The new news 24 thread

[Timewaster]

On 12/01/2023 at 14:05, lesapandre said:

The dream...and reality...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jan/12/halfords-shares-tumble-shortage-mechanics-profits

Investment advice: sell.

I have no evidence of it but I bet they don't pay and are ****'s to work for.

Properly managed this is probably a good business but I bet it's being run by the usual cheese-paring-mingebags.

£60M profit on an operation this big is pitiful:

"As of June 2021, Halfords has 404 stores, 3 Performance Cycling stores (trading as Tredz and Giant), 374 garages (trading as Halfords Autocentres, McConechys and Universal Tyres and Autocentres) and 143 mobile service vans (trading as Halfords Mobile Expert and Tyres on the Drive) and 192 Commercial vans."

So ignoring the commercial vans, that is 924 outlets.

£60m ÷ 924 is just under £65k pa. Or less than £1250  profit a week per outlet.

 

[Metal Guru]

47 minutes ago, Timewaster said:

So ignoring the commercial vans, that is 924 outlets.

£60m ÷ 924 is just under £65k pa. Or less than £1250  profit a week per outlet.

 

Most of that will go this year in higher energy bills.

[lesapandre]

2 hours ago, Timewaster said:

So ignoring the commercial vans, that is 924 outlets.

£60m ÷ 924 is just under £65k pa. Or less than £1250  profit a week per outlet.

 

Yea I did think of doing the calculations - but that just about sums it up. 

Or another way...I think (maths was never my strong point...but using 'freakanomics')

With 32 million-ish cars on the road and 924 outlets, each store (ignoring cycles and caravan etc), has about 35,000-ish customer cars to serve.

Dividing this 35,000 potential customer cars base-line by the annual store profit... this vast motoring combine is managing to take £1.86 per car spend per car in the UK marketplace per annum for parts and services.

Absolutely laughable... given Halfords store reach nationally, how a lot of local garages have closed down, the need for annual Mot's, the loss of most smaller car spares businesses and the online and warehouse retailing of cars which all require subsequent maintenance and servicing somewhere... etc etc.

It's a publicly quoted company - with a fairly gloomy trajectory. 

My hunch would be it would be bought by a private equity company in due course for a knockdown price.

[captain_70s]

Whenever I go to a Halfords it's deserted, and Amazon will ship most of the stuff they sell to your door for less money...

[Timewaster]

Where most remaining car spares shops are quite small and rammed with stuff in every corner, most Halfords have the same amount of stuff in a shop the size of Tesco's.

[lesapandre]

We've probably had this...

Pathetic IMHO. 

 

[richardmorris]

If you need to be told, then you probably should not be driving in the first place.

[RoverFolkUs]

The only thing Halfords are good for is their tools. 

I'm not sure what a Snap-on 10mm socket does that a Halfords Advanced one doesn't 🤷

[puddlethumper]

Further to my gearbox woes I got the van in the garage and it turns out to be a 4 speed not a 5. I did ask the seller what it came out of and he said he thought* it was out of a phase 2 van. Probably out of a phase 1 which had 4 speeds. Anyway, it works and I'm not so bothered about losing 5th. 4th is longer geared on a 4 speed so no big loss. It's the longest it's been off the road, 5 weeks, in the 22 years I've had it.

[ProgRocker]

Autoshite gold right here:

A dangerous and insecure load (Eastern Daily Press)

[wesacosa]

fun day in Berlin today . Second time driving a Trabant, shitter than I remembered.  Tempted with that one on eBay now

[sierraman]

Tools are good in Halfords and if you aren’t in a rush the parts on trade are cheap as anything. What I will say though is that with the exception of a few failed mechanics it’s full of kids these days that have no interest in it. 

In fact I’ll take back what I said about tools, a few years ago I went in for something or other and a couple were shopping for their son who had just got a series Land Rover. Someone clearly just out of school was showing them their bumper basic (metric!!!) toolkit. I waited while he nipped in the back and told them it was fucking shit and to get the proper socket set with 8 sides jobs. 

[JakeT]

Ooo, Trabi World! I was in Berlin just before Christmas, and visited too. I also saw this sad looking Sierra, In very AS fashion.

 

My weekend has started in a different manner to usual. My mum rang me to say she’s hit a pothole and it’s punctured her tyre. Off to rescue from me as she’d still be waiting for the fourth emergency service now.

In a double annoyance, it’s dented the wheel, and in spite of it going to the supplying fiat dealership every year since new, the sodding spare tyre had 7PSI in it. Better than flat, but not much better. Four miles back to home before it looked quite poorly. The correct 41 PSI are now in it.

 

Finally, she nipped off to a local tyre fitters for a pair of new front tyres. The saving grace is that both fronts were quite worn. She requested Michelins, and they said they had Continentals and Fulda all seasons. She for some reason agreed to the Fulda tyres, so has Fulda all seasons on the front and Michelins on the back. I am not super pleased with that, as the cost isn’t an issue, and it’s done well on Michelins from new. I suppose we’ll see how they go, though.

 

Finally to top it all off, one of my friends wife had gone to visit family, and my good lady was out watching the netball, so we were both at a loose end. Visited the Haynes Motor Museum. On the whole, enjoyable. But why no manuals!? My thoughts was that they should have some reprints of some old ones in the shop to buy, but alas. Nice day out though.

 

[Mally]

20 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Tools are good in Halfords and if you aren’t in a rush the parts on trade are cheap as anything. What I will say though is that with the exception of a few failed mechanics it’s full of kids these days that have no interest in it. 

In fact I’ll take back what I said about tools, a few years ago I went in for something or other and a couple were shopping for their son who had just got a series Land Rover. Someone clearly just out of school was showing them their bumper basic (metric!!!) toolkit. I waited while he nipped in the back and told them it was fucking shit and to get the proper socket set with 8 sides jobs. 

Apart from the fact they were metric there's nothing wrong with an Halford  socket. If there is you just take it back and get another.

You are obsessed with Octagons.

[lesapandre]

8 minutes ago, JakeT said:

Ooo, Trabi World! I was in Berlin just before Christmas, and visited too. I also saw this sad looking Sierra, In very AS fashion.

 

My weekend has started in a different manner to usual. My mum rang me to say she’s hit a pothole and it’s punctured her tyre. Off to rescue from me as she’d still be waiting for the fourth emergency service now.

In a double annoyance, it’s dented the wheel, and in spite of it going to the supplying fiat dealership every year since new, the sodding spare tyre had 7PSI in it. Better than flat, but not much better. Four miles back to home before it looked quite poorly. The correct 41 PSI are now in it.

 

Finally, she nipped off to a local tyre fitters for a pair of new front tyres. The saving grace is that both fronts were quite worn. She requested Michelins, and they said they had Continentals and Fulda all seasons. She for some reason agreed to the Fulda tyres, so has Fulda all seasons on the front and Michelins on the back. I am not super pleased with that, as the cost isn’t an issue, and it’s done well on Michelins from new. I suppose we’ll see how they go, though.

 

Finally to top it all off, one of my friends wife had gone to visit family, and my good lady was out watching the netball, so we were both at a loose end. Visited the Haynes Motor Museum. On the whole, enjoyable. But why no manuals!? My thoughts was that they should have some reprints of some old ones in the shop to buy, but alas. Nice day out though.

 

Haynes Motor Museum is a Registered Charity -  separate to Haynes Publishing Group owned by Infopro Digital, a technical data company. That's owned by Tower-Brook Capital Partners - US private equity co. 

December 2020 Haynes stopped any new repair manuals on paper - all content would be online only. Pre-existing titles remain available apparently - but I expect in dwindling numbers.

So there is maybe very little contact between the museum and publisher.

[sierraman]

24 minutes ago, Mally said:

Apart from the fact they were metric there's nothing wrong with an Halford  socket. If there is you just take it back and get another.

You are obsessed with Octagons.

They do a ‘basic’ range now, a bit like those 500 piece ones you used to get from Woolworths. 

[Kiltox]

51 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Tools are good in Halfords and if you aren’t in a rush the parts on trade are cheap as anything. What I will say though is that with the exception of a few failed mechanics it’s full of kids these days that have no interest in it. 

In fact I’ll take back what I said about tools, a few years ago I went in for something or other and a couple were shopping for their son who had just got a series Land Rover. Someone clearly just out of school was showing them their bumper basic (metric!!!) toolkit. I waited while he nipped in the back and told them it was fucking shit and to get the proper socket set with 8 sides jobs. 

Don’t the parts come from Euros? Isn’t it cheaper to shop direct with them?  (Very possible they have changed this!)

[sierraman]

Just now, Kiltox said:

Don’t the parts come from Euros? Isn’t it cheaper to shop direct with them? 

They come from Euro that’s right but they’re cheaper probably about 70% of the time. I got a rocker gasket a while back for £6.54, couldn’t find one for less than £14 anywhere else. 

[artdjones]

38 minutes ago, JakeT said:

Ooo, Trabi World! I was in Berlin just before Christmas, and visited too. I also saw this sad looking Sierra, In very AS fashion.

 

My weekend has started in a different manner to usual. My mum rang me to say she’s hit a pothole and it’s punctured her tyre. Off to rescue from me as she’d still be waiting for the fourth emergency service now.

In a double annoyance, it’s dented the wheel, and in spite of it going to the supplying fiat dealership every year since new, the sodding spare tyre had 7PSI in it. Better than flat, but not much better. Four miles back to home before it looked quite poorly. The correct 41 PSI are now in it.

 

Finally, she nipped off to a local tyre fitters for a pair of new front tyres. The saving grace is that both fronts were quite worn. She requested Michelins, and they said they had Continentals and Fulda all seasons. She for some reason agreed to the Fulda tyres, so has Fulda all seasons on the front and Michelins on the back. I am not super pleased with that, as the cost isn’t an issue, and it’s done well on Michelins from new. I suppose we’ll see how they go, though.

 

Finally to top it all off, one of my friends wife had gone to visit family, and my good lady was out watching the netball, so we were both at a loose end. Visited the Haynes Motor Museum. On the whole, enjoyable. But why no manuals!? My thoughts was that they should have some reprints of some old ones in the shop to buy, but alas. Nice day out though.

 

Fulda are good, just not very well known in the UK.

[Kiltox]

3 minutes ago, sierraman said:

They come from Euro that’s right but they’re cheaper probably about 70% of the time. I got a rocker gasket a while back for £6.54, couldn’t find one for less than £14 anywhere else. 

Oh wow really? With the Trade Card?

[SiC]

1 hour ago, sierraman said:

proper socket set with 8 sides jobs

Why are you obsessed with 8 sided sockets?

[Dobloseven]

38 minutes ago, Mally said:

Apart from the fact they were metric there's nothing wrong with an Halford  socket. If there is you just take it back and get another.

You are obsessed with Octagons.

Series Landrovers used some Whitworth and BSF sized nuts and bolts, so doubtful they'd have anything suitable. This might do though. Note six sided drive. The things us old boys keep "just in case". 

[sierraman]

15 minutes ago, SiC said:

Why are you obsessed with 8 sided sockets?

Much better grip on rusty bolts. I can see how a 12 sided is easier to get on but it won’t transmit anything like the torque a six sided one will. 

[sierraman]

23 minutes ago, Kiltox said:

Oh wow really? With the Trade Card?

Yeah, log into your trade account with Halfords and have a look, I’ve had all sorts of odd stuff that was way cheaper than anywhere else. Some things are the same price but others are cheaper. 

[auntiemaryscanary]

10 hours ago, reb said:

Well aware, your point?

The only thing there that wasn't publically available already is the address. So I suppose some weirdo might turn up, but they wouldn't achieve much.

IF it bothers you @reb registered office address services are available (says t'internet) from £20 a year.

[JakeT]

1 hour ago, lesapandre said:

Haynes Motor Museum is a Registered Charity -  separate to Haynes Publishing Group owned by Infopro Digital, a technical data company. That's owned by Tower-Brook Capital Partners - US private equity co. 

December 2020 Haynes stopped any new repair manuals on paper - all content would be online only. Pre-existing titles remain available apparently - but I expect in dwindling numbers.

So there is maybe very little contact between the museum and publisher.

Ah, makes sense. Thank you. I suppose turning the museum into a charity stops any VC types liberating some of the valuable stuff for the bottom line, too. I did Gift-Aid my entry fee, which I hope helps them too.

1 hour ago, artdjones said:

Fulda are good, just not very well known in the UK.

Good to know. Thank you.

[Sunny Jim]

Sailing from Portugal to Madeira? Completed it M9.

Me and a mate have just sailed 500 miles from Faro to Porto Santo the longest passage either of us had done.

It's 2.30 in the morning and we need beer and a fry up but for now it's rum o'clock.

[Metal Guru]

7 hours ago, sierraman said:

They do a ‘basic’ range now, a bit like those 500 piece ones you used to get from Woolworths. 

I’ve got a Woolworths mini socket set I’ve had since 1985. Admittedly it’s never seen much torque  but it’s done sterling service on lawnmowers and the like.

[Sunny Jim]

7 hours ago, Sunny Jim said:

Sailing from Portugal to Madeira? Completed it M9.

Me and a mate have just sailed 500 miles from Faro to Porto Santo the longest passage either of us had done.

It's 2.30 in the morning and we need beer and a fry up but for now it's rum o'clock.

S'alright here. Hope the natives do fry-ups. Must get ashore and explore. 

[Lankytim]

FUN FACT. Nissan Juke wheels fit Mk3 Lagunas.

I found the 18” alloys previously fitted to the ‘Gooner a little crashy over bumps, plus they were pretty tatty with curbing damage and various areas touched up with what looks like silver Hammerite, the budget tyres they had fitted had an advisory at the last mot so instead of replacing the tyres I had a look around for a set of 17” wheels. Due to the 5x114.3 stud pattern aftermarket wheels attract JDM tax and as not many Mk3 Lagunas were sold in the U.K. cheap used  OEM wheels are hard to come by. At the time, Renault and Nissan had some sort of partnership going which meant that many parts are shared and cars like Jukes and Quashqais have the same stud pattern and centre bore. 
 

A nice set of Juke alloys were sourced locally and shod with a set of part worn Michelin tyres I’d been storing in the loft. 

I think they look pretty nice and road noise is greatly reduced. It feels nicer to drive with less tramlining too.
 

To celebrate the new wheels I took the Laguna through the local ARC automatised car wash but got shouted at by the attendant when the automatic park brake applied after I turned the engine off and I couldn’t release it in time before the front wheel was pulled out of that moving track thing with a loud clunk. Whoops!