Halfrauds - what ARE they there for?

Raistlin · Post by **Raistlin** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 12:59 pm

I just went to my local Halfrauds.

Asked the bloke behind the counter for a compression tester.

He looked at me puzzled for a few seconds and then the mist lifted and he smiled and said " oh - you mean for you MP3s?"

I eplained the basics of what I actually wanted and it was clear he hadn't a clue - fair play to the bloke, he asked his manager, who came
over and quizzed me on exactly what I wanted.

"You mean for checking your cylinders?" he asked me, with razor sharp insight

Eventually, after the obligatory sharp intake of breath he said "No - we don't do things like that"

I was surprised and suggested that a compression tester was probably one of the most basic of engine diagnostic tools to which he answered

" They are specific to the type of car you have - it's a dealer only tool - and besides they are really expensive and not something your average Halfords customer would want"

I wonder now, what is "your average Halfords customer" ?

roy_newell · Post by **roy_newell** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 1:06 pm

since when have compression testers been that expensive?
And also since when are they specific for your car, they are just specific to the thread size of your spark plugs surely, and they have the full range fo spark plugs

Steve220 · Post by **Steve220** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 1:10 pm

Paul - one at telford has one in, actually, they have a few in. Stupid wolvo branch :evil:

requestingaflyby · Post by **requestingaflyby** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 1:13 pm

average halfrauds shopper = stick on bonnet vent owning 2 fast 2 furious sticker neon light wanting blue washer jet gits with peco exhausts on their nova spin

Raistlin · Post by **Raistlin** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 1:15 pm

Paul - one at telford has one in, actually, they have a few in. Stupid wolvo branch

Theres a motor factors up the road here which I migh try tomorrow Steve

I don't know whether to go for the screw in or pushin type

T16 Dave · Post by **T16 Dave** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 1:17 pm

raistlin295 wrote:
Paul - one at telford has one in, actually, they have a few in. Stupid wolvo branch

Theres a motor factors up the road here which I migh try tomorrow Steve

I don't know whether to go for the screw in or pushin type

Go for screw-in. Push in types are a pain

Grant620 · Post by **Grant620** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 1:30 pm

raistlin295 wrote:
Paul - one at telford has one in, actually, they have a few in. Stupid wolvo branch

Theres a motor factors up the road here which I migh try tomorrow Steve

I don't know whether to go for the screw in or pushin type

Screw in - then you can do it yourself.

Raistlin · Post by **Raistlin** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 1:35 pm

Seems it's going to be a screw in one then

Cabriolet214 · Post by **Cabriolet214** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 4:31 pm

What a bunch of numpties!

I bought a comp. tester in my local Halfords only a couple of months ago. It's a screw-in type made by Gunsons and cost IRO Â£15. They can usually be found on the same display as the other Gunsons kit like their fault code display widgets and multimeters.

I personally would go back to the same branch, find the thing myself, take it back to same numpty & manager and say,

"This is what a compression tester is. This is what I wanted to buy. But you can stick it up your a$$ because I'm going to <insert name of rival shop here> where they have staff who know a thing or two about their stock and don't spout forth a load of old doggies. Have a nice day!"

But then I'm just plain evil! :twisted:

Raistlin · Post by **Raistlin** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 4:57 pm

But then I'm just plain evil!

LMAO - Good idea Mike

retro620ti · Post by **retro620ti** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 6:41 pm

you must be going to a right muppetville...my local halfords is really good and the specialist is always super helpfull.What i would do is go back and ask for the mp3 compression tester and see what they say then :dunce:

andyroo · Post by **andyroo** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 8:57 pm

I would go back to the said shop find the comp tester walk out and when stopped and asked if i had paid for the item i would say that its not from here as you dont sell them

Obviously i dont condone shoplifting but if they "dont sell it" you cant steal it

mach1rob · Post by **mach1rob** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 9:51 pm

They had 3 on the shelf last time I ventured into my local one. I'd complain wholeheartedly to customer services! Have a go at Radddogg :wink:

Raistlin · Post by **Raistlin** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:45 pm

Obviously i dont condone shoplifting but if they "dont sell it" you cant steal it

LMAO - I'd have a difficult time convincing a court of that

Chris220SDi · Post by **Chris220SDi** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:54 pm

...yeah - as people have said - Halfords do do compression testers - its with al the Gunsons kit

Problem is though - Halfords will only stock what people, in general want - supply and demand. The problem is, that the public in general are morons, who wouldnt know where to start with vehicular maintenance. Therefore when a one of the small minority of intelligent customers come along, they get shafted simply becuase terhes very little profit to be made on the product their after.

'Tis the way it is unfortunately. As for the staff - they dont generally need to know that much - their sales assistants - thats the job description - and when have sales people ever known what the feck their on about eh

?

marksmith · Post by **marksmith** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 3:15 pm

Halfords is now all about wally extras - under car neons, twin bore exhausts in Nova fitment, and speakers more powerful than the engine.

Quite handy on Sundays when you need a funny sized socket and all the other places are closed, but I certainly don't take their advice to be worth much.

-Mark

radddogg · Post by **radddogg** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 7:01 pm

mach1rob wrote::o They had 3 on the shelf last time I ventured into my local one. I'd complain wholeheartedly to customer services! Have a go at Radddogg

Raistlin, which store was it? Wolverhampton or Bilston? PM me your details and I will resolve it for you. There is no excuse but I'll try. The staff employed on weekends are mainly part-time and hence aren't always as knowledgable. I don't know what the 'manager' was going on about but I will investigate it for you. Please accept my apologies on behalf of Halfords for this shortfall.

Rob

Raistlin · Post by **Raistlin** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 7:37 pm

OK Guys - update (if you are interested)

It seems customer service is not foreign to all Halfords staff.

Just had a very swift PM exchange with Rob (Radddogg) and I can say the situation has been resolved, very quickly and very positively.

Thanks a lot Rob

radddogg · Post by **radddogg** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 7:41 pm

Flintstone · Post by **Flintstone** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 10:06 pm

Maybe he could also have a word with the part-timers at the Hertford branch who I asked for an oil filter for an E30 1.8 BMW. "So what model car is it?".

radddogg · Post by **radddogg** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 12:16 pm

Ok, sorry, will do. :oops:

OJR · Post by **OJR** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 1:29 pm

marksmith wrote:... I certainly don't take their advice to be worth much.

-Mark

This is not a rant, but I do take offence at that statement, Mark. I am a Ripspeed Specialist at a Halfords store, and take great pride in the fact that customers (and not just those wearing Burberry) will come to me first for advice on most car modification matters - be it tuning, styling or audio.
I am well aware that they will normally use my advice (which, I hasten to add, is free) and then source the products required from somewhere cheaper than Halfords, but the inference that Halfords staff are thick as pig$hit is TOTALLY unjustified, and more importantly, untrue. If you're ever in the South Wales area then please get in touch, I'd love the opportunity to redress your view of Halfords staff.

OJR.

Beaker · Post by **Beaker** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 1:34 pm

OJR wrote:but the inference that Halfords staff are thick as pig$hit is TOTALLY unjustified, and more importantly, untrue.
OJR.

99% of them are tho.

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 1:50 pm

Flintstone wrote:Maybe he could also have a word with the part-timers at the Hertford branch who I asked for an oil filter for an E30 1.8 BMW. "So what model car is it?".

Yeah, your point is?

Why not just call it a 320, 530, 740 etc, i have no idea what an E30 is either, i assume its a 3series but how the hell should someone at Halfords (Freds) know what you mean.

radddogg · Post by **radddogg** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 2:19 pm

Skatiechik wrote:
OJR wrote:but the inference that Halfords staff are thick as pig$hit is TOTALLY unjustified, and more importantly, untrue.
OJR.

99% of them are tho.

At least we know how TO OPERATE A KEYBOARD.

dreaddan · Post by **dreaddan** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 2:28 pm

Not knowing what a E30 is what I would expect.
Expecally as there computer system goes by the 'normal' names.

Alot of halfords staff are not stupid as sutch, but not aware of everything
in the store.

OJR, how many ppl in your store are Specialists?
Most shops have 1 may be 2 in each dept (that I know of), which arnt all ways in.

Dan

Raistlin · Post by **Raistlin** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 2:39 pm

Lads

I started this thread with a factual statement about what happened last Sunday.

Rob (Radddogg) has done a great job of customer service and as a result I am entirely happy with the way things have ended up.

I say this because it seems to me that this thread is becoming a little bit heated and I'd like to point out that,as far as I am concerned, it's character has changed into something I didn't want.

I have to say that, as I am satisfied with the actions taken by Rob, I would seek to distance myself from any further comments.

OJR · Post by **OJR** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 2:46 pm

dreaddan: There are two Ripspeed Specialists at my store, and we spend our time making sure we're equally genned up on product to ensure it won't really matter which one of us it is that customers speak to.

raistlin295: I know this thread is never going to get Halfords into everybodies good books, and I am not heated yet - just wanting to defend myself a little when broad statements like "I don't trust any Halfords staff 'cos they're all numpties" are made. I know that statement hasn't actually been made by anyone, it's just the general feeling that's being implied. So no need to distance yourself, as no blame is being attributed! Heh heh heh

OJR.

Ritchie · Post by **Ritchie** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 2:54 pm

This is all the same where ever you go.

Walk into Currys and the person selling you the TV, HiFi, or whatever will just read whats on the card with the price and then make up some $hite as well. I know as i have done it.

Each company will have speicalists, just becasue they are a specialst in lets say Alloy wheels in the halfords examaple doesn't mean that they know the offset for every single car, and what wheels will and won't fit size, and what will suit what. They know enough to take what information you give them and then use the tools around them ie. Catalouges to find the information for you. Yes you can do all this yourself, and thats called internet shopping.

So to you 'the customer' who knows what they want, will see it as a simple thing to know that an E30 BMW is infact ....(couldn't tell you) so would know to look under that in the product catalouge. What would have p'ed you off more, if the sales assitiant had walked away, looked though his catalouge not found BMW E30 listed in there, then came back after 5 mins, and said its not there, being told it is the same as a 323 (or whateva) then gone back looked in catalouge found it got you it 'eventually' Asking for more information is no way a crime, the 2 seconds that it would have taken you, to tell him what year and model it was would have saved say 10 mins and made a happy customer.

Yes there is a certian level of atuide that some members of staff can have which will wind up even the calmest of people. But IMO if you don't like the way you get treated in halfords, your not going to like it anywhere at any other main stream car shop, so buy online and stop whinging about it

/Rant over

Glad to see Rob has helped you paul, and lets hope can help many in the future, altho don't everyone start pm'ing everytime the till 'tart' at halfords gives you a dodgy look LOL

marksmith · Post by **marksmith** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 2:55 pm

OJR wrote:
marksmith wrote:... I certainly don't take their advice to be worth much.

This is not a rant, but I do take offence at that statement, Mark.

I didn't mean to offend OJR - sorry if I did. What I meant to say was... well, what I did say in fact... that I see Halfords as a convenient source of bits (long opening hours) rather than as a source of advice. Because of when I use them (weekends) I do tend to be dealing with the weekend staff, and I've had a number of rather bad pieces of advice in the past, so that now I cannot rely on any (quite possibly good) advice they give me.

Thinking about it, all the bad advice has been on weekends and I have had some good experiences at other times. But until I read the point about the weekend staff (above), I hadn't made the connection. Nor will many others, I suspect.

When somebody is employed by a company, they are the front for that company - and I (as a customer) don't know anything about the fact that this guy is just short of being sacked, or on his first day, or only a temp, or whatever. To me, his opinion is "Halfords's opinion".

but the inference that Halfords staff are thick as pig$hit is TOTALLY unjustified, and more importantly, untrue.

Very much want to keep this friendly, but please read my post again - I certainly didn't infer that.

:-)

-Mark

Beaker · Post by **Beaker** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 3:03 pm

radddogg wrote:At least we know how TO OPERATE A KEYBOARD.

What are you trying to imply, I don't see how I have shown you I can't operate a keyboard incorrectly. Infact I would be worried that you couldn't operate one correctly as you seem to have left caps lock on by accident towards the end of your post

I was only joking with regards to the 99% comment, halfrauds is a chain store, and with most chain stores you shouldn't expect the same level of specialised customer service as you would at your local motorfactors. At the end of the day, halfords is a shop and generally the people who work in shops at the till/cash desk aren't the most intelligent people on the planet (note the use of the word 'generally', this statement does not imply all shop workers)

DOM_COUPE · Post by **DOM_COUPE** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 3:11 pm

Skatiechik wrote:
OJR wrote:but the inference that Halfords staff are thick as pig$hit is TOTALLY unjustified, and more importantly, untrue.
OJR.

99% of them are tho.

i would agree, not entirely as some are useful but thats with regard to the number of 16-19 year olds that halfords seem to employ as Specialists who know fcuk all. And yes i know im only 19 but i pride myself on my knowledge of modifying as i have done it hands on many times, but, the majority of them dont even know how to fit an air filter..

Sorry thats jus imho from my past experiences...

radddogg · Post by **radddogg** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 3:11 pm

Skatiechik wrote:
radddogg wrote:At least we know how TO OPERATE A KEYBOARD.

What are you trying to imply, I don't see how I have shown you I can't operate a keyboard incorrectly. Infact I would be worried that you couldn't operate one correctly as you seem to have left caps lock on by accident towards the end of your post

My bad, i thought this was you

Blondie wrote:oh grant UNLUCKY!!! but made me giggle!

hahahahaha!!

IM BORING AND GO FOR CAT WOMAN OR SOMTHING SIMPLE EVERYTIME WE GO OUT ON THE RAZZ AT HALOWEEN. THAT WAY YOU DONT FEEL A FOOL IF NOBODY HAS BOTHERED COS UR HEAD TO TOE IN BLACK AD YOU DONT HAVE BLOKES TRYNA NICK YOUR WINGS/HORNS ETC!! oops that was all in caps- sorry i wasnt shouting!

Just goes to proove that I am in fact as thick as pigsh1t :wink:

No offence but when you made that generalist comment before you can see why it could get peoples backs up

madhaggis · Post by **madhaggis** » Wed Oct 27, 2004 10:12 am

I havent had many problems with my Local Halfords. I remember when my mate bought a Sony Xplod CD HU, the one you need to enter a code with the remote when it is disconnected from the battery. Anyway he lost the code so we went back to Halfords with the receipt etc. The guy says I cant actually hand out the codes but if you bring it in I can plug it in to the wall thing and enter the code for you. Yeah that would be great I said but what about when we unplug it to put it back in the car? lol After this he gave us the code sheet. The guy was pretty helpful though, and it was my mates fault for losing the bloody code! For reference the car was off the road so we couldnt drive it down with the stereo in it.

Bob.

radddogg · Post by **radddogg** » Wed Oct 27, 2004 12:30 pm

madhaggis wrote:I havent had many problems with my Local Halfords. I remember when my mate bought a Sony Xplod CD HU, the one you need to enter a code with the remote when it is disconnected from the battery. Anyway he lost the code so we went back to Halfords with the receipt etc. The guy says I cant actually hand out the codes but if you bring it in I can plug it in to the wall thing and enter the code for you. Yeah that would be great I said but what about when we unplug it to put it back in the car? lol After this he gave us the code sheet. The guy was pretty helpful though, and it was my mates fault for losing the bloody code! For reference the car was off the road so we couldnt drive it down with the stereo in it.

Bob.

As long as you have the proof of purchase and a proof of id there is no problem getting the codes. Sounds like the poor guy had a classic

moment