# Can I demand my money back from Halfords?



## Beaker39 (11 Sep 2009)

I bought a Boardman Hybrid about 6 weeks ago and when I picked it up and rode it in the car park there was a funny pinging noise so I took it back in the shop. They messed around with the gears and gave it back. I tried again and the chain kept coming off. Back in and they messed around again and gave it back to me. Tried again in the car park and the pinging noise was still there so took it back and suggested it might be the disc breaks. They again tried to recalibrate/refit and said thats the best they can do and it is something that disc breaks do! Took it home and next day went out on a ride and the damned pinging noise happened whenever I put pressure on the handle bars...cut along story short went to a different halfords and it turns out the break mounting was welded at an angle and was therefore faulty. They swapped the frame and everything seemed ok. Took it back 4 weeks later for it's "free service" plus the pads were constantly on the discs which is weird as you would think the opposite when the cables have stretched! Got it back and the middle section of the gears were a bit crunchy when previous to this they were smooth. Took it back 1 week later and they "adjusted stuff" and said they were ok. Went for a 30 mile ride and the gears were still the same so a couple of days later did a 45 miler to make sure and now also the pads are constantly rubbing the discs again. Took it back and they adjusted again last Saturday, did the Manchester 100 miler and guess what back to square one, rough gearing and brakes worse than ever.

Sorry for the long email but I think I should have a case for a refund or is this normal for a new bike? It's really beginning to pi$$ me off now (sorry for swearing!) I sent them a long Email on Tuesday but not heard anything yet.


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## ufkacbln (11 Sep 2009)

How much was the bike?

A small claims court could be the answer.

IIRC
You will need a "qualified expert" to asses the bike and see if it is serviceable, and offer a reasonable chance for them to rectify (you probably have met this)

One question though is do you actually like the bike?

If it is something you would keep, then an alternative is to get a good LBS to set it up for you (this would also identify any real defects in frame alignment etc) and then claim the cost from Halfords in the same way


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## bonj2 (11 Sep 2009)

chances are if you take them to the small claims court, they'll settle out of court, as it isn't worth their defending. £30 online.
also try http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/after_you_buy/


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## Paul Narramore (11 Sep 2009)

I guess the 'breaks' were broken then?


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## jamesxyz (11 Sep 2009)

According to what you have said the bike is 'unfit for purpose' therefore you chould be able to cliam a full refund (I may be wrong but shops don't have to offer a refund by law unless the goods are unfit for purpose).
I've now heard a few stories about *Boardman bikes* going wrong with poor set up by inexperienced Halfords staff rather than the bike itself. If Halfords refuse to refund you, youcould forward these posts to the man himself (Chris Boardman). 
Personally I wouldn't buy a thing from Halfords - it seems to go against the grain in terms of economies of scale - a massive national chain and still overcharges for everything.


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## mik (12 Sep 2009)

if I remember correctly I think Chris Boardman posted on the Bike Radar forum a long reply to the criticism that Boardman bikes had been receiving in general. 
What it came down to was that most of the complaints arose from how some (not all) Halfords staff seemed incapable of recognising legitimate concerns about the bikes or as said above unable to set them up correctly. 
So I think that the problems are recognised so perhaps the more people who make known their dissatisfaction maybe Chris Boardman et al may re-examine their curious choice of distributor.


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## Beaker39 (12 Sep 2009)

Thanks for all your answers and advice it has given me food for thought.

To answer Cunobelin's question whether I like the bike, that can be part of the problem. Despite the initial cock ups I did relly like it but now with the recent aggro it has really put me off, so mixed emotions.

I will give Halfors a couple of more days to respond and then probably go with the "not fit for purpose" as the brakes dont work properly!

Safety of the customer is paramount I think!!


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## ufkacbln (12 Sep 2009)

YOu could try a "letter of intent"

I am sure someone can advise better than me, but it is along the lines of 

Set out your problems and where they have failed
Set out what you want them to do
Give a time period
Set out what you will do if they fail (refund / fix at their expense etc,,,)

THen proceed with small claims.


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## beanzontoast (12 Sep 2009)

Interesting. I have sympathy for anyone who is disappointed with or feels let down by something they buy, but in this instance I do wonder - at what point does a bike truly become 'unfit for purpose'? It could be argued, given the complexity of some components, that adjustment/readjustment is to be expected, that a new bike will experience 'bedding in' issues, and that pinging noises, brake pad adjustment and gears that aren't perfectly lined up constitute peripheral issues rather than the whole bike itself being 'unfit for purpose'.


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## Stereo (12 Sep 2009)

I had a similar experience a few weeks ago, Halfords gave me a refund instantly, I just said "I want my money back" and they said "Fine". Obviously this will depend on the branch and who you speak to.


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## Harbornite (12 Sep 2009)

All the best when dealing with Halfords customer services. 
Three months, numerous calls & letters and I'm still waiting for my manual.

Its a real shame as the Boardman range is outstanding. Sadly the dealer support & service falls way behind and this reflects on the Boardman range.

OP, I can see no reason as to why Halfords wouldn't offer you a refund as you have given them the opportunity to correct matters & they simply can't, making the bike unusable.


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## Banjo (12 Sep 2009)

The disc brakes on my new Trek required a lot of adjustment in the first month I had the bike. They seem to have settled in now and only occasional adjustment is needed. In about 400 miles I havent needed to adjust the gears at all(The bike shop did a free service and they left the gear indexing alone as I told them it was (and still is) perfect.

I would be wary of rejecting the bike just because the disc brakes require regular adjustment.


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## PatrickPending (12 Sep 2009)

Boardman bikes do seem to get rather good reviews and my riding partner yesterday was quite happy with his, having done 6-700 miles on it in 2 weeks. I guess there is a training issue at some branches - hopefully they'l pull their fingers out!


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## CopperBrompton (12 Sep 2009)

'Fit for purpose' was superceded by 'of satisfactory quality' in the Sale & Supply of Goods Act 1994.

Under that Act, any fault manifesting within six months of purchase is assumed to have been present when sold unless the retailer can show otherwise.

The only issue you have is that you lose your right to reject the product as soon as you agree to a repair. However, in this case, given the problems you've experienced, I would be surprised if Halfords refused a refund.


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## Garz (12 Sep 2009)

I woudlnt say it comes in the unfit for purpose category, however you either unfortunately have a poor functioning components or the people are incapable of setting it up right. There is one more tangent that is the user not _riding_ the bike properly (my work buddy whom I ride with I have seen torturing his poor trek) which can and does happen.

As we cant examine the bike we are just guessing. If I was in your shoes I would offer halfords a chance to redeem themselves once more and ask for a boardman road bike which doesnt offer disc brakes and see how you get on with that.


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## Beaker39 (12 Sep 2009)

Garz said:


> I woudlnt say it comes in the unfit for purpose category, however you either unfortunately have a poor functioning components or the people are incapable of setting it up right. There is one more tangent that is the user not _riding_ the bike properly (my work buddy whom I ride with I have seen torturing his poor trek) which can and does happen.
> 
> As we cant examine the bike we are just guessing. If I was in your shoes I would offer halfords a chance to redeem themselves once more and ask for a boardman road bike which doesnt offer disc brakes and see how you get on with that.



The same thing crossed my mind a few times as I am fairly new to this sort of thing but I made sure I read up on gear changing and the like and I think I am doing it right.

TBH I would probably try the road version instead but a bit dubious to their capabilities. I am going to Halfords tomorrow so I will see what they say.


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## fossyant (12 Sep 2009)

Muppet Mechanics I am afraid.


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## Beaker39 (27 Sep 2009)

Just thought I would post an update of how I got on........

After lots of backwards and forwards with Halfords customer service where they basically said they would only repair I did seek legal advice. It turns out that if I had taked my bike back to the point of sales as opposed to a different branch then I would have been entitled to a full refund. Sounds crazy to me as it is the same company but anyway I compromised with a brand new replacement. Instead of sticking with the Hybrid I changed to the Road version and so far everything has been perfect .

Also found a mechanic in Halfords who is a true cyclist and certainly appeared to know what he is doing. All well that ends well.......for now!!


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## Garz (27 Sep 2009)

Garz said:


> If I was in your shoes I would offer halfords a chance to redeem themselves once more and ask for a boardman road bike which doesnt offer disc brakes and see how you get on with that.





Beaker39 said:


> anyway I compromised with a brand new replacement. Instead of sticking with the Hybrid I changed to the Road version and so far everything has been perfect .





Very happy for you mate!


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## Gerry Attrick (27 Sep 2009)

Beaker39 said:


> Just thought I would post an update of how I got on........
> 
> After lots of backwards and forwards with Halfords customer service where they basically said they would only repair I did seek legal advice. It turns out that* if I had taked my bike back to the point of sales as opposed to a different branch* then I would have been entitled to a full refund. Sounds crazy to me as it is the same company but anyway I compromised with a brand new replacement. Instead of sticking with the Hybrid I changed to the Road version and so far everything has been perfect .
> 
> Also found a mechanic in Halfords who is a true cyclist and certainly appeared to know what he is doing. All well that ends well.......for now!!


Utter bull***t!
Nevertheless, if you are happy then all is cool.


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## RedBike (28 Sep 2009)

Beaker39 said:


> Just thought I would post an update of how I got on........
> 
> After lots of backwards and forwards with Halfords customer service where they basically said they would only repair I did seek legal advice. It turns out that if I had taked my bike back to the point of sales as opposed to a different branch then I would have been entitled to a full refund. Sounds crazy to me as it is the same company but anyway I compromised with a brand new replacement. Instead of sticking with the Hybrid I changed to the Road version and so far everything has been perfect .
> 
> *Also found a mechanic in Halfords who is a true cyclist and certainly appeared to know what he is doing. All well that ends well.......for now*!!




The quality of the people they have doing the repairs varies dramatically. There are some compitent mechanics in Halfords but all too often you'll have had the bike built by the 16yr old saturday boy who would rather be on the motor section.


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## Beaker39 (28 Sep 2009)

RedBike said:


> The quality of the people they have doing the repairs varies dramatically. There are some compitent mechanics in Halfords but all too often you'll have had the bike built by the 16yr old saturday boy who would rather be on the motor section.



I insisted that he build the bike for me also. He also talked through the whole bike with me and came with me to the car park to make sure i was happy with everything. He also said as cables start to stretch and things may need minor adjustment to have a go myself and if I get stuck to bring it back or even call him at the store and he will try and help me over the phone If I liked.

So it appears I am finally getting the support and service that anyone should get from a seller. It's a shame that I had to complain so much to get it but Halfords do seem to have redeemed themselves!


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## 515mm (28 Sep 2009)

Beaker39 said:


> .
> So it appears I am finally getting the support and service that anyone should get from a seller.



All these troubles from a ''bricks and mortar'' store. For shame. Can you imagine the struggle if you bought it from t'internet though? 




Not that such places aren't valuable for the wee things that one's LBS don't have in stock when you want them *cough*


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## Garz (28 Sep 2009)

Apparently any of their high end bikes like the boardman range should get the top attention as they dont want complaints from the flagship sales. It's easy to bash the halfords staff but enforcing 'quality' onto the younger I dont care generation will be a daunting task for any manager.

Still it didnt bother me purchasing one, quite the opposite getting me to check stuff over instead of relying on a shop mechanics trust. Also doesnt mean all LBS' are exempt from carelessness/poor workmanship!


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## Shorinjidude (28 Sep 2009)

I bought a Boardman Hybrid. First was bought from Putney - great set-up and a nice guy doing it. That was knicked three wekes later. Next bought from St Pauls - set-up by an idiot (apparently on loan from a woolworths or something) Had a LBS re-check and they sorted it out. Actually it still wasn't that great. Went back to St Pauls and had a young guy check it out (there was also a pinging in the back discs) fella said it wasn't the discs but the wheel was off! He got me another one that day. and re-set the bike really well - better than the LBS. They seem unable to sort out the front wheel though. If the brake is good it rubs. After being taken out last week my gears were buggered! slipping on the middle to low cogs. Went on the web for research, tightened the cable and twisted some screws and this morning she is running like a dream!


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