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Halfords in expensive parts shock

2SkodaFamily

By 2SkodaFamily
in General Automotive Chat

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2SkodaFamily Experienced

2SkodaFamily

Posted
Posted

I needed a new rear wiper blade for the Superb, so I popped along to the nearest Halfords to get one. There were none in stock but they assured me they could order a Bosch one for delivery that day. I paid when I ordered it, it was a bit over £14 after using my Halfords discount card.

The next day they called to say that they had a supply problem and wouldn't be able to get hold of it. I went back in and got a refund.

Oddly, Euro Car Parts also said they didn't do those blades either. Luckily GSF were across the road so I walked in there and got the exact Bosch wiper, from stock. Price was £13 including VAT.

Call me naive, but I was surprised that Halfords was still more expensive even after having used a discount card. I'll be using GSF more in future.

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sniperpenguin Rising Star

sniperpenguin

Posted
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^^^ Agree with matt.

 

I'm always surprised when people accuse halfords of being expensive, especially when their running costs are about 1000x more (technical estimate ;-) )

 

Motor Factors

- Reception the size of an office desk

- Cold

- Open for about 6hrs a day (conveniently open just after you start work, and close just before you finish) and for about 10min on a saturday.

- Sunday? HAHAHAHAHA!!!! 

- Usually hidden down a back alley or some business park with no other retail businesses.

- usually 2 members of staff (usually knowledgeable to be fair, but still plenty who just open the distributors catalogue when you ask if they have something in)

 

Halfords

- Open most of the hours on this planet, including the days we actually work on our cars (Weekends)

- Staff everywhere (knowledgeable ones are rare, but worth it)
- About from obscure stuff, parts are usually in stock.

- Can reserve online.

 

The trick is to play both to their strengths.... I cant get a trade card :( (Oh, if I could) but if I walk in there for some Car jacks or bits at Sunday 2pm, im not going to complain about paying an extra 4 quid because I've seen their running costs on a typical unit  :sweat:

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chrisw880 Experienced

chrisw880

Posted
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^^^ Agree with matt.

I'm always surprised when people accuse halfords of being expensive, especially when their running costs are about 1000x more (technical estimate ;-) )

Motor Factors

- Reception the size of an office desk

- Cold

- Open for about 6hrs a day (conveniently open just after you start work, and close just before you finish) and for about 10min on a saturday.

- Sunday? HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

- Usually hidden down a back alley or some business park with no other retail businesses.

- usually 2 members of staff (usually knowledgeable to be fair, but still plenty who just open the distributors catalogue when you ask if they have something in)

Halfords

- Open most of the hours on this planet, including the days we actually work on our cars (Weekends)

- Staff everywhere (knowledgeable ones are rare, but worth it)

- About from obscure stuff, parts are usually in stock.

- Can reserve online.

The trick is to play both to their strengths.... I cant get a trade card :( (Oh, if I could) but if I walk in there for some Car jacks or bits at Sunday 2pm, im not going to complain about paying an extra 4 quid because I've seen their running costs on a typical unit :sweat:

I agree with you in retail units, my old employer rented ours (before closing the store), rent (inc. utilities, etc) was ~£500k p/a for a 30k square foot building near the town centre, add everything else on (wages, getting the stock in, etc) and we was looking at ~£1.5m before we have sold a thing

Sent from my GT-I9295 using Tapatalk

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Guest

Guest

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A whole pound extra for the convenience of being in every town and open until late evening. Seems like a bargain to me.

I'm really impressed by Halfords' big push on fitting as well. Flogging a pair of wiper blades and then charging £3 to fit them there and then for somebody who hasn't a clue is a good deal in my book. It's a much better alternative for those who don't get involved with cars than having to deal with local mechanics.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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Mr Ree Experienced

Mr Ree

Posted
Posted

Halfords have the market well covered now.

Very little competition.

 

Motorworld are perceived as being cheap and tacky, usually staffed by Gorillas. Very few of them left now anyway...'round here at least.

 

Only other option are motor factors such as LVW who are very keenly priced I find.

No good for anything other than maintenance items though really. 

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Mr Ree Experienced

Mr Ree

Posted
Posted (edited)

Not just the rubbers , just purchase Bosch cheap blades not the aero ones and strip the rubbers out and just stitch those rubbers into the aero that you've got already its easy

What? Literally stitch?   :no:

 

Sounds like a bit of a faff to me

Edited by Mr Ree
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slider Experienced

slider

Posted
Posted (edited)

Why are we shock that Halfrauds is not always the cheapest?  Typical big retailer tactic- build an aura of much cheapness, lure in the mugs with a few loss leaders and then profit from them.

Edited by slider
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sniperpenguin Rising Star

sniperpenguin

Posted
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Why are we shock that Halfrauds is not always the cheapest?  Typical big retailer tactic- build an aura of much cheapness, lure in the mugs with a few loss leaders and then profit from them.

 

Never really thought of Halfords as the cheapest - the trick (as with any purchase) is to jump on the loss leaders.

 

Example - Online were the Autoglym car kits (about £60 worth) were reduced to about £17 online. Snapped up two....... Went to look at some speakers (for the MGTF), and they wanted £60 so I walked.

 

I will say the experience does change from store to store..... one of their staff fitted a bike rack to the Ex's 2004 3DR civic (should not have done, turned out it wasnt a supported model).

 

Result? - Driving up to Llandegla, the frame rolled off the car and went down the side.... I called halfords from the roadside, and the poor sod who fitted the rack was the one who picked up.

 

Long story short?

- Car respray

- Bikes repaired / parts replaced (About 3K of bikes)

- Refunded for the rack (actually more than we paid for it)

- FREE complete thule kit for the car, including 2 bike racks to go on it.

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MartynVRS Experienced

MartynVRS

Posted
Posted

Pointless. My dad does crap like that and I've often seen him come home soaking because the rubber hasn't seated right while hes out so he's out there trying to sort it at roadside. I bought him aerotwin ones 3 years ago and they've never needed to be changed.

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