Halfords fitting service

[mjb]

So I went to Halfords, handed over £50, waited an HOUR and had a youth come out to my car to fit a nice shiny set of euro number plates to replace my bimmer's almost delaminated (i.e. unreadable) ones.

Except he couldn't remove the old one from the rear Some sort of BMW anti-tamper rivets. Plasticoated metal, with no apparent method of removing. The guy gave me a refund and told me I'd have to go to the BMW dealer to get the plate changed. I asked him to destroy the plates, which he did.


Curiosity just got the better of me and I've just been out with a small flat-blade screwdriver. 15 seconds later, I had the plastic caps off, revealing the philips screws beneath. They're decent enough guys in there (1) so I'll give the branch a call tomorrow and ask the store manager (who took my money, but didn't make or try to fit the plates) to get new plates ready and get a non-muppet to fit 'em, with a suitable discount for dicking me around.

Seriously, does no other car maker put simple plastic caps over number plate screws? It it really rocket science? After the yoof spent so long making the plates (which looked great btw, with extremely subtle Halfords branding), how the hell could he be beaten by a silly little plast ic cap?!? URGHHHHH!!!!!


(1) Newcastle-under-Lyme, Trent Vale. I hate going to the Hanley one and loathe the Fenton branch

[scotty73]

Where's Sam?

[Bailes1992]

That's strange, halfords have always been top notch when I've been there!
Always seemed like they knew what they were doing and provided a top notch service!

Defeated by some plastic caps

[Welly]

Do you mean the little plastic cup with the hingey flappy 'door' the snaps closed covering the screw head? I've got some at home, they're used to finish the plate off neatly and come in White, Yellow and Black if needed. A lot of plates are stuck on with sticky pads now, mine are.

[mjb]

Do you mean the little plastic cup with the hingey flappy 'door' the snaps closed covering the screw head?

No flap, just pushes on top of the screw

Guess I might not be giving the branch a ring...



Not mentioning the photoshop fail, but "cyber highway"???

[Welly]

No flap, just pushes on top of the screw

Bejesus, I bet that used to foil the best of top-end car criminals - those pesky 'anti-theft' devices

[steve_earwig]

I think I know the ones, there's a cap that pushes into the top, if the fitter used a mild steel screw (which always seemed to be the case) eventually the screw corrodes and pushes the cap off. Dah-dah.

[Sonia406]

Ha ha ha!
I always enjoy reading these halfrauds stories.........
My Brother told me a classic one.
He's got an Audi A4, his battery is near the windscreen under his bonnet.
Bought a battery and spent the extra to get it fitted.
The chap who came to ''fit it'' was so weedy looking he physically didn't have what it took to lift the big battery out the car, so my brother had to help.