Halfords Trade Card

[Life-Is-Good]

Hi all,

This only applies to serving personnel with Engineering/Mechanical qualifications I'm afraid...

Just recently collected my Halfords trade card which gives huge discounts on spares. It can only be used for motor spares and the like so no discounts at Bike Hut.

As an example, I bought 5 litres of Brake Fluid for the price of one litre!

To get your card, just head off to your local store and present your ID and a certificate proving your qualifications. (I used my Fitters course certificate). They'll take a few details and give you a nice shiney trade card in return.

Hope that's of use to a few.

Cheers.

 

[sausage2]

They'll give it to anyone in the forces. Don't need to be a techie. I know for a fact that you can get a trade card by just showing your id in the Swindon and Swansea branches.

 

[Tin basher]

Halfords trade cards are a useful bit of kit and they have been pushed hard by our local store rep to big groups of staff here. Seems halfords are trying to up their share of the motor factors market by encouraging you to go there instead of your local spares stockist. I used mine for a packet of car bulbs £2.79p with the card 59p, also good for consumables and tools socket sets and such like. Just makes you wonder what the usual mark up is on things.

 

[Life-Is-Good]

They'll give it to anyone in the forces. Don't need to be a techie. I know for a fact that you can get a trade card by just showing your id in the Swindon and Swansea branches.

I've heard mixed messages about this. I know when I got mine, they wanted to see the certificate.

I actually originally enquired at my local store and was told I'd need certificate and ID. When I got the card, it was at a different store but they wanted the same documentation.

From Halfords' site:

"RAF or Aviation Engineers".

Linky

If you can get it with just ID, all the better. I suppose you can always try.

 

[propersplitbrainme]

Halfords in Telford were just handing them out to anyone who pitched up and showed their ID at one time. Now they are demanding to see proof of qualifications.

 

[Bignick]

They needed to see my GTM certificate to prove I'd been lobotomised into the MT Tech world, but I wouldn't be surprised if you could swing it just with an ID. Nothing is sacred, first the wages and now the techie perks fall one by one to the non tech trades. Cynical....me......no way man! LOL

In seriousness though, well worth it if you can get one. Just bought a new Battery for my Ford ranger....Normal price: £110, with card: £74 Bargain

 

[Bignick]

I've heard mixed messages about this. I know when I got mine, they wanted to see the certificate.

I actually originally enquired at my local store and was told I'd need certificate and ID. When I got the card, it was at a different store but they wanted the same documentation.

From Halfords' site:

"RAF or Aviation Engineers".

Linky

If you can get it with just ID, all the better. I suppose you can always try.

Had to giggle when I checked out the exact text for RAF entitlement "CAA Certificate or airside engineering pass or Aircraft Engineering Maintenance Licence"
Where does that actually entitle GTM/MTT to qualify for a Card? DT_Xtremez_21:

 

[Harry B'Stard]

Halfords in Telford were just handing them out to anyone who pitched up and showed their ID at one time. Now they are demanding to see proof of qualifications.

I guess it depends upon who you ask in the store. I went and got mine from Telford just before crimbo, the bloke behind the desk asked if I had ID, then didn't even ask to see it!

He asked what I did in the RAF and where I was based, but again he didn't ask for proof.

Maybe it was because I asked him whilst they were obviously busy!DT_Xtremez_30:

HTB

 

[grumpyoldb]

If it's anything like my local halfrauds they're desperate to get anyone through the door. Like a ghost town in there.

 

[OneTimeSooty]

Chippenham asked to see my quals, when I took in my blue folder with them in the guy behind the counter realised I wasn't bull****ting then started asking me questions about being a loadie (?)

Telford gave me one on my ID card a few years ago - problem is the dog decided to taste it shortly afterwards.

Does anyone know what the discount is - it seems totally random to me!

 

[Rigga]

I got one using my Union Card (ALAE) years ago.

I've never worked out the discount rates either, but as its good most of the time I dont wory about the odd time it seems quite less than others.

I haven't tried to buy tools though.

 

[Bignick]

I got one using my Union Card (ALAE) years ago.

I've never worked out the discount rates either, but as its good most of the time I dont wory about the odd time it seems quite less than others.

I haven't tried to buy tools though.

I chatted to the fella behind the counter about what the discount was. It made perfect logical sense when he explained. When buying QUALIFYING items on a trade card they simply charge cost price plus a standard markup (which he didn't know). Hence somethings attract a larger 'discount' than others. If they get it cheap then you get it cheap. Simples. Makes real sense to me. Hope that helps

 

[gaznav]

I'm not an Engineer and I got a Trade Card over 3 years ago in Halfords on Tritton Road in Lincoln. Just presented ID card.

DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[SORRY CJ]

Went to one of the 3 Halfords in Southampton on Sat and showed them my ID and my HNC in Mech Eng....He said I couldn't have one cos I didn't have the relevant qualifications for getting one as a member of the RAF.......This is were I spat the dummy.

As a member of the RAF the only certificate they would recognise was a CAA licence or an airside certificate....FFS

I said so its ok that a motor mechanic with an NVQ can get one because he could change a widscreen wiper but I couldn't with an HNC and 26 years working on multi million quid jets....Rules are rules he said ******. With this I left and want to another Halfords and got one no probs at all.

SCJ

 

[PingDit]

I went into Truro (Cornwall) Halfords and asked for the card. I only had an ID card and they insisted on a fitters certification. Not a problem, but it's under a heap of crap in the garage. Sounds ok when I eventually find it though!

 

[Lord Azrael]

I got mine no problem a few years back with just my ID card and I've saved a fortune. Be aware though that if an item is discounted in store, you won't get a better deal still with the card. Case in point; They had an offer a few weeks back for a tool cabinet and top box, reduced on offer from about £110 to £50.99, ok it's not the top quality ones, but it's not bad and does for storage so I got one. I presented my Trade card and was told that if I used my card it would be about £80 as the trade card only works as a discount against the standard prices. Needless to say on that occassional I put the card away and saved a bit more!

Typical examples I've had lately are:

Windscreen wipers: Shop price £14.99 - Trade card around £4 !

Heavy Duty battery charger/starter + servicing filters etc for car would have been £80+, got it all for under £50

Bosch Heavy duty Battery over £100, less than £75.

It does seem a random amount of saving on items and you can never guarantee what you'll get, but always present it anyway and you're bound to save a few quid.

 

[Teh Wal]

...I got mine no problem a few years back with just my ID card and I've saved a fortune. ...It does seem a random amount of saving on items and you can never guarantee what you'll get, but always present it anyway and you're bound to save a few quid.

Ditto and yep. Bought some glow plugs for my sons diesel 206 this afternoon, shoulda cost 38 quid for the set but I got them for 18.50 on the trade card DT_Xtremez_19:

 

[True Blue Jack]

I said so its ok that a motor mechanic with an NVQ can get one because he could change a widscreen wiper but I couldn't with an HNC and 26 years working on multi million quid jets....Rules are rules he said.

Excuse my ignorance but wouldn't said motor mechanic or one of our own GTM's be a more logical person to be eligible for a Halford's Trade card?

 

[Teh Wal]

Excuse my ignorance but wouldn't said motor mechanic or one of our own GTM's be a more logical person to be eligible for a Halford's Trade card?

Probably, I know plenty of aircraft techies who don't have the faintest clue about even the most basic vehicle maintenance: proud to boast about how good they are when it comes to fixing a 40 million quid aircraft but haven't got a scooby about the ford fiesta they razz about in DT_Xtremez_41:

 

[SORRY CJ]

Excuse my ignorance but wouldn't said motor mechanic or one of our own GTM's be a more logical person to be eligible for a Halford's Trade card?

Yes I agree TBJ, why should someone with an aircraft engineering qualifications have a trade card, why open it up to the RAF engineers at all other than MT fitters?

My point being is that this one Southampton Halfords store (and in the trade card guidelines in all stores) thinks a CAA licence is needed to get a trade card. They obviously think, incorrectly, that this is the norm to get this qualification whilst in the RAF. The point is, is that they are quite happy to let a guy with an NVQ in motor mechanics and one with a CAA licence have a trade card.

Why should a CAA licensed engineer be entitled to a card and would they have any more idea how to change a bulb on their Merc than a SAC(T) Rigger on his Saxo?

What’s more they should have a standard which doesn't differ from store to store as I went to another store and obtained a card no probs.

SCJ