Halfords buys National Tyres

[davidsl500]

Hmmm, hope they don't mess it about too much and keep it separately branded...

 

[onefortheroad]

National tyres needed remoulding tbh . It's an age old buissness with a tired look that was running flat .

 

[mioba]

NT was slipping up, seems Halfords has got a grip and now we will see them roll.

 

[LostKiwi]

If Halfords gets it right this could the beginning of good years for NT.

 

[DSK]

Will be interesting to see what happens, I think they will have some buying might so prices I expect to be very competitive. There’s one right next to one of ours.


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[mioba]

Interesting this, I got tyres a few times from Asda tyres and selected Halfords for the fitting. Halfords are no longer a choice for the fitting which makes sense given the deal with NT.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

Hmmm…. might buy some shares they seem to be doing a lot right nowadays a bit of vertical integration does no harm. Looking at the tyre industry it could do with a bit of a shake up margins are too high IMO

 

[Rotorhead500]

If Halfords gets it right this could the beginning of good years for NT.

But they've had Goodyears for ages...! #yourewelcome

 

[DSK]

Not quite, margins are not high and many places heavily skimp on doing a job right. A can of cleaner, sealer, various valves, sticky weights, steel rim weights, alloy rim weights etc are quite pricey and add up. I have seen places I've used in desperation, customers having had a bad job done elsewhere and some tyres fitters I've trialled that do not sit well with me.

From the likes of not bothering to balance the rear axle, as the customer won't feel it, to doing a balancing job half arsed by not bothering with the last 5/10g, to not wiring down poor surfaces knowing they will just cause an air leak, re-using old valves etc, not checking torques by hand etc etc. Over several wheels per day these add up. We do not put a % on top of the supply cost of a tyre, just a reasonable fitting charge which has to pay for the materials, salaries, rates etc.

Our work is done right infront of the customers, we also happily talk customers through any issue they may have, let them watch any work if they wish etc. Then its the same with other services at both sites, such as basic repairs, hunter alignment, modifications etc. Some customers don't care, some really appreciate it, gain some basic knowledge and know what the difference between a good/bad looks like and gain some knowledge.

 

[Rory]

Didn't realise Tyres on the Drive was owned by Halfords until I used them last summer for daughter's car.

Had to get them back - first guy (mechanic who'd been with them a month - why would any half-decent mechanic switch to that kind of mobile work?) did a very slip-shod job (edited to add: DSK basically just listed the issues above!). They sent someone else who was altogether better. He told me they had 600 mobile fitters - much more then I expected.

 

[Noddy 99]

I can't see what good will come of this. National Tyres are shabby and decrepit and could do with taking over. But not Halfords, FFS. Halfords are way over-priced with technicians that are - in my experience - way under-trained.

I shop there for screws and tyre foam etc. but I don't take them seriously as a motoring services outlet.

 

[DREAMER NO2]

I dont use them ,, Halfords messed up fitting new radio to my Volvo ,, and National Tyres refused to fill up with , my own oil and filter that i produced for them to do an oil service .

 

[Trev1964]

I dont use them ,, Halfords messed up fitting new radio to my Volvo ,, and National Tyres refused to fill up with , my own oil and filter that i produced for them to do an oil service .

I sort of get that.
Where's the profit margin in that for them..?

 

[DSK]

I dont use them ,, Halfords messed up fitting new radio to my Volvo ,, and National Tyres refused to fill up with , my own oil and filter that i produced for them to do an oil service .

We happily do that with a fixed labour charge. The only thing we do check prior to performing work where parts are supplied by the customer is that they meet the specified requirements. We have a lot of customers who use us for this where they own their cars long term and like to stay on top of oil changes beyond the extended intervals, as well as those who like the convenience prior/post track day events etc. The parts supplied are usually of good quality too in such cases.

Many, many years ago I recall a chap with a Nissan Micra who had a service carried out at National around the corner. He came to us with a badly smoking car. Said it was fine until he picked it up from National who said his car is old and tired hence it smoking. They put so much oil in it I've never seen anything like it and it was dark. 40 minutes later his car was correctly serviced and he was on his way.

 

[flying haggis]

Not quite, margins are not high and many places heavily skimp on doing a job right. A can of cleaner, sealer, various valves, sticky weights, steel rim weights, alloy rim weights etc are quite pricey and add up. I have seen places I've used in desperation, customers having had a bad job done elsewhere and some tyres fitters I've trialled that do not sit well with me.

From the likes of not bothering to balance the rear axle, as the customer won't feel it, to doing a balancing job half arsed by not bothering with the last 5/10g, to not wiring down poor surfaces knowing they will just cause an air leak, re-using old valves etc, not checking torques by hand etc etc. Over several wheels per day these add up. We do not put a % on top of the supply cost of a tyre, just a reasonable fitting charge which has to pay for the materials, salaries, rates etc.

Our work is done right infront of the customers, we also happily talk customers through any issue they may have, let them watch any work if they wish etc. Then its the same with other services at both sites, such as basic repairs, hunter alignment, modifications etc. Some customers don't care, some really appreciate it, gain some basic knowledge and know what the difference between a good/bad looks like and gain some knowledge.

tell us all where you are so that we can have decent service unlike other places....

 

[DREAMER NO2]

As for the profit it would be in the price they charged me because they work by the hour, and i was more than willing to pay for their time . . They could have given me a price for doing the job .And also i want a good quality oil and filter that i use .. Not a replacment oil that National Tyres provide for me. Thats pumped up from a plain blue 25 gallon drum with no name on it that as oil in it that i dont know of ,, it could even be from out of a drum of refined oil that was sent back for refining from all the old oil changes done before . .anything to grab a few extra ££ . It is done but i am not saying they do it .

 

[JBell]

National Tyres refused to fill up with , my own oil and filter that i produced for them to do an oil service .

Loads of places are the same, they are afraid of comeback and it can invalidate their insurance should something go wrong (this comes from my mechanic who has the same policy)

 

[DSK]

tell us all where you are so that we can have decent service unlike other places....

Coventry & Nuneaton.

 

[DREAMER NO2]

Well i dont use them,, they are only cutting their own throats . I recon 90 % of us on here choose to use their own oil and filters .

 

[Gazwould]

And because it is as easy as buying an oil and filter .