Halford's Autocentre MOT - your experiences?

MadMom

I've received a voucher from my insurer giving me 50% off my next MOT (due now) at Halford's Auto Centre. This means just under £15!! The sceptic in me wants to know what the catch is... Have any of you experience using Halfords for MOT's?

My car is only 4 years old, and will have just had a service a week before the booked MOT. Yet I wonder whether they have an incentive at that price to make up problems that then cost £££ to "fix" before they issue the MOT?

Thanks for your input

Strider590

The catch is you being advised that whilst it's passed an MOT, the brakes, tyres, exhaust and shock absorbers are in a dangerous condition and they can "do you a good deal" for £750 to fix it.

But this industry wide, with most of the big chains.

It's hard to scam people on the MOT these days, so what they do is they put the fear of god into you, hoping you'll get lots of extra work done.

I've even heard of elaborate stories being told about (for example) what might happen if the driver went past a school and a child ran out.

bod1467

A colleague has used them before for servicing and MOT on his company (leased) car without any complaints. Mind you he wouldn't have been picking up any bills .........

mcpitman

Used them on my last car and never had any issues.

To be fair my next door neighbour worked for them for 13 months which spanned my MOT's for 2x years. Had he not worked there, they wouldn't have gone there.

Now I use an "MOT only" test station, to stop spurious expenses being recommended. Yes, they are full price for the MOT 9 times out of 10, but also have no interest in making extra money out of you, because they don't do repairs/tyres/exhausts etc.

loskie

I last used the 7 or so years ago due to a similar offer. Car failed on emissions however was not warm when tested. They sold me a bottle of additive and after the shortest of runs it passed. Not long enough to make any difference to emissions.Also failed because of headlight aim (never a problem before and no change to car) and orange indicators being faded which I dont think they were.
I would avoid.

salubrious

It's likely to be 50% off the official mot fee which is £54.85 and not their current offer of £29.95

Basically the voucher isn't worth the paper it is printed on.

loskie

I got my 13 yr old forester MOT'd yesterday at a local back street place. Picked up the car from home and dropped it off when done. Passed £45 and only a couple of minor advisories.
No silly offers just a decent price.
well chuffed

chickendipperbabe

Had one of our cars MOT'd at Halfords twice without issue, passed no problem as I expected. Last year they told me they suspected the battery may need to be replaced in the near future (not that it affected the MOT side of things) and they were right, five months later click click and no dice (it wouldn't take a charge on a charger either) It was the factory fitted battery so I was excepting it, the car is barely used and stands weeks at a time so that didn't really help it much.

I was expecting phantom issues when i booked it in with Halfords but was pleasantly surprised and the fact they warned me about the battery but didn't try and coerce me to buy one there and then is a bonus.