Halfords Autocentres Reviews

Name: Halfords Autocentres
Rating: 1.86

1.9 Rating 834 Reviews

21 %

of reviewers recommend Halfords Autocentres

Company Reviews

Questions

Metrics

1.9

Based on 834 reviews

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Own Driver, Courier
Average Delivery Time	Next Day
On-time Delivery	Greater than 9%
Accurate And Undamaged Orders	Greater than 64%
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Email, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Under An Hour
Customer Service	2.1 out of 5
Returns & Refunds
Refunds Process	Difficult

Phone:

0800 037 0800

Location:

Halfords Autocentres Ltd. 7/9 Richmond Road, Olton Wharf Olton,
Solihull

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Halfords Autocentres 1 star review on 23rd April 2025

Ardrie Kleyn

Halfords Autocentres 1 star review on 26th July 2024

Andrew

Halfords Autocentres 1 star review on 29th June 2024

Mrs Helen Dehkordy

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Filter: Rated 1 None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“First time using the Bell Green Halfords and also last. Booked on line for Major Service appt at 8.30am, MOT and replacement of two tyres. Arrived just before appt time, reception told me the MOT will be done first. Why? claims that it was booked in first. Not true, I chose the service option first. I asked what if my MOT fail, guy says after service get sorted will retest for free. Doesn't seem logical. The guy then sold me two more jobs: wheel balancing £7.99 each and Oil flush/Petrol cleaner £30. At 10.30am received call telling me MOT failed, head lamps cloudy, registration light not working, a nail in rear tyre, not one I wanted replaced. Told me it would cost £650 to replace headlamps. I thought it's ridiculous. Asked them to do the service I booked and I will get a second opinion about the work they suggest. 10 mins later phone rang, guy said person spoke to me was trainee, could clean head lamps £50 each. I said no, just do the service. Asked them when the service would finish, told me it's around 2 to 3pm. I arrived to pick up my car around 4pm. It's still to be serviced. Why? claims that they have a problem with lift. Asked how many car they serviced that day? there were about four before me when I came in the morning. He said it varies. Did not answer my direct question. Told me it would take one to one and half hr to do the service. This is a major service with two tyres to be replaced! Whilst I was there, I heard they failed two other cars' MOT. Came back 5.20pm waited another 10min for car, man said as a gesture of good will they will not charge me for the wheel balancing or the fuel cleaning. Told me brake padswill need changing as close to manufacturer recommendation. Got my car just before 6pm. Drove away, half a mile later, the drumming started from underneath, gets harder and faster as I accelerate. Could not return to them as they would have closed and I had been delayed too long,was supposed to be with sick father at 5pm could not delay any longer. In evening, checked the invoice they gave me. They did not carry out the wheel balancing or the fuel cleaning, these are listed as recommended work. I don't believe they had done the major servicing properly either in that amount of time which included replacing two tyres. Now I don't know what they did but the drumming noise was not there before. I'm too stressed to go back to them so will take my car elsewhere to check and will raise a formal complaint. It was appalling service. I think they deliberately put my car till last because I refused the works they recommended. The guy admitted my car was in for servicing last that day. Wish I had read reviews on Halfords first, some people call them Halfrauds. That explains it all.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Avoid Croydon Stafford Road centre There was a MOT done and the reason for failure given was Headlamp aim not tested Front(both) [4.1.2(b)] The headlamp has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced NEarside and Offside Front[4.1.2(b)] They quoted for £120 for cleaning the Headlamps. The Headlamps with that coating had passed last 2 years .How can they fail without testing them and giving the reason for output severly reduced .Why not let the MOT test parameters decide that ? Avoid as they offer cheaper MOT for £35 but are fail it with reasons as NOT testing it !”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“took car for an MOT in May at tigers way,leicester, told cv boot was not preventing dirt, major fault,could not drive the car, charged £192 to fix, receipt said replace cv boot ,not secure but preventing ingress of dirt,, Then had a service last week, told same cv boot was not secure ,needs replacing at £162,asked if they knew why it was now cheaper and told computer gives the price, but 2 days later the manager said it was because his stockist was out of stock and he had to pay extra, strange when cv boots are freely available for £5 that i was charged £30 extra,certainly think i was ripped off big time, AVOID THIS REPAIR CENTRE”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Watford branch - Expensive and rude - they make a big mark-up on parts when buying from Euro-parts. There’s an old man there who behaves like a thug gives mechanics a bad name...Don’t get your car fixed there they will pull the wool over your eyes had a bad experience won’t be going back there again!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“100% halfords do not use genuine parts on servicing just cheapest they can get from euro car parts and Andrew page and all branches are the same deffenatley Wolverhampton Halfords”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Called Halfords a couple of weeks back to get a quote for brakes. got told it was going to be £180 (brakes for life) - gave them my reg. no. etc. Called a different place in the same town today and got told my car needed new discs and the brakes had to come from the dealer so the cost has now gone up to £480 quid. Also, when they checked my car no. they had the wrong person completely on their system. Am i being ripped off??? Seems to me that they like to add work to inflate the price of work carried out.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“At Halford Auto care Altrincham , you will pay three time more let alone how they will treat you as a customer. I never write reviews but I couldn’t believe the guy the desk would treat people like that. I was given price £560 for brakes services which I eventually fixed it for £180 somewhere else .”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Halford Bradford charged me £800 for repairs only to have the engine still over heating and then a month after been fixed I broke down on the motorway on my way to work, only to be told it was misfire on cylinder one the problem halford Bradford charged me £800 to fix and now won’t answer any of my complaints and they store manager said that he had he had advised me about additional work and told me to have it done straight away which he never Did and then to be told my the nice guy who recused me that the problem could of been fixed easily for £70 I was so angry”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Rating a one star because I can't do any less. I would avoid this garage like the plague, booked our car in to be fixed couple of days later picked it up still had the engine fault on it. They charged us 491 pound for an egr valve. They said turn the air con off as that's probably causing the engine fault, anyway we did that and still an engine fault. Went back to the garage a week later, they diagnosed it they said it will cost us even more to get it fixed, we decided to take it to another garage. The mechanic told us that they replaced a part that didn't need replacing and they didn't fix what needed fixing in the first place. So not only have they ripped us off but the car is still not fixed. What a disgrace of a company.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Poor incompetent mobile service. The mechanic refused to remove the damaged tyre, was supported by the customer service as this was safety issue. The job takes 5 mins and as a result I was left without a new tyre for a while as I was on holiday during the replacement failure.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Halfords Autocentre Newport is just shocking. Went in for brake pads and got told I had been signed up for 'brakes for life' after work had been carried out. This cost three times the normal price. Car then had a constant howling sound from rear wheel. Returned following Saturday. Halfords looked at car for under an hour and reported that wheel was spinning freely and they could see nothing wrong. Left the UK to camp in France. Howling sound continued. Returned to UK and took car to another garage which found out that Halfords had fitted one of the pads completely incorrectly. Halfords has agreed to pay the bill to rectify their poor fitment but will not refund the original bill for a shoddy job. For your own safety and that of your children, avoid at all costs !”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“If I could give them no stars I would. I first visited this shop a few weeks ago after receiving a call advising me cycle to work order was ready and waiting on collection. I arrived at around 6.30pm, the service guy advised me that my order was there but nobody had collected my items ready for collection as promised .. me and my partner spend 2 TWO hours there whilst the service guy was putting my order together, whilst my stepdad also waited outside. You'd think when a company calls you to say items are ready for collection, you literally arrive and collect your items in a reasonable time. However the nice service guy was apologetic and we left it at that, I mentioned due to it being an online order some items may not fit, he kindly advised I can return/exchange them. So a few days ago I revisited this shop bare in mind I did not complain over mishap .... I went to upstairs and was rudely greeted by SIMON, this guy really has very poor customer service, I kindly advised him I have some items to return in exchange for an online order....all he said was you need a manager he's downstairs to and get him ???? Like really ?? He said go and get him he can do it downstairs or get him to come up stairs ?? Who in the right mind tells a customer to go get the manager for them ?? I complained to Andy the manager in store who I advised of all this, apologised, but an apology just isn't acceptable when they have poor staff like that working there. I am so disappointed I brought my bike from there and will never return again. Simon needs sacking! Preston centre”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“APPALLING COMPANY - INCOMPETENCE RUNS THROUGH HALFORDS STAFF. My car went in for a tyre change and wheel alignment. Instead it came out with a large dent next to the wheel arch the tyre was changed. They are so inept that the service centre, customer service manager (Richard Broomhall) and area manager (Rayleigh and Essex) told me that it was not caused by them and described a completely different car that had been brought in. Now if they cannot tell 2 cars apart that is telling in itself especially as they are part of the motor industry. They acknowledged causing the damage, at least the area manager did and offered to pay for repairs or partial payment depending on price. Since finding 2 prices, which one is minimal, he has ignored all calls, gone to ground. That is poor customer service and cowardly to not even discuss this further after acknowledgment of guilt. I understand that Halfords is not staffed with the brightest individuals and suspect you would be hard pressed to find any qualifications between the staff members but I would have thought they should be competent enough to action a tyre change without damaging a car. I'm now going to pursue this via the complaints procedure as it is ridiculous they cannot pay the money for repair after accepting culpability. Better to go to a more competent autocentre or small garage and don't waste your time with this company unfit to perform basic car repairs.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Terrible. Needed a brake cable for a bicycle. Looked on their website and they are £1.99. I asked my wife to get one on her way home. They charged her £5. Over 150% above the price it should be. I tried ringing and no answer and cut off with voice message after 15 minutes. Drove down to store and was ignored whilst the one person working stacked shelves. When i realised he was there went over. Could not get a refund because the tills had all frozen? Why was my wife overcharged? That is the price on the till. Apparently their shops are not linked to their website for prices. BE WARNED. Seems like a scam in reality. Advertise a price, you can even check the stock. Get to the store and get charged more than double!!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Failed to fix an oil leak 5 times. Scuffed and scratched bonnet. Broke Turbo. Oh, and also went shopping for parts and Tesco Express in our car. Pity there is not an option for zero stars.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Booked a £35 MOT with the Autocentre Tritton Road, Lincoln yesterday. My car had been serviced and pre-MOT'd by my regular mechanic (who is also a licensed MOT operative) the previous day, so I was not expecting any issues. I received a call from Halfords to say my car had failed due to the covers over the ball joints of the rear anti-rollbar no longer keeping dust out, and I was asked if I would like them to fit new ones. I explained I was surprised because of the recent service and said I would have the remedial work done by my regular mechanic. When he looked at the issue he was very clear that there was nothing wrong with the dust caps but was more concerned that the rubber bushes (which lie beneath the covers) had both been cut - not damage that would have been caused through driving. Bearing in mind that this guy has serviced my cars for around 12 years and is a 35 year experienced mechanic with his own business and MOT station, I have no reason to disbelieve him. He replaced the caps and bushes for me anyway(free of charge) and showed me the ones he had taken off. He also explained that even with the cuts to the bushes, had Halfords picked this up, this would not have been a fail. When I got home I immediately contacted the manager-on-duty and explained all this to her but ultimately got no-where just that it was a difference of opinion of different MOT'ers. I made it clear that I felt like I had been duped and complained at having to pay for a re-test at which point she advised that I would not be charged on this occasion. I had to contact the office first thing the next day to book the re-test which I did but was told that I would be charged as todays manager was not aware of any discussion I had had. When I took the car for it's re-test I parked at a slightly odd angle and took note of this. 45 minutes later when I collected the car along with the Pass paperwork I noticed that the car had not been moved. It was raining heavily so I cannot imaging the mechanic crawling around under the car to check on the work that had been done! I have been left with the feeling that Halfords were not honest about the MOT and can't shake the feeling that, although I can never prove it, the tester created the issues in the expectation that I would pay for additional parts and labour (having read through some of the other reviews it appears this is a pattern). I may be being over cynical but I will not use Halfords Autocentre again. Cheap MOT equals additional unnecessary(!) costs equals unfair deal.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Dropped car off at 0830 for mot and service for mid day finish only to be told at 15.30hrs that I had an option of a oil flush which meant that they hadn't even drained the oil yet( i declined ).Also there was a further hour delay while they sourced an air filter from the main dealer despite the car being booked in two weeks earlier. Recommendations were that a rear tyre needed replacing as it was 2-3 mm and three wheels required balancing.I immediately took the vehicle to a tyre company who replaced the front tyres weeks earlier who confirmed the rear wheels actualy had 4-5mm tread and the wheels didnt need balancing. Halfords also reported that the service light was on which is untrue,i actual don't know if the car has one. I take three vehicles a year to halfords but unsure if this will now continue.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“I booked my Mercedes CLK 320 (W plate) in for MOT test , ageing but in good condition, on 23/5/2019 at the Halfords Garage in Watford,Wiggenhall Rd WD18 0FN. It failed on a split alloy,three worn tyres, suspension ball joint, and the headlights were "obviously incorrect " ?... the manager Richard Brett-Hymns gave me the news. "Can you quote me for the work" I asked him , " will call you this afternoon " was the reply. Heard nothing for five days. Was being emailed for a customer review by Halfords so called them to explain I had been left in the dark. They apologised and booked me in for a free re-test. I had the work completed elsewhere...manager deals with me again on re-test day. No apologies for his total lack of customer service the first time, and told me it had failed again on headlights."They are a blob, you need new ones" . No explanation at all on what the "blob" was about. The manager, cannot cope with his computer or incoming phone calls, his desk and pc are at the front of the shop in the waiting area. In my presence and hearing, and three other customers, he answered one call , midway through said..." no, he's my assistant manager, he's useless". This was the most depressing customer / service provider exchange I have had for many years with any company / person. The manager has a bullying attitude of the passive aggressive variety. Jo ( the lady ), working with another older guy on the day next to him in reception were both fine.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“I took our cars in to Halfords autocentres Farnham Road Slough on Saturday 13th July 2019 for MOT's . Firstly my vehicle, it failed. My brake pedal rubber had come off and was in the footwell next to the pedal, he didn't just put it back on he failed it. Then I stated could they please replace it, so they did and it passed and then the reception guy stated I owed him money, to which I answered, it was a free MOT, oh he said we aligned your headlights so that's £15, they should have advised me the work needed doing, not just gone ahead and done it. Then they stated I needed a new anti role bar, bearing in mind I had Mylar serviced not 3 months earlier at BMW and it didn't even show up on their future advisories. Secondly my partners vehicle ran 1/2 hour late, they asked whether really wanted it doing ? Of course we wanted it doing - total incompetence! Bearing in mind last year he had his MOT done bathe ministry and it passed with no advisories. On completion were told the windscreen had failed due a mark on it. I stated to the reception guy that we had a ministry MOT last year with no advisories, his reaction was aggressive and he said we have nothing to hide etc so I asked him to Show me the mark, it was a stone chip in. The top corner , not impairing drivers vision and it was there last year, outside it turned into an argument. The tyre was defective also showing just 2mm of tread ? This car has only done 5000 since last year, the ministry would have had an advisory on this last year if it was low ? Monday 14th July I will be escalating my formal complaint to Halfords CEO and I require our vehicles to be re-tested by the ministry. In future we WON'T BE USING THIS COMPANY AGAIN”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Not happy!”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

Halfords Autocentres is rated 1.9 based on 834 reviews