Halfords Autocentres Reviews 

This company is just gone completely declining, I’d booked a mobile tyre replacement for a Saturday 8am to 8pm slot. The fitter came at 10.30 and advised that they had sent the wrong tyre! I was told to ring customer service to rebook, not even to say we will organise this for you. I spent an hour speaking with customer service and the best they can do is the following Tuesday.
So I cancelled and rebooked another mobile fitted for Sunday, to my surprise I received an email at 8am to say they’ve cancelled my appointment.
So I rang again asking for an explanation, no great help but the best they can do is Tuesday morning at national tyres at 8.30am.
I was told to arrive 10 minutes early but when I arrived early, I was told to come back at 8.30.
I went back at 8.30 and I’m being told the tyre has not arrived yet. I have a 3inc screw sticking out of a tyre and I’m being asked to drive back home and wait for a call.
Well done Halfords for your service.

I have just received excellent service at Halfords Foss Islands Road York. The staff were extremely helpful and completed the job in the fastest time possible.

I booked my car in online at their Rochdale branch for a routine brake inspection, which needs no actual work carrying out, just a simple visual inspection.
I was given a morning appointment time & asked to arrive 10 minutes early, which I did.
Upon arrival the member of staff asked if I was waiting to which I replied yes, that’s what the appointment time is for. He then went on to say that this just could not be done.. I’d have to leave the car with them. Trying to work with him I asked if they could give me an approximate time it would be looked at, to which I was told isn’t possible, because "I already have my ramps full of cars in for service".
To cut a long story short, their member of staff was totally inflexible and extremely unhelpful.
Surely all he had to do was pop my car on a ramp for a quick check when the first car came off. But instead he just let me walk out without any attempt to help or offer to reschedule another appointment. Needless to say I’ll never try to use them again, I’ll take my business somewhere where it might be more appreciated.

have trusted Halfords Autocentres with my car servicing for the past 15 years, but after my recent experience, I will be taking my business elsewhere. What a total sham.I booked my car in for a full service and MOT and specifically requested one I asked them to replace a single blown fuse for the cigarette lighter socket.Upon picking up the vehicle, I discovered they have not even bother to check it, also I found that one jet of windscreen washer is not working , probably block, when asked how come you you have done full service and should have unblocked the jetThey claimed they couldn't replace the fuse because they "did not have the time" for a two-minute job. When I asked why the washer jet was still blocked, they claimed they had cleaned it, but it clearly remained completely blocked. To top it off, they didn't even bother to stamp my service book.When I questioned the gentleman at the front desk about these failures, he was incredibly rude. Instead of offering an apology or a solution, he dismissively told me I could "take it up with Belford" (presumably meaning head office or a regional manager).The complete lack of care and defensive attitude was deeply disappointing for a customer of 15 years. I am now forced to look for an alternative independent local garage for all my future car repairs.

A Very Disappointing Experience with Halfords Autocentre Gloucester

I would strongly advise anyone considering using Halfords Autocentre Gloucester to think carefully before booking their vehicle in.

I booked my older car in for an MOT knowing that repairs might be needed, and I had no issue paying for the work required. My disappointment is not with the repairs themselves, but with the extremely poor communication and customer service throughout the process.

I was repeatedly told my car would be ready “later today” or “by the end of the day”, but each time those promises were not met. Instead, more work seemed to be added, with another “just one more thing” being needed, causing further delays.

At no point was I contacted proactively to explain what was happening. I had to chase updates myself every time, leaving me without transport for several days. Living in a rural area, this had a real impact, costing me lost wages, additional transport expenses, and having to rely on family for lifts.

After paying a substantial repair bill, I was still required to return for an MOT retest. I also contacted Halfords Head Office to raise a formal complaint but have received no response.

A stressful and disappointing experience, made worse by the lack of communication and customer care.

Appointment booked online for 9:00am. I arrived at 8:40am and my car was taken into the workshop at 8:45am. It’s now approaching 10:00am and there’s still no sign of the car. They’re either dragging it out thinking they’re adding value, doing 2 things at once or just running in slow motion !

How long can it possibly take to change two tyres? I only came to the autocentre because I had no alternative. I normally use Halfords Mobile tyre fitters, who come to my home, and they typically fit a tyre in around 10–15 minutes each.

If there was a delay or another issue, some communication would have been appreciated. Instead, I’ve just been left sitting in the waiting room with no updates on what was happening.

After sitting in the waiting room for over an hour, it’s not surprising things were running so badly. I watched other frustrated customers waiting around just to be acknowledged, a steady stream of customers being turned away, and people with bookings being told they’d been sent to the wrong branch. The whole place felt like complete chaos.

I won’t be visiting this autocentre again.

Booked my car in for MOT. ILKESTON
The service was absolutely brilliant.
Tom, on the service desk, dealt with everything..he was friendly, polite and efficient.
Also, my car passed.
Can recommend.

I can't thank the team at Halfords Fareham enough for their outstanding customer service.

While I was out on a driving lesson with my 17-year-old son, we discovered that the battery in his car had come loose and we lost power but a little wiggle of the connectors got us going again. We called into the Fareham branch hoping for some advice, and the team couldn't have been more helpful.

Adam, one of the young mechanics, was absolutely brilliant. He was polite, professional, knowledgeable and genuinely wanted to help. He quickly identified what was needed, sourced the correct part, and fitted it there and then – all free of charge. Another member of the team also came over to lend a hand, and together they got my son's car safely back on the road.

In a world where great customer service can sometimes be hard to find, the team at Halfords Fareham really stood out. They turned what could have been a stressful situation into a positive experience, and my son came away with a great impression of how customers should be treated.

A huge thank you to Adam and the rest of the team. You went above and beyond, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Fareham branch to anyone.

Booked my car in for a 4 wheel alignment at the new Byfleet location, paid via the website, travelled to the location to be told that the time slot I had booked was not a booking, it was just a generic time for me to drop my car off and they would get to it when the could! “You’ll have to leave it with us” was the actual quote from the staff. What’s the point of a booking service? I immediately cancelled my “booking” to be told it would take 5-7 days for me to get my money back! It’s 2026 for gods sake, they should have refunded me on the spot!!
Avoid avoid

RIP off merchants - do not use!
I attended a rebooked and paired appointment on friday 11th July at the Holdenhurst Road branch, I was told on arrival that the chap had tried to call me to say they couldn’t do the air con diagnostic as their machine wasn’t working. He called someone from the Pokedown branch, after a chat which didn’t sound postive he said I could go to Pokesdown. Went to Pokesdown to be told their machine wasn’t working and they were busy, told Autumn that the manager across both branches had sent me, I had paid and I needed the work doing. She then said I needed to collect the car by 5.30pm and to be sure I was there to collect my car by 5.30pm. I left the car and went home. In the afternoon received a message to say car ready to collect. Attended the garage and autumn said it was £950 ish to fix the air con issue, she said there was a leak, I know there wasn’t a leak as when the air con wasn’t working I took it to be re gassed by a reputable company and they said no leak and gas was full it was a parts issue. She then proceeded to draw a picture of a condenser to show the issue at which point my husband said is it the condenser or the compressor - oh sorry we have had so many in today I am confused, you have a leak you need a new compressor. At this point I thought they don’t have a clue so I will talk to my husband when I leave as I do not trust what these people are telling me. I left and my husband went back in as he was not happy with what they said, he questioned them again and Autumn said there had been another Fiat in so she was confused. Another chap working there had done the test on the car and said there was not a leak, she then wrote this on a post it note with a smiley face and gave it to my husband - great! But what is the issue with my air con? It is £950 of work or £200 the chap my husband spoke to gave details of another garage he recommended but ultimately I don’t know what that actual issue is with my air con and I trust nothing that Halfords Pokedown have said. I put a complaint in the same day and even that has been a balls up from Halfords - I would not recommend and I will never ever use them again - absolute lying con artists

I am deeply frustrated by how chaotic and painfully slow it was just to change the tyres on my upcoming appointment. The entire online chat took an exhausting 1 hour and 20 minutes (from 5:49 PM to 7:09 PM) for what should have been a straightforward request. 

The entire process felt completely disorganized. First, I was told the system couldn’t change the booking because it was within 48 hours and that I had to call the garage directly. Then, the agent realized they could just cancel and rebook it. After a barrage of repetitive questions, long delays, and confusion over product codes and postcodes, they finally managed to rebook it, but completely messed up the pricing.

They tried to charge me an incorrect balance of £385.18. When I pointed out their own website listed the tyres at £165.99 each (£331.98 total before an additional 10% discount code), the agent finally admitted the mistake and said, "let me match the price". 

Unbelievably, the chat was disconnected immediately after that message, without any confirmation that the price had actually been corrected. Because of this abrupt cutoff, I am left completely in the dark. I don't even know if my order is still live, and I have absolutely no idea what I will actually be charged if I show up at the garage. A simple tyre swap shouldn't require nearly an hour and a half of agonizing back-and-forth, only to end in total uncertainty. Absolutely terrible customer service experience.

Update: I’ve now been contacted by email and have confirmation of my price and appointment. The frustration around the length of time still stands though!

I went to a bike shop in Edgware, little or no help, went to a repair shop in Hendon, I buy the part and maybe he'll repair it. Walked into Halfords and was pleasantly greeted by Rocco, explained what I needed, he immediately asked me to bring in the bike, spend a good time in removing the faulty part and provided a replacement, spent time in providing a basic service and made the bike as good as new. The repair was very reasonably priced and Rocco went above and beyond any local bike shop would do. Absolutely brilliant and very reasonably priced. Halfords Hendon. best place in north west London to get your bike looked at.

I took my car to Halfords Autocentre for its annual MOT as I do each year.

Jack and his team were extremely helpful, as they always are each time I take my car there.

My car was given a heath diagnostic check and I was provided with a report with a list of recommendations without pressure.

Quick efficient service.

A great experience.

Booked my daughter’s car into East Kilbride to have 2 front tyres replaced. This should have taken 30 minutes max. The depot was fairly quiet when we arrived. An hour later a fitter came to us and said that there was other work that needed done including the usual tracking, new wiper blades and some other things. The car had been serviced and MOT’D a week earlier and no faults were found so I declined any further repairs. My tyres had not even been changed by then and it took another 30 mins for them to do that so we were kept 1.5 hours in total. All they seemed to be interested in was trying to sell us further work. When we left I took the car back to the garage that did the service/mot and was assured that no other work needed done. He said he was well used to hearing of Halfords trying it on. We have 6 cars in the family and none of them will be back to Halfords. Shame on you for the way you treat customers. This is not an isolated complaint. Look at all the other reviews.

Booked my car for a diagnostic for 11.30am man at desk couldn’t give me time to pick up car but said he would ring me when car is ready, took me 30 minutes to walk home, nobody rang me so I phoned them at 5,10pm the man told me on the phone that the mechanic just told him a sensor had gone in car couldn’t understand what he was saying , I asked him how much would it cost to fix he didn’t know I said I come over for my car now , there was no paper work for me he said he couldn’t find a part but he ring me or email me the following day with price so I could book it in Monday or Tuesday,I went to get my car it was still in the work shop the only one it was nearly six o’clock The mechanic brought out my car didn’t explain anything to me about the fault, if I had known my car was going to be the last one out I wouldn’t have booked my car in , And the next day I didn’t receive a phone call or email or text, So i haven’t got my diagnostic paper or I didn’t receive my quote for the work If this is the way you treat customers,I’m shocked you still going.

Car was booked in for 4 new Bridgestone tyres took them over 3hrs to do the job, then a week later got a parking ticket for £100 for my car being parked in the carpark under there care for over 3hrs,Then took my car for a service lastweek and the garage informs me they have fitted 2022 tyres on front of my car 4 year old tyres Halfords, but well done for putting 2026 tyres on the back total cowboys. Well Halfords i contacted you this morning and you will not do anything about my 4 year old tyres, as you say your ok to fit upto 5 year old tyres on peoples cars your customer service and complaints are also totally useless, so people be aware look for the date on your tyres as there fitting old tyres on peoples cars.

Absolutely appalling service from the Bishops Stortford branch.

Our MOT was due to expire today, so we were proactive and booked the car in last weekend for a major service and MOT. It failed due to a repair that Halfords couldn’t carry out, so we paid to have the repair completed elsewhere during the week and returned today, on the final day the MOT was still valid. We paid over £300 for this major service and MOT.

The car was dropped off at 9am today and collected at 4pm, only to be told that the MOT hadn’t been done because the tester wasn’t in. Despite having the car all day and knowing the MOT expired that day, nobody bothered to call us. Had they informed us earlier, we could have arranged another garage before businesses closed on Saturday.

Instead, we were sent away with an expiring MOT and even told it would be fine to drive for a week or two without one. That is completely irresponsible advice.

The proposed solution was equally unbelievable. At almost 5pm on a Saturday, we were offered a courtesy car so we could leave our own car there, commute into Central London, and then return after work on Monday evening to swap the cars back. Completely unrealistic and incredibly inconvenient.

To make matters worse, after last week’s MOT failure we specifically asked whether there were any other issues. We were told there weren’t. Yet today we were suddenly told that a tyre may also fail the MOT. Why wasn’t that identified during the original inspection?

Because of Halfords’ failures, we now have to take annual leave and arrange an MOT elsewhere.

We have raised a formal complaint and sincerely hope no other customer is treated this way.

Poor communication, poor organisation and a complete lack of customer care. We will also be cancelling our Halfords Motoring Club membership and will not be returning.

- Had aircon re-gassed 12 months previously at Kirkcaldy branch, which only lasted 6 months
- Paid £35 for aircon diagnostic in addition to MOT and Service when it was time to take it in again
- Staff phoned me to say they couldn't do a full diagnostic to check for a leak unless I also paid £140 for it to be re-gassed (again)
- I expected the £35 to be refunded when I picked the car up because they couldn't actually tell me if there was a leak or not
- Staff refused to refund, saying they had completed the diagnostic
- Raised a complaint and was told the diagnostic result was "There may be a leak in the aircon system"

I know that. That's why I paid for the Diagnostic, to see where the problem was, and if you could fix it. But according to Halfords, they can only tell you about a leak if you pay the £140 to put gas in, which will then just leak out slowly. There's no refund for that re-gas either.

MOT and Service were fine, no problems, but I won't go back again to Halford Autocenters, this was pretty obviously poor value for money, they were given a chance to communicate, explain and resolve the issue, but chose to do nothing.

went to halfords (tamworth) for a MOT car failed on wipers (not a problem). Was then told that a retest fee would be due within ten days and was quoted £32.00 to replace the wipers and a re test same day.
I asked if i could buy some wipers and fit them myself and have a retest later that day (as could get wipers a lot cheaper locally i was told that they don't allow customer fitted parts and that i would be charged a re test fee, BUT THE GOV WEBSITE STATES THAT IF THE CAR IS TAKEN AWAY/REPAIRED (CERTAIN DEFECTS, wipers are one of them ) AND RETURNED BEFORE THE END OF THE NEXT WORKING DAY NO RETEST FEE IS DUE.
Seems like a money making scam so when you book your MOT with Halfords book a same day retest in case you have a minor fail, like a bulb out that can be fixed within the next working day

Dicusting service, had issue with air conditioning blowing warm one side of car,was advised to get it regassed,so booked in to local Halfords, paid £75 online and booked it in. Took in this morning left the keys .Hour later phone call ready to collect.
Collected keys and given receipt went got in car,exactly same as when dropped off.
Went back in asked if they had checked it,he said it all been checked no leaks found,not once was it mentioned that there a fault. I told him warm air blowing in car he then started saying there must be fault but nothing been pointed out, I read the receipt nothing pointed out under section needs fixing but they checked my tyres and lights. Been in contact with Halfords had some really rude man not letting us get a word in shouting at my wife,saying it down to us to point out,even though I no nothing about cars. When i got car back the vents were still closed as i left them to stop warm air, so the car had not been checked.Will never use this company again.