Halfords service

[Rebecca]

I'm seriously considering evening classes on basic car maintenance as I've always had a keen interest in cars and love driving them but never knew anything about how they actually work. I would love to do my own servicing like many of you guys do here.

[madasahatter]

13 minutes ago, Rebecca said:

I'm seriously considering evening classes on basic car maintenance as I've always had a keen interest in cars and love driving them but never knew anything about how they actually work. I would love to do my own servicing like many of you guys do here.

Good for you should be able to learn basics, its the special tools for oil filters and the like which is a pain. But most can be done with a good socket set.

I admire your willing to learn, we all started somewhere we are not born mechanics.

And of the original question keep away from Halfords for servicing. Even their bulbs are rubbish really, good tools and you get great offers from time to time.

There pro tools guaranteed for life, which is brilliant considering the cost.

 

[Britprius]

2 hours ago, Rebecca said:

Well I've just spoken to westlands toyota and was quoted £75 leas than lexus Wolverhampton and they assured me the service would be carried out to the exact same standards as lexus. OK so I don't get the lovely froffy coffee and Danish pastries but hey its £75 in my pocket.

Anyway I've booked it in for 2 weeks time as I'm driving to Scotland early February for a short hiking holiday in the cairngorms and at least I'll have peace of mind knowing my car will be in tip top condition. 

You do get a lovely frothy coffee or two at Westlands, but only a shortbread biscuits. However you could take a Danish with you to eat with your coffee paid for out of the £75 you saved.

John

[Rebecca]

Forgot to thank you John for recommending westlands. You know I never even gave toyota a second thought and it's only about 15 minutes drive from my home. It's about 50 miles or so to my nearest lexus dealership. At least I know toyota will do a top job on my lovely lexus 😀

[The-Acre]

And how lucky you are to live in such a beautiful county. I spent 6 very peaceful years living in the hamlet of Munderfield near Bromyard where my bedroom looked out to the Malvern Hills!

[Rebecca]

The-acre I know it well and indeed hereford is a beautiful county. Ive lived here all my life. I'm from Hampton bishop, about 4 miles outside hereford. My parents own the pub across the road from me called the bunch of carrots. It's so lovely to open my curtains every morning and see the river wye at the end of my garden.

[cruisermark]

My brother won't even take his to the garage for and mot or service - I have to do that for him - the most he has done is pump up the tyre lol.

Rebecca if you are keeping the car and stamps are not important then I would suggest using a local garage - that would be the most ocst effective method and to be honest the petrol engine done go wrong or require much changing. I have an LS430 and it gets an engine oil change every year, brake fluid every 2 years and plugs when required - all at an independant

hope this helps

[thatfatbloke]

I had an accident on the A438 in Herefordshire in 1992/3 at a place called Bridge Sollers. A farmer in a tractor towing hay/straw ran in to the back of a car/caravan on the other side of the road and pushed the caravan into the cab of my Daf 3300 artic. I'd never seen an L shaped caravan before!. Luckily no-one badly hurt. A lovely part of the world indeed,and I was given a running commentary about the area (especially Bulmers) by the Paramedics in the ambulance on the way to Hereford Hospital. Ah memories.

[Britprius]

2 hours ago, Rebecca said:

Forgot to thank you John for recommending westlands. You know I never even gave toyota a second thought and it's only about 15 minutes drive from my home. It's about 50 miles or so to my nearest lexus dealership. At least I know toyota will do a top job on my lovely lexus 😀

You will have to get a bridge built over the river. It will save you 10 of those 15 minutes to get to Callow.

John

[Rebecca]

Cruisermark I certainty do intend on keeping my 250 for a long time. Wouldn't swap it for anything. Well maybe an isf lol.

Britprius the bridge was built about 70 years ago but if I switch ect power on I'm sure I can make it in 10 lol.

[J Henderson]

Sounds like you've already booked your service, Rebecca, but for future reference. Since your car is 5+ years old, it qualifies for Lexus' reduced-cost "Essential Care" parts and servicing program.

ie: a major service is £329 instead of the usual £445. LOC Gold membership discount can also bring that price down to under £300.

There's very little difference between an Essential Care service and a "normal" one btw. When you compare the 2 checklists, the 4-wheel alignment check (and it's only a check, adjustment is extra) is about the only thing missing. The service book still gets stamped and if applicable, your Lexus warranty is maintained.

 

[Britprius]

33 minutes ago, Kodiak Sky said:

Sounds like you've already booked your service, Rebecca, but for future reference. Since your car is 5+ years old, it qualifies for Lexus' reduced-cost "Essential Care" parts and servicing program.

ie: a major service is £329 instead of the usual £445. LOC Gold membership discount can also bring that price down to under £300.

There's very little difference between an Essential Care service and a "normal" one btw. When you compare the 2 checklists, the 4-wheel alignment check (and it's only a check, adjustment is extra) is about the only thing missing. The service book still gets stamped and if applicable, your Lexus warranty is maintained.

 

Does the LOC Gold membership give the same service discount at a Toyota dealer if the service is carried out there?

Rebecca, and I both live in an area where there is no Lexus dealer within reasonable distance. This probably applies to other members.

John.

[Linas.P]

On 1/8/2017 at 8:32 PM, Rebecca said:

Any of you guys use halfords to have your lexus serviced?

My next service will be a major at 30k. I've looked at the prices and a major service at halfords is nearly half the price that lexus will charge. Do halfords service the car to the exact same standards as lexus?  No doubt lexus know these cars inside out and know what to look for. The guys at halfords have probably never even worked on a lexus before.

Also there is a halfords service centre in my home town of hereford. If I go to lexus I have a long drive to either bristol, Wolverhampton or Birmingham. 

I would say... that for low mile car like yours keeping dealership history is important. I would only use independent service for minor works between services or specific jobs e.g. replacing rotors + pads. Lexus would charge you fortune for such simple job + won't allow you to use your parts, so what I do ... I still go to get stamp from Lexus annually and they as well replace oil, filters and valets the cars (something they don't do particularly good), but all major fixes I do either myself or by indies. In the way Lexus is safety net for me... I fix all the issue before taking car to them and they effectively double check if the work was done properly .. so it is win-win.

[J Henderson]

31 minutes ago, Britprius said:

Does the LOC Gold membership give the same service discount at a Toyota dealer if the service is carried out there?

Rebecca, and I both live in an area where there is no Lexus dealer within reasonable distance. This probably applies to other members.

John.

Just Lexus dealers AFAIK, and only certain ones at that, but the ones mentioned earlier (Bristol, Birmingham, Wolverhampton) are all onboard.

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/discounts

A Toyota stamp in the service book wouldn't particularly bother me. In fact I'm sure my own car has been serviced by a Toyota garage in the past, but if I was a potential buyer and I noticed a Halfords stamp, I would walk away and look elsewhere.

[Rebecca]

Well my lexus is all booked in at toyota hereford now but I would like to thank you all for the posts. Some great advice there guys.

[messi]

Well talking about Halfords, i bought a lexus recently that has a receipt for oil and oil filter change, cambelt and water pump replaced last September 2016, having looked at the filter, it still had the original toyota oil filter and all they did was top up the oil. So I took it to my brothers garage to get the oil replaced and filter, anyway which makes me wonder if the they really did change the cambelt and water pump, well if it snaps, im taking back there and demanding a new engine

[Malc]

7 minutes ago, messi said:

Well talking about Halfords, i bought a lexus recently that has a receipt for oil and oil filter change, cambelt and water pump replaced last September 2016, having looked at the filter, it still had the original toyota oil filter and all they did was top up the oil. So I took it to my brothers garage to get the oil replaced and filter, anyway which makes me wonder if the they really did change the cambelt and water pump, well if it snaps, im taking back there and demanding a new engine

I doubt you'd be driving it anywhere 

Malc

[messi]

Ill take it on s recovery truck

[BarneyTT]

Rebecca. My wife bought a fairly new Yaris from Westlands, Hereford a few years ago after very poor customer sales service from the Toyota dealers here in Bristol. They were brilliant from start to finish, if their servicing is a good as their customer service you should be well looked after.

Best of luck, let us know how it goes.

[Rebecca]

Thanks barneyTT I'm hearing good reports about toyota westlands and I'm sure my lexus will be in good hands.

My cars only done just over 28k at the moment but thought I'd book it in early before my long drive to Scotland early February for peace of mind knowing that everything will be ship shape bristol fashion. 

[peachy]

Well I'm glad to hear you didn't book with Halfords. I wouldn't trust them with an old Ford or vauxhall never mind a lexus. I'm sure I read somewhere one lad took his car to Halfords for a service and they lost half the engine cover clips.

I'm about 6k away from the 30k major and was planning on using lexus Wolverhampton as it only 8 miles drive for me but incidentally there's s toyota dealership next door to lexus and if I can save £75 like yourself then I'll be using the toyota garage. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Linas.P]

2 hours ago, peachy said:

Well I'm glad to hear you didn't book with halfords. I wouldn't trust them with an old Ford or vauxhall never mind a lexus. I'm sure I read somewhere one lad took his car to halfords for a service and they lost half the engine cover clips.

I'm about 6k away from the 30k major and was planning on using lexus Wolverhampton as it only 8 miles drive for me but incidentally there's s toyota dealership next door to lexus and if I can save £75 like yourself then I'll be using the toyota garage. 

I am sure, both Lexus and Toyota is serviced by the same mechanics in the same garage and using the same tools.. one way or another... 

[bobmc]

I needed a new 12v Battery not long after I'd bought my IS250. Went to Halfords and they offered to fit a suitable replacement for an extra £10 so I thought why not....

They were a joke, obviously inexperienced and unprofessional and tried to fit the wrong type of Battery and then found they didn't have the right model in stock.

In a similar vein, I get my IS250 serviced by a branch of the same group that owns the local Toyota and Lexus franchises, in fact it did used to be the local Lexus dealership until they moved to a posh business park nearby but now it sells used cars and does servicing and bodywork. Been very happy so far with service and value.

 

 

[Linas.P]

It is funny because, when I bough the car it has nearly new Halfords Battery, but it has one short cell... for whatever reason. So I took it to Halfords for Battery check and they diagnosed that the cell is short and it needs replacing... "ok I said .. it is your Battery with 4 years warranty, replace it".. and they stared telling me all kind of stories, that it was Halfords retail and not the autoservice which fitted it, hence they cannot replace it under warranty and in the end that warranty is not transferable anyway.... and so on... but obviously they are happy to fit replacement Battery for £120... which they likely won't honor for warranty again... 

[Britprius]

I have called at Halfords to check there prices for competitiveness. Looking up items in there parts lists hanging from the counters many of the items are incorrectly listed.

Oil for my Prius was listed at 10w30 grade when it should be 0w20 only. They in fact did not stock 0w20 oil. Toyota say if 0w20 is not available other grades can be used "list supplied" , but must be changed at 5000 miles instead of 10,000 miles, and then with 0w20. 

The wrong oil filter was listed, and the wrong 12 volt Battery was listed with the wrong size posts, post orientation, and was a flooded lead acid Battery not an AGM Battery. Spark plugs were also listed incorrectly listing the plugs as platinum when iridium plugs are used.

John