Birty Dastards Jeep Club

Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: Dutch on March 10, 2017, 06:24:32 PM

Title: Halfords WK knock-off front shocks - The fight is on !!
Post by: Dutch on March 10, 2017, 06:24:32 PM
Gents,

Last year MOT time I had a fail on a leaking front shock.  Not surprising after 130 K miles & 10 years.

Halfords (I hear you sniggering .... :icon_winkle:) for 2 years had been good and I had no complaints so gave the go ahead.

This year I have gone back to a Chrysler/Jeep garage, i.e two mechanics (Mark & Steve) who quit Jeep when it became a Skoda garage, set up shop on their own and have all the Jeep gear, even the sign from above the front door  :003:

Mark, already told me in January, when he swapped an ABS sensor, that he found the front shocks soft & bouncy and marked it as an advisory on that invoice.

Today for the MOT (which it passed btw) I asked him to have a good look at those shocks iwo markings/make etc...

It appears that they certainly are not MOPAR or another approved make but cheap knock-offs.  Now the clincher ...... the only place where he could find them on the entire interweb was on ebay.

The not so funny part is that Halfords charged me exactly the same amount as it would cost for original OEM shocks (if Mark had to fit) AND these will most certainly not last 10 years - 2 at most if I'm lucky.

I know that you are a feisty bunch on here.  Please advise how to take the fight to those barstuards.



Title: Re: Halfords WK knock-off front shocks - The fight is on !!
Post by: The Smiths on March 10, 2017, 10:31:39 PM
On the Halfords invoice does it say Mopar - or ANY brand - if not you have got what you paid for - sorry but you will have no comeback now
Title: Re: Halfords WK knock-off front shocks - The fight is on !!
Post by: Dutch on March 10, 2017, 10:34:17 PM
On the Halfords invoice does it say Mopar - or ANY brand - if not you have got what you paid for - sorry but you will have no comeback now

Bullshit : paid top dollar - got shite product
Title: Re: Halfords WK knock-off front shocks - The fight is on !!
Post by: The Smiths on March 10, 2017, 10:38:39 PM

good luck then - take them to court and see what happens


Did you specify a brand of shock? - if not then you got what you asked for, the stuff they can make most profit from
Title: Re: Halfords WK knock-off front shocks - The fight is on !!
Post by: Bubba on March 10, 2017, 10:48:08 PM
i understand your concern  but truly think you will struggle to get any joy unless your local manager is willing out of good will to give you a discount on replacements
Title: Re: Halfords WK knock-off front shocks - The fight is on !!
Post by: bigjeepzj on March 11, 2017, 10:07:24 AM
 :iagree:
unless they stated a make and model of shock on the invoice you have very little to go on.
They can claim that you abused the shocks off roading  towing etc
have a chat with your local trading standards bods but i think your on a hiding to nothing .
 
 
Title: Re: Halfords WK knock-off front shocks - The fight is on !!
Post by: JamesH on March 11, 2017, 01:39:10 PM
Sorry to say I've got to agree with the above
Title: Re: Halfords WK knock-off front shocks - The fight is on !!
Post by: thorna on March 23, 2017, 01:06:28 AM
You could have some sport with them for fun.
However what would be the outcome: they won't part with cash and at best they may offer to do some more work at a reduced rate; but would you let them near it again.
Title: Re: Halfords WK knock-off front shocks - The fight is on !!
Post by: Dutch on March 23, 2017, 11:46:01 AM
You could have some sport with them for fun.
However what would be the outcome: they won't part with cash and at best they may offer to do some more work at a reduced rate; but would you let them near it again.

With the rage now passed you lot all make sense and you're right that I probably haven't got a leg to stand on.  They have agreed to have it back in the shop to have a look whether the shocks are indeed too soft for the truck.

That being said, I'm not holding my breath that they will turn around and kiss my feet and fit quality shocks there & then.

Thorna is right - have some fun and play 'the disgruntled' customer for a bit - and yes for all further maintenance I'm back in the fold with two ex-Jeep mechanics that set up shop on their own after a fiat/skoda take-over @ the dealership.
Title: Re: Halfords WK knock-off front shocks - The fight is on !!
Post by: gazjeep on March 23, 2017, 05:49:28 PM
Would seem the best plan on all fronts Clogmeister  :icon_super:
Title: Re: Halfords WK knock-off front shocks - The fight is on !!
Post by: bgbazz on March 23, 2017, 06:19:25 PM
Sometimes the old saying..."Softlee, softlee, catchee monkey"...can work.

Good luck.
Title: Re: Halfords WK knock-off front shocks - The fight is on !!
Post by: Dutch on March 23, 2017, 07:21:46 PM
"Softlee, softlee, catchee monkey"

That's a very British character trait I'm afraid .......... and not my style  :003:
Title: Re: Halfords WK knock-off front shocks - The fight is on !!
Post by: gazjeep on March 23, 2017, 07:33:59 PM
Cloggy old fruit, you have more British traits than you realise lol ...... sense of humour to name but one  :) :)