Halfords, a new low!

Dalavich

I am absolutely livid.

My wife's headlight bulb went, and it's a fiddly job to replace. And I'm away working in Paris. So I said to head to a local garage - although she ended up at Halfords.

It's a standard H7 bulb, about £5-£10 in shops. But Halfords had a bogof offer on. Fair enough.

This is where the trouble starts. They sold her "extra bright" bulbs at £25 each, so she did get 2 for £25, and promptly told her that they recommend replacing both at the same time. So 2 x £8 fitting charge now.

They also said all bulbs are the same price, another lie, except the xenon bulbs.

So it costs her £41, whereas it should've been about £18, one bulb & fitting, and a spare in the bogof offer for future.

So of course we'll have an issue where if one blows, I'll have to replace it with a £25 bright bulb, or buy 2 standard ones and replace both!

They basically sold her something she didn't need or want, then lied about the fitting - no doubt to cover up the fact the sold her an extra bright bulb without telling her.

I've complained to Halfords, but they are not responding as usual, which seems to be their normal situation when someone complains.

So it will be a phone call to Trading Standards on Monday and when I get back, I will be visiting the store personally and speaking to the manager.

So if you don't know already. Steer well clear of Halfords unless you know what you want and won't be bullied into buying something you don't need!

Halfords = Liars & thieves!

Warwick_Hunt

Dalavich wrote: »

I am absolutely livid.

My wife's headlight bulb went, and it's a fiddly job to replace. And I'm away working in Paris. So I said to head to a local garage - although she ended up at Halfords.

It's a standard H7 bulb, about £5-£10 in shops. But Halfords had a bogof offer on. Fair enough.

This is where the trouble starts. They sold her "extra bright" bulbs at £25 each, so she did get 2 for £25, and promptly told her that they recommend replacing both at the same time. So 2 x £8 fitting charge now.

They also said all bulbs are the same price, another lie, except the xenon bulbs.

So it costs her £41, whereas it should've been about £18, one bulb & fitting, and a spare in the bogof offer for future.

So of course we'll have an issue where if one blows, I'll have to replace it with a £25 bright bulb, or buy 2 standard ones and replace both!

They basically sold her something she didn't need or want, then lied about the fitting - no doubt to cover up the fact the sold her an extra bright bulb without telling her.

I've complained to Halfords, but they are not responding as usual, which seems to be their normal situation when someone complains.

So it will be a phone call to Trading Standards on Monday and when I get back, I will be visiting the store personally and speaking to the manager.

So if you don't know already. Steer well clear of Halfords unless you know what you want and won't be bullied into buying something you don't need!

Halfords = Liars & thieves!

Try the CAB as you can no longer go straight to TS.

Car_54

Dalavich wrote: »

I am absolutely livid.

My wife's headlight bulb went, and it's a fiddly job to replace. And I'm away working in Paris. So I said to head to a local garage - although she ended up at Halfords.

It's a standard H7 bulb, about £5-£10 in shops. But Halfords had a bogof offer on. Fair enough.

This is where the trouble starts. They sold her "extra bright" bulbs at £25 each, so she did get 2 for £25, and promptly told her that they recommend replacing both at the same time. So 2 x £8 fitting charge now.

They also said all bulbs are the same price, another lie, except the xenon bulbs.

What was the first lie?

So it costs her £41, whereas it should've been about £18, one bulb & fitting, and a spare in the bogof offer for future.

So of course we'll have an issue where if one blows, I'll have to replace it with a £25 bright bulb, or buy 2 standard ones and replace both!

They basically sold her something she didn't need or want, then lied about the fitting - no doubt to cover up the fact the sold her an extra bright bulb without telling her.

What lie?

I've complained to Halfords, but they are not responding as usual, which seems to be their normal situation when someone complains.

So it will be a phone call to Trading Standards on Monday and when I get back, I will be visiting the store personally and speaking to the manager.

So if you don't know already. Steer well clear of Halfords unless you know what you want and won't be bullied into buying something you don't need!

Halfords = Liars & thieves!

Asking these questions does not imply I'm a fan of Halfords!

They will say that they sold "extra bright" bulbs because that's what they recommend (and have a list of benefits), fitting in pairs ditto, and your wife was a consenting adult.

AdrianC

Sounds like chinese whispers over the actual sales process, with a bit of buyer's remorse, and an added layer of delegation remorse ("she didn't do what I'd have done") - possibly all stirred with some gender stereotyping...

paddyandstumpy

The £8 fitting is per bulb, so they charged correctly.

The BOGOF is only on the brighter and whiter bulbs, you sure you could have got one of those for £10 at Halfords? I've just checked their website and the cheapest BOGOF one I could see (albeit for my vehicle) was £17.

trailingspouse

You're away working in Paris so little wifey has to cope. Which she did by taking advice from people who knew more about the subject than she did. Which is fair enough.

Did she have a problem until you came home from your international jet setting and told her she'd done it wrong?? Thought not.

Either stay home, or learn to cope if your OH makes decisions that aren't optimal.

AdrianC

trailingspouse wrote: »

Either stay home, or learn to cope if your OH makes decisions that aren't optimal.

I'm not even sure it's as simple as "aren't optimal"... £18 to replace one bulb, or £41 to replace two with bulbs that many feel are much better. Perhaps the unchanged bulb would have failed the day after, leaving you facing £36 vs £41?

"Not the same as you'd have made in the circumstances" would perhaps be a better way to put it.

motorguy

If only other places sold bulbs other than Halfords.

Nodding_Donkey

trailingspouse wrote: »

You're away working in Paris so little wifey has to cope. Which she did by taking advice from people who knew more about the subject than she did. Which is fair enough.

You did read the OP and the title of the thread and realise we are talking about Halfords didn't you?

I know 10 year-olds that know more about cars than they do.

unholyangel

Nodding_Donkey wrote: »

You did read the OP and the title of the thread and realise we are talking about Halfords didn't you?

I know 10 year-olds that know more about cars than they do.

The poster didn't say halfords know a lot about cars - just that they knew more than OP's wife (which seems to be accurate).

docmatt

Lol at you complaining about £41. She probably spent £80 on a pair of shoes and £30 on wine on the same day. If it makes you feel better I was charged £137 to replace two bulbs in my car at the main dealer.