Awful

Just awful. I booked a service and MOT online for my son in Gloucester, a student in the area, on the basis that he'd get fair and honest service from a well-known company. First of all, he was turned away at the time of his appointment, having to return over an hour later. The car failed its MOT, requiring new tyres, three light bulbs, and apparently a new motor for the windscreen wipers. There was also a long list of items to "keep an eye on".

All of this came to over 800 pounds, which shocked and worried my son. I rang the centre to go through list, but unfortunately whoever I spoke to really wasn't interested. I asked why three lightbulbs - two indicators, one for a number plate - cost 96 pounds, for example, and never got an adequate reply. I also asked that the work required to get the vehicle through its MOT would be done there and then, i.e. mainly the tyres, but (having apparently checked) they didn't have them in stock.

I also then requested that the service go ahead, which was already paid for, to which he agreed. I also asked for the manager's details so I could discuss this further. When my son rang later to find out when he could collect the car, after the service, he was told it would not be done - the opposite of what I'd been told.

I then rang customer service for a refund for the service, and to raise several issues about the whole experience - the attitude of the staff member, and the service he'd stated would be done, then refused. It also transpired that the centre does not stock tyres, despite what he said, so I have no idea why he did that!

I later asked my son to check the windscreen wipers. They work perfectly, but the bottle was empty. I'm therefore unclear why - as an item stated as an MOT failure - they specified on the invoice that a new motor was required, at a cost of 58 pounds.

Apart from ringing the centre to get an explanation, I've contacted customer services three times to get a manager to explain all the issues which I prescriptively outlined to them, ranging from the attitude of the staff, the lack of service to the vehicle, the windscreen motor which absolutely wasn't required and, two weeks later, the lack of contact from a manager and an explanation.

The vehicle subsequently passed its MOT elsewhere, with new tyres, etc, and the three fitted light bulbs which cost me 20 pounds, not 96. Apart from the poor service, it seems that there's an attempt to add extra items so that the uninitiated feel it's necessary to get it done. I've held off for two weeks to allow Halfords to respond to my concerns, but as I've had zero communication from them, I've posted this.