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Car Forum / Land Rover Cars / December 2004Halfords
Let me tell you about a recent visit to Halfords in Chelteham - the people who think they are a car part retailer .. Me: (Puts a wheel cyliner on the desk) Have you got one of these. Clerk: (Looks puzzled) No we dont sell those Me: Well I phoned up earlier and you told me that you had 2 of the 4 possible types in. Clerk (Now looks really confused) Oh, I'll get someone. (Gets someone else, also aged about 14 - Conversations take place) 2nd Clerk No we dont sell those Me Well, you told me that you did. (Its obvious he hasn't got a clue what a wheel cylinder looks like) (2nd clerk gets 3rd clerk) 3rd Clerk Can I help Me Have you got one of those 3rd Clerk No problem (Accesses computer and offers me the 2 cylinders) Halfords is a great place for selling alloy wheels and air-fresheners - But for gods sake if your going to try to be a parts seller then get real. > Halfords is a great place for selling alloy wheels and air-fresheners - > But for gods sake if your going to try to be a parts seller then get real. Agreed, I wandered round looking for spare lamps, went to Spare Parts Desk showed girl the lamp 'Do you sell these' asked I 'nope' came the reply and away she went, walked around store again, getting headache from those car radios being tried at full blast, and voila a whole stand dedicated to the art of replacement lamps, carefully hidden in the Ripspeed section. Then stood in checkout queue for 10 mins whilst every 'sales' person ignored me, even the 'nope' girl turned 180 and went away when she saw me. Only used Halfords when I have to i.e. emergency. Don't think I will be doing much of that in future. And had to bite lip and not say 'When you open late for staff training, train the staff to know what you sell' Dave We went to Halfords the other day to get a thermostat for a V8 Land Rover 90. He asked me if it was a petrol, a diesel or a TD5. Then he asked me what year it was, I said 1986 (he was probably born after this!) and he said "it still goes then". At this point I walked out. Richard >> Halfords is a great place for selling alloy wheels and air-fresheners - >> But for gods sake if your going to try to be a parts seller then get [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > late for staff training, train the staff to know what you sell' > Dave I should have said that I told him it was a V8, "Have you got a thermostat for a Land Rover 90 V8" > We went to Halfords the other day to get a thermostat for a V8 Land Rover > 90. He asked me if it was a petrol, a diesel or a TD5. Then he asked me [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >> you sell' >> Dave >Subject: Re: Halfords >From: "Richard" richardsemailNOSPAM@ATblueyonder.co.uk >Date: 21/11/2004 11:10 GMT >We went to Halfords the other day to get a thermostat for a V8 Land Rover >90. He asked me if it was a petrol, a diesel or a TD5. Then he asked me what [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >> much of that in future. And had to bite lip and not say 'When you open >> late for staff training, train the staff to know what you sell' Why the hell go to Halfords when there are plenty of decent independent Land Rover parts suppliers and trade motor factors around? Steve. Suffolk. remove 'knujon' to e-mail Cos it was Saturday afternoon and motor factors etc are shut!! > >Subject: Re: Halfords >>From: "Richard" richardsemailNOSPAM@ATblueyonder.co.uk [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > Steve. Suffolk. > remove 'knujon' to e-mail >Subject: Re: Halfords >From: "Richard" richardsemailNOSPAM@ATblueyonder.co.uk >Date: 21/11/2004 21:50 GMT >Cos it was Saturday afternoon and motor factors etc are shut!! There's a moral there somewhere. Steve. Suffolk. remove 'knujon' to e-mail > Cos it was Saturday afternoon and motor factors etc are shut!! <snip> Oh no we're not! But then you would have to be near Stoke...;-) Cheers Richard  Signaturewww.beamends-lrspares.co.uk sales@beamends-lrspares.co.uk Running a business in a Microsoft free environment - it can be done Powered by Risc-OS - you won't get a virus from us!! Helping keep Land Rovers on and off the road to annoy the Lib Dems Can you move to Kent then please. >> Cos it was Saturday afternoon and motor factors etc are shut!! >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Cheers > Richard > Can you move to Kent then please. Had many happy years getting legless with the Headcorn Morris some years ago - but now refuse to pay vastly over inflated prices demanded for very ordinary houses so moved North.... Cheers Richard > >> Cos it was Saturday afternoon and motor factors etc are shut!! > >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Cheers > > Richard Signaturewww.beamends-lrspares.co.uk sales@beamends-lrspares.co.uk Running a business in a Microsoft free environment - it can be done Powered by Risc-OS - you won't get a virus from us!! Helping keep Land Rovers on and off the road to annoy the Lib Dems >> Halfords is a great place for selling alloy wheels and air-fresheners - >> But for gods sake if your going to try to be a parts seller then get real. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >staff training, train the staff to know what you sell' >Dave I occasioanlly use Halfords in Plymouth, sometimes I am pleasantly surprised. Last time I was in there I was after some drivebelts (fanbelts) for a peugeot, a young girl offered to help (she looked 18, maybe, just) and without checking the parts catalogue she pulled 2 of the three I needed fro the rack then went to the book to check the two types of 3rd belt and confirm the other 2, I was astounded, she genuinly seemed to know her stuff. Regards. Mark.(AKA, Mr.Nice.) Signature_________________________________________ www.markvarleyphoto.co.uk 1984 110 CSW 2.5(na)D (3,000 rivets flying in close formation) _________________________________________ >>> Halfords is a great place for selling alloy wheels and air-fresheners - >>> But for gods sake if your going to try to be a parts seller then get real. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >types of 3rd belt and confirm the other 2, I was astounded, she >genuinly seemed to know her stuff. That's a bloody miracle. I only ever go into halford for something like a tin of paint or a bicycle tyre. I gave up long ago looking for anything more complicated. Consequently I now know every motor factor, spare part provider, trade counter and commercial place within a radius of 10 miles. Alex >>>> Halfords is a great place for selling alloy wheels and air-fresheners - >>>> But for gods sake if your going to try to be a parts seller then get [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > spare part provider, trade counter and commercial place within a > radius of 10 miles. Lucky you to have decent ones. We have a Partco. They're find for standard things, but for anything esoteric you have to order in. We have an Allparts. They are useless for just about anythign I've tried for various ages and types of cars (Vanden Plas 1500, RRC, TD5 Disco, 200 Disco, S3, Rover 75). We have "Bucks Auto Components" who seem to be able to supply just about anything if you're a small garage but their stock suddenly vanishes if you're an individual. Never managed to get anything I was looking for from them. I am now at the stage of actually buying LR original parts some of the time from the dealer in town or driving the 20 odd miles to Dingocroft who have most things but aren't convenient - yesterdays expedition was for 6 spring washers and 4 bolts - total cost of about £3.75 plus the same again in fuel. Halfords in town is beyond crap. They often fail to sell you anything even when the item is under their nose. The exceptions to this are of course if you're buying expensive but crap car stereo equipment (I do *not* rate Kenwood or Sony, and they don't carry Clarion). The one "independant" accessory shop in town who go by the name of "The Motorist Centre" seem to be on a spiral to self destruction. Over the last year their parts selection has gone to almost nothing - I can't even get oil filters there most of the time, however if I want blue LED windscreen washers or Nitrous Oxide kits then that's my place. I'm considering doing something obnoxious to the S3 and seeing what the local neds make of it. P. SignatureIf Mind over Matter is a Matter of Course Does it Matter if Nobody Minds? >>>> Halfords is a great place for selling alloy wheels and air-fresheners - >>>> But for gods sake if your going to try to be a parts seller then get real. [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > >Alex only 10 miles? it's 10 miles to my nearest one that deals mainly with cars, also around 10 miles away there are 2 farm supplies places that are good for some things, but I usually go around 25 miles to a place in Plymouth (nearest city, I'm there often anyway). Regards. Mark.(AKA, Mr.Nice.) Signature_________________________________________ www.markvarleyphoto.co.uk 1984 110 CSW 2.5(na)D (3,000 rivets flying in close formation) _________________________________________ > >>>> Halfords is a great place for selling alloy wheels and air-fresheners - > >>>> But for gods sake if your going to try to be a parts seller then get real. [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > for some things, but I usually go around 25 miles to a place in > Plymouth (nearest city, I'm there often anyway). I must be a bit lucky, less than 2 miles to huddersfield land rover centre and work is less than 2 miles to D&R landrover Halifax >> only 10 miles? >> it's 10 miles to my nearest one that deals mainly with cars, also [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > I must be a bit lucky, less than 2 miles to huddersfield land rover > centre and work is less than 2 miles to D&R landrover Halifax Yep, lucky. The nearest LR Centre is in Carlisle, 20+miles away. Apart from local garages I can't think of any car parts or motor factor much closer either. Hexham, Penrith and Carlisle are all more or less 20 miles away. Even though we are remote I wouldn't want to move... SignatureCheers new5pam@howhill.com Dave. pam is missing e-mail > Yep, lucky. The nearest LR Centre is in Carlisle, 20+miles away. Apart > from local garages I can't think of any car parts or motor factor much > closer either. Hexham, Penrith and Carlisle are all more or less 20 > miles away. Even though we are remote I wouldn't want to move... I can't wait until I move back to Wales. Bearmach in Cardiff, and Llwynmilwas Workshop just outside Llantrisant who'll do all the stuff I'm too scared to do or don't have the tools. Plenty of Farmer's Co-ops etc. *sigh* Aled. >> Halfords is a great place for selling alloy wheels and air-fresheners - >> But for gods sake if your going to try to be a parts seller then get real. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >staff training, train the staff to know what you sell' >Dave Try this one - "Are you trained to be rude/thick/slow or does it just come naturally". Signaturehugh Reply to address is valid at the time of posting >>> Halfords is a great place for selling alloy wheels and air-fresheners - >>> But for gods sake if your going to try to be a parts seller then get [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Try this one - "Are you trained to be rude/thick/slow or does it just come > naturally". Pay peanuts get monkeys!! Peter. >>> Halfords is a great place for selling alloy wheels and >>> air-fresheners - But for gods sake if your going to try to be a [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Try this one - "Are you trained to be rude/thick/slow or does it just > come naturally". Didn't realise Halfords was in the Dixon's group. SignatureThe enemy of my enemy is my fiend? If at first you don't succeed, maybe skydiving's not for you! > Let me tell you about a recent visit to Halfords in Chelteham - the people > who think they are a car part retailer .. I use Halfords but only for stuff for work, mainly WD 40 and fuses. The Cheltenham and Gloucester stores in particular seem to cater for the boy racer/chav element. Try asking them for a Thermotime switch for a V8 Efi, cue many blank expressions!. Dom J Our Hlafords didnt have the glass fuses I wanted for my 90! But they have now put a shelf next to the checkout selling chocolate bars. Yippee Richard >> Let me tell you about a recent visit to Halfords in Chelteham - the >> people [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Dom J > Our Hlafords didnt have the glass fuses I wanted for my 90! > But they have now put a shelf next to the checkout selling chocolate bars. > Yippee > Richard Try getting a car product at most filling stations !!! OK if it runs on burgers pork pies and hot chocolate though Don't get me started on Halfords, or Kwick fit (U can't get thicker than a kwick fit fitter)... Even the older, non spotty members of staff seem to have an IQ below that of an ant... But Halfords do have the odd bargain, found a NICE toolkit in thier outside bins the other day, wuz reduced to ?4.99, and very wet, but must be at least ?40-50 worth of just about useable tools On Sunday, in article <lh6od.171$Ae1.34@newsfe2-win.ntli.net> > Don't get me started on Halfords, or Kwick fit (U can't get thicker than a > kwick fit fitter)... Even the older, non spotty members of staff seem to > have an IQ below that of an ant... But Halfords do have the odd bargain, > found a NICE toolkit in thier outside bins the other day, wuz reduced to > ?4.99, and very wet, but must be at least ?40-50 worth of just about useable > tools Their tools do have a good reputation. Scunthorpe, the lads in the bike department seem to know their stuff. SignatureDavid G. Bell -- SF Fan, Filker, and Punslinger. "History shows that the Singularity started when Sir Tim Berners-Lee was bitten by a radioactive spider." > Their tools do have a good reputation. Scunthorpe, the lads in the bike > department seem to know their stuff. Ah, now I have to agree there. The Cardiff branch (Western Avenue) has an excellent bunch of guys for bikes. Met one of them on the Taff Trail one morning on the way to work and had a great chat with him. Always helpful, often telling me the easy/cheap way to do it myself instead of paying them[1]. [1] My knowledge of bikes is crap. Though this all sounds like I go there every other week, I've only been a few times, but with 3 different people's bikes - the joys of owning a Landy. :) Ok - So lets summarise ... a) Halfords are great if you want to buy an air freshener, but absolutely rubbish if you want to actually buy a car part. b)They are expensive c) They employ staff who have just left school d) Their only redeeming feature is that they are open through the weekend. (Why do motor factors close at the weekend when we all want to work on our cars) I'm going to print this lot off and send it to Halfords - Can't email it because they dont accept emails (Obviously a plan to stop people complaining) Thank you to everyone who took part in this debate - Most enjoyable. Stu >> Their tools do have a good reputation. Scunthorpe, the lads in the bike >> department seem to know their stuff. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > there every other week, I've only been a few times, but with 3 different > people's bikes - the joys of owning a Landy. :) I've printed off all of the comments and I'm going to send to Halfords - I'll let you know what they say Stu > Ok - So lets summarise ... > [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] >> there every other week, I've only been a few times, but with 3 different >> people's bikes - the joys of owning a Landy. :) > Ok - So lets summarise ... > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > (Why do motor factors close at the weekend when we all want to work on our > cars) Because they get very few customers! We open Sat & Sun but 90% of our weekend customers are farmers - they don't have weekends so it's just another day to them..... I have actually had people stand at the market stall on a Sunday who've got no brakes but won't wait until 2.00pm to get the parts they need! > I'm going to print this lot off and send it to Halfords - Can't email it > because they dont accept emails (Obviously a plan to stop people [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Stu Richard > >> Their tools do have a good reputation. Scunthorpe, the lads in the bike > >> department seem to know their stuff. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > there every other week, I've only been a few times, but with 3 different > > people's bikes - the joys of owning a Landy. :) Signaturewww.beamends-lrspares.co.uk sales@beamends-lrspares.co.uk Running a business in a Microsoft free environment - it can be done Powered by Risc-OS - you won't get a virus from us!! Helping keep Land Rovers on and off the road to annoy the Lib Dems > Ok - So lets summarise ... > > a) Halfords are great if you want to buy an air freshener, but absolutely > rubbish if you want to actually buy a car part. Personally, I've found several times that Halfords have had parts which my local motor factor (large regional chain with big stores) haven't. And Halfords have been no more expensive on several things, apart from oil where they tend to be pricey. So I've stopped going straight to the motor factor, and now just drop in to Halfords, unless I want oil; and I now have a garage full of that :) David >So I've stopped going straight to the motor factor, and now just drop in >to Halfords, unless I want oil; and I now have a garage full of that :) I've a road full of it. I've just bought V8 thermostats in both Halfords and Bearmach (don't ask why I bought two). Halfords price ?5.99, Bearmach price ?3.61 and I don't normally regard Bearmach as cheap. Different boxes but inside exactly the same French made part. >>So I've stopped going straight to the motor factor, and now just drop in >>to Halfords, unless I want oil; and I now have a garage full of that :) > > I've a road full of it. >> Ok - So lets summarise ... >> [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >So I've stopped going straight to the motor factor, and now just drop in >to Halfords, unless I want oil; and I now have a garage full of that :) I don't buy that at Halfords either, I get it in bulk (5gal can) from a motor factors. It's only the problem with decanting from a 25gallon drum that stops me buying one of them every few months. Alex > >> Ok - So lets summarise ... > >> [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > a motor factors. It's only the problem with decanting from a 25gallon > drum that stops me buying one of them every few months. Most oil suppliers will give you a barrel pump FOC if you ask for one when buying the barrel. >> I don't buy that at Halfords either, I get it in bulk (5gal can) from >> a motor factors. It's only the problem with decanting from a 25gallon >> drum that stops me buying one of them every few months. >> >Most oil suppliers will give you a barrel pump FOC if you ask for one when >buying the barrel. wot sort of price are you looking at for decent-grade 15W40 or suchlike, API SH or better, say, for a 205l drum? >>> I don't buy that at Halfords either, I get it in bulk (5gal can) from >>> a motor factors. It's only the problem with decanting from a 25gallon [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >wot sort of price are you looking at for decent-grade 15W40 or suchlike, API >SH or better, say, for a 205l drum? What is a 205l drum? Speak english please. Alex >>>> I don't buy that at Halfords either, I get it in bulk (5gal can) from >>>> a motor factors. It's only the problem with decanting from a 25gallon [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >What is a 205l drum? Speak english please. where are you based? That's the size oil drums are, in the UK at least. Approximately 45 gallons. But since the small cans are priced per litre or per 5 litres, it's as much use to know what 205l costs, especially as that's what you'd end up ordering. 'course, in the USofA, I don't doubt it's diffferent, but then they use silly undersized pints and gallons anyway. >>>> I don't buy that at Halfords either, I get it in bulk (5gal can) from >>>> a motor factors. It's only the problem with decanting from a 25gallon [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Alex 45 gallon SignatureAndy SWB Series 2a ( dressed as a 3) "Bruce" It's big, it's mean it's really, really green > >>>> I don't buy that at Halfords either, I get it in bulk (5gal can) from > >>>> a motor factors. It's only the problem with decanting from a 25gallon [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > 45 gallon or 205 Litre Richard Signaturewww.beamends-lrspares.co.uk sales@beamends-lrspares.co.uk Running a business in a Microsoft free environment - it can be done Powered by Risc-OS - you won't get a virus from us!! Helping keep Land Rovers on and off the road to annoy the Lib Dems >> >>>> I don't buy that at Halfords either, I get it in bulk (5gal can) from >> >>>> a motor factors. It's only the problem with decanting from a 25gallon [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > >Richard BZZZT! circular fred alert. >It's only the problem with decanting from a 25gallon >drum that stops me buying one of them every few months. Every few months??? >>It's only the problem with decanting from a 25gallon >>drum that stops me buying one of them every few months. > >Every few months??? I used to have a Series that did 18mpg petrol and about 150mpg of 20w50. Using it as everyday transport required a gallon can of oil about every week. Alex >>It's only the problem with decanting from a 25gallon >>drum that stops me buying one of them every few months. > >Every few months??? mind, doing oil changes at 6K mile intervals, I'm going to use that much in a year, near enough. More, if I change it more frequently, as some do. > Don't get me started on Halfords, or Kwick fit (U can't get thicker than a > kwick fit fitter)... Even the older, non spotty members of staff seem to Aaarrrgh! Kwik-Fit, the people who after changing a tyre for my boss[1] managed to leave 3 wheelnuts very loose, resulting in him being stopped by a copper not 300yds down the road as he was trying to work out why things weren't quite as they were supposed to be. Twats. Cheers, Aled. [1] It was a company car under a lease agreement and Kwik Fit was one of the agents for the maintenance contract, and the closest by a long shot. |
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