Halfords Auto Centre, Aylesbury

I booked an oil and filter replacement for my car which is also a hybrid (petrol+electric) two months before the service was due. The afternoon before the service I get a call to say that they don't have a technician to work on Hybrid vehicles. The service doesn't actually require any electrical work as it is all in the engine bay with the car off - but what do they know!? The alternative days were when I was working - no availability on weekends. Poor planning from them.

I was enticed by an offer of £25 for an MOT. I had always previously gone to another place down the road from my workplace - that cost me £50 for an MOT. My dad warned me of deals like this saying something like "they will look for anything they can to fail the MOT on so that they can earn some money" - I ignored this, thinking if there isn't anything wrong with the car, they can't fail it... besides, I always have my car serviced just before the MOT. I got a call from the manager and he said the car had failed. The front drivers side break fluid was leaking after they had 'tested the breaks' - sure enough there was fluid drips from the garage to where they parked the car. I was a bit dubious, but not knowing too much about cars I asked the guy what the problem was exactly - after getting a response I called my service guy and repeated it to him - his response was that in 20 years of servicing these cars he'd NEVER seen this problem, and that either the problem was something else or there was foul play. I asked the manager to talk to my service guy on my mobile - he took the phone but walked off so I couldn't hear the conversation. I got the phone back and my service guy somewhat had changed his tune, but not very convincingly. I wasn't allowed to legally drive the car away, so I had to pay them to fit a new part - obviously resulting at more than a total of £50 MOT. They said 2 of the tyres needed replacing too and quoted higher than I'd usually expect - I went elsewhere for the tyres and came back for a free retest.

I have used Halfords auto centre aylesbury for some years for a variety of cars inc my BMWs and my wife's Fords and recently with my Porsche Boxster. I have always found the service excellent, well run and very helpful. Their costs are reasonable and they seem very honest and knowledgable.