Another Halfords Rant

EPM

Ok, I know all the stories but against my better judgement decided to get a car kit installed in Halfords today. It was a spur of the moment job, I had only intended on getting a bit of info on a Parrot kit but the dude in the shop said he could get someone to fit one today and I stupidly went with it.

Anyhow, it all went wrong when they couldn't get the radio out...cue me off down the road to the local main dealership to ask them to do it (only had a twenty on me and said I'd have to give them something). Came back a half out later with radio popped out, went into the shop and the guy fitting it saw me while serving a customer, hawked around waiting and he went off and served someone else. Said he'd be about ten minutes when I said it was ready to go again.

He started working again and was making good headway, kit installed (in the most convenient manner to him) and the next thing was there was no power to it. Asked if I would call back next week as he was going on holidays in about 10 minutes. He called another guy out and headed away home with himself leaving my radio on the floor and wires hanging out of the dash.

Again the other guy said next week (I suspect the kit was damaged during installation) to sort it and I said politely not a hope and I want my €380 refunded so he uninstalled it and put the dash back together. I then noticed that the new gear lever I ordered from a dealer for the car recently completely scratched.

In fairness to the second employee and the (I presume) manager they eventually said they would cover the cost of replacing it and were very nice about it too but it should never have happened in the first place. I even mentioned it to the first guy earlier when he almost scratched it then.

I really cant believe I was stupid enough to allow them near my car. I wont mention the exact location but it was a joke. 2 hours wasted waiting around for them not being able to fit a €380 kit they said they could, money to get the radio popped, and a guy running off without finishing a job and a €60 triem piece scratched to sh1te.

Fcuking raging and it's my own stupid fault for not learning from past mistakes with them.

Rant over:mad:

colm_mcm

bothersome,

What carkit/car was it?

PM me for someone who'll do it properly.

martinr5232

Their is an old saying "If you pay peanuts you get monkeys"

Check out the money Halfords offer for quilified Mechanics.:eek:

kona

This is going to be a interesting thread:pac:

fryup

Halfords, a boy racer's mecca

EPM

colm_mcm wrote: »

bothersome,

What carkit/car was it?

PM me for someone who'll do it properly.

Nice one Colm, PM sent. It was a Parrot MKi 9200 plus the extra adaptor...

CharlieCroker

I bought a bike there last week. Came in a box. Yer man said they'd asemble it for free for me. I thought great, thanks. "No problem sir, it'll be ready in a week for you".
I nearly started laughing at him. Said i'd bring it home and do it myself. (15mins work). Asked him if he could help me bring the 6x3x1 foot box out to the car. He looked at me like I had 2 heads.
They're fine for small stuff but I wouldn't go near them for any kinda service/fitting.

EPM

fryup wrote: »

Halfords, a boy racer's mecca

Funnily enough the lad that was fitting it jumped into a Glanza...

kona

fryup wrote: »

Halfords, a boy racer's mecca

And the Boards.ie Unofficial source of ranting:D

colm_mcm

If anyone watches Dave (the TV channel) with topgear on, and the little ads that appear at the start and end of the ad breaks. ]

Compare that with two sample sound bytes I've got in Liffey Valley:

"I'm on me break"
"Mitsubishis are sh1te"


On the other hand, some of the staff in my local store really know their stuff, and couldn't be friendlier.

EPM

When he was asked to fit it first his response was that he was going on his fag break...I knew this would happen, hoped it wouldn't, but knew they'd fcuk it up

maidhc

I went to buy a middle of the road commuting bike at 5.55 in Halfords a few months ago. I was told, sorry the till is closed.

Delighted in hindsight as I got a proper bike in a proper bike shop for the same price!

I can't see Halfords lasting in this country to be honest. That said, it isn't the worst place to pass an hour. Other thing I notice is the Halfords in the UK are superior and have a decent selection of stuff apart from Autoglym.

colm_mcm

Halfords UK is superior alright, but I wouldn't write Halfords Eire off just yet, they're still relatively new and have got the basics right.

kona

maidhc wrote: »

I went to buy a middle of the road commuting bike at 5.55 in Halfords a few months ago. I was told, sorry the till is closed.

Delighted in hindsight as I got a proper bike in a proper bike shop for the same price!

I can't see Halfords lasting in this country to be honest. That said, it isn't the worst place to pass an hour. Other thing I notice is the Halfords in the UK are superior and have a decent selection of stuff apart from Autoglym.

Dude word on the street is they are expanding here this year:o Id imagine they make a fortune.

RE: bike building, there was probably a waiting list, first come first served and all that jazz. A properly built bike will take 30mins at least.

But yes some of their stores are terrible.

I notice most here are from cork;) co-incidence?

EPM

kona wrote: »

Dude word on the street is they are expanding here this year:o Id imagine they make a fortune.

RE: bike building, there was probably a waiting list, first come first served and all that jazz. A properly built bike will take 30mins at least.

But yes some of their stores are terrible.

I notice most here are from cork;) co-incidence?

I've had bad experiences in both Cork and the place today...I laughed actually after the one in Cork. They guy that was the fitter or whatever down there used be waiting at the bus stop every night when I was leaving the office...If they dont drive but mess with your car:eek:

kona

EPM wrote: »

I've had bad experiences in both Cork and the place today...I laughed actually after the one in Cork. They guy that was the fitter or whatever down there used be waiting at the bus stop every night when I was leaving the office...If they dont drive but mess with your car:eek:

maybe he messed with his and thats why he's taking the bus:pac: either that or hes banned:pac:

EPM

kona wrote: »

maybe he messed with his and thats why he's taking the bus:pac: either that or hes banned:pac:

LOL:D

Seriously, if they hired competent people it would probably make them money. Who pays for the Parrot kit that I *suspect* he broke while fitting?!?

kona

EPM wrote: »

LOL:D

Seriously, if they hired competent people it would probably make them money. Who pays for the Parrot kit that I *suspect* he broke while fitting?!?

I reckon because it costs them like 60% less than the retail price so they just write it off. they make such a killing on the fitting of basic stuff eg a battery costs 11.99 to fit:eek: AFAIK. air freshners, have you seen the price of the alloys!!:eek:

They are a well oiled retail store and their target market is clueless motorists(and lets face it its a HUGE market:o)

Although sometimes its great, ive a trade card and can pick up consumables on the cheap, they also open sunday which is a big plus.

Personally I wouldnt let ANYBODY touch my car under any circumstance, at least when i fix it I know its done right.

Having said all that, I know lads who worked there while they were mechanics because the job was easier and it payed better, one in particular owns his own indie now, which the last I heard was quite successful. So I suppose it depend on who you are deaing with at the time.

I find a conversation about V-tecs works...If they talk how technically ingenius it is id reckon they are decent.
If they reply, bleedin rapa, when it hits 5k yada yada yada. Id avoid them, there haircuts are good clues too:pac:

TJJP

colm_mcm wrote: »

I wouldn't write Halfords Eire off just yet, they're still relatively new and have got the basics right.

Don't know about that; good customer service should be an alpha-1 basic I'd have thought.

kona wrote: »

Dude word on the street is they are expanding here this year:o Id imagine they make a fortune.

Don't know about that either; lots of scobes with money to spend (waste) are now living back home with Ma and Da on much reduced incomes. They might not have the cash for the 16-way lighter socket adaptor and led/neon dash trim lights...

Further, Halfrauds is way overpriced.... hate the place... but still regularly spend an hour there for no good reason )-:

TJJP

kona wrote: »

<snip> their haircuts are good clues too:pac:

lol!

colm_mcm

TJJP wrote: »

Don't know about that; good customer service should be an alpha-1 basic I'd have thought.

The majority that go through the doors get exactly what they want and are delighted. depends on your expectations. I'm rarely delighted with them but I'm fussy about my car. a lot of people don't know the difference.

kona

TJJP wrote: »

Don't know about that; good customer service should be an alpha-1 basic I'd have thought.



Don't know about that either; lots of scobes with money to spend (waste) are now living back home with Ma and Da on much reduced incomes. They might not have the cash for the 16-way lighter socket adaptor and led/neon dash trim lights...

Further, Halfrauds is way overpriced.... hate the place... but still regularly spend an hour there for no good reason )-:

I never get why people hate the place yet spend a hour there:D They must be doing somthing right.

Retail is measured in "footfall", Halfords guage their success on this amongst other things.

With cycle2work scheme etc and the fact that the sterotypical scobe IMO isnt their largest consumer, Id say halfords are doing quite well in a difficult climate? Have you heard of them in difficulty?

If you can make money in the most difficult times by having bad customer service then your on the right track!

I think if you know what you want halfords can be good as it has so much stuff under one roof.

Owen

I regularly have issues with Halfords in Cork. I wanted to buy a bike for herself this summer, and not only were they overpriced - despite a 'sale' - they wouldn't assemble it for ... you guessed ... a week. I've had to argue with the manager there to be allowed to test a head unit that wasn't wired up (They have a universal PSU with ISO connectors there for this purpose, takes all of 30 seconds to hook up), I've had incorrect paints supplied as I said before, and I've had to buy wheels elsewhere which Halfords DO supply, but their teenage staff say they don't.

EPM, I'm not surprised at all. If you need a number of a professional installer in Cork, let me know.

EPM

Judging by the constant traffic in and out of the store, they are doing ok I reckon. Most people come out with a bottle of wax, a few air freshners, maybe a few cloths too. Happy days for them.

It is handy having all this crap together in one place though, hence why I go back...and got caught:mad:

Owen

Apart from the bicycles, and fancy satnav displays, Motorway on the Kinsale Road is much more interesting IMHO, they've got very well trained staff, and because they're a proper motor factors, they actually have good prices too.

kona

Team PR reilly is good too:)

Eric Cartman

fryup wrote: »

Halfords, a boy racer's mecca

indeed not a hope of getting a multistalk radio adaptor or paint kit for a kia, but all the wolfrace alloys, exhaust tips, fusion/ripspeed audio equipment you could want

Eric Cartman

TJJP wrote: »

16-way lighter socket adaptor

they have an 8 way one with the boy racer toggle switch panel now too

Lord Nikon

I got a bottle of Turtle Wax shampoo and wax for the car the other day. Guy at the counter was trying to flog it to me while i was paying for something else.

He said it was half price at €3, but the same thing was on the shelf for €16.

Win for me.