Halfords After Sales/Warranty

[Grendel]

I was contacted by a friend who asked me to take a look at his sons bike for him. It was bought as a Christmas present and and had to go for some repairs. Being a kids bike it's taken a bit of a hammering, but he was a bit concerned that the cost of repairs being quoted was, at £172, almost what it cost for the bike when new (£250).

I had a look and it appeared to me that they were overcharging him for some parts (£25 for a derailleur which they currently sell online for £15) and charging him for parts he didn't need (disc brake pads, for which the cable merely needed adjusted and possibly a chain and cassette). I've pointed him in the direction of a reputable bike repairer to have the work assessed and done there.

What really concerned me was that when he had inquired about the bikes warranty he was told that because they didn't bring the bike back for its free post sale 6 week check, that the warranty was invalidated.
Has anyone heard the likes of this?

 

[Smudge]

I was contacted by a friend who asked me to take a look at his sons bike for him. It was bought as a Christmas present and and had to go for some repairs. Being a kids bike it's taken a bit of a hammering, but he was a bit concerned that the cost of repairs being quoted was, at £172, almost what it cost for the bike when new (£250).

I had a look and it appeared to me that they were overcharging him for some parts (£25 for a derailleur which they currently sell online for £15) and charging him for parts he didn't need (disc brake pads, for which the cable merely needed adjusted and possibly a chain and cassette). I've pointed him in the direction of a reputable bike repairer to have the work assessed and done there.

What really concerned me was that when he had inquired about the bikes warranty he was told that because they didn't bring the bike back for its free post sale 6 week check, that the warranty was invalidated.
Has anyone heard the likes of this?

I bought a Carrera some years back from Halfords and they told me i must have the 6 week check done to keep my warranty, but they only told me this after i told them i didn't need the check done, as i'm perfectly capable of doing it myself.
If they didn't tell him this when he bought the bike, its down to them. Of course they will likely say they did, even if they didn't. Plus there's probably some small print somewhere.

 

[Drago]

They may say they did, but if they never wrote it down then it never happened.

On the other hand, the warranty doesn't cover simple adjustments or routine maintenance arising as a result of the bicycle being used, so in this instance it's likely a moot point.

 

[Cycleops]

Sounds like Halfords are taking their ideas from Quickfit now .

 

[Freds Dad]

Does he have a copy of the warranty and does it mention the 6 week rule.

 

[Grendel]

They may say they did, but if they never wrote it down then it never happened.

On the other hand, the warranty doesn't cover simple adjustments or routine maintenance arising as a result of the bicycle being used, so in this instance it's likely a moot point.

I agree, pretty much everything that needed replaced was not covered by warranty anyway. There's certainly no mention of that clause on their warranty page:
https://www.c1.halfords.com/advice/cycling/service/lifetime-guarantee

Just looking over the quote he was given just now.
1 pair QR skewers- not needed
27.5" tyre- halfords have TEN tyres of that size listed online at a cheaper price
Cassette- 5 on their own site at a cheaper price
Hanger- £25 quoted, when their cheapest model is £10.

On a sub £300 kids bike you aren't looking to fit the most expensive parts, and it seems to me that Halfords are inflating repair costs to such a level that people will more than likely buy a new bike.

 

[Grendel]

Does he have a copy of the warranty and does it mention the 6 week rule.

Not sure, I'll certainly tell him to look and see.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

What really concerned me was that when he had inquired about the bikes warranty he was told that because they didn't bring the bike back for its free post sale 6 week check, that the warranty was invalidated.
Has anyone heard the likes of this?

Any warranty provided by a retailer is in addition to (and does not affect) your statutory rights.
See https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/what-are-my-statutory-rights-and-when-do-they-apply

Retailers try this on all the time but you can remind them of their obligations by pointing to the legislation.

 

[DCLane]

Looks like it's common, https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4253229

That doesn't make it legal. They have an obligation to fix faults. But not parts that need replacing due to wear.

 

[mustang1]

I bought a bike from Halfords about 6 months ago and they no longer offer the 6 week check.

 

[Drago]

The problem with Halfords warranty is that the inept minimum wage buffoons at Halfords get to do the work. Still, while they're fixing the bike you can pop next door to the Sweeney Todd barbers for a nice shave.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The problem with Halfords warranty is that the inept minimum wage buffoons at Halfords get to do the work. Still, while they're fixing the bike you can pop next door to the Sweeney Todd barbers for a nice shave.

Then next door but one to the pie shop.

 

[overmind]

My daughter recently bought a Halfords bike. It is a good bike but it was not set up very well - It seems to be a Halfords version of a Pendleton called ‘Cafe’. I had a problem with the front brakes. They are V brakes and had a tendency to stick. I discovered that the reason for this was because the wheel did not correctly align to the centre of the forks. I corrected the dish of the wheel using my truing stand and now it is absolutely bang on. The front brake now works really well.

I also had to manipulate the rear rack as it was impeding the brake noodle. I did this by slightly bending the rack so it no longer interfered with the noodle. After carrying out these minor adjustments the bike runs really well.

It seems a bit of a shame that Halfords do not take more care with this final step. If they did, do you think it would make the bikes more expensive?

 

[Nigelnightmare]

It seems a bit of a shame that Halfords do not take more care with this final step. If they did, do you think it would make the bikes more expensive?

YES!
Halfords, at least my local one, Only assemble the bikes.
Truing the wheels is something they out source to specialists.