Halfords

[snugsstella]

Off to Halfords tomorrow catch the sales , after a new socket set. Any body got any advice as to whats good/ rubbish. I have brought so many budget sets over the years, so its time i went at least half decent! Cheers , hope you had a good day.

[Drift]

I have a few hundred quids worth of Halfords sets in my shed but the bestest ever socket set I have bout was a small set for £38 from Lidle a few years ago and I have done near everything using this set other than a full engine, its done gearbox changes cambelts starters and suspension changes, I have that set in the boot of my Frontera.
Sadly Lidle only circulate them occasionally and I needed a cheap set for my new job to keep on site, where I wouldn't be bothered if they got wet (rust, thought they are doing good with a liberal coat of WD40 every couple of weeks) or lost but needed reliability in the box (I work on forklift trucks, though not a full engineer) and I found these on ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAND-NEW-94P ... 3ccab0e6e3

For a budget set you don't mind loosing they are very robust and rather good, they are also six sided sockets, I like that but its a personal thing lol.

[taylor6632]

i bought a set from eurocarparts, its really good and has got some weight to it. Ratchet has nice grip on it and feels like it could be bashed around and be ok. Cost about £30 and has from 10mm up to 27mm (misses a few sizes out in between but the main ones are there). Got a load of older snap on stuff from my grandad which i'm sure will outlive me as well

[carlisletiger]

i bought the halfords advanced set when i did my head gasket . it should have been £260 and i got it for £130 .it has everything i need including ratchet spanners and has a lifetime guarantee (make sure you keep the receipt ).only thing that is missing is one of the adapters -think its the reducing one , but you can get one for about a fiver. very handy to have everything in one box -strongly recommend it
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_255215

[Fatbaz]

Most of my kit is Snap-On with a few Blue point (by Snap-on), Britool, Stalwille. I use Teng, Kamasa and Facom in my road kit, all of these aren't cheap and are profesional tools. But for very good quality semi pro stuff the Halfords profesional range are good kit, again not cheap but good quality.

Can only advise buy the best you can afford and look after it. You'll do most things with a 3/8 drive set on a fronty, only needing 1/2 inch drive for 19mm and above.

Regards

Stuart

[snugsstella]

Cheers Fella's,I was dropping hints for santa but he must have had snow in his ears! So off for a root around Halfords then, Might be able to get a bit more for me money due to the sales ( but i'm not banking on it).
Shopping in the sales!

Thanks

[woodwizzard]

Best not to leave tool buying to santa, you would only end up with stuff suitable for lego sets. I will need to update/replace my sockets soon, so will be interested in what you end up getting. Keep us posted

[vauxsqueeks]

Hi,
I bought a professional kit from halfords. They were doing 2 types and I got the big one, proably the same as carlisletiger, though I have had it for a couple of years and they were doing them at 50% off so I paid ( £99 ).

Definately worth while, there is pretty much everything you will need and I did get a reducer for about £5. It was a half inch to 3/8 and a 3/8 to 1/4.

Good quality tools and I have rebuild several engines/cars with them now!

[4x4 bobby]

They also have a lifetime guarantee if you keep the receipt. I keep all my receipts for tools in a box folder just incase as this allways comes in handy for my Angle Grinders that I burn out ( don't you lads???) But the professional range are very good.

[snugsstella]

Well just got back from Halfords and i think ive done alright!
I got the 120 piece Halfords advanced set 1/4, 3/8,1/2 drives. Halfords 1/2 price sale was £160 now £80
and as you mentioned the life time guarantee, so now off to fix things that aren't broken!

[john (smifffy)]

a few years back I had shed broke into and tools were nicked
the insurance paid out
so I had to get new and have got
2x 150pc pro set 1 came with free 8 draw tool chest
1x pro spanner set goes from 10mm to 34mm combo
a ratchet spanner set
a large vortex socket set
a 3ft breaker bar
2x 8 draw chest
1x7draw chestes on base
2air guns sets with sockets
1x air drills
1x air ratchet
3 x compressors
generator
1 x5 ton trolley jack
2x 2 ton trolley jacks
plus loads more
like angle grinder screwdriver set
stud extractor set
torx set

plus loads more
I used my halford card it it worked out about 1/2 price

[hipo1024]

We have a 150pc set and a 170pc now..the 170 was going nice and cheap before Christmas...not sure if the offer is still on tho. Defo get the Halfords professional stuff. Or if u want a lot for ur money there's a 175pc phaze set that comes with a tool chest think that's only like 70 ish. Not as good as the Halfords stuff...but I've herd its not bad either.

[woodwizzard]

[quote="snugsstella"]Well just got back from Halfords and i think ive done alright!
I got the 120 piece Halfords advanced set 1/4, 3/8,1/2 drives. Halfords 1/2 price sale was £160 now £80

Think I may get that one aswell, was just looking at that online, let me know if anything falls apart in the next couple of days

[woodwizzard]

Just come home with the 120 piece set. Looks and feels ok for the money. God I hate giving my money to halfords though, total lack of staff training leaves them a little clueless

[gregster]

HipoDan works for Halfords

I rest your case Woodwizzard!

[hipo1024]

I'll give Halfords no defence there...they really don't give us any training what's so ever. Other than how to use the basic features of the tills. Everything else u just gota work out or just know. Its a rubbish company to work for...but hay...it puts fuel in the tank...just

[gregster]

Its a shame but more and more companies are like that these days Dan...
I was involved in writing and developing a great learning program for Comets, but it went to the wall with the first hint of cost cutting.
Customers arent prepared to pay for knowledge these days, so much info is available at a mouse click online...so expensive training can be a cost better spent on reducing prices that gets sales...
I worked for a while as a consultant in store, able to answer any question that customers needed answering...and that was great, helped loads of people make the right decisions to get the best from their investment, but most then bought online from some obscure box shifting warehouse and saved themselves a few quid. Saw it more and more in electricals superstores...people come in to play with stuff and see things in the flesh, and then buy it from elsewhere online.

Its a real shame but the way things are now.
Halfords are missing a real trick though I think...combine there current tool and spares lines, with maybe some expert knowledge and maybe a tool hire section for stuff like engine cranes etc and maybe a rent a ramp/hour in the workshops and they would be onto a winner in this economic climate where more people are forced to do-it-themselves...

[snapper]

IIRC Halfords used to do something like that a few years ago. In fact some of the older stores still have the remains of a garage next to them, Swindon for instance.

Think you had to buy the bits thru them and could then rent the ramp etc to fit them and there was a tame mechanic kept in a cage in the corner in case the budding mechanics turned out to be somewhat challanged when handed a spanner.

[woodwizzard]

[gregster]

Calling Dan a spotty oike is bang out of order Woodwizzard...

Just think how all the other Spotty oikes in this world would feel about such an association...