Halfords autocentre MOT

bails87

Anyone got any experience of Halfords Autocentres for getting an MOT done?
Good, bad, ugly? Or totally dependent on the independent branch/spanner monkey?
I've got a voucher for a half price MOT there, but need some work doing on the car anyway, so could just get it MOTd at the place that will be doing the timing belt.

Pudseyp

Do a deal with the garage that is doing the work and see what he can do...if not take advantage of the half price MOT

Briggo

I had my motor MOT'd at a branch not so long ago, they were fine.

However thats not to say your local branch are going to be on it

The Northern Monkey

get the work done at the garage and an MOT done at an MOT centre.

if you get the MOT done at a garage, they will pick up on a lot more 'issues' as they will charge extra for it.
The MOT centres don't because they don't make any money from you on anything other than the MOT.

Briggo

The Northern Monkey wrote:

get the work done at the garage and an MOT done at an MOT centre.

if you get the MOT done at a garage, they will pick up on a lot more 'issues' as they will charge extra for it.
The MOT centres don't because they don't make any money from you on anything other than the MOT.

Surely you want the MOT to pick up on "issues"... if however you're refering to false "issues" then you should report them, never have I experienced this.

Additionally you don't have to have have the "issues" fixed at the garage the MOT is being done at, do it yourself or take it elsewhere that way you can get a second opinion on it also.

I think you should stop being so paranoid, if anything the garages are more paranoid that they don't lie with the amount of undercover operations doing spot checks on firms, especially the larger chains like Halfords they do have to try and uphold some sort of reputation, if they got found out doing that all their branches would take a hit.

The Northern Monkey

Has always worked for me!

sheepsteeth

the only dodgy MOTs i have had have been dodgy in my favor.

i had a pass certificate for a car with a bulb missing from the headlamp, a chip in the windscreen (in a place that should have qualified it for a fail), a frayed seatbelt and the lamps which did work in the headlamps were pointing upwards towards oncoming traffic (i dont know why).

needless to say, i always go back to that place.

stephenlovatt

I got a certificate for a free service when i took my vehicle for a MOT at Halfords through Tesco insurance. During the service they told me the catr would fail it's MOT on worn track rod ends and offered to repair for £100. Not sure if this quote was reasonable/competitive but I agrred for the work to be carried out as I was going on holiday a few days later.
Overall I was satisfied with their service.

The Rookie

The daughters BF used to work at one and still gets his car MOTed there, they seem pretty reasonable (Warwick - Emscote road for Bails Benefit as he be yokel).

When getting MOT's done now I use a place that only does MOT's so no incentive to 'fail for work', before that I always used to take the car in and get them to do a tyre or exhaust part (exhausts being a thing of the past now they are all stainless of course) that needed doing soon anyway so they already had work, no incentive to fail for it!

Simon

Gazlar

Bails, have a word with Stew, he qualified as an MOT tester dunno if hes doing Mots at renault but he won't let them rip you off either, he's only at Cannock renault, then get your timing belt done elsewhere.

bails87

Thanks all.

Remembered the friendly neighbour over the road is a mechanic

So I've asked him to do it as he's trustworthy. It also means I can just give him the keys and let him drive it to the garage from home and I'll bike to work. Rather than having to get a lift back/get the train from somewhere awful/take a day off work to get it done.

Stevo_666

I've booked my motor in for an MOT at my local Halfords place next so I'll let you all know how it goes. I figure that having used them for a few bits and pieces (fitting stuff to my car), their labour rates are pretty good so even if they do have to do some work to get it through, it shouldn't be too bad.

bails87

Did timing belt and passed the MOT, all for a grand sum of £150.

Chuffed with that!

Stevo_666

Mine passed it's MOT at my local Halfords place yesterday - no issues found apart from a dud lightbulb which cost about £3 to replace. Total cost a shade over £30, so bargain. Only downer was that they were busy and I have to leave it with them for about 4 hours but no a problem as I didn't need the car then.

dhobiwallah

I'm guessing the DoT MOT examiners get paid per test carried out. The one near me is ridiculously picky. Was issued a fail cert due to Tax disc being on wrong side of windscreen (I put it there as wife has driven with expired tax on more than one occasion). After an advisory being issued and then a second test all was well :roll:

On the flip side I've never has a prob with my local garage and my 10 yr old beamer sailed through with an advisory on tyre depth...