Seeing as they're doing 50% off selected sets (see here if interested) I thought I might grab one (for bike tinkering assistance and general round-the-home duties, I don't have a car at the moment), but not sure on the 'quality'...
I'm not expecting Snap-on type professional standards, but equally I don't want to get absolute junk that falls apart within a year! Any thoughts from the STW collective?
Cheers 
Halfords Professional range is excellent for the money. Not Snap-on quality but not a millions miles away either. I've used them in anger on my pushbikes, motorbikes and cars over the last 10 years or so.
And they will honour the lifetime guarantee on stuff so it's worth holding onto the receipts.
Their higher end stuff (do they call it workshop or professional?) is reasonable, tends not to round bolts & nuts) and supposedly comes with a life guarantee.
I once bought a cheap multi-bit screwdriver from there (20 yrs ago) and its still going strong.
i'v got one of these
just as my traveling about socket set. its great, enough bits in it to be versatile and decent quality. and yes, the warranty is good!
From the few pieces of their Professional range I have they seem OK. Probable better they the standard Draper stuff but not up to Britool/SnapOn.
I have broken most of their stuff including a strong arm and they have replaced it no questions.
Got a Halfords Pro socket set 10 years ago at half price, excellent stuff still going strong. As said it isn't Snap On but then I got it for £30 and that will be one spanner from S.O.
It is as good my Kamasa stuff and that is still going strong and it is 25 yrs old.
I've been very happy with the stuff from their professional range. Had it for 10 years plus.
sweet, thanks chaps. I shall be getting one of these bad boys then... though this one is tempting, I'm guessing the quality will be pants for £50?
Go with your original choice - got one and its a great set for the price and if you break stuff it is guaranteed - bonus
And they will honour the lifetime guarantee on stuff so it's worth holding onto the receipts.
'fraid not. I broke an 8mm ratchet spanner from the pro range, then shortly later my 12mm ratchet also died (both the mechanisms). Halfords flatly refused to replace them as I was "obviously abusing them if I'd manage to break them". I had the manager out and no-one was budging. I believe there is now an asterisk on their guarantee that says "does not cover ratchet mechanisms", but I've not seen it.
Rachet mechanisms can be replaced.
Try going to another shop e.g. 3 in Bristol and usually very good.
hope so, Santa's bringing me one of these for chrimbo from my mummy
the halfords warranty is limited yes, it has never covered ratchet mechanisms however.
Rachet mechanisms can be replaced.
Not for sensible cost though. I tried 2 'frauds near mine, no joy. I've just accepted that I can't use them for more than very light tightening of small nuts, but that poses a big problem for high-torque requirements in tight spaces.
the halfords warranty is limited yes, it has never covered ratchet mechanisms however.
It never stated otherwise either, in a place that was visible to a buyer.
I have a lot of Halfrauds Pro tools and they're OK.
Never had an issue with the warranties. I've broken a few bits (using involving bits of scaffold tube and very seized old cars) and stuff has been replaced without question. Usually the staff don't give a stuff and just replace it straight away.
They only warrant the ratchet mechanisms for twelve months, and keep your receipt.
Pyshcle, don't get the 250 piece tool box its a pile of poo. Only get the Halfords Professional range, they are the only ones worth the money.
Most tools are only as good as the person using them. And buying into the mythical snap on quality vibe, wont make you a better mechanic. The Halfords stuff is fine, but as with any tool, start sliding scaf pipes on the end it anit gonna last long.
The Dynamic one isn't as bad as the price might suggest, but it's nowhere near the quality of the advanced/ pro stuff.
The professional warranty hasn't included moving parts for as long as I remember, but as already mentioned most spare mechanisms are kept (at a reasonable price), and if a mechanism isn't available (eg. an old ratchet) then staff are usually reasonable and sort out a replacement.
The obvious exception to this is the ratchet spanners, which aren't serviceable.
FYI you can buy replacement ratchet internals for their professional ratchets.
Which is nice
You can always tell cheap tools by how long the ratchet mechs last in tools,you get what you pay for ime.But then if you're just going to be using it on a bike then I guess they should be fine.
Having already spent thousands on Snapon and Mac tools, i have now reached the stage that if i loose something or fail to get warranty replacements because 'the tools worn out' (lifetime warranty of the tool not the owner!) i have started replacing with bits from halfords or sealey's - they also do some cracking deals, go see your local partco or simmilar. Not had any problems yet, and halfords professional range still have lifetime warranty anyway, i think!
Decent enough but look at the price not the offer, the 50% off bollocks has been rolled out for years.
The backstreet mechanic guy down the road uses all Halfords Pro and Clarke Pro, he laughs at me for buying Teng and similiar, reckons he uses his more in a month than I will in a lifetime and they seem to last well enough for him. Probably right. He's ex-army and ex-race pit and used to use Brittool, Snapon and Facom so he knows nice stuff. The Halfords Pro stuff is a lot better than most home users will ever need.
Lifetime warranties are always funny. "I want a replacement for this, it's worn out" "Well then, it's finished it's lifetime"
Please note, this product was previously on sale at* £199.99 between 07/09/09 and 12/10/09 inclusive
Seems like reasonable value, but I despair at this ^^. So it was only on sale at a price that no shopper who had done their homework would pay, for five whole weeks. That is not what I really call a proper '50% off' sale. Just like those apollos which are alway 'half price' too then?
FYI you can buy replacement ratchet internals for their professional ratchets.
Not for the ratchet spanners.
For most peoples use the halfords pro stuff is spot on. The only thing I try to avoid are "12 sided" sockets, can't stand them, guaranteed to screw up anything that's marginally seized or lightly coated in a bit of corrosion.
Halfords socket set 150pc is always £99. We justy bunk up the price for 3 months and bring it back to normal and legally say sale!
The set is made from Chrome Vandium and is good quality. Had mine for a few years now.
Good point on the 12-points from coffeeking...
I'm surprised with the ratchet spanners, they're useful to have for really tight access work but they're not exactly day to day tools, better to have a good socket set... Surprised to find anyone uses them enough to actually wear them out. I've got an incredibly cheap amtools set which I got at a motorbike show for about £3, they're rubbish but they do the job I want them to do, about once every 6 months when they're the right tool for the job, then they go back in the toolchest.
we use halfords professional at work
good enough to use and cheap enough to lose
Please note, this product was previously on sale at* £199.99 between 07/09/09 and 12/10/09 inclusive
Seems like reasonable value, but I despair at this ^^. So it was only on sale at a price that no shopper who had done their homework would pay, for five whole weeks. That is not what I really call a proper '50% off' sale. Just like those apollos which are alway 'half price' too then?
Sorry but its standard practice in the uk and perfectly legal but the sad fact is that most people in this country don't like to part with there money unless they feel like they're getting an offer.
Sorry but its standard practice in the uk
What a shame that it is. 
Now I think of it, has anyone seen dhb/pinnacle on sale lately at 'full rrp'?
...actually i looked at some dhb stuff this morning. and it is either 'full price' month or they don't do that so much with their prices. So I will be properly taking that last remark back.
i'll get my coat and stop whining now.
surprised to find anyone uses them enough to actually wear them out.
I strip parts of my car fairly regularly, try working on the stuff down the side of this fairly regularly and you'll see why I need nimble fingers and 5 degree ratchets!:
I've used the pro range of tools for a while, big ratchet survived being used with a long jack handle on it to shift a seized bolt and even the sockets have done rather well on an impact wrench.
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