Halfords Professional Tool Supplier Gone Bust

Thought this would be of interest as I know many use the Halfords Pro stuff.

I had to return a locking extension bar a couple of weeks back, it was a bit unusual instead of scurrying off to the locked display cabinet to get me another, they took my contact details down and said they would be in touch...
Turned out the unusual behavior was because they were not sure if they could get a replacement because their supplier had gone bust

I was fortunate and got my replacement extension bar, but what they do in future and if the gear is as good who knows.
I am sure it was true as it was the head windscreen wiper changer who told me!

 

lol ^^

good tools both my sets have taken a beating over the years and still do the job!

 

Thats bad news (if true) as its good kit for the money

 

I swear by some of their stuff. And just swear at the rest.

Wasn't it all former Snap-on as well?

 

I just bought a set of Halfords spline sockets as I had to remove my driveshafts. Although not recommended I used them with my air gun and they coped well. They are great tools and were cheaper than the Machine Mart equivalent (although they are a proper impact set). When I bought them I asked about the lifetime warranty and the guy said that they would be exchanged as long as I had the receipt and he even suggested having the receipt laminated!

I've had a few of Halfords ratchet spanners for years with no problems.

T5 Man

 

Bought this Bahco one for work a couple of weeks back. Awesome value for money IMHO. So solid feeling. It doesn't have a lot of the bits and bobs of a Halfords 'all in one' set, but I'm seriously tempted to buy one for myself.

 

victim of there own success? i have a rail of halfords sockets 1/2 i use every day at work had them since i was 17, 34 now. lasted really well

 

I believe all that has happened is a different company is covering the warranty spares part of Halfords tools, from what I understand (from talking to my local store manager) is Halfords are getting some new brands in one of which rumoured to be snap-on.

 

interesting news.

Surely, if you bought the product from Halfords, the life time warranty is held with Halfords, and they will have to honour that? even if it means finding a new supplier

 

wonder how would that affect the snap on franchisees who are mobile and have a "patch"

 

Cannot imagine the snap-on vans being too happy about that at all.......

 

It did seem a little odd to me when I found out, but like I said its only rumour at this stage, as for the warranty of halfords tools everything is all still covered as it always has been you might just notice a slightly different stamp on your spanner or somthing like that.

 

That's what I was thinking, Halfords offer the guarantee not the manufacturer, they'll have to replace it & cover the loss themselves

 

I went into a local Halfords last week, and was informed that they are reducing the stock of tools held in store, and moving a lot of it to online only.

Shame about the Halfords Professional supplier, their tools are very good.

 

Be careful with that, I know a guy who did this, it backfired on him bigstyle and left him with a few deep gashes, permanently scarring him. Apparently they can shatter throwing shards of metal everywhere.

I'm using my housemates halfords pro sockets at the moment, they're absolutely excellent. Although I'm a bahco lover, I'm debating getting a set of their sockets, I'd recommend Bahco tools to anyone, stupidly well made.

 

That's rubbish, nice thing about Halfords was when you're mid-job and realise you don't have the right size spanner/socket etc. it's good to be able to nip down there on my bike and get a decent tool off the shelf. Lots more competition online when the "convenience" aspect of it isn't there any more.

 

It's not good at all, but will be a commercial decision based on in store sales. I guess Halfords have concluded their profits will be better moving it online.

 

Warranty agreement will be between you the customer and Halfords, they wouldn't have a leg to stand on in an argument being as they're both retailer and manufacturer in this case, they can't say after the fact "well actually we subbed manufacturing out", they really change the terms of the agreement after the fact - although a very well known Bicycle manufacturer managed it via some small print!

If they do indeed start selling Snap-On stuff, it will no doubt be different spec to the stuff they sell on the Vans to avoid 'patch' issues - they did this with GT Bikes to avoid patch issues until a few years ago.

I, personally, am not a fan of Snap-On stuff, it's not bad at all, but people expect a tonne of money for it second-hand, they don't accept that the insane prices they charge for it new is 1/3 Tool 1/3 lifetime, no questions asked replacement for when they inevitability fail and 1/3 easy / loose credit terms.