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Nov 14, 2010 13:46:20 GMT
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I just did the cross town hussle to Halfords "mega store" - because the one nearer me actually only has parking space for 6 cars, and 2 bays are marked disabled...
I want an inline fuel filter. Maybe a bit of fuel hose and a couple of shiny new jubilee clips if I'm feeling excited.
Fail on all three items.
"what is it for? asks the lady. "filtering fuel?" I offer? "Make & Model" "Ford Mustang, 1974" "Not on the list, whats the registration" "Just a univeral inline filter and a bit of hose the right bore, a metre maybe" "Oh no, you can't get universal ones, it has to be for that car"
Luckily Motabits was open.
On an unrelated note, how long have Sutton Autofactors been on the industrial estate behind the Cheesecake Factory?
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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
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Nov 14, 2010 13:51:25 GMT
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Good lord! I bet that they would have it, just that the person serving you didn't know where they were. Or even that such a thing as a universal fuel filter existed. I'm not sure whether or not they would think that hose clamps need to be specified by registration number as well...
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Nov 14, 2010 13:51:48 GMT
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They do have universal inline filters and that braided fuel line hose. The hose is braided in fibre is £5 for a metre. I hate asking for any part in there, I've done that at least twice and they've said 'no we don't have it', so I just got and get it off the shelf.
One place you'd expect to have knowledge is Demon Tweeks, they wouldn't sell me an ignition coil because it wouldn't go with my engine. It would. R-Souls.
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Last Edit: Nov 14, 2010 13:52:47 GMT by DavidB
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Nov 14, 2010 13:53:37 GMT
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I couldn't find any for all the "pink accessory" and air freshners.
She did of course try sell me an oil filter.
I stand up for Halfords because I appreciate their position in the retail market but really.
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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
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Nov 14, 2010 14:17:48 GMT
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Wasnt there a thread here from someone who is/was a halfrauds manager explaining the staffing issues?
Whenever I got to one I try to avoid the staff, most of them are complete numpties. They generally do have what you want, but because they don't know their r-soles from their elbows and cant be bothered you cant get what you want. Unless you want a oink air freshener of course!
I did find one decent staffer once, really knew his stuff and even gave me a s/h part that saved me buying a whole new deraillier.
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Koos
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Nov 14, 2010 14:20:36 GMT
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point me to the shelf which has...
not difficult is it.
This woman has worked in that branch for a long time. I recognise her.
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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
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Nov 14, 2010 14:28:58 GMT
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ermm yes but you pay a premium and have to find it yourself. Try going into one and asking for an airfilter for a DAF 44 which by the way they do stock.
Staff "ermm sorry mate we don't do stuff for lorrys" Me "Its not a lorry its a car and old one but definatly a car" Staff "Na mate them a lorry company".
Also wanted some air hose for the heat exchangers.
Staff "we got nothing like that" Me "it doesn't need to look the same just have the same diameter" Staff "No we got nothing.
It was about 2 inches from his nose.
But they could get me matched paint when I didn't know the code. Weird eh
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PhoenixCapri
West Midlands
Posts: 2,685
Club RR Member Number: 91
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Nov 14, 2010 14:39:10 GMT
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Think the filer number is HFF101 or something, go to the filters isle, find the fuel filters (black and green boxes) open a few of the lower number ones till you find the one you want. Don't go near the computer system unless you're lucky enough to be served by someone who knows how to use the system to find stuff that isn't for a particular car - I normally take the old part in and open boxes now - and I worked there for 3 years!
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Nov 14, 2010 15:03:05 GMT
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Think the filer number is HFF101 or something, go to the filters isle, find the fuel filters (black and green boxes) open a few of the lower number ones till you find the one you want. This is what i do. Pretty pointless asking anyone in there. Although the manageress of my local one sorted out two rocker cover gaskets for the carlton for curse word all money ;D
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Nov 14, 2010 15:12:03 GMT
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Has anyone thought about working there in theory and offering this awesome, bespoke service for someone asking for something obscure?
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Nov 14, 2010 15:13:41 GMT
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I think everybody needs to crash their Mail Servers with complaints and examples of how their untrained staff have turned business away simply because of lack of training or because they cannot be bothered cross referencing things Another store i remember that was just as useless was Tandy They were ok but in the last half decade or so before they left the UK their staff were just as useless! I bet they halfords area Management bang on to their staff about targets and increasing sales that would happen if they employed people with a passion for their job and trained them properly? I'm not for one minute saying all Halfords Staff are useless there are a few who know their stuff but unfortunately they are few and far between if enough people let Halfords Head Office know what is going on maybe just maybe they might just get the message?
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Nov 14, 2010 15:17:06 GMT
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A quick poll on google maps shows that there are 5 independant motor factors, 2 "motorworlds", Andrew Page and PartCo nearer to me than the nearest Halfords. Ergo, I haven't been into halfords for a *very* long time......
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To get a standard A40 this low, you'd have to dig a hole to put it in
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MK2VR6
Posted a lot
Mk2 Golf GTi 90 Spec
Posts: 3,329
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Nov 14, 2010 15:22:50 GMT
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It's worth paying a premium just so when you wait on the checkout, the (usually fairly tidy) girl serving looks me up and down, trying to work out why I have just paid a silly amount of money for a tube of chemical metal....
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Nov 14, 2010 15:26:06 GMT
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Earlier this year I got 2x 25 litre oil-less compressors from Halfords - brand new, boxed for a tenner each.
They're not all bad - just mostly.
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'83 GTM Coupe. 4A-GE Powered '00 GTM Libra Auto. Ick. '71 Detomaso Pantera. Current Resto '89 GMC Safari Tow/Kip bus '05 SAAB 9-3 Daily '71 Siva Moonbug. Not even contemplating resto yet.
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Nov 14, 2010 15:27:26 GMT
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Wasnt there a thread here from someone who is/was a halfrauds manager explaining the staffing issues? That was me. I ran one a good few years ago now, but I doubt much has changed. It all boils down to money - the wage budget is laughably small so I simply could not afford to employ decent staff. Those who know cars and are passionate about them, or at least those who are willing to learn very quickly found out that they could earn better money elsewhere. This left me with a bunch of students and middle-aged housewives who neither knew about cars nor cared about cars. Trying the train them took up time I could ill afford to have them away from normal duties. Besides, its impossible to train uninterested people to a decent level of basic knowledge in store time. Plus, even if I did manage to, they would then either sod off to Goa for a years traveling, man - or would notice that B&Q paid 5p per hour more for the same basic job description. People either "get" cars or they don't. You can not turn the former into the latter on a shop budget.
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Last Edit: Nov 14, 2010 15:30:11 GMT by dave21478
1986 Panda 4x4. 1990 Metro Sport. 1999 Ford Escort estate.
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CIH
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,466
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Nov 14, 2010 15:29:47 GMT
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The one when I was in Manchester never had any staff so it was almost impossibile to get served. I could probably have rolled up in a van and unloaded place before anyone noticed.
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Nov 14, 2010 15:36:36 GMT
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actually thinking about it its not just halfords any motor factors can be as bad when they take on staff who havnt got a clue I went into our local partco (used to be unipart) and asked for an oil filter for my Mini Automatic and ended up in a full scale argument with the lady behind the counter She rang it through the till and took my payment then come back with the wrong one in a sealed box. I told her it was the wrong one and she argued with me "how can you say its the wrong one you havnt seen it yet?" Because the box is far too small thats a manual mini one says i!! This went on for a good half an hour until this old chap comes out from the back,what seems to be the problem he asks? I tell him i want an oil filter for my Automatic Mini he looks at the sealed box on the counter and says to his colleague "thats the wrong one"!! How do you know she asks? He says the one for the auto is twice the size it would never fit in that box,i nearly wet myself laughing! He dissapeared into the back and reappeared with the right one and apologised to me ;D Ive never been back there since
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Nov 14, 2010 15:40:58 GMT
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on another note never walk into any parts department with an actual part number this confuses the hell out of them They only appear to be able to function if you tell them a registration number and even then that doesnt gaurentee you will get the part you want
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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Nov 14, 2010 15:54:10 GMT
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In Halfords' defence...... A couple of years ago I fitted a (CPD) breather valve to my (then) Dyane. Various local motor factors were tried first, almost in deperation I went into my local branch of Halfords....and not only did they have the correct stuff there, the lad asked me what I wanted it for, cut it into two sections for me and even chucked in 4 of the correct sized Jubilee clips free. So they're not all bad.
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,784
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Nov 14, 2010 16:01:47 GMT
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halfords are good for tools on special offer, and not much else. proper motor factors are the best. around here we basically have motor parts direct and central auto spares( and then GSF for the stuff they don't stock), which are next door to each other on the industrial estate. just keep going back and forth between the two until the price gets low enough the guys in their know their stuff(paricularly in CAS), and are quite helpful. I went in after a escort zetec water pump to convert my mondeo engine to rwd and loose the power steering, obviously with no part No. or registration, and he could actually tell me the part No. for it from memory and grab me the right one off the shelf!
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Last Edit: Nov 14, 2010 16:03:12 GMT by Dez
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