53 replies to this topic

[ian]

when i phoned them up for a price on a battery for my bedford van, i also got told to go to main dealer.
i very rarely go to them for anything now

[minidaves]

they are great with the trade card battorys are cheap as chips along with other things like wheel cylinders etc, stuff as a rule is good quaility in terms of parts and they open sundays, I might not like the little chimps that work there but if u know what u want etc they are ok especially on sundays

dave

[rob mini]

its only okay if you have a tarde card. other than that youre an idiot to pay them prices for serviceable items that will be found much much cheaper at a local motor factors. The good thing with halfords though, if your not happen then complain, you'll get virtually anything you want

[Jackman]

Halfords do suck.... really do suck, they wanted 40 odd pound for a coil! And now they dont stock mini parts that sucks even more.

[TrialsLife]

Firstly I work there, I don't think halfords sucks at all.

They cater for the majority, hence why there are so many about. At one point they did have quite a lot of stock for minis, when every man and their dog had a mini. Hence the majority. Now you may get the odd idiot working in halfords, lets be honest you don't need qualifications to work there. Its an anybody job.

Alot of the time it depends what store you go to, all down to bad managment and neglect. Our store is new and we're bloody good. We've got one rally boy, an ex AA garage and nationwide manager, one guy whos been working for the company for 15 years (sad b****rd). The other guys are new to cars, their learning.

I work up on the bikes, and I know for a fact that if we didn't cater for the ripspeed lovers of this world halfords wouldn't be nowhere near where it is at the moment. The two things that keep halfords ticking are Bikehut and Ripspeed.

We do sell car parts, weird that really? Fact is we don't carry that many in stock due to the immense amount of different cars on the road. I do admit we have difficulty in getting parts in, possibly beacause the only people who know the distributers for them are specialists who concentrate their efforts on one type of car.

You don't walk into currys asking for their latest gaming PC, they only really cater for the main stream.

So before you go on about how much halfords suck just think, who they cater for.

[Lt-SilverDragon]

I've got a good local parts place so I never go to halfords for parts but there good for stuff like fuses, bulbs, cleaning products and paint. Must go back there soon I need to paint my roof black, wonder if they've still do 3 for 2 on rattle cans.

[TrialsLife]

I've got a good local parts place so I never go to halfords for parts but there good for stuff like fuses, bulbs, cleaning products and paint. Must go back there soon I need to paint my roof black, wonder if they've still do 3 for 2 on rattle cans.

See, thats the spirit.

I don't think thats on at the moment, just give them a bell or something.

[Jammy]

How do you explain all the neon, shiny light bits, spoilers and boy racer tat they sell? I would of thought the majority would want actual car parts rather than stuff that would interest a Magpie (magpies are known for hoarding shiny things!).

The only explanation I can think of is that any car enthusiast recognises Halfords rip people off on car part prices and so go down the local motor factors, and the only people you get in Halfords anymore are Sunday drivers (hence the amount of car polish) and boy racers (hence Ripspeed).

[TrialsLife]

All the shiny ripspeed bits, I can explain. Its called a thing called supply and demand. People demand shiny things like that, we started supplying. As I have said the most money we take is on Ripspeed and Bikehut. Now if the shoe was on the other foot and we were making more money on parts than ripspeed I'm sure that halfords would make the appropriate changes.

I'm all up for more car parts in halfords, but unless this trend dosn't wear off soon not much will be changing.

[Jammy]

Halfords would make more money on car parts if they lowered their prices!! (Ok, weird logic!). But think about it. Halfords must be the most conveinient place to get car parts, mainly because there is one in nearly every town, and they open Saturdays and Sundays, when most people are working on their cars and need the parts!

[TrialsLife]

I agree halfords do need to lower their prices, especially on things you have to order in. For example for me a set of Hope M$ hydralic disk brakes for my bike would cost £150 and the RRP is £140.

Never understood that, I have noticed though some prices on things are ridicuosly low. I wish it was just average.

[pikey7]

I wouldn't mind paying a little over the odds as it is so convenient. Think about it, if you ordered a points/condensor set for a Mini, all the mail order places would basically add a tenner on top for delivery. **edit** but the current prices at Halfrauds outweigh even that! Just stick a quid on a normal minisares price, and I'd still buy them. Assuming they are in stock of course.....

However, the stock levels are ridiculous. I picked up the last cap/rotor they had on the shelf for mine, and I don't expect they'll replenish that any time soon. However, if you want a stereo, they've got a warehouse full! go figure.......

[1984mini25]

Halfords do need to lower their prices and some other places

Like I bought a new coil from a local parts store (similar to Halfords) for £20
Later found on Minispares a Gen Lucas coil for my mini is £10 + p&p about 6

So I spent an extra £4 which would be fine except my new coil has stared to play up
Looks like I know what one I will be getting to replace it


Not only that whenever I have gone in to my local Halfords, think the last time was for a set of brake pads
On the charts they said they stock them but on the shelf just an empty space where they should be

One last thing can the ****** who is buying all the cans of silver leaf spay paint pack it in for a while
Or can Halfords pull their finger out of their a55 and order some more in
As over the past 3 months now the space has been empty and I need to do some touch ups to my paint

As I don't fancy going to my next nearest one in Northampton only to find out off stock again

[TrialsLife]

I wouldn't mind paying a little over the odds as it is so convenient. Think about it, if you ordered a points/condensor set for a Mini, all the mail order places would basically add a tenner on top for delivery.

However, the stock levels are ridiculous. I picked up the last cap/rotor they had on the shelf for mine, and I don't expect they'll replenish that any time soon. However, if you want a stereo, they've got a warehouse full! go figure.......

Right so we become out of stock on one thing, it happens! It happens with stereos too, and bikes and bike parts weather their cheap or expensive. If they can get the part there to fill the shelfs they will. Gaps don't look interesting and area managers don't like them. If theres a space for it they'll want to fill it.

[pikey7]

It don't bother me. I got the last ones! But I bet it'll be at least 6 months before they next have a set in!