I swear this isn't a snob thing - Page 4 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

Step daughter #1 has a 19 plate Macan S. When she bought it a couple of years ago, I suggested she used a reputable inde. Do a bit of research, ask around. I just rang her about Christmas. She's in Halfords having the car serviced, MoT'd and "four new brakes" whatever that means. Pads? Discs? Discs and pads? Halfords? My instincts tell me this is a bad idea. If nothing else, when she sells it, there will be a patchy history with some Halfords invoices. /Concerned dad 200 miles away

Who’d have thought Halfords mentioned it needed brakes…

Yup, that's the kind of thing I was thinking. And an MoT. Gawd knows what they'll find in addition to the brakes.

Brakes are brakes, probably shared with an Audi Q5.

My daughter was told at MOT by her local Ford dealer that the car needed new front brakes (though it was not an advisory on the MOT) and quoted around £500 for the job ... pads ? pads and discs ? She was very upset (couldn't afford it) so I suggested that she ask a friend of mine who has looked after out Landie for years ... he said that the pads were worn and would need replacing in around six months ... which when done cost £145 ...

My car was in the OPC for some warranty work, they suggested I also change my rear pads and discs as the bells are showing signs of corrosion. Nothing wrong with the pads and discs themselves.... Edited by jeebsy on Monday 22 December 11:32

She rang to say Halfords apologised but "because of the age of the vehicle" they didn't stock any parts for it. It's six years old. Anyway, she's going to book it in with a specialist after Christmas and I'm going to drive 200 miles to fetch them for the holidays. 800 miles - there and back twice A34, M40, M42, M6. At Christmas. Joy. But, with any luck, the car will be fixed properly.

DickyC said: She rang to say Halfords apologised but "because of the age of the vehicle" they didn't stock any parts for it. It's six years old. Anyway, she's going to book it in with a specialist after Christmas and I'm going to drive 200 miles to fetch them for the holidays. 800 miles - there and back twice A34, M40, M42, M6. At Christmas. Joy. But, with any luck, the car will be fixed properly. Have a safe journey. I've calculated, if you average 50mph, you can listen to Chris Rea 240 times!

Nuttcase said: Have a safe journey. I've calculated, if you average 50mph, you can listen to Chris Rea 240 times! Thanks! It will be played a lot, I imagine. He seemed like a good sort.

Aw mate, I just read the news, released after my last post No intent to be insensitive. Been listening to him for nearly 40 years. Legend.

DickyC said: ... and I'm going to drive 200 miles to fetch them for the holidays. 800 miles - there and back twice A34, M40, M42, M6. At Christmas. Joy. Tell them to get on a train. They are Northerners - it'll be fine.

[quote=Nuttcase]Aw mate, I just read the news, released after my last post No intent to be insensitive. Been listening to him for nearly 40 years. Legend.[/qkuote] I didn't think you were and could see exactly what happened as the same happened on Radio 2! They played Driving Home For Christmas among the Christmas songs and then ten minutes later had to announce he'd died. It sounded a bit awkward. That song will be played forever. A fitting tribute to a nice guy.

Orangecurry said: DickyC said: ... and I'm going to drive 200 miles to fetch them for the holidays. 800 miles - there and back twice A34, M40, M42, M6. At Christmas. Joy. Tell them to get on a train. They are Northerners - it'll be fine. Here now, being waited on hand and foot

It's already nearly 7 years old. If she keeps it a few more years it'll be fairly cheap and patchy history won't be much of an issue. As for Halfords I've found chain garages like Halfords vary quite considerably. My local Kwik Fit is quite good and I wouldn't go anywhere else for a Hunter 4 wheel alignment for example. Depends who's running them.

ChocolateFrog said: It's already nearly 7 years old. If she keeps it a few more years it'll be fairly cheap and patchy history won't be much of an issue. As for Halfords I've found chain garages like Halfords vary quite considerably. My local Kwik Fit is quite good and I wouldn't go anywhere else for a Hunter 4 wheel alignment for example. Depends who's running them. I guess they're franchised. Never a guarantee of uniformity. I was really surprised she opted for Halfords, though. When she lived near us she used Ray Northway for her Boxster. About as un-Halfordy as possible. With hindsight, I should gave found some likely candidates for her.

Orangecurry said: Tell them to get on a train. They are Northerners - it'll be fine. My thoughts not that they are from the north but most likely quicker and less stressful, and if booked through Trainline maybe cheaper. Might have missed something but why can’t the Macan be driven? Are the brake pads that bad? I always use the local ATS for an MOT tyres etc and always found them upfront and right about life expectancy of pads before light comes on

GT4P said: Orangecurry said: Tell them to get on a train. They are Northerners - it'll be fine. My thoughts not that they are from the north but most likely quicker and less stressful, and if booked through Trainline maybe cheaper. Might have missed something but why can t the Macan be driven? Are the brake pads that bad? I always use the local ATS for an MOT tyres etc and always found them upfront and right about life expectancy of pads before light comes on Apparently the brake warning light has been on 'for some time'. Halfords are nearby, so she went to have the fault diagnosed and they said 'four new brakes' (hearsay evidence - they may not have said exactly that), meantime the car asked for a service and the MoT ran out. It's a nightmare. Both the girls - they're middle aged women fer gawd's sake - know how I maintain cars and they just won't follow my example. Their mum's SLK she had for 23 years broke down once, at home. I was working away and the main dealer came and fixed it for a very reasonable amount. I sense I'm mixing my metaphors, but I'm sure you see what I'm driving at. ETA we discussed the train but there was the question of transporting 'all' the presents. :facepalm: Edited by DickyC on Monday 22 December 18:08

ThingsBehindTheSun said: Brakes are brakes This is probably the most incorrect comment in the history of the Internet.

DickyC said: Apparently the brake warning light has been on 'for some time'. Halfords are nearby, so she went to have the fault diagnosed and they said 'four new brakes' (hearsay evidence - they may not have said exactly that), meantime the car asked for a service and the MoT ran out. It's a nightmare. Both the girls - they're middle aged women fer gawd's sake - know how I maintain cars and they just won't follow my example. Their mum's SLK she had for 23 years broke down once, at home. I was working away and the main dealer came and fixed it for a very reasonable amount. I sense I'm mixing my metaphors, but I'm sure you see what I'm driving at. ETA we discussed the train but there was the question of transporting 'all' the presents. :facepalm: Edited by DickyC on Monday 22 December 18:08 Fully understand but may only need pads depending how old discs are? Might be worth asking Halfords for the pad depth etc which usually comes on a print out. Also depending where they live might be a good indie to use going forward.

DickyC said: ETA we discussed the train but there was the question of transporting 'all' the presents. :facepalm: Ay caramba! They are definitely not Northerners

Orangecurry said: DickyC said: ETA we discussed the train but there was the question of transporting 'all' the presents. :facepalm: Ay caramba! They are definitely not Northerners

ThingsBehindTheSun said: Brakes are brakes, probably shared with an Audi Q5. There is a huge difference between oem discs and pads and cheap discs and pads.

Caddyshack said: There is a huge difference between oem discs and pads and cheap discs and pads. Poster listerally mentioned they are shared parts, who mentioned cheap parts?

You buy the parts for the car, you fit them to the spec. In terms of discs and pads it s a simple job. The only reason to go to opc is for the service stamp. If the car was a sports car, or something more typically associated with someone who would look carefully at where work was done, then there is a chance that they would care but if it was the spec they wanted they would be unlikely to walk away. I would care about what discs and pad were being fitted to my gt3, I wouldn t on my partners macan (for example) The opcs are not doing magic, they just charge a lot for basic jobs when actually they are only needed for the service (residual value and warranty) and the more complex jobs. Unless you have a “special” car , or are driving very very spiritedly, to the point of brake fade on a regular basis , it s not worth thinking about. I d let Halfords or Kwik fit do work.

100% agree. No matter what badge is on the front, the car is an Audi Q5. I am sure anybody who had ever fitted a set of discs and pads to a car could fit them.

ThingsBehindTheSun said: 100% agree. No matter what badge is on the front, the car is an Audi Q5. I am sure anybody who had ever fitted a set of discs and pads to a car could fit them. Okay, but Halfords took the booking and waited until the car was there to tell her they couldn't do the service or the brakes because 'the age of the vehicle' meant they didn't have the parts. They've lost her business due to - what? - being disorganised? I'm relieved she is going to take it to an inde.

the-norseman said: Caddyshack said: There is a huge difference between oem discs and pads and cheap discs and pads. Poster listerally mentioned they are shared parts, who mentioned cheap parts? The person I replied to said “brakes are brakes” indicating to me that Halfords brakes are the same as oem…they are not.

But a lot of indie Porsche service is done with parts from the same manufacturers as Porsche use ... many with the same part numbers ... especially brake discs and pads ...

ChrisW. said: But a lot of indie Porsche service is done with parts from the same manufacturers as Porsche use ... many with the same part numbers ... especially brake discs and pads ... I’ve experienced “out the same factory mate” brakes and they are usually not the same as the OEM. Whatever the garage might tell you.

Our son works in the parts industry for a large global company that deals in factory to garage and I can tell you that the same parts go in different boxes ie Car manufacturers box , OEM box etc. Had to do a bit of digging but when replacing my old JCW air filter I bought the same BMW air filter when car was only 3-4 years old could only buy from BMW at the time then later was able to source exactly the same part number and manufacture from Halfords at half the price. You are paying for the box to have Porsche or whoever stamped on the box.

I reckon it is a sob story, she knows you'll provide transport and she wants to have a drink at Xmas

Tell her you are coming to her for Xmas

This thread seems to be mixing up (at least) three separate issues. 1) - do I trust my garage? Do my pads need replacing, and when? Discs as well? We all know that OPC to Halfords will try this on, and it will be more or less outrageous depending on the individual service manager. Solution - get a 2nd opinion from someone you trust, or look yourself. Brakes are not rocket science. 2 a) - do I trust my garage to manage to fit four bits of metal correctly to my car? Solution - if 'no', find another garage, or better still, learn to do it yourself. Brakes are not rocket science. b) is the car's value going to be affected by who fitted some consumables two years ago? Only you can answer that. 3) what quality of pads/discs do I need/want on my car? You can argue all day long about this. I would imagine that the cheapest brakes will still stop this car in a very similar distance to the most expensive, but will not last as long, and pad material will deposit itself all over the alloys. (is it a typical modern over-servo'd car?) (Another point to argue - the tyres will be much more important in stopping distance - does she fit cheap tyres?) I know nothing about who makes OEM brakes for modern Porsche, but older 911s have pads made by Textar and they arrive at your OPC in a Porsche box. Now it gets complicated. Many brake manufacturers have gone out of business over the years, but the trade names still remain. Today, a conglomerate called TMD Friction run many of these foundries, some of which historically were independents. Textar and Mintex and Pagid are some of their 'brands'. So do the different foundries make better quality discs/pads vs others, and where are these brands made? The same foundries or different ones? MANAGEMENT SUMMARY It's a consumable. There are more important things to worry about. BUT don't get ripped-off. Merry Christmas.

GT4P said: Our son works in the parts industry for a large global company that deals in factory to garage and I can tell you that the same parts go in different boxes ie Car manufacturers box , OEM box etc. Had to do a bit of digging but when replacing my old JCW air filter I bought the same BMW air filter when car was only 3-4 years old could only buy from BMW at the time then later was able to source exactly the same part number and manufacture from Halfords at half the price. You are paying for the box to have Porsche or whoever stamped on the box. Sometimes they do yes. But brake components are a particular case. Whilst many are undoubtedly shared, high-performance marques often have genuinely specific specs. I’ve been through the “same factory mate” thing too many times. Most recently with a Bentley. After three sets of pads, only the ones actually from Bentley worked correctly. I’ve no doubt the factory that made them makes brakes for other people. But the “brakes are brakes” statement is completely incorrect in my experience. The fact that a set of brakes will fit a car and may even have come out the same factory door doesn’t mean they are the same.

Furbo said: I ve experienced out the same factory mate brakes and they are usually not the same as the OEM. Whatever the garage might tell you. Yeah, I’ve had that with a Discovery. The ‘OEM’ pads lasted literally six months before they were down to nothing. My brother and his wife have had a two engine failures in the past 3-4 years - an X5 and a Mini. I’ve repeatedly asked if they’ve been having their cars serviced, to which they said ‘every year’. Turns out they thought an MOT was a service….

Crumpet said: Turns out they thought an MOT was a service . Brilliant, although it does sound like my son with his 2012 Mini, which also does not require air in it's tyres.

jeebsy said: My car was in the OPC for some warranty work, they suggested I also change my rear pads and discs as the bells are showing signs of corrosion. Nothing wrong with the pads and discs themselves.... Edited by jeebsy on Monday 22 December 11:32 Bells ? No idea what that means.

hopeydaze said: Crumpet said: Turns out they thought an MOT was a service . Brilliant, although it does sound like my son with his 2012 Mini, which also does not require air in it's tyres. My family get frustrated with how often I stop to help stricken motorists, one thing I notice a lot and I’m afraid to say it is always women is that when I explain the problem on their car such as one that had zero oil and a seized engine is “it only had an MOT last month”

Pit Pony said: jeebsy said: My car was in the OPC for some warranty work, they suggested I also change my rear pads and discs as the bells are showing signs of corrosion. Nothing wrong with the pads and discs themselves.... Edited by jeebsy on Monday 22 December 11:32 Bells ? No idea what that means. A bell is the centre on a two part disc which sits between the disc and the hub. It makes disc replacements cheaper becasue it is only the disc that is replaced once worn out and the bell to which it attaches is re-used.

ChrisW. said: Pit Pony said: jeebsy said: My car was in the OPC for some warranty work, they suggested I also change my rear pads and discs as the bells are showing signs of corrosion. Nothing wrong with the pads and discs themselves.... Edited by jeebsy on Monday 22 December 11:32 Bells ? No idea what that means. A bell is the centre on a two part disc which sits between the disc and the hub. It makes disc replacements cheaper becasue it is only the disc that is replaced once worn out and the bell to which it attaches is re-used. “Showing signs of corrosion” hmm. It’s a pretty thick piece of metal that doesn’t get worn down…at worst I would maybe clean it up and paint it.

Caddyshack said: ChrisW. said: Pit Pony said: jeebsy said: My car was in the OPC for some warranty work, they suggested I also change my rear pads and discs as the bells are showing signs of corrosion. Nothing wrong with the pads and discs themselves.... Edited by jeebsy on Monday 22 December 11:32 Bells ? No idea what that means. A bell is the centre on a two part disc which sits between the disc and the hub. It makes disc replacements cheaper becasue it is only the disc that is replaced once worn out and the bell to which it attaches is re-used. Showing signs of corrosion hmm. It s a pretty thick piece of metal that doesn t get worn down at worst I would maybe clean it up and paint it. I had "signs of corrosion" on my 997 GTS exhaust headers. My OPC kindly gave me an estimate (not quote) of £6k ten years ago to fix it. I declined. Every time it went in for a service they reported "exhaust headers corroded". Eventually I was speaking to a sensible member of service staff and he asked whether I intended to have them replaced. I said no, I will wait until you need to remove them as part of a warranty claim. You can break them and replace them then. "Want it done for £800? all in?" "Alright then.".

Furbo said: Caddyshack said: ChrisW. said: Pit Pony said: jeebsy said: My car was in the OPC for some warranty work, they suggested I also change my rear pads and discs as the bells are showing signs of corrosion. Nothing wrong with the pads and discs themselves.... Edited by jeebsy on Monday 22 December 11:32 Bells ? No idea what that means. A bell is the centre on a two part disc which sits between the disc and the hub. It makes disc replacements cheaper becasue it is only the disc that is replaced once worn out and the bell to which it attaches is re-used. Showing signs of corrosion hmm. It s a pretty thick piece of metal that doesn t get worn down at worst I would maybe clean it up and paint it. I had "signs of corrosion" on my 997 GTS exhaust headers. My OPC kindly gave me an estimate (not quote) of £6k ten years ago to fix it. I declined. Every time it went in for a service they reported "exhaust headers corroded". Eventually I was speaking to a sensible member of service staff and he asked whether I intended to have them replaced. I said no, I will wait until you need to remove them as part of a warranty claim. You can break them and replace them then. "Want it done for £800? all in?" "Alright then.". I think all exhaust headers would have a rust type finish on them. I think they had a set they wanted to get rid of.

Not a Porsche, but my wife's SLK of fond memory. After maintaining and servicing it for sixteen years, the main dealer provided a video of the car on a ramp with a technician walking underneath it announcing pretty much everything was rusty and needed replacing: brake pipes, exhaust, shock absorbers, road springs. Abandoning the FMBSH at that point, I took it to an inde who said they would do clips and clamps on the exhaust and the brake pipes that needed doing. The shocks and springs lasted another three or four MoTs. I wished I'd gone there years earlier.

Halfords? Pork should always be seen at either Porsche or a specialist imho. I'd run a mile if there were Halfords invoices in the paperwork history. TX.

DickyC said: Not a Porsche, but my wife's SLK of fond memory. After maintaining and servicing it for sixteen years, the main dealer provided a video of the car on a ramp with a technician walking underneath it announcing pretty much everything was rusty and needed replacing: brake pipes, exhaust, shock absorbers, road springs. Abandoning the FMBSH at that point, I took it to an inde who said they would do clips and clamps on the exhaust and the brake pipes that needed doing. The shocks and springs lasted another three or four MoTs. I wished I'd gone there years earlier. my 911 failed its MOT because the rear brake light does not work. Thought no biggie and took it to my mechanic, who said it is so rusty (it sounded like the entire rear of the car - so probably the entire car) that something or other is no longer properly fixed to the chassis, that is why the brake light does not work anymore. He did tell me to please not drive the car as it is dangerous in his opinion. I think I will spend some time in Hungary in spring and have it properly fixed there, where the work-hour costs a fraction of here. While I am there I will probably also get another car fully repainted and the leather headliner reattached/replaced, so I can maybe sell it later this year. Have not gotten recommendations or quotes yet, but I suspect it will be a fraction of what I would pay in Southern Germany for the same work - I just paid c. 2.5k to have 2 bumpers painted. Always wanted to live in Budapest for a month anyway, just maybe not during winter .... On topic: If the invoice if for brake pads or an oil change/service etc, I would not really mind a Halfords invoice. Any mechanic can do that stuff imo.

MDL111 said: On topic: If the invoice if for brake pads or an oil change/service etc, I would not really mind a Halfords invoice. Any mechanic can do that stuff imo. Unless for a very low value Porsche, I think you are in a small minority.

Furbo said: MDL111 said: On topic: If the invoice if for brake pads or an oil change/service etc, I would not really mind a Halfords invoice. Any mechanic can do that stuff imo. Unless for a very low value Porsche, I think you are in a small minority. That was my thinking. But, you know, maybe they've changed. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, and imagining the answer might be 'they were once', I asked Google AI why Halfords are seen as a joke: Halfords are seen as a "joke" by some UK consumers due to widely reported issues with overpriced parts/services, poor workmanship (especially in Autocentres), inconsistent customer service (rude staff, no-shows), difficulty with bookings, and parts issues (wrong items, cancellations), leading to frustration with high quotes for minor fixes and a perception of being overcharged for subpar work compared to independent garages or online retailers.

DickyC said: Giving them the benefit of the doubt, and imagining the answer might be 'they were once', I asked Google AI why Porsche OPCs are seen as a joke: Porsche are seen as a "joke" by some UK consumers due to widely reported issues with inability to solve problems, overpriced parts/services, poor workmanship, inconsistent customer service (rude staff, no-shows), difficulty with bookings, and parts issues (wrong items, cancellations), leading to frustration with high quotes for minor fixes and a perception of being overcharged for subpar work compared to independent garages or online retailers. Fixed that for you

MDL111 said: my 911 failed its MOT because the rear brake light does not work. Thought no biggie and took it to my mechanic, who said it is so rusty (it sounded like the entire rear of the car - so probably the entire car) that something or other is no longer properly fixed to the chassis, that is why the brake light does not work anymore. He did tell me to please not drive the car as it is dangerous in his opinion. Is that Richard's old car?

Furbo said: MDL111 said: On topic: If the invoice if for brake pads or an oil change/service etc, I would not really mind a Halfords invoice. Any mechanic can do that stuff imo. Unless for a very low value Porsche, I think you are in a small minority. probably, but I am also no longer based in the UK - it seems to me that the rest of Europe is a lot more relaxed in terms of service history (for example with cars like Ferrari, which once they get older seem to often get serviced on mileage and not annually like in the UK). I have a foot in both camps - my Mercedes went to the main dealer every year to keep the full service history. My other cars mostly go to my local mechanic (not a specialist in anything, just a decent mechanic from what I can tell), for services/work - and while I do get them serviced regularly, I no longer religiously stick to the annual service mantra. Porsche charge 400 Euros per hour, which is ridiculous imo and not worth it to me. When buying a car, I would - like everybody - prefer a perfect service history, but I would not discard a car if it does not have it.

Orangecurry said: MDL111 said: my 911 failed its MOT because the rear brake light does not work. Thought no biggie and took it to my mechanic, who said it is so rusty (it sounded like the entire rear of the car - so probably the entire car) that something or other is no longer properly fixed to the chassis, that is why the brake light does not work anymore. He did tell me to please not drive the car as it is dangerous in his opinion. Is that Richard's old car? no, of course not - even I can't ruin a car that quickly It is my old Targa, which seems to have rusted a lot over the 50 years it has been on this planet

Phew. I was suprised ............ but didn't you buy the Targa only a few months back?

MDL111 said: Furbo said: MDL111 said: On topic: If the invoice if for brake pads or an oil change/service etc, I would not really mind a Halfords invoice. Any mechanic can do that stuff imo. Unless for a very low value Porsche, I think you are in a small minority. probably, but I am also no longer based in the UK - it seems to me that the rest of Europe is a lot more relaxed in terms of service history (for example with cars like Ferrari, which once they get older seem to often get serviced on mileage and not annually like in the UK). I have a foot in both camps - my Mercedes went to the main dealer every year to keep the full service history. My other cars mostly go to my local mechanic (not a specialist in anything, just a decent mechanic from what I can tell), for services/work - and while I do get them serviced regularly, I no longer religiously stick to the annual service mantra. Porsche charge 400 Euros per hour, which is ridiculous imo and not worth it to me. When buying a car, I would - like everybody - prefer a perfect service history, but I would not discard a car if it does not have it. Lots of points here. But the highlights: In the UK, Porsche buyers are utterly anal about service history. This is in no small part driven by Porsche themselves, who won't. play with you if you haven't serviced the car in line with their rules. I've seen a Bentley with a 5-year service gap get Bentley warranty. But a Porsche... Halfords and brakes. I would not touch their brake parts with a s tty stick. They might be perfectly fine. They might not. And when you've got a car squealing like a b h as soon as the weather turns warm, you're in for a very long and tiresome argument about what is causing it. It will eventually be identified as the pattern brake compnents and you will then have the eventual decision to make regarding whether to put up with the squealing or go to Porsche for your brakes. I've seen the above from the perspective of both the supplier of pattern parts and the buyer.

Orangecurry said: Phew. I was suprised ............ but didn't you buy the Targa only a few months back? bought it in summer 2024, so not my fault that it is so rusty. Ah well, c'est la vie. I knew it had some rust, but the guy who looked at it said something along the lines of "in line with the price", should have maybe had somebody look at it properly. Guess this is the first time I screwed up buying a car without having it checked over properly (or at least looking at it in person). You reminded me that I need to call the guy who currently has the CLR - it is getting a new front bumper and side skirts. Am quite excited to get that car back (albeit can't really drive it at the moment anyway given it is winter). Will post a pic on Pistonheads, when I have it back.

Furbo said: MDL111 said: Furbo said: MDL111 said: On topic: If the invoice if for brake pads or an oil change/service etc, I would not really mind a Halfords invoice. Any mechanic can do that stuff imo. Unless for a very low value Porsche, I think you are in a small minority. probably, but I am also no longer based in the UK - it seems to me that the rest of Europe is a lot more relaxed in terms of service history (for example with cars like Ferrari, which once they get older seem to often get serviced on mileage and not annually like in the UK). I have a foot in both camps - my Mercedes went to the main dealer every year to keep the full service history. My other cars mostly go to my local mechanic (not a specialist in anything, just a decent mechanic from what I can tell), for services/work - and while I do get them serviced regularly, I no longer religiously stick to the annual service mantra. Porsche charge 400 Euros per hour, which is ridiculous imo and not worth it to me. When buying a car, I would - like everybody - prefer a perfect service history, but I would not discard a car if it does not have it. Lots of points here. But the highlights: In the UK, Porsche buyers are utterly anal about service history. This is in no small part driven by Porsche themselves, who won't. play with you if you haven't serviced the car in line with their rules. I've seen a Bentley with a 5-year service gap get Bentley warranty. But a Porsche... Halfords and brakes. I would not touch their brake parts with a s tty stick. They might be perfectly fine. They might not. And when you've got a car squealing like a b h as soon as the weather turns warm, you're in for a very long and tiresome argument about what is causing it. It will eventually be identified as the pattern brake compnents and you will then have the eventual decision to make regarding whether to put up with the squealing or go to Porsche for your brakes. I've seen the above from the perspective of both the supplier of pattern parts and the buyer. ok fair, I just took Halfords as a synonym for any type of non-specialist/not main dealer type shop. Maybe they are just crap (in fairness, I did not even know they service cars, I thought they are just a parts shop). I once took my 355 to one of the big tyre changing chains in the UK and the morons broke something (the radiator from memory), which then forced me to postpone a car trip - I was very unhappy ....

I’d have no issue with Halfords or another national chain doing stuff like that. It’s not like it’s a specialist race car. It’s a mass produced vehicle, as long as it been looked after, no issue

I had a new set of tyres fitted by KwikFit to my daughter's Peugeot C1 (?) and when it went in for MOT a couple of months later was advised that they had fitted directional tyres in the wrong direction, so had to pay to have them reversed before the car could pass its MOT. Either KwikFit or the Peugeot dealership were not playing fair ... I didn't know that these tyres were directional ...

ChrisW. said: I had a new set of tyres fitted by KwikFit to my daughter's Peugeot C1 (?) and when it went in for MOT a couple of months later was advised that they had fitted directional tyres in the wrong direction, so had to pay to have them reversed before the car could pass its MOT. Either KwikFit or the Peugeot dealership were not playing fair ... I didn't know that these tyres were directional ... KwickFit cross-threaded a wheel bolt on one of our Minis.

Like I mentioned before I have used ATS for tyres and mot and no problems and fair or could be my local ATS are just more competent.

I’ve always valued a proper garage over any franchise setup, most people in modern garages are just ‘fitters’. Anywhere where they can skim a disc on-site is a winner

ThingsBehindTheSun said: Brakes are brakes, probably shared with an Audi Q5. Unfortunately the recommended retail price list won’t be shared though.

Buster73 said: ThingsBehindTheSun said: Brakes are brakes, probably shared with an Audi Q5. Unfortunately the recommended retail price list won t be shared though. Buy them online, Autodoc if you aren’t in a hurry, and have them fitted by a local mechanic.

Orangecurry said: DickyC said: Giving them the benefit of the doubt, and imagining the answer might be 'they were once', I asked Google AI why Porsche OPCs are seen as a joke: Porsche are seen as a "joke" by some UK consumers due to widely reported issues with inability to solve problems, overpriced parts/services, poor workmanship, inconsistent customer service (rude staff, no-shows), difficulty with bookings, and parts issues (wrong items, cancellations), leading to frustration with high quotes for minor fixes and a perception of being overcharged for subpar work compared to independent garages or online retailers. Fixed that for you That actually makes more sense. Almost none of it relates to Halfords where it's almost entirety down to the perception that the 17yo's they might or might not have working for them don't know what they're doing. It's certainly not because they're perceived as expensive.

Frankychops said: I d have no issue with Halfords or another national chain doing stuff like that. It s not like it s a specialist race car. It s a mass produced vehicle, as long as it been looked after, no issue Would you really take your Aston/Bentley/Porsche/Ferrari to Halfords for a service? Have you bought such a car with Halfords stamps in the service book?

NDA said: Frankychops said: I d have no issue with Halfords or another national chain doing stuff like that. It s not like it s a specialist race car. It s a mass produced vehicle, as long as it been looked after, no issue Would you really take your Aston/Bentley/Porsche/Ferrari to Halfords for a service? Have you bought such a car with Halfords stamps in the service book? I would certainly never take my Bentley to Halfords. I only ever use our local main Bentley main dealer....who returned my car to me this week having kerbed a wheel, damaged an air inlet and with various warning lights on, including an engine management light! But the service was reassuringly expensive.

Furbo said: I would certainly never take my Bentley to Halfords. I only ever use our local main Bentley main dealer....who returned my car to me this week having kerbed a wheel, damaged an air inlet and with various warning lights on, including an engine management light! But the service was reassuringly expensive. That's impressive! I hope they're sorting it out properly. I had a Bentley (from new) a while back, main dealer service was pretty good - that's not good to hear about yours.

Halfords Autocenters seem professional enough to me, used them for MoT and tyres. It the only place I've seen a manager come out and check job (including torque settings) before signing it off. If I need specialist work I'd go to a specialist but for run of the mill Inc service why not.

NDA said: Furbo said: I would certainly never take my Bentley to Halfords. I only ever use our local main Bentley main dealer....who returned my car to me this week having kerbed a wheel, damaged an air inlet and with various warning lights on, including an engine management light! But the service was reassuringly expensive. That's impressive! I hope they're sorting it out properly. I had a Bentley (from new) a while back, main dealer service was pretty good - that's not good to hear about yours. They are picking it up tomorrow. I had a similar issue a couple of years ago. They claimed that they had not caused the problem. It was subsequently proved that they did. They compensated me, but I was still well out of pocket.

NDA said: Furbo said: I would certainly never take my Bentley to Halfords. I only ever use our local main Bentley main dealer....who returned my car to me this week having kerbed a wheel, damaged an air inlet and with various warning lights on, including an engine management light! But the service was reassuringly expensive. That's impressive! I hope they're sorting it out properly. I had a Bentley (from new) a while back, main dealer service was pretty good - that's not good to hear about yours. The owner of the garage where I worked when I left school in 1970 had a ten year old Bentley S2. He and his wife were on a motoring holiday in Europe when the water pump failed in Switzerland. A pump was flown out to a local garage who fitted it. No charge. Okay. Back in England, the guvnor wrote to Rolls Royce - who owned Bentley at the time - asking how he should pay the bill for the breakdown. He received a letter from Rolls Royce politely informing him that Bentleys do not breakdown. How times change.

DickyC said: NDA said: Furbo said: I would certainly never take my Bentley to Halfords. I only ever use our local main Bentley main dealer....who returned my car to me this week having kerbed a wheel, damaged an air inlet and with various warning lights on, including an engine management light! But the service was reassuringly expensive. That's impressive! I hope they're sorting it out properly. I had a Bentley (from new) a while back, main dealer service was pretty good - that's not good to hear about yours. The owner of the garage where I worked when I left school in 1970 had a ten year old Bentley S2. He and his wife were on a motoring holiday in Europe when the water pump failed in Switzerland. A pump was flown out to a local garage who fitted it. No charge. Okay. Back in England, the guvnor wrote to Rolls Royce - who owned Bentley at the time - asking how he should pay the bill for the breakdown. He received a letter from Rolls Royce politely informing him that Bentleys do not breakdown. How times change. Having enjoyed the service from Rolls Royce too in the past I can confirm that, yes, things have changed.

ChrisW. said: I had a new set of tyres fitted by KwikFit to my daughter's Peugeot C1 (?) and when it went in for MOT a couple of months later was advised that they had fitted directional tyres in the wrong direction, so had to pay to have them reversed before the car could pass its MOT. Either KwikFit or the Peugeot dealership were not playing fair ... I didn't know that these tyres were directional ... I wonder, could you have taken off the two fronts yourself and swapped them round to correct it? Then done the same to the rears.

That's a great question ... maybe that's what they did for the MOT pass ? Or maybe if the garage had the wheels off for the service, they had re-fitted them the wrong way around for the MOT ??

DickyC said: The owner of the garage where I worked when I left school in 1970 had a ten year old Bentley S2. He and his wife were on a motoring holiday in Europe when the water pump failed in Switzerland. A pump was flown out to a local garage who fitted it. No charge. Okay. Back in England, the guvnor wrote to Rolls Royce - who owned Bentley at the time - asking how he should pay the bill for the breakdown. He received a letter from Rolls Royce politely informing him that Bentleys do not breakdown. How times change. Errr.....popular urban myth there DickyC. It did ring a bell with me. From google "The story of a Bentley (or more commonly, a Rolls-Royce) owner having a spare part flown out to them by plane if the car ever broke down is a well-known urban myth. While the exact details vary, the core legend suggests an unparalleled level of customer service and reliability, implying that a car would never break down, and if it did, the manufacturer's commitment to the client was so extreme that they would use air transport to deliver a part anywhere in the world. "

limpsfield said: DickyC said: The owner of the garage where I worked when I left school in 1970 had a ten year old Bentley S2. He and his wife were on a motoring holiday in Europe when the water pump failed in Switzerland. A pump was flown out to a local garage who fitted it. No charge. Okay. Back in England, the guvnor wrote to Rolls Royce - who owned Bentley at the time - asking how he should pay the bill for the breakdown. He received a letter from Rolls Royce politely informing him that Bentleys do not breakdown. How times change. Errr.....popular urban myth there DickyC. It did ring a bell with me. From google "The story of a Bentley (or more commonly, a Rolls-Royce) owner having a spare part flown out to them by plane if the car ever broke down is a well-known urban myth. While the exact details vary, the core legend suggests an unparalleled level of customer service and reliability, implying that a car would never break down, and if it did, the manufacturer's commitment to the client was so extreme that they would use air transport to deliver a part anywhere in the world. " That was my immediate reaction, even as an unworldly seventeen year old, but he was such an old sobersides I couldn't see him making it up. He was more likely to say the water pump failed and having it fixed ruined their holiday. We would never have heard the end of it.