Halfords MOT

[Nathan1305]

Got my first ever MOT coming up at the end of the month and I'm nervous haha. I found halfords do an mot for £29.95 would they be any good to go too?

[Seb_Ryan]

Personally I wouldnt.. we had a customer have 1 from halfords and it failed (first mot car was only 3 years old and done 20 something thousand) they brought it to us, and it didnt fail on ANYTHING, not even an advisory.

[Toms306]

Problem with cheap MOT's from large franchises is they'll 'find' something to fail it on...

Better to go to an independent imo, plenty of them also do cheap MOTs as well.

[Niall]

Problem with cheap MOT's from large franchises is they'll 'find' something to fail it on...

Better to go to an independent imo, plenty of them also do cheap MOTs as well.

That. They charge so little for a mot because they WILL find something wrong and then make their money from the "repairs" needed.
A good genuine independent garage is the way to go. Might be more expensive but will more than likely pass and at least you are supporting you're local garage rather than a major company who won't miss the money!

[Tom85]

Another option is to find yourself a place which does MOTs only, they have no incentive to fail your car as they don't do repairs and you get a fair test. If it fails do the repairs yourself (if your handy with a spanner) or book it in somewhere.

[Grant]

Problem with cheap MOT's from large franchises is they'll 'find' something to fail it on...

Better to go to an independent imo, plenty of them also do cheap MOTs as well.

That. They charge so little for a mot because they WILL find something wrong and then make their money from the "repairs" needed.
A good genuine independent garage is the way to go. Might be more expensive but will more than likely pass and at least you are supporting you're local garage rather than a major company who won't miss the money!

+1

There was somebody on here who had their car fail on what was effectively lies.

Ive also heard of KwikFit failing people on tyres etc, yet 'throw away' the old ones before any inspection is possible. Not only is this against trading standards regulations (all replaced parts have to be readily available to inspect and/or retain unless otherwise stated by the customer) but also sets alarm bells ringing IMO.

As said, independent garage any day of the week

[Eeyore]

I would be weary of these crap chain places. Local places are more friendly and will probably care about repeat custom. Halfords on what I suspect is poor wages and high throughput won't give a shit apart from making money. They probably have some weekly targets or some shit where they have to meet as well.

[Grant]

I would be weary of these crap chain places. Local places are more friendly and will probably care about repeat custom. Halfords on what I suspect is poor wages and high throughput won't give a shit apart from making money. They probably have some weekly targets or some shit where they have to meet as well.

They do have weekly targets, but their staff are also on performance based incentive backed wages.

Recipe for disaster IMO

[Toms306]

Same as main dealers tbh though, most of those are on Bonus schemes as well, customer satisfaction really isn't high on the list lol, speed is paramount...


It also depends how you are perceived by the guys that work there though I think, I did have an MOT done at Halfords, and they knew I knew a bit about cars as I'd told them about a few problems I was having (broken Lambda that was rusted in!) and they passed it no problem, just a few generic Peugeot advisories (oil leak, EML, shit handbrake, the usual ).

However my Mum, not a car person at all, took her (then) 4 year old car to the same garage for the MOT and they conned her into paying £30 odd for headlight alignment!

[Connor]

Or come to me, sure I've got a flyer for £29

[Nathan1305]

Or come to me, sure I've got a flyer for £29

That would be awesome mate! Where is it you work again? And thanks guys for all the info that's helped me a lot

[Connor]

Trust Ford

[Nathan1305]

Trust Ford

Fair enough if I can get an mot from you that would be great how do I book it?

[lolsteve]

I've had two of my mot's done by Kiwkfit when I had the hdi. Neither time did they pull up anything that didn't need pulling up, so that particular place gets my approval but it was in bradford

[Connor]

Txt me tomorrow mate of when you want it done

[Nathan1305]

I've had two of my mot's done by Kiwkfit when I had the hdi. Neither time did they pull up anything that didn't need pulling up, so that particular place gets my approval but it was in bradford

Yeah I expect it can vary depending on how the feel that day haha

Txt me tomorrow mate of when you want it done

Will do mate, thanks

[DavidA]

Another option is to find yourself a place which does MOTs only, they have no incentive to fail your car as they don't do repairs and you get a fair test. If it fails do the repairs yourself (if your handy with a spanner) or book it in somewhere.

A lot of council run places have started offering MoT tests to the public, but as they don't do repairs they shouldn't pick up anything just to make a little extra on the fixing of it. I'm pretty sure somewhere like the ambulance station did it back when Iived in Gloucester.

[toseland]

if a place does MOTs (including council run places) they legally HAVE to offer mot's to the public, as to bus depots and anywhere that offers an MOT..


the best bit about these places is they will make no money off of any repairs as they dont offer them, so will be a lot less likely fail them

[HDIkyle]

I went to a halfords in castleford. Stopped test apparently due to excessive smoke. Nothing really for an old tu engine and the handbrakes cable been cabletied up to the trailing arm. Went over road to gordens tyres a straight pass

[ash23]

I use Halfords auto centre for mots as I m work /use to work next to them and get on well with them . never really had issues with mots from them passed every time with each car I take (I do look after the cars tho ) wouldnt recommend them for repairs / services tho :/

[r3k1355]

I take my cars to Halfords, had quite a few down there and they've always been really decent.

[Gaz85]

Problem with cheap MOT's from large franchises is they'll 'find' something to fail it on...

Better to go to an independent imo, plenty of them also do cheap MOTs as well.

That. They charge so little for a mot because they WILL find something wrong and then make their money from the "repairs" needed.
A good genuine independent garage is the way to go. Might be more expensive but will more than likely pass and at least you are supporting you're local garage rather than a major company who won't miss the money!

Have to agree with these guys take it to an independent mot tester.

[Nathan1305]

Problem with cheap MOT's from large franchises is they'll 'find' something to fail it on...

Better to go to an independent imo, plenty of them also do cheap MOTs as well.

That. They charge so little for a mot because they WILL find something wrong and then make their money from the "repairs" needed.
A good genuine independent garage is the way to go. Might be more expensive but will more than likely pass and at least you are supporting you're local garage rather than a major company who won't miss the money!

Have to agree with these guys take it to an independent mot tester.

Yeah getting it done by Connor

[Gaz85]

awwww sweet man my 306 not long shot through mot with no advisories so with some luck your's will to man i shall keep my finger's crossed and pray to the mot gods that it passes lmfao.

[Nathan1305]

awwww sweet man my 306 not long shot through mot with no advisories so with some luck your's will to man i shall keep my finger's crossed and pray to the mot gods that it passes lmfao.

Haha thanks man I'm so nervous, first ever MOT so I hope it goes well

[Dum-Dum]

I'd never get one done at a fast fit place, too many horror stories.

Got my last one done by Poodle.

[Eeyore]

My estate had its last one done by poodle... literally its last one!

[Nathan1305]

Yeah happy I'm going with someone on the forum gives me a lot more hope that it will pass haha

[Dum-Dum]

Yeah happy I'm going with someone on the forum gives me a lot more hope that it will pass haha

I wouldn't necessarily have more hope that it would pass but more hope that it is done fairly, honestly and thoroughly.

[Tom85]

This thread has reminded me of some amusing advisories on my car MOTd at Halfords by a previous owner a few years ago: