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[Kevin Wood]

.. and I wouldn't let Halfrauds touch my car.

Bought a battery there a couple of years back. Emergency situation. Died (internal connection failure, so zero volts) at a services so I bump started it and drove to Halfrauds, left it running in the car park while I nipped in and bought a battery, then remembered I had no tools.

So, I availed myself of their "fit it free" service. They sucked through their teeth and said it was a "challenging fit" on my car (FFS! how can fitting a battery to a Mk1 Laguna be challenging?)

Anyway, the bloke came out with his tools, couldn't get one of the battery terminals off and gave up (i.e. it didn't fall off when he undid the clamp screw and he wouldn't apply any persuasion at all). I then proceeded to change the battery using his tools while he had a fag.

Kevin

[Dishevelled Den]

.. and I wouldn't let Halfrauds touch my car.

Bought a battery there a couple of years back. Emergency situation. Died (internal connection failure, so zero volts) at a services so I bump started it and drove to Halfrauds, left it running in the car park while I nipped in and bought a battery, then remembered I had no tools.

So, I availed myself of their "fit it free" service. They sucked through their teeth and said it was a "challenging fit" on my car (FFS! how can fitting a battery to a Mk1 Laguna be challenging?)

Anyway, the bloke came out with his tools, couldn't get one of the battery terminals off and gave up (i.e. it didn't fall off when he undid the clamp screw and he wouldn't apply any persuasion at all). I then proceeded to change the battery using his tools while he had a fag.
Kevin

  absolutely priceless but  all the same

[Ken T]

Funny you should mention that, but when I was working in Ireland last year, I had to buy a new battery from halfords. After less than a year, its starting to feel very ill starting in the mornings, hardly turning the engine over. Guess after the basic charging checks in the maintenance section, I'll be taking it back.

Ken

[Ken T]

Actually the whole thing is getting shit. My son got a chance of a new job where he could cycle to work, so he went to halfords and splashed out a lot of dosh (over £230) on a new bike. Well you're only young once. And you know how halfords check everything throughly on their bikes, and give a free 6 week check, all the bull. Well it wouldn't fit into the Miggy boot, so I suggested he cycle home. The halfords gaffer wouldn't even see us a set of £9 lights, so further expenditure, and he set off. When he got home we discovered the gear cable had come loose (not tightened up properly), and the rear brakes, although floating calipher, were binding. I took it back the next day, the guy made a feeble excuse and fixed them. When I got home, I turned it upside down and spun the wheels, you know the way we used to do to check for runout. There was quite a bit of sideways wobble on the wheels on this new bike, and the rims are aluminium so they won't last long with a few bumps.

Once upon a time, halfords used to be good, I remember ordering a cable for my Cavalier from them, and the lady phoned up to tell me that it had arrived. Unfortunately things seemed to have changed for the worse.

Ken

[Amigo]

I'm not in a position to comment on emission tests.

[v6fletch]

Thought I would share my experience of my recent mot test.
Took car to garage on Monday for annual test..this garage has done the last 6 tests on this car,previous numerous on my families other 2 cars,and several of my previous cars over the last 20 years so I am known there and am recognised by the mechanics.
Car failed test on emissions and was advised that I should replace the lambda on offside and possibly catalytic converter,as had new fitted to pasenger side only a few months ago by local cheapo tyre/exhaust place.
On thursday I took car to cheapo tyre fitting center and showed them fail readings and discussed options of lambda and cat.Helpfull guy suggested that they checked gas emissions on their Mot machine,and to my amazement it passed without any issues of high emissions.
I got home and rang original test centre and booked a retest in for this morning.When arrived I said to the guy who did the test that I had fitted a new lambda and cat just to see if they would retest or just take my word for it.In fact they put it on the machine and within a few minutes he returned saying all was fine and the new cat and lambda had done the trick and promptly issued me with a years ticket.
When I got into car to drive away,I mentioned to him that infact no repair had been done ,infact the car was in the same condition as it had been when they failed it on Monday......needless to say I also mentioned to him that I would not be using their services again in the future.
Any way happy days as car has another 1 years mot..now off to post office for road tax.

i would have thought that the matter could be taken further as it seems they are ripping customers off and making false claims , there must be a mot standards officer who could deal with this , this is bang out of order both in inconvenience and the fraudulent claim by the garage ,i personally wouldnt let it drop.

[cruisetopoland]

I'm not in a position to comment on emission tests.

    I'm running on heavy fuel this weekend-three curries and a litre of 50% vodka, so with you on that one

[cruisetopoland]

Thought I would share my experience of my recent mot test.
Took car to garage on Monday for annual test..this garage has done the last 6 tests on this car,previous numerous on my families other 2 cars,and several of my previous cars over the last 20 years so I am known there and am recognised by the mechanics.
Car failed test on emissions and was advised that I should replace the lambda on offside and possibly catalytic converter,as had new fitted to pasenger side only a few months ago by local cheapo tyre/exhaust place.
On thursday I took car to cheapo tyre fitting center and showed them fail readings and discussed options of lambda and cat.Helpfull guy suggested that they checked gas emissions on their Mot machine,and to my amazement it passed without any issues of high emissions.
I got home and rang original test centre and booked a retest in for this morning.When arrived I said to the guy who did the test that I had fitted a new lambda and cat just to see if they would retest or just take my word for it.In fact they put it on the machine and within a few minutes he returned saying all was fine and the new cat and lambda had done the trick and promptly issued me with a years ticket.
When I got into car to drive away,I mentioned to him that infact no repair had been done ,infact the car was in the same condition as it had been when they failed it on Monday......needless to say I also mentioned to him that I would not be using their services again in the future.
Any way happy days as car has another 1 years mot..now off to post office for road tax.

i would have thought that the matter could be taken further as it seems they are ripping customers off and making false claims , there must be a mot standards officer who could deal with this , this is bang out of order both in inconvenience and the fraudulent claim by the garage ,i personally wouldnt let it drop.

It may be the case, but (even after huge works see my sig link) my own Omega runs differently depending on the mood: I reckon this can happen with a 10 year old car.

The MOT station should have run the car hot before the test, but it may have been hotter at the other garage and then on the return to the original place.

May have just been unlucky 

I would say at least it passed without further cost and wonder what the MOT tester made of it-perhaps it extended his professional experience and he will remember this for the future.  They are human!