Halfords Autocentre (Tigers Way)

[notnow john]

5 hours ago, Buce said:

 

I think they bank on that, mate, but I'm not letting it drop; they tried to defraud me, and I'm fvcking furious.

Worth letting trading standards know about your experience.

[stix]

I’d be really interested to know how people get on on here over the next 6 months or so now that the new mot laws have come into effect. I still find it hard to believe that your diesel car will fail with a major fault if any coloured smoke is seen from the exhaust. If that’s going to be done as they’ve described there will be piles of scrap cars everywhere. I’ve had older diesels in the past that have been smoky and have thrown many pound notes at them over time to try and fix it, still haven’t found a solution to the issue to this day. 

 

I’m also very dubious about the ‘dangerous’ fault on the mot. Surely that gives the dodgy mechanics the green light to start printing money!? I don’t know the first thing about fixing cars, they could tell me any old shite and I wouldn’t be able to prove otherwise. And then the car is stuck there unless you pay for it to be towed to a different garage. 

[steveherbe]

9 hours ago, SystonFox said:

Halfrauds.

 

i get my car MOT’d at a place in Beaumont leys who only does MOT. No need for him to fail it for no reason he won’t gain anything from it so he’s always honest. Been going to him for years, on that estate that’s now got marks electrical on it used to be artisan press.

 

Independents for the win

Agree with this, I use a place in Eastleigh, Hants that only does MOTs. I realise thats not much use for most of you, but I'd suggest using a dedicated test centre, they have no reason to fail your motor.

[Parafox]

16 hours ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

I got two tyres replaced at a small independent place down here recently.

 

I told them I usually go to Kwik Fit but felt they were too expensive so tried this new place instead.

 

The lad who dealt with me told me he recently left that Kwik Fit because the Manager there got sacked for doing exactly what's been described on here.

 

Looks like they're all at it!!

Had an argument with Kwik Fit in Hinckley. I took my previous car in for a brakes service. They told me I needed all four discs and sets of pads replacing, £450. I declined and took it to Britannia tyres who found only the front pads on the limit, everything else was fine. £80 they charged me.

[steveherbe]

2 hours ago, Parafox said:

Had an argument with Kwik Fit in Hinckley. I took my previous car in for a brakes service. They told me I needed all four discs and sets of pads replacing, £450. I declined and took it to Britannia tyres who found only the front pads on the limit, everything else was fine. £80 they charged me.

Similar with National Tyres Winchester. Took mine in for a pre-mot brake check, they reported I needed front discs and pads, rears were ok. Wanted to charge me over £350, so I went to my Vauxhall main dealer. They quoted £250 so I went there. However, dealer phoned me 20 minutes after I dropped the car off, front discs and pads were fine, it was the REARS that needed replacing! Had it done, and car sailed through mot.

I now use a mobile mechanic I found on Checkatrade. Renault dealer told my wife all 4 discs and pads needed replacing on hers, £800 please. Our mobile man came out, only fronts needed doing, less than £250 for the job. I'd suggest Checkatrade mobile mechanics every day of the week, avoid all national outfits.

[goose2010]

3 hours ago, Parafox said:

Had an argument with Kwik Fit in Hinckley. I took my previous car in for a brakes service. They told me I needed all four discs and sets of pads replacing, £450. I declined and took it to Britannia tyres who found only the front pads on the limit, everything else was fine. £80 they charged me.

Kwik Fit in Hinckley are a joke - I have started using Tyre Medic (Derby road near the ESSO garage) for mine and the misses car they are brilliant, really good service and very decent prices.

[Wymsey]

Prefer to use local independent ones (although some are quite rude etc), as they can specifically fix any issues without trying to look for something else to increase their sales.

It seems like there's too many tyre etc businesses around in Leicester.

[Parafox]

6 hours ago, goose2010 said:

Kwik Fit in Hinckley are a joke - I have started using Tyre Medic (Derby road near the ESSO garage) for mine and the misses car they are brilliant, really good service and very decent prices.

Yes me too now. I've used them a couple of times for tyre changes at home and have taken my wife's car in for a slow puncture. They certainly seem genuine and they will match any price given by others for whatever needs doing. And thy will come and do it on at my house. 

[Izzy]

16 minutes ago, Parafox said:

And thy will come and do it on at my house. 

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done 

[Rob1742]

I had similar once with the missus car. Second opinion showed nothing wrong. It wasn’t Halfords though.

 

Thought this sort sort of thing was a thing of the past with social media, but clearly not.

 

Good luck with the complaint as these things need sorting. 

[Parafox]

13 hours ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done 

Yep, God looks after my car 

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

JB Stone (/Ratrace Motorcycles) in Sileby are the only garage I trust. Always do a good job and never charge what I'm anticipating

 

[lifted*fox]

halfords can suck a big fat one. 

 

why anyone gives business to these useless, incompetent ****s I'll never know. 

 

go independent all the way and support a local garage who will support you back. 

[Webbo]

Like with any trade, the best way to choose someone is through recommendation of someone you know (not checkatrade or that type of thing. those testimonials can be easily faked). I've been going to Hastiks since I could drive. Maybe there are cheaper firms out there but I trust them and that peace of mind is worth the extra. 

[katieakita]

Would still let Trading standards know, for everyone who stands up there will be some old boy or girl who fall for these tricks and pays up

 

[Buce]

 

Time for an update:

 

I have received a reply from Halfords this morning; as you will see, they haven't in the slightest grasped what I'm complaining about:

 

Dear Sir

Thank you for your email. I am sorry to note that you are unhappy with the outcome of your recent MOT. 

We always stand by our MOT testers decision however in the event a customer doesn’t agree with the decision we offer two avenues. 

In the first instance and the quickest we invite you back in for us to re-inspect your car at a Halfords Auto centre of your choice. This allows us to check the report we have provided against the subsequent report you have been given. If we find that we have not accurately reported items in this instance we are then able to engage in a factual discussion with you about how we put things right for you and complete any internal investigations if we find misconduct of any individual employee/s. 

If for any reason you are not comfortable for this to happen as we are bound by the DVSA scheme rules we offer an appeals process as laid out by the DVSA which is a government agency. In this instance you would need to initiate your appeal via the DVSA web site which is https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/complain-about-an-mot. This process is mediated by the DVSA within one of our MOT testing stations and the DVSA have the final say if we have assessed your car inaccurately. Unfortunately the timescales of this are a little longer as we have to follow the DVSA timelines for appeals. 

Should you wish to arrange an inspection at one of our local centres as mentioned in option 1 please contact the Halfords Autocentre of your choice. Should you choose to contact the DVSA then we will hear from them in due course to arrange the appeal inspection. 

If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me via email or on 0800 096 4216. 

Kind regards
Bilal Ahmed
Customer Service Advisor

 

 

This is my reply:

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

However, it seems that you have misunderstood my complaint; in fact, you are so wide of the mark that I wonder if you actually read it at all.

 

Allow me to reiterate: I booked my car in for a full service with Halfords, not an MOT. During the course of the service, the manager called me to say that my car required urgent work (new pads and discs on the front brakes; new brake drums on the rear; a replacement front suspension strut; a replacement tyre; a replacement 'stop' bulb) and quoted me a price of over £800 to do the work. I declined to have the work done and told him just to finish the service as arranged, which he did.

 

I subsequently submitted my car for its MOT with another garage. It passed, with no advisories. I informed the tester what Halfords had said about the brakes, suspension, tyre and 'stop' bulb, and he confirmed that all were in perfect condition. Your manager quite clearly lied about the work that he claimed needed doing. Let's not mince words - he attempted to defraud me of over £800. I have retained the paperwork from the service in which all of the alleged faults are listed, which I will show you if required.

 

I would also suggest to you that you read the Google reviews of this branch of Halfords. A number of them are describing exactly the same thing as I experienced; one goes on to say that while he waited in reception for his car to be serviced, he witnessed the manager make several phone calls to customers and in each case telling them an identical story about requiring new brakes and tyres.

 

I do not intend to be fobbed off over this: I have held off from reporting this to Trading Standards until you have had a chance to reply, but unless you come back with a satisfactory response, that will be my next step. But be aware, it will not be my last.

 

[Facecloth]

That's clearly a standard response they churn out to every complaint. They probably get so many it's the only way they can reply to them all.

[Bryn]

Why would you not report this to trading standards regardless of his response?

[Izzy]

31 minutes ago, Facecloth said:

That's clearly a standard response they churn out to every complaint. They probably get so many it's the only way they can reply to them all.

Exactly what I thought, just a copy and paste job that.

 

I was taking to my neighbor about servicing cars etc. and mentioned Buce’s situation. He said that’s why they’re known in the trade as ‘Halfrauds’ 

[Buce]

22 minutes ago, Bryn said:

Why would you not report this to trading standards regardless of his response?

 

I intend to, of course. 

 

But while they think it can be avoided they have more incentive to try and appease me. 

[Steven]

13 minutes ago, Buce said:

 

I intend to, of course. 

 

But while they think it can be avoided they have more incentive to try and appease me. 

What with? 

[Rob1742]

I found when I moved from Leicester into a small town, everything including car servicing etc is less of a hassle.

 

In a smaller town, if anyone rips you off etc everyone finds out and you the trader are history.

 

Not always the case, but the chances of being ripped off like this comes down dramatically. 

 

 

[Buce]

32 minutes ago, Steven said:

What with? 

 

At the very least, I want:

 

a) Disciplinary action to be taken against the manager.

 

b) A verifiable system put in place to ensure that it doesn't happen again.

 

c) As reparation, a sum equal to the amount by which they tried to defraud me, paid to a charity of my choice.