?

Surely the first thing that you should do after putting it on is to test it to make sure that it actually works, especially if this is a requirement of the MOT.

Reasons for a car to fail an MOT

So the company that you think "come out of this smelling of roses in my opinion", gave a vehicle an MOT when it should have failed.

if you werent so quick to jump in and read all the OP.s post you would have read

Turns out it was the wiper arm spring had become stiff, meaning it didn't sit on the widescreen correctly.

and as i said its an easy mistake to make ,you fit a new blade check it and when they park depending on the rake of the screen they dont sit properly because the spring in the arm wasnt used to being pulled back this far for a long time and so now sits off the screen
#of course you would know this if you fitted blades to cars and i find it interesting you havent picked up on the incompetance of the other garage but are quick to flame halfords

shaun_from_Africa

i find it interesting you havent picked up on the incompetance of the other garage but are quick to flame halfords

I didn't mention the incompetance of the other garage, but nor did I praise them or attempt to defend their actions.

#of course you would know this if you fitted blades to cars

I've fitted many wiper blades to many different cars, and I've always tested them after fitting, and I've never had one that worked on the initial test then failed within a couple of days.

If the spring is strong enough to push the blade against the glass then there is no reason why the blade should then flex away after only one use.

mcweasel05

I was not trying to 'flame' Halfords for their work, but trying to highlight they wanted to charge £250 for a part which was 3 months old and they admitted was a new part.
As I mentioned in the original post, I contacted 2 garages in regards to the clips, both saying the car was ok not to have them. It was a Saturday and the supplier of the parts was closed. The reason Halfords said they needed replacing was that they took the tyres off and saw the clips were missing, so quoted for whole new parts (probably should have added this in the original post).
In regards to the wiper, it turned out not to be the blade which they replaced, but the arm spring needed lubricating. My bemusement is based on them (thinking myself) replacing the blade. I assume they didn't test it, resulting in them passing the MOT, when I agree it should have failed.
I fail to see how I'm a customer from hell, but everyone is entitled to their opinion

ThumbRemote

s_b wrote: »

to be honest halfords come out of this smelling of roses in my opinion
how are they to know if clips are missing from brakes what other deathtrap problems they might find if they dont replace everything safely?

If you think Halfords come out smelling of roses, you must be the sort of pushover customer, who believes everything they are told without questioning, pays whatever price is conjured up for work that wasn't needed or even agreed to.

You, sir, are a mug.

s_b

ThumbRemote wrote: »

If you think Halfords come out smelling of roses, you must be the sort of pushover customer, who believes everything they are told without questioning, pays whatever price is conjured up for work that wasn't needed or even agreed to.

You, sir, are a mug.

on another thread relating to shoplifting someone mentioned complaints do no good and you said

The difference is complaining has no effect, while a financial penalty directly impacts them for their actions.

so if you relate it to halfords and the fact someone had made a bodge job of the brakes (not them but a garage somewhere else)and they were asked to do an mot and a pass which direction would you expect them to go? bodge the brakes send it out and hope they dont all end up in court for corporate manslaughter or replace all known components to manufacturers design
please think carefully before you answer

and for the record i have no time for halfords and their free safety check because i once went down to rip their heads off but they shut all their doors to me after telling one of my customers their car was unsafe because their front pads were 5% worn

Zedicus

s_b wrote: »

to be honest halfords come out of this smelling of roses in my opinion

You mad, bro?