Halfords Autocentre Newport

MOT'd my 209,000 mile Stilo JTD.

They always give me a hard time ever since the beast smoked out their garage/clogged the emissions tester a couple of years ago.. and the tailgate dropped onto the tester's head due to weak struts.... so this time the car was really, really immaculate.

I fitted a new turbo actuator boost valve, replaced the boot struts.. and fitted new wishbone arms since one was a bit moody... and removed the child seat so it wasn't in the way.

• The car "failed" on a lazy seat belt retractor (the one where the child seat had been fitted for two years.. annoying but maybe "fair enough")
• They failed the wishbone ("pin is worn"... despite it being just 2 weeks old)..
• They didn't test the emissions because of excess smoke, even though that was residual from the old/lazy boost valve)... and;
• They failed the track rod end... which was "fine" when they had adjusted the tracking just a fortnight earlier. When I replaced the track rod, I found it was damaged but the effort required to unbolt the lock nut makes me think their "adjustment" of the tracking must have consisted of belting the track rods with a hammer.. no way they had been loosened and re-tightened just two weeks earlier.

Overall, not impressed... and won't be inconveniencing them again with my business..