Mikebond22
Member
Hi guys, bit of a rant coming for my first post!
So how long does it take to get 2 new tyres and the tracking done? For Halfords in Beckenham it's 4 weeks and counting.
I needed 2 new front tyres and the tracking done after clipping the kerb. Booked the car in and paid for 2 Goodride tyres and the tracking online. When I arrive I'm told they couldn't source the tyres - thanks for telling me before I arrive. But instead I'm offered a pair of Nankang tyres for no extra cost, which they say are better quality. I chose the Goodrides for the C rated efficiency, whereas the Nankangs are E. I ask what the difference in price is, which they're unable to work out. I ask if I can pay a little extra and choose a different tyre - I'm told these are the only ones in the size they have. With 2 worn tyres on the front I have to agree and get the work done. A managers discount of £80 noted on the bill. Great news!
So I check the difference in price when I get home. It's about a fiver. So they fobbed me off a bit with a nice discount written on the bill. I'm not too bothered.
Well the next day when I set off for work and hit the motorway..start picking up speed and the car is wobbling a bit. Reach 55 and the whole car is shaking. Great, unbalanced wheels. So I have to drive the 125 miles to where I work sitting at 50. I ring and let them know. "Oh our machine is definitely broken then, we've had 3 other complaints. It'll be fixed some time next week." Great.
So if I'm having to go back anyway I tell them I want a different set of tyres. I ask them what sort of discount I can get on a set of Avon ZV5s. Nothing they can do they say, there's no money in tyres. After a bit of negotiating I'm told they'll see what they can do. When they get back to me they say they'll do me two of those for £30 more, but they're having trouble sourcing those. I agree to that, and am told they'll ring me when they're in. A week later and still no news. I ring them up and am told they're still not in. 3 weeks after I first went in they tell me my Avon ZZ5s have arrived..wait that's not what I asked for??? "The ZV5s have been superseded you can't get them any more."
They aren't hard to get - just have a look online.
But I can't be bothered to wait around any more. My dad goes and gets the work done for me the next day. When it's done he's told that the spiggot rings are missing from the front wheels. This has never been mentioned before by 2 other garages who've done the tyres? I had a look myself today, and yes no spiggot rings. I've had the wheels off a fair few times myself and got them back on no problem. Trying to get the wheel back on without the spiggot rings is bloody hard work, so they've definitely disappeared since the last time I did it. I can't say it was Halfords who knocked them off but I wouldn't put it past them.
I'm not going back to complain, I'm just going to sort that myself.
So Halfords reputation it seems is well deserved! You may save yourself £20 by going there but from my experience I would avoid them by a mile.
Thanks for reading (if anyone got this far)
Michael
So how long does it take to get 2 new tyres and the tracking done? For Halfords in Beckenham it's 4 weeks and counting.
I needed 2 new front tyres and the tracking done after clipping the kerb. Booked the car in and paid for 2 Goodride tyres and the tracking online. When I arrive I'm told they couldn't source the tyres - thanks for telling me before I arrive. But instead I'm offered a pair of Nankang tyres for no extra cost, which they say are better quality. I chose the Goodrides for the C rated efficiency, whereas the Nankangs are E. I ask what the difference in price is, which they're unable to work out. I ask if I can pay a little extra and choose a different tyre - I'm told these are the only ones in the size they have. With 2 worn tyres on the front I have to agree and get the work done. A managers discount of £80 noted on the bill. Great news!
So I check the difference in price when I get home. It's about a fiver. So they fobbed me off a bit with a nice discount written on the bill. I'm not too bothered.
Well the next day when I set off for work and hit the motorway..start picking up speed and the car is wobbling a bit. Reach 55 and the whole car is shaking. Great, unbalanced wheels. So I have to drive the 125 miles to where I work sitting at 50. I ring and let them know. "Oh our machine is definitely broken then, we've had 3 other complaints. It'll be fixed some time next week." Great.
So if I'm having to go back anyway I tell them I want a different set of tyres. I ask them what sort of discount I can get on a set of Avon ZV5s. Nothing they can do they say, there's no money in tyres. After a bit of negotiating I'm told they'll see what they can do. When they get back to me they say they'll do me two of those for £30 more, but they're having trouble sourcing those. I agree to that, and am told they'll ring me when they're in. A week later and still no news. I ring them up and am told they're still not in. 3 weeks after I first went in they tell me my Avon ZZ5s have arrived..wait that's not what I asked for??? "The ZV5s have been superseded you can't get them any more."
They aren't hard to get - just have a look online.
But I can't be bothered to wait around any more. My dad goes and gets the work done for me the next day. When it's done he's told that the spiggot rings are missing from the front wheels. This has never been mentioned before by 2 other garages who've done the tyres? I had a look myself today, and yes no spiggot rings. I've had the wheels off a fair few times myself and got them back on no problem. Trying to get the wheel back on without the spiggot rings is bloody hard work, so they've definitely disappeared since the last time I did it. I can't say it was Halfords who knocked them off but I wouldn't put it past them.
I'm not going back to complain, I'm just going to sort that myself.
So Halfords reputation it seems is well deserved! You may save yourself £20 by going there but from my experience I would avoid them by a mile.
Thanks for reading (if anyone got this far)
Michael