Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Thu 3 Apr 2014 21:16

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - harry55

Hi. Just wanted to find out from anyone out there if you have had any negative experiences with Halford's Authocentres and their half-price MOT offer?

My wife took her car in there. (I won't name the centre.) It failed on 2 issues: headlight bulb and brake pedal soft, ie excessive travel. The bulb was replaced at an indicative cost of £25 (but charged only £15). The brake pedal issue was indicated as possibly servo or master cylinder failure. Expensive items to replace.

We took the car to our local garage who did a brake and clutch fluid flush and replace. This seemed to sort the issue of excessive creep of the brake pedal to the floor. However, the car still failed the retest. We took the car back to the garage for a new MOT test ... and it passed with an advisory about the brake pedal showing some creep. Also, they said a H7 bulb replaced and fitted would have been charged at about £11.

What is happening here. Is it simply a divergence of opinion between two MOT testers? Or is something else possibly happening? I have quickly looked on reviews about Halford's Autocentres. There seems to be plenty of negative comments especially about unnecessary work and overcharging, as well as the offer of a half-price MOT to entice unsuspecting customers to them. I cannot verify the truth of these comments.

Any views about other people's experiences? Any suggestions about what I can do about this, if anything? We are out-of-pocket as we had to pay for a new MOT test.

Thanks.

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Thu 3 Apr 2014 21:58

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - daveyjp

MOTs are like house surveys, a matter of opinion and on marginal issues some will pass and some will fail. On the other hand Halfords is an expensive set up, if they are attracting work by doing MOTs for half price they need to get this cash back.

Far better to use a decent independent. Mine charges £40 for an MOT, but will report honestly and as a result when I need work doing on vehicles I go to him. The alternative is to find a local Council depot which will do an MOT and don't do repairs.

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Thu 3 Apr 2014 23:00

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - elekie&a/c doctor

A friend of mine took his 10 year old Civic to Halfords for an Mot.It failed on a split ball joint rubber boot.They quoted £130 to do the job.My local indy did it for half the price.

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Fri 4 Apr 2014 08:09

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - oldroverboy.

This will always be the case, but got 2 tyres from them a couple of months back via ASDA tyres best price, but they were so slow, both working and invoicing! one of the fitters claimed he was an ex-Masterfit techie and he made more at H'fords.

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Fri 4 Apr 2014 08:25

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - Armitage Shanks {p}

Not a good idea to have an MOT done at a location with a possible financial interest in the outcome. I am lucky enough to have my annual servive and MOT done at the same time at a small local franchised Ford garage whom I know and trust. The serice sorts the snags and the MOT is a pass. Another example, I took my car to a main dealer for a small repair; when I collected it I was told that I had been given a free "Safety Check" and that I need £500 worth of work, the parts were in stock and they could do it the next day! Took it to the local dealer (above) who put it on the ramp and said there was nothing that could not safely wait 6 months,next service.

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Fri 4 Apr 2014 11:50

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - scot22

My experience is similar to AS and I now do the same - a small local garage I can trust. usually prices quite comparable. However, as to what can be done about disatisfaction with larger organisation - probably nothing ! The manager of a city branch of a large dealership said he wasn't bothered about offending a few customers, because there were always plenty more, says it all.

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Fri 4 Apr 2014 13:51

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - Snakey

I've used a local Halfords autocentre for an MOT for the last couple of years and I have to say they were fine with me - couple of advisories but both perfectly acceptable and not an attempt to generate extra work.

They were polite and helpful - but I'm sure this can vary enormously from centre to centre.

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Fri 4 Apr 2014 14:05

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - Wackyracer

I think it goes back to the old saying "no such thing as a free lunch" The reason most garages do MOT testing is as a means of getting work. If they are doing MOT tests for half price they need to recoup that loss somehow.

I am very friendly with a local garage owner and he does give me a bit of a discount on MOT's but, Nothing like half price as he said he never gets any work off me but, I do get a fair and honest MOT test from him.

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Fri 4 Apr 2014 16:16

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - 72 dudes

I think it goes back to the old saying "no such thing as a free lunch" The reason most garages do MOT testing is as a means of getting work. If they are doing MOT tests for half price they need to recoup that loss somehow.

I am very friendly with a local garage owner and he does give me a bit of a discount on MOT's but, Nothing like half price as he said he never gets any work off me but, I do get a fair and honest MOT test from him.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Any national chain like Halfords, KwikFit, Hi-Q etc work off a target/bonus system, where the technicians are paid a basic salary then a bonus on 'productivity'. You can imagine the temptation to fit a few tyres, exhausts, discs etc which perhaps were not strictly needed just yet. Add to that branch targets where the branch manager and regional manager get bonuses from head office for exceeding these targets.

As others have said, a trusted indy or council facility is a better bet for the annual MOT.

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Fri 4 Apr 2014 16:23

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - nortones2

Piecework. We know what that leads onto. Not to mention that at Halfords the mechanics are nominally self-employed. At least that is what I understand from speaking to a guy who struggled to fit a child seat properly at a depot some time ago. Had no training by said outfit: picked it up as they went along. It may have changed since then, but it comes to something when the customer has to do QC on something vital.

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Fri 4 Apr 2014 22:03

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - Wackyracer

I think it goes back to the old saying "no such thing as a free lunch" The reason most garages do MOT testing is as a means of getting work. If they are doing MOT tests for half price they need to recoup that loss somehow.

I am very friendly with a local garage owner and he does give me a bit of a discount on MOT's but, Nothing like half price as he said he never gets any work off me but, I do get a fair and honest MOT test from him.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Any national chain like Halfords, KwikFit, Hi-Q etc work off a target/bonus system, where the technicians are paid a basic salary then a bonus on 'productivity'. You can imagine the temptation to fit a few tyres, exhausts, discs etc which perhaps were not strictly needed just yet. Add to that branch targets where the branch manager and regional manager get bonuses from head office for exceeding these targets.

As others have said, a trusted indy or council facility is a better bet for the annual MOT.

Not sure why your quoting me? I always use indy's for MOT's and all maintenance and repairs I do myself.

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Sat 5 Apr 2014 12:34

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - 72 dudes

I think it goes back to the old saying "no such thing as a free lunch" The reason most garages do MOT testing is as a means of getting work. If they are doing MOT tests for half price they need to recoup that loss somehow.

I am very friendly with a local garage owner and he does give me a bit of a discount on MOT's but, Nothing like half price as he said he never gets any work off me but, I do get a fair and honest MOT test from him.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Any national chain like Halfords, KwikFit, Hi-Q etc work off a target/bonus system, where the technicians are paid a basic salary then a bonus on 'productivity'. You can imagine the temptation to fit a few tyres, exhausts, discs etc which perhaps were not strictly needed just yet. Add to that branch targets where the branch manager and regional manager get bonuses from head office for exceeding these targets.

As others have said, a trusted indy or council facility is a better bet for the annual MOT.

Not sure why your quoting me? I always use indy's for MOT's and all maintenance and repairs I do myself.

Yes, sorry Wackyracer, meant to edit down to your comment about the half price MOTs and having to make up the cost somewhere.

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Fri 4 Apr 2014 20:22

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - harry55

Hi. Thanks for all the messages and comments about your experiences.

It seems I should know better and go to a trusted and honest indy garage. Good advice and will learn from it.

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Sat 5 Apr 2014 13:01

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - Hamsafar

If you present a car for an MOT with something failed that is on your daily check like empty washer fluid, bald tyre or bulb blown or sinking brake pedal then they should err on the side of caution and assume you don't give damn about your car or safety and make sure everything is tip-top so that it will last until the next MOT - and certainly not show any leniency or benefit of doubt.

Edited by Hamsafar on 05/04/2014 at 13:02

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Sun 6 Apr 2014 19:03

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - Ordovices

Moneysavingexpert website has this advice:

Many local councils have their own MOT testing stations for their own vehicles, such as buses or vans.

By law these test centres (though not taxi or Crown stations) must be open to the general public. As they generally only carry out tests and don't do repairs (always check), there's no incentive for mechanics to find faults that don't exist.

I like others have been lucky enough to find a trusted indy, if I hadn't I would look at this option.

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Tue 22 Apr 2014 16:36

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - KT1

I took my KA to a Halfords to its MOT a couple of years ago. It seemed good - they didn't charge me too much for it to pass and they seemed like decent people.

The next day my engine light came on. I took it back in and paid a couple of hunderd quid for them to change all the spraks plugs. The light went off. It came on two days later. I took it back to Halford again and they quoted me for loda sof stuff to be done. Apparently there was now an electrical fault. I took my chances and drove that car for the best part of seven months with the light flcikering on and off. I then sold it to someone who didn't seem to mind the engine light being on...

So in conclusion - Halfords hasn't been great to me. Neither has Kwik Fit.

I agree that local garages seem to be the way forward!

Edited by Avant on 22/04/2014 at 18:16

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Tue 22 Apr 2014 16:42

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - SteveLee

I thought early CR-Vs used H4s and later ones H1/H1s?

The brakes should not fail for a "soft" pedal if there are no visible leaks anywhere, the hoses look to be damage-free and the car passes the brake efficiency test on the rollers.

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Tue 22 Apr 2014 21:00

Honda crv - Halford's Autocentres - jthan

Hi I have been a reader on this website for quite some time, but never posted a comment before. I could not resist when I saw the subject.

Several years ago (when it was still Nationwide Autocentres), I had a bad experience at the Exeter branch. I was lured by the offer of a discount MoT, but it turned out to be the most expensive one I've ever had. The alleged defects were rusty front discs and out of alignment headlights (on a young C220 with under 20,000 miles). I cannot prove the faults did or did not exist, although I do not believe they did, and I was furious with myself afterwards for not just taking the car away. As it was, I had taken the morning off work to get the car MoT'd, and just wanted to get it done. I believe - but cannot prove - that the work was unnecessary and that the brakes were never as good afterwards as before. I do know they got the discs from a local factor and charged circa 100% markup from the factor's website price. And I found lots of web complaints afterwards from customers alleging to have had unnecessary failures at Autocentres for rusty discs and headlight aim.

Since then I have always paid full price for MoTs at a great local garage which doesn't mess me about. And I will never, ever go back to Autocentres (even though it has changed from Nationwide to Halfords).

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