Shame: Halfords for number plates

Help & Advice Praise or Shame
1

Had an advisory for a cracked number plate on the MOT last year so might as well get a new one. Ordered them online from a reputable seller, Halfords. https://www.halfords.com/motoring/services/replacement-number-plates-made-at-halfords.html Note that they can supply car or bike plates.
Stepped through the process, ordered and pay for the plates.

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Note from that page:

Halfords offer in store:

  • Plain Number Plates
  • Scottish Number Plates (Scottish Stores)
  • Travel Number Plates (UK Stores)
  • Green Number Plates (Uk Stores)
  • Welsh Number Plates (Welsh Stores)
  • Irish Number Plate (Irish Stores)
  • Southern Ireland Number Plates (Irish Stores)
  • Scooter Number Plates
  • Bespoke Number Plates (Can be ordered directly from supplier)*

Once you have purchased your plates online - you can collect your plates from your selected store 1 hour after reservation (Please don’t forget to bring your documents, otherwise we can’t make your plates).

  • When you arrive in-store you will be able to choose from the plates above

So, I turn up to the store today with my documents, expecting to wait for a little while, while they make the plate.

Turns out they only make standard car plates in store. Bike ones they have to send off for and it takes 4 days. Good job I wasn’t in a hurry, but would it have killed them to state that on the website?

2 Likes
2

Urgh. Communication is free, customer disappointment is costly.

2 Likes
3

That’s a bit harsh. The supplier’s name has completed faded off my car’s numberplate and every year I expect the MoT tester to mention it but they never do.

4

This has just reminded me I need a new plate on the bike as the current one is sellotaped together (and still managed an MOT).

1 Like
5

I’ve had bike plates made in store (Tottenham Hale branch). I think all branches can do car, but only some do bike plates.

6

Some will and some won’t check number plates as per the MOT Testing Manual. How do you think so many cherished number plates are displayed illegally, they don’t all change their plates at MOT time and of course the DVLA will take a back seat on that because ‘cherished plates’ are a nice little earner.

Our old Astra passed MOT after MOT with a number plate in two pieces after about 5 years of this the same tester at the same testing station decided it was ‘excessively damaged’ and a fail but didn’t fail it, they supplied and fitted a new number plate. It’s all down to where the tester draws the line at the time of the test between slightly and ‘excessively damaged’.

7

I don’t think that’s a fail. Supplier’s name isn’t obligatory AFAIK.

8

I’m sure it is. I must order a new one.

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9

There’s some confusion here, the original post related to number plates and the MOT test. The MOT Inspection Manual clearly states

You do not need to check: the supplier’s name; postcode; BS number; logos or emblems outside the minimum margin around the registration number.

Source

Not to be confused with the Rules for Number Plates

1 Like
10

Somewhat surprisingly, it appears not;

0.1. Registration plates,

You must check the registration plates on all vehicles except for:

  • unregistered vehicles
  • foreign registered vehicles
  • diplomatic vehicles
  • military vehicles

You do not need to check:

  • the supplier’s name
  • postcode
  • BS number
  • logos or emblems outside the minimum margin around the registration number
1 Like
11

Doh! Beaten to it by twinkle fingers NT!