MOT - Halfords Autocentre?

[cobra kid]

As per the title, have many on here used them and what experiences have you had? I'm looking to book locally for this weekend and these guys have popped up.

[Cupramax]

I’ve had a couple of MOT’s done in the recent past, when they had offers on. No issues, no attempts to find stuff that wasn’t broken to fix. To be honest the one I use isn’t attached to an actual branch, it’s just a workshop so maybe a bit less sales oriented,

[cobra kid]

Cupramax said:

I’ve had a couple of MOT’s done in the recent past, when they had offers on. No issues, no attempts to find stuff that wasn’t broken to fix. To be honest the one I use isn’t attached to an actual branch, it’s just a workshop so maybe a bit less sales oriented,

Ta. That's what this one is. Separate premises a couple of miles away from a store.

[P700DEE]

Autocentres are not associated with retail stores. I worked for retail (cycles) for them for a couple of years and staff discount made great sense for MOT etc. to be done by autocentres. Had about 5 done (three cars) . XKR , failed on emmissions, lack of detail regarding failure, no offer to fix. Found to be broken vacuum pipe to throttle body. Fixed else where and MOT'd. XJ8 passed , wear noted on front suspension , BMW F11. Failed on rear shock absorber, staff discount price was cheaper than my indy so they did and was fine. Second year passed no advisories, wife's Juke, passed but needed new front discs. Broke a part on installing , charged us for Nissan kit (£80) . Taken this year to local garage, pads fittedwrongly causing knocking, refitted for free.
Halfords pay minimum wage plus a bit so talent does not stay, most workers are good and reliable, crap people are weeded out as Halfords have to pay to fix mistakes. Like most big businesses they are staff target driven so email, and easy things like bulbs, brakes etc.

[anonymous-user]

Used the local one in an emergency, utterly useless. Beyond useless in fact..

Couldn't identify the fault I took it in with, created another fault whilst failing to identify the first then tried charging me for fixing the fault they created which still want resolved....

I guess however, it does depend on the location, manager, staff etc but I would say it's a pretty st place to work overall and that's reflected in the service offered

[richhead]

pablo said:

Used the local one in an emergency, utterly useless. Beyond useless in fact..

Couldn't identify the fault I took it in with, created another fault whilst failing to identify the first then tried charging me for fixing the fault they created which still want resolved....

I guess however, it does depend on the location, manager, staff etc but I would say it's a pretty st place to work overall and that's reflected in the service offered

The op is asking about an mot, not general workshop, its very different.
an mot is down to the tester, after all the tester has the license aswell as the station, so no mot tester would knowingly get it wrong, or face loosing said license.

[richhead]

to the op, an mot in theory should be the same anywhere, and halfords often do offers.

[sixor8]

I've used a Halfords near me a couple of times. Very professional in my experience, not trying to 'make work' as sceptics would infer. I used them because they're on of the cheapest at £35 and by joining their motoring club (free), it's £29.99. Last 2 cars passed there.

[soxboy]

I’ve used my local Halfords a few times for MoTs, no issues and no upselling. It’s a standalone one, not attached to any retail element.

Took lease Range Rover to KF for an MoT, got an advisory for brake discs. Reckoned they definitely needed doing (despite it only being an advisory) - as soon as mentioned it’s not mine and is going back soon so I don’t care, the response was ‘oh they should be fine then’.

[Wildcat45]

I was once responsible for a small fleet of pool cars. The Halfords Autocentre was nearest to us and the lease company were happy for them to use them.

For oil changes they were fine. Anything else was always a problem.

A Pug 308 that broke down mystified them. The pug dealer fixed it without hassle.

A sticky brake calliper on a Focus turned into such a Saga, that I had it taken to a main dealer who again fixed it without hassle.

That said, last time I needed AdBlue for my Velar, I went to Halfords and an engaging and enthusiastic young guy offered to fill it up for me. He was a proper car guy. Owned a Porsche 924 or 944.

I’d say they are pretty hit and miss. There are good ones out there, just like there are decent Kwik-Fit branches who will fix your puncture for £27 quid and not upsell anything.

[ingenieur]

I would say this is completely down to the guys working in the particular branch.

I've had a couple of MOTs done recently in several branches of Halfords with mixed results, even within the same branch during retests.

There is a discretionary element to MOT testing no matter what anybody says and how tight the rules are. When it comes to 'looking' at something some testers are Stevie Wonder and others are Six Million Dollar Man.

What you should always do is get familiar with your local MOT testers to find out who is a dick and who sensibly MOTs cars and avoid the dicks.

[Krikkit]

My local one is decent, always use them for MOT and AC stuff.

[stevemcs]

Mots maybe, anything else no, and certainly not ac work. The amount we get from Halfords or kwik fit where they regas and never check for leaks always amazes us.

[Bert Cheese]

I've not been near a Halfords AC in years but in past experience...

Segensworth (Fareham - Hants) I put my mildly modified and very clean Mk1 Focus through there 3 years on the trot for MOT basically because it was within walking distance of work and it came back every time with passes and sensible minor advisories, one time the tester actually came over and mentioned how well looked after the car obviously was when I picked it up which doesn't often happen in larger garages?

Eastleigh - One of my Alfa GTV's had an exhaust joint come loose after having a stainless system fitted at a "specialist" who obviously didn't know how crush joints work...I lived virtually next door to the Halfords at the time and after a quick word I got it round there very slowly with the exhaust dragging on the floor all of 200 yards, all fixed an hour later with a bit of light hearted piss taking all for £45.00 IIRC.

All good for me at least...a friend's lad who is still young and car mad has also worked at one somewhere near Pompey for the last 6 years and still loves going to work.