HalfordsReviews 74

Halfords isn't all bad, and I am sure not all of them are dodgy, however the ones I have visited seem to be. I was looking for a set of front wiper blades for my car. They told me £35 for the set and £8 to fit them. This was the price for the Halfords brand, Now I went to their competitor and purchased a set of Bosch Aero 2 blades for £22.50 and they fitted them for free. Most other things can be had elsewhere for a cheaper price. Beware of them saying you need repairs. Get a second opinion. Many times the repair isn't needed and they always overprice the work and parts. I don't bother with them anymore. Also, A friend brought a car in to have two tyres fitted and then have an MOT. Why would Halfords do the MOT first, knowing it was there for two tyres, put the tyres down as an advisory, then fit the tyres? So now, he has advisories for the tyres on his MOT. The tyres should have been fitted first, then the MOT done so there would be no advisories. Dodgy!

Before buying a bike for my daughter as a birthday gift back in the first week of June 2020, I spoke and chatted with 3 of their staff who all recommended that I get a 12inch bike. As the experts, I followed their recommendations and was all excited. Needless to say that the bike arrived damaged (definitely not by the courier) and it was very small even though I told them its for a 110cm kid. The exchange guy requested photos which I sent, they were collected and I happily kept the accessories as I knew I'd get another bike.

I went on to order another and was met with system of which I was told its best I create another account since the previous returns was not finalised. I patiently waited and spent that time brushing on my bike knowledge. Customer care advised that it's best I go in store and purchase the bike which I can have straight away, which I clarified about stocks as they were widely publicised of low stocks but I was assured I'd get one.

Took 2 buses of over an hour's journey in the rain with my 2 preschoolers and had to queue for about 4 hours because twice I lost my spot as my daughter needed to pee, then I also had to feed her and my baby. It was an extremely stressful day but persevered. Finally went in to the shop in Tottenham and staff were very unhelpful, avoiding me like a plague as I tried to get assistance and yes I did have full protective gear on. With no success on getting assistance, I thought I'd get my daughter to just try some of the bikes and that'll determine right size and we can buy. To my disappointment, there were only 2 kids bikes available and both were locked with no way to try them. As my daughter touched the pink one, a girl yelled "don't touch any bike". I kept my cool and explained my situation but she didn't seem to care much about why I was sent in store. She won't even entertain doing the height, so I did it and then she said "get her a 16inch bike". I pleaded with her to give me 2mins to explain my query and she said they were very busy but reluctantly listened. She insisted I go online and raise queries with online team. I was overwhelmed and got emotional with frustration, so left the shop.

It took me a while to get things back on then I placed another online order, but this time I picked collection from Mile End as it was meant to be ready within 2days and other shops were showing about 5-7days. Long story short, the Manager from the Mile End shop rudely rang me and said the bike I ordered was out of stock and I need to pay extra £70 to get a different but same brand. I argued that the bike was in stock when I ordered it and as such it shouldn't be my fault. He argued that the bike should never have been on the website as its a discontinued product, so I told him I ordered what was on the site. When I asked which other branch might have it, he said somewhere up North and I told him surely they can arrange it. He rudely interrupted me and said if I'm not paying extra then there's nothing they can do and I told him I won't pay extra as its not my fault, I don't need a refund but I need the bike. He told me to deal with customer service and hung up. Explained what had happened to customer care and logged complaint all on August 6th. Communications never came through and nor did the return calls happen, so I was left chasing my query every week for several weeks. Not once did I get the promised call from the Mile End branch manager nor from the complaints team then suddenly on September 19th, I got a notification of my refund. I was furious that Halfords can treat its customers this way since June 4th and my child still don't have a bike. This left me so down as I was already feeling down and just felt drained as I've pursued this issue so much but Halfords never for once acknowledged their mistake and never apologised.

As you can see, I've been put through hell and back and not once was I rude as I stayed calm all through to keep my sanity. Until this very moment, I still have my child asking me for her birthday bike and how can I explain to a 4year old that Halfords don't think she should own a bike?

I brought my electric bike in September 19. May 20 started to go wrong and say it was hot. I took it back to Halfords July 19th for repair. The motor had to be sent of to manufacture. Which was in Germany. 2 weeks later still not heard from them so I gave them a call. They said it could take a few months. I was shocked and asked if they loan bikes in this situation. No was the reply. So I called customer service and they said the same thing. So September still waiting for my electric bike to be repaired. So I pay so much money for a nice bike. But it takes to long to repair. So I hope they extend my warranty. So anyone looking to buy an electric bike. Please ask about repairs. As I have struggled to get to work with out a bike.

Tried telephoning my local Halfords store at Brislington Bristol on Thursday. Each time the call was answered by an automated service with options to press for different departments. No matter which option you chose no one would actually answer the call After calling eight or nine times throughout the day and trying the following day i ended up calling customer services. Eventually after a long wait they answered and i explained i was trying to speak to the store to book a test ride on one of their bikes. They said they would put me through but after 10 mins on hold i was just cut off.
I rang customer services again explaining what happened and they took my details and oromised a call back. As you may have guessed this never happened either. I will now be spending my money elsewhere. Halfords are a joke. Just reading the other reviews should be enough to make you avoid this place.

I have been dealing with Halfords for the past four years now. I will never go there again after yesterdays debacle. "Again" I was subjected to "I dont know; maybe; not sure; hold on etc". Calls, emails, promises, broken promises etc etc.
To add insult to injury I asked the guys name. John he said and them said "They call me storm". He hadn't hands to wipe his $#*!, didn't help in the least but felt it important to inform me of his nick name. Beggars belief!

On 13 November I went to my local Halfords store and asked for the following to be replaced and fitted on site:

Headlamp bulb - £12.99
Front Wipers - £18.00
Rear Wipers - £9.00
Fitting - £8, £4.00 & £2.00 respectively

The new headlamp bulb didn't work and I was asked to refer to a mechanic. I went to my local supplier, Terriers Autos in High Wycombe who checked the headlamp and quickly surmised that the fault was a blown fuse. He asked me why Halfords hadn't picked this up since it was a simple exercise - I didn't have an answer.

Whilst there, I mentioned that the driver door would not longer open/lock with my key and I had to use the passenger door for this. He replaced the battery in my key (I had paid another supplier a total of nearly £150 to fit new lock mechanisms which didn't work).

My total bill for new fuse and replacement key battery (including fitting) was £7!

The lovely Julian, owner of Terriers Autos, charged £4 for the fuse (and informed me he would have charged £4 for a bulb had that been the problem) plus £3 for the remote battery, £0 for fitting. Julian told me he would have charged £12 for all three wipers and no fitting charge. All in all, I would have saved £37.99 by going to him in the first place plus another £150 for the key battery by going to a mechanic who actually knows what he is doing!

Women like me, who know absolutely nothing about cars, get conned regularly. However, I am surprised that an organisation like Halfords doesn't apply a fairer and more realistic pricing policy. If my local mechanic can still make a profit from charging £4 for a headlamp bulb, how can Halfords justify selling exactly the same item for £12.99? Similarly with the wipers, my mechanic would have charged £8 for the front wipers and Halfords charged £18, and finally my mechanic would have charged £4 for the rear, as opposed to Halfords extortionate £9. I don't begrudge the fitting charges - I think they are fair enough - but the profit hike on the parts is utterly appalling!

Another observation about the bulb versus fuse issue - are these very young Saturday lads properly trained? If they didn't pick up a simple fuse issue, or indeed even look to see if that was why the new bulb didn't work, it makes me wonder how much they actually know and how safe we are when they replace important parts such as lights?

Please stay well clear of this lot. Bought a road bike 4 months ago online, noticed that the front chainset was flexing when putting pressure, pedalling very hard in top gear causing chain to rub on front deraullier, very annoying. Took bike to local halfords store leamington spa. Was told yes it was a problem following day was told by another mechanic nothing wrong with bike. Phoned halfords and was told to get a independent report and they would look at it. Wow this in general has to be the worst. Just stay well clear all you will get isutter grief with this lot.the bike hopefully be selling a. S.a. P. was given a replacement but guess what this one was even worse to date i have had to spend £150 on it. Eventually got fed up of it and sold it. This company is the absolute worse. Halfords you suck. Worst company in u. K probably. Please do not go any where near thease people they have caused me nothing but grief. They have taken my love of cycling and totally ruined it.

I took my bike to be repaired on a Monday I was told that they did not have the parts and they would have to order the parts but my bike would be ready by the Wednesday and someone will phone me.
By Friday no phone call and no one answered the phone when I tried to phone the store.
When I went to the store the manager told me that my bike was not ready.
I informed the manager that I was told that the bike will be ready on Wednesday he then told me that they meant that they would check the bike on Wednesday and order the parts needed or repair the bike.
When I told the manager that one of his members of staff had already told me that they did not have the parts needed and they would have to order them the manager looked at me as I was stupid.
The manager then told me that it might not be repaired until the following week.
It took the store manager to get my bike ready for the Saturday.
I use my bike once before I had to take the bike back to be repaired again.
I used the bike again for a week before it had to be taken back to be repaired.
As before no phone call when it was supposed to be repaired, no one answered the phone until after I phoned a few times.
When I turned up more excuses for why they did not phone.

This review is about appalling customer service, at the store as much as the website. I bought a dab car radio as a present for my husband. He was able to navigate the site easily, read reviews, identify which extra kit he needed for the radio to fit in his car etc. So far, so good.

We chose Halfords as we thought it offered reassurance if they also fitted the product they supplied. I didn't want to buy off an unknown name and later find problems with fitting or the product, without being able to go to a shop to sort it out. So we opted for store fitting at £24.99. The radio arrived really quickly (ordered Sunday, delivered Tuesday).

I phoned my local Halfords store in Ashton-under-Lyne and asked if I could make an appointment to have it fitted. "Oh, just bring it down anytime and we'll fit it there and then." Brilliant. I went to the store, with a 3 year old and 1 year old in tow, to be dealt with by a surly sales manager. I handed him the car radio and accessories, still packed. As he unpacked them, he was asking my why there was certain paperwork in there, and why that number was on it. Questions I couldn't answer. His whole approach was meant to make me feel like I'd done something wrong. He then told me that I'd been sent the wrong fitting voucher, that they couldn't fit it in my car (Toyota Corolla) and I'd have to call a different number. He then kept me waiting for another 20 minutes - didn't explain what he was doing or how long it would take, despite the fact he could see I had my hands full with young children.
Anyway, eventually gave me some paperwork and another number to call.

To cut a long one short, I called the number while outside the store, found that I STILL hadn't been given the right paperwork and had to go back in to see the sales manager again to sort it out. When I questioned the manager on whether he thought I'd experienced poor customer service, he just shrugged and told me "we don't fit them into those cars". Having revisited the website there is a link in small print that says a mobile fitting service is needed for Toyotas with "bolt-on head units". No explanation as to what a bolt-on head unit is... even in the jargon buster section.

I went to put a review of the service on the Halfords website and GUESS WHAT? They warn that if you leave a review with negative comments about customer service, then they won't post it.

I felt I'd chosen a dependable supplier, but may have been better off getting a radio cheaper somewhere else and having a garage fit it. More poor customer service. BUYER BEWARE.