The last of the Main Road Motorfactors

[Richard]

We have two independents around here that seem healthy enough, though I think they are all getting humped by Dingbro at the moment. Both of them are mainly suppliers to the trade but they have no problem dealing with the public, and I'm pretty sure the public get the same prices too.

[PiperCub]

Piper- Roy is still running 4U2 and as far as I can tell, the shop still thrives. It's always busy.

The knowledge of the guy is incredible and he carries so much stock, he almost always has the bits you need or can get it that day. Long live the small independents!

 

That's great news. Yes, he always was busy (often ridiculously busy!) and for good reasons, he almost always had what you needed in stock - amazing for such a small shop - and Roy knew his stuff (as did his missus I recall) and I mean really knew, not just flannel and BS you get at other places.

Does he still have a shop dog? Can't remember the name of the big black and white hound from the late 90's which clearly won't be alive now but the dog was always a feature of the shop too.

It does please me that although so much changes in the world, some things don't, this being one of them. Just wish I wasn't 130mls away these days!!

[PiperCub]

I used to like walking around the old fashioned motor factors, feu orange air fresheners hanging, those shite stick on bullet holes, moprod brake shoes, I could go on.

 

Now we have young lads in Halfords with bum fluff over their top lip and a knowledge of cars which is on a par with my knowledge of golf ie fuck all.

 

We lament the loss of the local factor, maybe we should'nt have ordered all that stuff off tinterweb.

Know what you mean!

 

When I moved down to the south coast in 2001, most of my tools were still at my folks place, I'd just got a nice Mk1 Golf GTi and needed a strobe light as I suspected the timing was wrong (it was miles out!). Being new to the area and not knowing anyone really, I thought I'd nip into Halfrauds to pick up an elcheapo timing light (one of those inline Gunsons ones that used to be about £6-7). So went in, looked round, no joy so I asked one of the bright young things there.......

 

'S'cuse me, can you tell me where you keep your timing lights please?'

Cue 'Dog-being-shown-a-card-trick' face on the clearly puzzled shop Johnny. 'A what?'

'A timing light or strobe light, used for setting up the ignition timing, you know?'

Repeat confused look on shop Johnny

'You do know what I mean yeah?'

(Rather indignantly like I'd insulted his mum) 'Tut, Of course I do'

Ushers me over to another aisle

'There, you walked past them' (slight tone of victory in his voice - albeit shortlived)

Me giving the halfwit a pitying look............

'These are lead lamps, they've got nothing to do with engine timing'

Shrugs - 'That's all we got' and shuffles off.

 

Thanks for your help - been a real experience.....

 

Been pretty much my experience of Halfrauds ever since. Only used them for Castrol gear oils for the MX5 (same price as on net) and as absolute last-ditch distress purchase shop.

[fred]

Little car spares place in Walsall next to a Lidl or Aldi been going for years always go there. Never failed me yet

[Justin Case]

Little car spares place in Walsall next to a Lidl or Aldi been going for years always go there. Never failed me yet

That'll be Supercar 2, (almost nexr door to Lidl) and although I don't need too many spares *insert smug bastard smiley, they always come up trumps. One of the lads who works there is also the MOT tester at the garage I use (just round the corner) and runs a 10 reg Honda Leg End. Bonus feature it is next door to the best chippy in Walsall, and possibly the whole of the Black Country

[D Spares & Tyres]

Little car spares place in Walsall next to a Lidl or Aldi been going for years always go there. Never failed me yet

Fast Car, Bloxwich?

[cort1977]

Clarkins in Walthamstow were always good and seem to be still going.   They are familiar with Mk 2 Cortinas and never offer to fit my bulbs for free...

[Bamboocarman]

Know what you mean!

 

When I moved down to the south coast in 2001, most of my tools were still at my folks place, I'd just got a nice Mk1 Golf GTi and needed a strobe light as I suspected the timing was wrong (it was miles out!). Being new to the area and not knowing anyone really, I thought I'd nip into Halfrauds to pick up an elcheapo timing light (one of those inline Gunsons ones that used to be about £6-7). So went in, looked round, no joy so I asked one of the bright young things there.......

 

'S'cuse me, can you tell me where you keep your timing lights please?'

Cue 'Dog-being-shown-a-card-trick' face on the clearly puzzled shop Johnny. 'A what?'

'A timing light or strobe light, used for setting up the ignition timing, you know?'

Repeat confused look on shop Johnny

'You do know what I mean yeah?'

(Rather indignantly like I'd insulted his mum) 'Tut, Of course I do'

Ushers me over to another aisle

'There, you walked past them' (slight tone of victory in his voice - albeit shortlived)

Me giving the halfwit a pitying look............

'These are lead lamps, they've got nothing to do with engine timing'

Shrugs - 'That's all we got' and shuffles off.

 

Thanks for your help - been a real experience.....

 

Been pretty much my experience of Halfrauds ever since. Only used them for Castrol gear oils for the MX5 (same price as on net) and as absolute last-ditch distress purchase shop.

 

Agreed; similar happened to me in Halfords Brighton around 20 years ago; I asked the pimply quivering youthful sales 'assistant' if they had a wheelbrace on sale.

 

A 'what?' in response, and I left the premises.

 

Definitely a place of desperate last resort.

 

Cliffords in Brighton, now Hove, has always been good; recommended.

[fred]

That'll be Supercar 2, (almost nexr door to Lidl) and although I don't need too many spares *insert smug bastard smiley, they always come up trumps. One of the lads who works there is also the MOT tester at the garage I use (just round the corner) and runs a 10 reg Honda Leg End. Bonus feature it is next door to the best chippy in Walsall, and possibly the whole of the Black Country

Thats the place for the life of me couldn't remember the name - great set of guys - and YES bloody awesome chippy !

[fred]

Fast Car, Bloxwich?

Yeah been there a few times - ok if you get the old guy, new ones are as good as a marzipan dildo mind

[fred]

Fast car - when I had a Ventora went in before a show as a brake light had popped, young sales kid at the till,

'Need a brake light bulb for my 69 Ventora, pretty standard mate'

 

Looked at me, and went to 'The computer' ............'Frontera you say' - 'No a Ventora mate' ........

'Nothing on here about a Ventora ....You sure its not a Frontera' .....

'yes I know its a fucking Ventora, look out the window, its parked there''

 

'Ohhhhh yeah,  I know what you mean now......Ford Cortina aint it''

 

For fucks sake ..........................................................

[Noel Tidybeard]

ahhhhh Fletchers on a Saturday morning looking through the masses of boxes just because

[fred]

Aye remember Fletchers - its a safety clothing place now I think

[OwdChina]

Round here, Motormania has gone; RoadRunner in Hednesford shut down suddenly last year.  Even Halfords has reduced in size.  Motor Components in Rugeley is still hanging in there...

Do you remember "Seven day Spares" on Brereton Road in Rugeley ? I used to live Ravenhill Terrace just opposite, great place, could get anything.

 

Edit: Now called A51 sheds or fences or something like that.

[fred]

Never been there but My old Uncle Tom used to live within a spit distance of em

[OwdChina]

Never been there but My old Uncle Tom used to live within a spit distance of em

Do tell, which pub did he use ?

Edit: "Seven Day Spares"..........just remembered

[Tetleysmooth]

Wag Bennets on the A1306 (used to be the main A13) on the Dagenham/Rainham border.

They always seem to have what I want, but admittedly have struggled sometimes with SWMBO's imported Pajero.

[cros]

 I collected an old heap near Chertsey and the electric fuel pump seemed iffy so I wanted something with me to get me out of trouble before I got on the M25. I've never used Europarts but at this branch nobody seemd to have a clue what a petrol pump was even though they were eventually able to produce a cheap chinese one which you can buy on ebay for around £12. £86 was the lowest they could go. There was also a crappy squeezey type that you get on diesels which they wanted £26 for. Luckily the thing got me home without having to buy their overpriced tat.

[jonny69]

 I collected an old heap near Chertsey and the electric fuel pump seemed iffy so I wanted something with me to get me out of trouble before I got on the M25. I've never used Europarts but at this branch nobody seemd to have a clue what a petrol pump was even though they were eventually able to produce a cheap chinese one which you can buy on ebay for around £12. £86 was the lowest they could go. There was also a crappy squeezey type that you get on diesels which they wanted £26 for. Luckily the thing got me home without having to buy their overpriced tat.

 

I think it's the same branch - that's now my local motorfactors (where I've moved to) and they're ****ing useless. I've only been in there once but they were so unhelpful I won't bother with them again. I actually couldn't care less if that one went under, it would simply pass on a load of trade to the small indy up the road who, despite not actually ever having anything I need, will actually go out of their way to be quite helpful.

[sierraman]

Ossie Bennets in Sheffield, used to stock all sorts of bits and bats. As we speak they are selling off their left overs on Ebay but the stuff they have left is so obscure and cheap I can't see how they have any chance if selling it. Seat Frua brake pads for example?

[TRW]

Zenith Motor Factors in King Edward Road, Swansea.  Great.

 

They have a website too - complete with SEO keyword stuffing on such words as 'mini metro', 'avenger' and 'LNA', which tells you all you need to know.

 

I used to be a regular customer of Tony and Adrian back in the day. Then, when Adrian left it went downhill. If I needed a component credit was refused and components had to be paid for in advance - What good is that when I've only one car and have to jump on the 2A bus from Mumbles to pay for a part then return home (on another bus) to go back when the part (yet again, on another bus) had arrived, returning home ON ANOTHER F*****G BUS.

 

Normag too was better when it was in Western Street. The quality of components seems to have taken a dive when it moved across the City to the new outlet.

 

Peter Birch in Bumper to Bumper was a helpful chap. If you couldn't get to him by 5.30 pm he would leave components next door in Dominoes Pizza with the invoice, you could collect it any time up to 11.30pm and settle up with them. That went a long way in my book, a very long way.

[D Spares & Tyres]

Yeah been there a few times - ok if you get the old guy, new ones are as good as a marzipan dildo mind

True!  I asked for some parts for my Capri

 

`what make`s that then?`

 

 

Also David Manners MG JAGUAR Triumph specialist was useless to me. Wanted some bits for my Standard, as it is mechanically a Triumph. Twat on counter had no idea what I meant. You would of thought I asked him for a cauliflower by the look he gave me

[D Spares & Tyres]

LLoyds Garage

 

Stourport on Severn

 

Lots of people think they have closed down as they were by the river for years but they have moved to Sandy Lane Trading Estate

 

Nice chaps, I have been going there for years

 

If you have something unusual go there and ask for `burjee` Chances are he will have the part number in his head,

[New POD]

When I lived in Rednal in Birmingham not 1/2 mile from the Longbridge Factory, there were 2 motor factors at the end of my road (one at each end)

 

There was one in Rubery Village, about 3/4 mile away. One on the Bristol Road, about 1 mile away, another 2 in Northfield, about 3 miles away, and one other in Kings Norton, about 5 miles away.  I could pass 8 motor factors on my way home from work in Shirley, if I went a touch out of my way.   

 

Then I moved to the Yorkshire Dales. Nearest Motorfactors was 15 miles away in Skipton and Rubbish. The next nearest one was Keighley or Burnley, both 25 miles away.

 

To say it was a culture shock is an understatement.  Hence why we moved to Merseyside. (Kind of)

[Andrew353w]

I can recommend Barnet Motor Factors, at 34, Barnet (!) High Street, who have never failed to get hold of anything I need! Proper "old school" store, with an old wooden counter and a hatch! It's run by father & 2 sons & the dad's been in the motor trade from when Pontius Pilate was working as ground crew! The good thing is they never throw any stock item away and they're favourite phrase is "I think I've got one out the back somewhere...." And the amazing thing is, they usually have!

 

I've been using them for about 30 years & have sort of grown up (or should that be grown old?) with them!

[Skoze]

 

Motorshop 1

208 Ashingdon Road

Rochford

Essex

SS4 1TB

 

Next to EssDeWon's old house, carries all sorts of stuff - perfect for 'shit i've got a strut off and need x' duties by bike on the weekend. 

 

Still stock late 90's Alpine stereos and I bought a manual for a 3.0 Capri in there from the shiteist's shelf. 

[Hendry]

Most of Scotland within 30miles still has loads of motor factors, youve got your Dingbro, GSF, and Arnold Clark run a huge factor business called Auto parts Ecosse. Then there's a vast array of small Indies who operate under the A1 Motorstores franchise, then there's Discount Motoring at the Gallowgate and Barrowlands in Glasgow, Premier Motor Factors in Paisley, Andrew Watts have maybe half a dozen shops in the West of Scotland and then there's all the 1 man bands still going which I'd rather traipse round of a Saturday than a shopping centre with the missus, the Indies are like Aladdin's caves of unusual, rare and good valeting gear, air fresheners, and tat accessories, number plates, Barry boys lights bulbs stereos speakers subwoofers and big alloys.

[Parky]

Ockendon Motor Spares in South Ockendon, Essex is still going strong

I forgot about them! I am only about a mile away, have used them a few times.

 

Love the way that when you need an oil filter they pull out a massive old book covered in dust and cross ref the part numbers. Proper old school part identification

[Dead_E23]

I favour Midnight Motors, in the shadow of Wembley Stadium.   Despite the name, they stay open until 10pm - 364 days a year.

 

They seem to keep every conceivable part in stock for just about any car you can think of; I can't remember the last time they didn't have the thing I needed on the shelf.  They also have a very good range of tools, and over the years that has caused me to spend a fair bit of money on things I don't really need.  

[Timewaster]

Boy this takes me right back.

I started working in a local independent when I was about 14 as the standard issue useless Saturday lad.

After a few weeks I could grab everything for a service on a mk4 Cortina without checking the books and I knew what cars the customers drove and sometimes if they had Bosch or motorcraft electrics or Ate or Bendix brakes. A bit rainman really.

I can still remember the intermotor part numbers.

(Not sure of the wife's birthday though.)

When I was 16 I started at a Peugeot main dealers but kept doing weekends, I soon switched to the local Vauxhall dealer who also owned a newly opened motaquip factor in the next town. They went mental when they found out I was moonlighting at the weekends.

So I ended up full time at the independent where I stayed for the best part of 20 years, ended up managing the place until the owners sold up. Me and the new owners weren't best buddies and I was gone after a few months.

They only seem to sell bikes and wiper blades these days.