Halfords Autocentres Reviews 135,516

Halfords (Bicester) auto centre I would highly recommend. Matt helped us out when we got stuck and needed a tire sorting. Thanks Matt for helping us.

Avoid!! Hubby took car for service and mot to Palatine Road Halfords on Friday. He rang later in day for update as noone had contacted him. Guy said a spring was missing on handbrake and was trying to source but couldn’t and said best to take elsewhere. Picked car up it was rattling and smell of burning. Took to another garage they said nothing wrong with spring but cable had been over tightened. Went back to halfords to complain to be told by same guy that it was now the adjuster missing. Shocking service caused more problems. Halfords failed it. Other garage passed first time. Halfords should be struck off from doing any mot’s or servicing. Be warned and avoid

Just a warning to anyone using Halfords MOTs/service work. I took my car in for its MOT on Monday 25/05/2026 and it failed for “headlamp aim too low”. I was told I needed a new headlight adjuster and a completely new headlight, despite there being nothing actually wrong with the headlight itself. I told around £365 for the replacement plus another extra £20 for who knows what.

I was told this was simply “wear and tear”, although the screw looked very newly broken as you can tell with wear and tear it usually looks older and more of a natural deterioration, this was a brand new (polished) looking screw which has a suspiciously clean mark/break on it, something wear and tear wouldn’t show. Obviously I can’t say for certain what happened, but it does make me question whether it could have been damaged while they were inspecting it.

We then took the car back down today (26/05/2026) with the issue being fixed, expecting the issue to simply be checked, only to be told we’d need to pay another £27 for a retest. We obviously refused and instead took the car to another MOT garage. After explaining the situation, they mentioned they’d recently had another customer come in from the same Halfords centre who had also been told they needed a completely new rear headlight when no issue was present beforehand. This was within the space of 48 hours.

Do not recommend due to overcharging for repairs.

Spent the extra money to upgrade to the motoring club
When it came down to getting free mot , booked well in advance and then day before THEY cancelled . Did not offer any alternatives , so left high and dry !! Sent me a gift voucher when I needed mot
They promised to repay cost of mot if I sent them the proof of me getting it done , I sent copy but they just come back saying case closed !,,,

On Friday, 22nd May, my car was booked into Halfords on Saughall Road, where I was greeted by a lovely young lady whose name unfortunately escapes me. She was professional, informative, courteous, and genuinely cheerful throughout my visit. I was really impressed.

To be fair, I’ve always been impressed by the service, communication, and overall courtesy from this branch. The team consistently provides excellent customer service, and it’s very much appreciated. Please keep up the fantastic work.

I drove to Halford in Farnborough Gate for changing the wiper and buy few other stuff, at service desk I booked for wipers and fitting wiper the lady told me it will be 10 mins waiting so we walked around the shop and picked few items and left at desk to pay all together, After 30 mins of waiting someone called me and said go to your car I grab the wipers and will be with you in a min, then I went to my car with my little one and waited for 15 mins at this hot weather, still no one came, I'd back to the desk and asked about it and she replied to me he's with another customer, I couldn't believe what I've been told, I get so angry and frustrated so I left the shop. Horrible experience and I hate them non professional services.

The centre at Surbiton was very well managed by Jimmy Majinya, from the start of my experience to the completion of the job first class.

Jimmy should be the benchmark for Halfords UK, based on extremely efficient customer service.
Excellent phone manner, and his interaction with his staff and customers is above and beyond.
Jimmy is very knowledgeable, and you can see Jimmy always tries to put the customer first.
Jimmy listens to staff and customers to achieve the required outcome, which I know is difficult sometimes, I observed this whilst my repair was in progress. Jimmy is very understanding to customers and will always try to give his best above and beyond customer service.

Great service why go anywhere else !

Second time I've used Halfords auto Doncaster Road scunthorpe. Booked in for Mot and service. Brilliant customer service. Staff polite and knowledgeable. Definitely recommend 👌

I paid to have 4 tyres fitted on my drive. After they had been fitted, when driving the car it wobbled and vibrated. Clearly something was wrong. Immediately drove to a garage to get it looked at. Transpired that Halfords had not balanced the tyres at all. Therefore leaving my car in an unsafe state. Reckless and uncaring behaviour. Would never use these charlatans again.

had a rear brake service carried out at the Middlesbrough (Trunk Road) Halfords branch on 1 May 2026, including rear discs, pads, and wear sensor replacement.

After the repair, I obtained equivalent like-for-like quotations from major competitors which were significantly lower than the amount charged by Halfords. I therefore submitted a Price Match refund request within the timeframe specified under the Halfords Price Match Promise and provided supporting evidence, including competitor quotations and my invoice.

Since then, I have sent multiple polite follow-up emails, formal escalation correspondence, and a Final Complaint Notice through the designated customer resolution channel. Despite allowing reasonable time for review, I have received no acknowledgement or response whatsoever.

My frustration is now less about the original pricing issue and more about the complete lack of customer communication and complaint handling. I made every effort to resolve the matter directly and professionally before leaving this review.

I took my car to Halfords for a “full vehicle health check,” which was ideal because the vehicle was technically carrying two problems:

A squeaky fan belt.
Keith from Swindon in the boot.

The receptionist was lovely. She asked, “Anything we should know about the car?”
I said, “There’s a knocking sound at the rear.”
She nodded and wrote: Customer reports suspension issue.

Efficient.

Now, credit where it’s due — the mechanics at Halfords are thorough. One lad plugged in a diagnostics machine that looked sophisticated enough to launch a satellite. After ten minutes he returned looking deeply concerned.

“Mate… your battery’s dead.”

I said, “Which one?”

That got awkward quickly.

What impressed me most was their commitment to upselling. I went in for an oil change and somehow left with:

New wiper blades
Air freshener shaped like a pine tree
£240 worth of “urgent advisories”
And the strong recommendation that I “avoid opening the boot for a while because of the smell.”

Professional instinct. That’s experience talking.

At one point, a mechanic asked if I wanted them to rotate the tyres.
I said, “No thanks, I’ve already moved the body twice this week.”

He laughed. I laughed. Keith remained silent, as always.

The waiting area was fantastic too. Nothing passes the time like stale coffee and wondering whether “forensics” counts as roadside assistance. I particularly enjoyed hearing another customer argue over a bulb replacement while I was mentally calculating prison sentences.

But honestly, the service was outstanding. They never asked questions. Never judged. One mechanic even said:
“Whatever’s in the boot has leaked onto the spare tyre.”

That’s discretion. In today’s world, that’s rare.

Five stars.
Would absolutely use again.
Though next time I’ll probably get the valet package.

Today in the hot weather I shut my boot and the number plate fell off. I was on the Parsonage car park in Leigh so drove to Halfords. A very helpful young man called McKenzie came to my rescue and re-stuck the number plate on. Thank you so much and Halfords you are lucky to have such a good worker. Well done

I recently used Halfords Autocentre in Barrow-in-Furness after discovering I had a flat tyre and damaged sidewall while away from home. I managed to quickly find a replacement tyre online and booked a fitting slot for the following day during my lunch break, specifically picking a time that would allow me to get back to work afterwards.

Unfortunately, the experience at the garage was disappointing from the moment I arrived. Despite having a pre-booked appointment, I was immediately told by the person I assume was the manager that the job would take between 1.5 and 2 hours and that I would need to leave the car. When I explained that wasn’t possible and that I needed the tyre replaced so I could drive 300 miles home, I was simply offered a refund instead. The overall attitude felt dismissive and unhelpful.

I questioned why specific time slots were available to book if they couldn’t realistically be honoured, and was told, “it’s a garage mate, we’re busy, the times are just guides.” I didn’t find that response particularly professional or reassuring.

After some discussion I agreed for them to proceed, but shortly after leaving I received a phone call asking which tyre needed replacing, despite already explaining this in person.

When I returned, I noticed my car had been left on the jack with the driver’s door open. Around 45 minutes later I was told the car was ready and that “the key is in the car.” There was no proper handover, and the vehicle had been left outside the garage bay with the key on the seat and the driver’s door still open. It just felt careless and unprofessional.

To make matters worse, I later discovered the tyre had been over-inflated and I had to adjust it myself back to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure.

The tyre was replaced in the end, but the overall customer service and professionalism were well below what I expected. Halfords really need to invest in some customer care training for their front desk staff because the way customers are spoken to makes a huge difference to the overall experience.

I won’t be returning to this branch, and this experience has made me think twice about using Halfords for any of my other vehicles in future.

This company is horrendous. The customer telephone support service is disgusting. They keep on the phone for about 45 minutes for nothing. They are rude and it is like an interrogation when they speak to you. There is no email address to write to, so you have no option than to stay on call. They hope you will pay them for the call if you do not have inclusive minutes. They are trained to continue to call as long as possible.

!!! NOW I NOTICED WHAT REVIEWS THIS COMPANY HAS - 1 STAR FOLLOWED BY 5 STARS. THERE IS ONE 4 STAR AND BARELY SEE 2 OR 3 SO IT LOOKS SUSPICIOUS!!!

Booked MOT at 1531 Paisley Road West branch. Their MOT mashine was broken so they did it at another branch. I was told it fail because of tire problem. My tires were checked and inflated a day before in another garage. They said there is no problems with my tires. However I was told to pay over £100 for new tire. I said it is too expensive, then they said 8 can have tire for 82.99 for the next day or 73.99 for Monday. I accepted the 82.99 price. I asked why the price is too high they said because it is high quality of tire. Back at home I took pictures of my old tires replaced last year and the new one - the same unbranded budget Chinese tire. I asked AI for comments. There it is:
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Is £82.99 a fair price for this tire?
No — it's quite expensive for this specific budget tire.
The iLink L-Grip 55 is a low-cost Chinese-made budget tire (entry-level brand, similar tier to the "JUNK" one you had before).
Current market prices in the UK for this exact size/model (or very similar iLink L-Grip series):
Tyre only: Typically £45 – £58
Fully fitted (fitting + balancing + disposal + VAT): Usually £65 – £78 at most places.
Halfords charged you around £70+ for the tyre itself (before labour), which is a significant markup for this brand. Many online tyre specialists (Blackcircles, tyres, Protyre, etc.) sell and fit the same or equivalent budget tyres for noticeably less.
Quick verdict:
You paid premium fitting centre prices for a budget tyre.
The difference between the old "JUNK" tire and this iLink is minimal — both are very basic economy tyres with average reviews (decent for light use, but not strong in wet grip or longevity.
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So "THANK YOU" Halfords. I will not comeback.

Was so impressed with the very professional service I received today at Halfords on the London Rd. in High Wycombe by both Abbas and his tall male Colleague (whose name I didn't get).
They were so helpful in very quickly identifying and sourciing the products I needed.
How refreshing; I was in and out in 5 monutes, which was lucky as I had an MOT right afterwards.
Thank you :)

Re-adding this as my review seems to have disappeared. Halfords broke my clutch, denied any knowledge, and then lied during arbitration. You can either look after your car or be a Halfords customer, not both. Horrible, dishonest company and will never get another penny from me.

The two men working in the Winterstoke Road branch were really friendly and helpful

I took my wife's Skoda Fabia in to the Bolton Branch for an exhaust repair today which as it turned out would require a replacement for a corroded clamp between the two sections of the exhaust. They didn't have the part in stock but attempted to obtain one from their local supplier who could only supply one the following day. The guy dealing with my case (Matt) then offered to do a temporary fix as the car was emitting a lot of noise and spent an hour doing the repair and the result was perfect, the car in fact now sounds back to normal and he then reassured me that the repair should last a quite a while. I asked the price and he said no charge and even refused a £20 tip! What a service!