...formerly Nationwide Autocentres.


The Rover needed an exhaust backbox, the backbox seem had corroded away, and backbox was splitting apart.  Eternal wnated £28 + £11 P&P, plus gasket (£6.70 :o), but 7-10 day delivery, so we had a ring around.

Most were coming in at an excessive (imho) £60 - £70, but Halfords were cheaper at £45.21, confirmed at two different centres on the phone.

So, drops car off at the Bletchley branch (after I had a pair of tyres fitted elsewhere this thing, just dont tell the boss ::)), they say they will give it free check, find out what is wrong (I played half dumb as a bit of an experiment, and call.


Anyone care to guess what they said/quoted when they called?

Ah, my favourite service centre  >:( >:( >:(

About £160, ( they don't charge for the test drive )

Ken

depending how dumb you played

it could be any or all of the following

discs corroded and pads need replacement
front struts worn rear shocks worn
front exhaust section is worn should really be replaced

wheel bearings noisy and rear shoes need replacement!!
quote between 3 and 5 hundred pounds

but can you use a  halfords trade card there?

Omegatoy wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 19:45:

depending how dumb you played it could be any or all of the following discs corroded and pads need replacement front struts worn rear shocks worn front exhaust section is worn should really be replaced wheel bearings noisy and rear shoes need replacement!! quote between 3 and 5 hundred pounds

They were only quoting for exhaust...

I played pretty dumb, but did show Halfords trade card to help ensure they give me a good price.  Also, they must have known somebody had looked at it, as I've been WD40'ing the nuts and bolts holding the mid to rear section together for the last week, knowing it will have to come off.

r1 wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 19:51:

but can you use a  halfords trade card there?

I'm guessing officially no, but they did offer me 20% discount on the bill

I'll have a stab at it TB.

£34.27 + VAT  8-)

I took my car to MOT at one of those last year and they actually did a very good job...  They failed it initially on a couple of dodgy tyres (one I knew would fail, the other I was skeptical about until I saw the split in it)... A blown number plate bulb which they replaced FOC and only gave me an advisory on the slightly blowing exhaust...

Mentioned the shock absorbers are knackered, which they are, but no mention of an offer of swapping them...

£240 something defore discount, £191 after 20% trade discount.

Eff me backwards.

TheBoy wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:33:

£240 something defore discount, £191 after 20% trade discount. Eff me backwards.

Now I didn't expect that!  ::)  ;D

Take it then you're waiting the 7-10 delivery, even with the bank holidays on the Eternal one now then  ::).

Broomies Mate wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:37:

TheBoy wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:33: £240 something defore discount, £191 after 20% trade discount. Eff me backwards. Now I didn't expect that!  ::)  ;D

I suspected the £45.21 quote was a lie to get people in, then drag the price up, but even I, Mr Cynic, didn't expect £240+

Retards, effing useless retards.  Utter bloody disgrace.

GooseMan wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:38:

Take it then you're waiting the 7-10 delivery, even with the bank holidays on the Eternal one now then  ::).

Nope, exhaust fitted this evening as soon as I got home, and she's now taken the car out.

Picked up a backbox and gasket for less than the Eternal backbox would be delivered from a large independent factors nearby on the way home.

Just need to book the MOT now - runs out tuesday. Opps.

TheBoy wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:39:

Broomies Mate wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:37: TheBoy wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:33: £240 something defore discount, £191 after 20% trade discount. Eff me backwards. Now I didn't expect that!  ::)  ;D I suspected the £45.21 quote was a lie to get people in, then drag the price up, but even I, Mr Cynic, didn't expect £240+ Retards, effing useless retards.  Utter bloody disgrace.

Tell the Trading Standards, as if they are deliberately mis-quoting they maybe breaking rules  :-?

TheBoy wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:41:

GooseMan wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:38: Take it then you're waiting the 7-10 delivery, even with the bank holidays on the Eternal one now then  ::). Nope, exhaust fitted this evening as soon as I got home, and she's now taken the car out. Picked up a backbox and gasket for less than the Eternal backbox would be delivered from a large independent factors nearby on the way home.

I remember a while back something similar when it was cheaper to buy your car aboard at a dealer cheaper then you could here.

Chap wanted a Land Rover, manufacture HQ was half a mile down the road from where he lived, dealer was next door-ish, tried to get a discount on the delivery as he could pick up the car as it was so close.  No deal at the dealers, so shopped around and got the Land Rover for 4000k less at a French Land Rover dealer, it was full UK spec car to.
Doesn't make any sense does it  :-? ::)

GooseMan wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:42:

TheBoy wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:39: Broomies Mate wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:37: TheBoy wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:33: £240 something defore discount, £191 after 20% trade discount. Eff me backwards. Now I didn't expect that!  ::)  ;D I suspected the £45.21 quote was a lie to get people in, then drag the price up, but even I, Mr Cynic, didn't expect £240+ Retards, effing useless retards.  Utter bloody disgrace. Tell the Trading Standards, as if they are deliberately mis-quoting they maybe breaking rules  :-?

They claim mine was different (all 25 petrols use same middle and rear pipes), thus £125 for rear pipe, and £117 for middle section.


On quizzing why they thought it needed a middle section, they sais it was badly corroded, and the studs would snap. When I pointed out that it was not studs, but nuts and bolts, the technician who looked at it sais "Oh, is it, I didn't look that closely". I tend pointed out that surely he had seen where I had started putting release oil on it, to make job easier. "No". "So you didn't really look at the centre join then?"

At that point, communications broke down, and I departed from the useless, incompitent, lying, thieving, retarded, stupid, inept idiots.



You do have to wonder how the hell it happens. OK, I know its Bletchley, but even so. Surely evolution should prevent this. 100m sperm, and they were the fastest?  :-/

TheBoy wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:55:

GooseMan wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:42: TheBoy wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:39: Broomies Mate wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:37: TheBoy wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 20:33: £240 something defore discount, £191 after 20% trade discount. Eff me backwards. Now I didn't expect that!  ::)  ;D I suspected the £45.21 quote was a lie to get people in, then drag the price up, but even I, Mr Cynic, didn't expect £240+ Retards, effing useless retards.  Utter bloody disgrace. Tell the Trading Standards, as if they are deliberately mis-quoting they maybe breaking rules  :-? They claim mine was different (all 25 petrols use same middle and rear pipes), thus £125 for rear pipe, and £117 for middle section. On quizzing why they thought it needed a middle section, they sais it was badly corroded, and the studs would snap. When I pointed out that it was not studs, but nuts and bolts, the technician who looked at it sais "Oh, is it, I didn't look that closely". I tend pointed out that surely he had seen where I had started putting release oil on it, to make job easier. "No". "So you didn't really look at the centre join then?" At that point, communications broke down, and I departed from the useless, incompitent, lying, thieving, retarded, stupid, inept idiots. You do have to wonder how the hell it happens. OK, I know its Bletchley, but even so. Surely evolution should prevent this. 100m sperm, and they were the fastest?  :-/

Don't hold back with what you're saying TB  ;D .  You saying that the last sign of intellegence that way was when they crack the Inigmia code then  ::)

They know that the vast majority of customers will simply insert thier card,and type in the PINnumber. ;) >:(.......daylight robbers.

GooseMan wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 21:00:

You saying that the last sign of intellegence that way was when they crack the Inigmia code then  ::)

The codebreakers were shipped in. Bleychley has never bred intelligent lifeforms

TheBoy wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 21:05:

GooseMan wrote on 20. Apr 2011 at 21:00: You saying that the last sign of intellegence that way was when they crack the Inigmia code then  ::) The codebreakers were shipped in. Bleychley has never bred intelligent lifeforms

I know they were drafted in, read the line again  ;) :y

I used to use nationwide auto centre now halfords when i had a company vehicle, what a bunch of tw*** every time it went in half the jobs were not done and one time sent it back as it came back to me with grease all over the carpets and seat,
:( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(

A good saving there, then.  :y

Even when you consider the 10k's worth of rubber you inevitably left outside Halfrauds.

::)

I wouldn't let places like that fit a bulb, personally ::) ::)

Know of any centres round Larkhall south lanarkshire I have my 2.5 td cdx  omega in need of a dexron fill up in the box