Halfords at it again
 

Today I visited a friend near Malvern an on out return from lunch his battery in his Skoda had barely enough power to start his car. Rather than risk it we popped down to Halfords and they offered to fit it for him.

The guy came out with new 5 year guarantee battery and a selection of tools. He undid the terminals and could not get them off the battery so he levered them off with a screwdriver :eek:. He then wripped the cover that goes around the battery and just said it does not fit. Finally he dropped the clamp bolt and rather than retrieve it he just said the new one does not need it as it is a ''good tight fit'' :duh:. I challenged him saying it was law that it needed one and he said '' not if they are this tight''.

My mate paid and when he started the car the radio code had gone, the airbag light and engine management light were on. He went in to complain and the manager came out with the guy who had installed the battery, he explained to him he should have put a memory saver in the OBD slot and them apologised to my Friend. He then told my friend if he wanted to get it recoded and get the warning lights put out they would pick up the tab. We popped into the local dealer who popped out with there box of tricks and the guy said ''just give us a £5''.

The clamp bolt is on order as that was no where to be found.

Gives me no confidence if they cant even change a battery. I dread to think how they would get on with a headlight bulb in a Ford Focus ( bumper off)

Wow..........!

I would not trust Halfords with my pushbike - let alone our cars.

The description by SCP440 in the OP is a fair analysis of the general incompetence and genuine ignorance of mechanical basics by Halfords Staff.

Use them at your peril.

Try them for headlamp bulbs fitted incorrectly then, superb when you test cars and the beam is simply a blob on the beam tester !

I popped in once for an Oil change when I was in a hurry. Having ascertained they were going to use the wrong spec. oil, I asked them if they were going to pay for a new engine when it blew up and politely declined & went elsewhere!

I know a lot of these chains have bad reputations, but I feel it's quite unfair to label all the employee's the same. As in most cases, the minority ruin it for the majority IMO. :shrug:

Well, we all have a choice as to where we place our custom. Given the steady and consistent poor feedback on Halfords by fellow club members - and not just this club, other enthusiast clubs report the same - I choose not to use them.

My poor experience of Halfords was regarding oil. I went in for EP90 and was told “oil’s oil mate” when I realised there was none on the shelf.

They seem to specialise in employing the inexperienced.

So no, they don’t get my custom. But those that want to repeatedly provide them with the benefit of the doubt are obviously able to do so.

if you feel strongly enough be part of the solution, try an email to the chap below

Mr Graham Stapleton Chief Executive

[email protected]

macafee2

The problem is there are many people who don't have a clue on even how to check the oil level or top up the screen wash and these are the people the are preying on. The problem is Halfords seem to also employ these same people and give them a quick training course.

Others use them because they want something done quickly or don't want to get there hands or clothes dirty. These people often know more than the person doing the job.

What I found amusing about Tuesday was the manager tried to explain to the employee after the event what he should have done, changing a battery on a car these days almost always involves plugging some device in to save codes and on some cars without doing this the car is undrivable.