Halfords tools - False economy?

[jbswagger]

I have had a Halfords Advanced kit for a couple of months and broke the 6mm hex socket last night. Went in to Halfords and just swapped over, no need for receipt.

[T89 Callan]

I've been using Halfords Pro' for years now and only ever broken a couple of things, they are very good tools, nicely made and designed for comfort.
Just done an engine conversion no problem with them at all.

I do keep a few Snap-on tools that I use alot like 3/8 drive sockets and my ratchets are Snap-on other than that it is all Halfords.

Keep the receipts as it varies shop to shop whether you need one or nott to get a replacement.

ETA if you get a trade card you get 20-25% off.

Edited by T89 Callan on Sunday 9th August 00:43

[Andy47]

jbswagger said:

I have had a Halfords Advanced kit for a couple of months and broke the 6mm hex socket last night. Went in to Halfords and just swapped over, no need for receipt.

I experienced a similar situation a few years ago. I broke a hex key and went there to buy another, but got a free replacement instead without needing a receipt.

[ymwoods]

Cliff J said:

I bought a Halfords Pro toolkit, 200 piece, which has the lifetime garauntee. I've broken a couple of sockets and need to go down to have them replaced, which they say will be no problem, we'll see
My kit has proved invaluable at the drag strip, not just for me but for other competitors, it just always seems to have a tool for the job, including sparkplug sockets etc and has been used by owners of 1000+ bhp cars to bail them out

It cost me about £100 and has to be one of my best investments over the past few years.

Hope that helps

Me and my friend both have a set, i rarely use mine but in the time i have nothings gone wrong. my friends on the other hand is always taking something apart and has broken a few of the sockets which they replaced..however he broke the ratchet and they said that this was not covered under the lifetime guarentee...he is having a bit of a problem getting it replaced even though Halfords people on the phone say it is covered, people in-store say it isnt.

[anonymous-user]

ymwoods said:

Cliff J said:

I bought a Halfords Pro toolkit, 200 piece, which has the lifetime garauntee. I've broken a couple of sockets and need to go down to have them replaced, which they say will be no problem, we'll see
My kit has proved invaluable at the drag strip, not just for me but for other competitors, it just always seems to have a tool for the job, including sparkplug sockets etc and has been used by owners of 1000+ bhp cars to bail them out

It cost me about £100 and has to be one of my best investments over the past few years.

Hope that helps

Me and my friend both have a set, i rarely use mine but in the time i have nothings gone wrong. my friends on the other hand is always taking something apart and has broken a few of the sockets which they replaced..however he broke the ratchet and they said that this was not covered under the lifetime guarentee...he is having a bit of a problem getting it replaced even though Halfords people on the phone say it is covered, people in-store say it isnt.

I seem to remember hearing from some people that the ratchet itself is covered, but not the ratcheting mechanism?

[jjones]

Simps said:

I seem to remember hearing from some people that the ratchet itself is covered, but not the ratcheting mechanism?

think that's right, they also sell themechanism for a few pounds.

[DaveL485]

Pro range is top notch. I've broken 2 extension bars, the 1/4 drive ratchet, and some of the small allen keys....all replaced without question or a receipt. It does get some hammer though and has stood up really well. Great for a keen home mechanic. The spanners are very good too, although I spoiled myself with a set of Snap-On flank drive plus a few months ago and they are by far the best spanner, ever.

[HRG.]

DaveL485 said:

Pro range is top notch. I've broken 2 extension bars, the 1/4 drive ratchet, and some of the small allen keys....all replaced without question or a receipt. It does get some hammer though and has stood up really well. Great for a keen home mechanic. The spanners are very good too, although I spoiled myself with a set of Snap-On flank drive plus a few months ago and they are by far the best spanner, ever.

So good half of it has broken and yet it still qualifies as good?

My old Kamasa set must be thirty years old and nothing has broken despite being attacked with lump hammers and huge bits of bar over the years

What you really need is a trolley jack and some good old fashioned nouse Ferris

[Frik]

You sure that's the pro range HRG?

After all, I know your eyesight's on the way out.

[Deisel Weisel]

T89 Callan said:

ETA if you get a trade card you get 20-25% off.

Not sure you can apply the Trade Card discount to already discounted tools? Just what I heard.

Edited by Deisel Weisel on Sunday 9th August 14:21

[anonymous-user]

Deisel Weisel said:

T89 Callan said:

ETA if you get a trade card you get 20-25% off.

Not sure you can apply the Trade Card discount to already discounted tools? Just what I heard.

Edited by Deisel Weisel on Sunday 9th August 14:21

Worked for me

Half price flexable head ratchet spanners were £39.15, with the trade card £37.19 .

[bazking69]

Perfectly fine for Sunday mechanics and should give many many years of service.
The stuff to avoid is the stuff that is sold at markets. Utter utter ste.

[Cotty]

Six Fiend said:

My socket set is 20yrs old and still perfect.
]

Same here only problem is I lost the bit of foam that keeps everything in place.

[ferrisbueller]

Frik said:

You sure that's the pro range HRG?

After all, I know your eyesight's on the way out.

Don't upset my mechanic

[Frik]

ferrisbueller said:

Frik said:

You sure that's the pro range HRG?

After all, I know your eyesight's on the way out.

Don't upset my mechanic

I believe the correct term is "technician".

[Fatboy]

Quinny said:

TVR Moneypit said:

Just a word of advice with the reciepts. over time the print fades so much that it becomes unreadable, therefore rendering the reciept and lifetime guarantee useless.

Not in my experience..

I've returned 2 spanners, 1 ratchet, and a couple of sockets over the years..

Never been asked for a receipt, and new tools have been given to me off the shelf, there and then..

Excellent warranty, especially as they're open on a Sunday

Echo that - top quality kit, and although I've broken a couple of sockets, a couple of alan keys and one breaker bar they were replaced without question in the store (2 different stores).

I'd really recommend them for a home mechanic - for a pro mechanic, start with the halfords set, and replace anything that breaks repeatedly with Snap-on/Facom etc, save you splashing out on expensive stuff where it's not needed...

[MGJohn]

Fatboy said:

I'd really recommend them for a home mechanic - for a pro mechanic, start with the halfords set, and replace anything that breaks repeatedly with Snap-on/Facom etc, save you splashing out on expensive stuff where it's not needed...

Spot on advice about upgrading anything that breaks. That's what I have done. Have several single Halfords Pro ratchets and spanners over the years. The 1/4" drive one had the drive mechanism drop out of the head along with the attached 8mm socket and disappeared into an engine I was working on ~ fortunately that engine was in a scrap car in a breaker yard. No chance of retrieval even with and extending magnetic tipped pen. The square drive simply dropped out by gravity. I was not using it on anything at the tine ~ I was about to though. Took the broken remains to Halfords and at first they wanted to see the receipt which I had at home but gawd knows where. After a little hesitation, it was replaced with one from the display case. That was a few years ago and that replacement has seen much amateur use ( not abuse! ) by myself and my son and still works well.

The ratchet drive I use most is the 3/8" ~ That is an aged Snap-on and works fine. One of the small bolts in the ratchet head dropped out and when I spotted the "Snap-on" van on a garage forecourt, I asked the guy in the van and he replaced the screw there and then. Been fine ever since.

When I was much younger, a schoolboy in fact, my father advised me to always buy the best tools available. If you could not afford them, buy the best you can afford. Excellent advice. Some of my tools are a half a century old now and still work perfectly. The advice was good from all aspects.
..

[dudleybloke]

i recently inherited a set of kamasa and have my halfords to my bro. the kamasa must be 30yrs old and where used a lot but are still perfect. the ratchet still feels like new. the halford's stuff is a little bit lighter but for the price you cant moan.

[HRG.]

Frik said:

ferrisbueller said:

Frik said:

You sure that's the pro range HRG?

After all, I know your eyesight's on the way out.

Don't upset my mechanic

I believe the correct term is "technician".

I believe the correct term yesterday was "God"

[Ray Singh]

Thread reviving!

I see that this 200 pc set is now £380 and it is now called the advanced range.

I bought a used set from a friend yesterday for £100. I will see how long it lasts.