|
|
|
Dec 18, 2006 15:34:59 GMT
|
my thoughts were exactly as bryn said - if they are that bad why use them??? ive had good experiences with halford. they are always open on a sunday when i decide theres yet something else that should be a different colour. Also, last year an old trolley jack of mine was giving up the ghost, so i went round and said it was on its way out - of course i didnt have the receipt (the fact it had barely a speck of paint on it was a gauge of its use and not its age  ;D ) and they let me take another away with me. I barely had to 'try it on' ;D |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 18, 2006 16:00:45 GMT
|
Oh I'm not really knocking Halfords... I know that they are pretty poop when it comes to buying actual car bits..... It's just while you are there buying paint / bikes / multifit alloys you may as well ask them. I find motor factors can be just as irritating. You know exactly the score.... Grumpy looking old git sat behind the counter eeking out the very last of his roll-up... You ask for a part, he sucks through his teeth... 'that'll be a changeover year you know...' Gets you the part, you go home and spend 8 hours trying to fit it before discovering it's the wrong bit. Put it all back together and return for the right bit. It's much easier to walk in, get the bit, walk out turn around and go back in for the right one as you just know that it will be the case. No-one is immune from this. My dad works in an independent motor factors (grumpy, check. Roll up, check). Sold me some brake pads. Some head-scratching & non-fitment later I realised they were the ones for non-abs models. RATS! Mind you, if you need a wheel bearing for a 1969 Toyota Corona or sommert, they'll have one there, somewhere. And at least they don't look at you like you have three heads when you explain you need a Mondeo clutch for your Nissan-engined triumph or whatever... |
| |
|
|
bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,962
Club RR Member Number: 71
|
halfords did it againbstardchild
@bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member 71
|
Dec 18, 2006 16:21:45 GMT
|
I find motor factors can be just as irritating. You know exactly the score.... Grumpy looking old git sat behind the counter eeking out the very last of his roll-up... You ask for a part, he sucks through his teeth... 'that'll be a changeover year you know...' Gets you the part, you go home and spend 8 hours trying to fit it before discovering it's the wrong bit. Put it all back together and return for the right bit. It's much easier to walk in, get the bit, walk out turn around and go back in for the right one as you just know that it will be the case. LOL - I walked into my MF and and bought a rear wheel bearing for an 1985 Opel Monza - they had it on the shelf!!! Trouble is they only had one on the shelf and I needed two.......... Ooooops - guess how hard it was to find another - in the end a plea for help on here got me one ;D |
| |
|
|
bryn
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,913
|
|
Dec 18, 2006 16:22:37 GMT
|
No-one is immune from this. My dad works in an independent motor factors (grumpy, check. Roll up, check). Sold me some brake pads. Some head-scratching & non-fitment later I realised they were the ones for non-abs models. RATS! Hmm, mistake? O Rly? ;D ;D |
| |
Volvo, Buggy, Discovery and an old tractor.
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 18, 2006 17:02:40 GMT
|
|
Halfrauds are OK for generic 'Oh F**k I need one now' type bits, but I still use our local factors for major bits (ie Marina water pump off the shelf, £20!) and the two I use the most are top places - one is an 'old style' factors with stores that have all sorts of odds and sods buried away and are happy to hunt down obscure bits, the other has a bunch of kit-car loonies running it so ANYTHING goes there....trouble is once you get talking about cars and mods (not barry-boy stuff, but proper mods) it takes ruddy ages to get out again.... ;D
|
| |
Last Edit: Dec 18, 2006 17:03:25 GMT by marinanut
Rover Metro - The TARDIS - brake problems.....Stored
Rover 75 - Barge
MGZTT Cdti 160+ - Winter Hack and Audi botherer...
MGF - The Golden Shot...Stored
Project Minion........
Can you see the theme?
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 18, 2006 17:43:52 GMT
|
|
Getting the right bits from motor factors is often down to the information you give them, and its not really their fault that the manufacturers dicked about with everything so much.
If you can`t take the dead part in, give them as much info as you can, and don't withold things, if you know they did them like this at the start of 1987 and like that at the end then don't just say E-reg Audi 90, I know it sounds obvious but there are many times when I`ve predicted the wrong part being sent based on something I forgot to mention or couldnt be arsed saying and been right.
On the other hand a lot of Factors just hand things over that they know have a 1 in 4 chance of being right and just hope they never see it again.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 19, 2006 23:06:33 GMT
|
I appreciate the problem with the jack, but if you haven't got a receipt... What did you expect? It's a large chain store and as such the prices and policies will be fixed. Granted I don't think it's good practice to supply a spare part and expect you to fit it, but again that's what you expect from Halfords, plus I should think you went there because it was convenient and the price was right, huh? there is no legal requirement to provide anything other than the item no matter how grubby, as long as it has been used in accordance with the instructions. as for halfords, i worked there for 7 months, very high turnover but kepe trying until you get a good useful person (like i was). try other branches too if need be, they can all take back stuff etc. repairs are the vendors prerogative, if they can fix it they are entitled to do so, howevre, THEY must then supply you with the fixed item. you do nothing except give a broken one and receive it fixed. this is grey in terms of how long it takes though. i then worked at a 4 franchise dealer in the parts dept, much like a vendors. 4 makes and i saw much, much more (talking hundreds of % more) returns for wrong parts/years/fittings/sizes... i gave up in the end and handed the difficult tech stuff to the manager lol. this is despite computer images for every part. crossovers were superb. fezza mk6 is out there rallying with mazda 2 bottom arms. same fitment but stronger thicker metal. mondeo diesel filter smae item as 2.9 hyundais. fusion/fiesta 1.4's are peugeot engines and are half price on parts from ford. mazda 4x4 parts are all 60-75% of price of identical ford ranger parts. wipers all over the show though, its only length so ami/911 excitement is nothing lol! |
| |
|
|
sparko
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,627
|
|
Dec 19, 2006 23:33:21 GMT
|
|
Well I work for Halfords in the bikehut and with returns it just depends on the manager to be honest. In our store if you come on a day when Becky is manager then you will not get money off anything or any refunds unless you stand there for hours arguing with her but if you come on a day when Robs in then you just have to compliment him and your walking away with discount.....
Truth be told there are some right numpties that work with me but then there are a few fellas who know exactly what they are talking about. As suprisingskoda said its realy just who you speak to and how kindly you approach the subject as I would be more inclined to help out a friendly customer rather than one who has decided its my fault that I cant sell him a bike that I don't have....
|
| |
|
|
JC
Part of things
Posts: 815
|
|
Dec 20, 2006 12:24:46 GMT
|
as retro as my mobile phone ooh got any pics? retro phones are cool, maybe we should have a sub-forum for retro phones? |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 20, 2006 12:50:11 GMT
|
For the record I have been very happy at times with halfords, like a supermarket that sells bike and car bits, its always fun to visit, having a good look at their bikes and boy racer bits, and see if theres owt in the sale of use.  The bike people have been helpful specially, often favours for free, so i buy summat overpriced, but need in return.  Happy I have a great local MF guy a stones throw away from home now, so he gets business, and its usualy cheap too yay, i like to support the independents wher i can, Halfords are alright for novelty and convenince. if it all goes wrong due to no reciept, forget it and get a cheap en from machine mart, less than £20, would love a right posh high rise one, or two though. |
| |
 it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 20, 2006 13:01:29 GMT
|
i worked there for 6 months its surprising really, the people who worked there had no real interest in cars or things, they worked there because it was an easy job and they needed the cash. there emphasis is on the family guy who comes in for a baby seat and a few service bits so he can take his middle of the line focus on a day trip, not guys like us who need a rear difribulator arm for a 1932 ford model A or similar - otherwise the wouldnt make any money, and thats what it boils down to with the big chain stores. motorfactors are there to supply the more mechanically minded, i mean, you wouldnt take your family around your local motorfactors, but you would rouind halfords....which is why people like us find them better for the things we need. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 20, 2006 14:49:31 GMT
|
|
My Halfords trooly jack collapsed under load while I was under the car.... luckily I had just positioned the axle stand when it came down. They don't "lower" themselves, they just fall. I about had a heart attack. I know a lad who died when his car fell on him. Do not fugg about with stuff like jacks, your life may depend on it. Get something decent from Machine mart or where ever - check for leaks regularly and do a "stand test" under load fairly often (jack car up on jack, leave it a while, see if it has dropped much...
|
| |
1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
|
|
duke
Part of things
Posts: 17
|
|
Dec 20, 2006 19:38:22 GMT
|
|
and for a bit of closure...
i went back to halfords the day after, spoke to the same bloke, he stood by his story of having to get it repaired to which i luckily managed to eventually weasel him out of through explaining what i see as common sense, and ended up getting a replacement jack. Although he did not seem the least bit happy!
and bryn fyi i did keep the receipt...it was the instruction manual and box that i chucked
as for the long standing halfords debate, i reluctantly go there if i need something generic (i.e. lengths or wire/connectors, brake fluid etc) but i will always make a point of ringing local motorfactors first for any less commonplace items
|
| |
|
|
;D ) and they let me take another away with me. I barely had to 'try it on' ;D
