Tyre fitters... What a bunch of job worths!
Discussion
I've just had a set of alloys refurbished. I have already got a new set of tyres ready to go on.
As I'm at work I think I'll just pop round to the local place (I wish I could name and shame)it'll save me some time. They ignore you when you walk in and then talk to you like your asking them to kill their mothers. This isn't a monkey employee, it's the guy (well son) that owns the place. There's no customers or cars in the place and they're just twiddling their thumbs. Guy says £50 cash. Well I think that a bit steep, so ask if he'll do it for £40. I get "no it's £50" So I try again as I can see they need the work and I'll save me driving miles out of my way. "No it's £50 and that's it" and I get a load of rubbish about not getting them done anywhere else any cheaper. So I just left. This isn't the first time I've been round there to get my tyres sorted and it's never a nice experience, but it's convenient.
The other place Chiltern Tyres in Penn, who I have used before and there an alright bunch and polite enough. So I gave them a call and managed to get them down to £40 fitted and balanced. So it takes me 30 minutes to travel over there and they have all the tyres fitted and balanced in 30 mnutes. So I come away a happy man.
As it only takes 30mins to do the job. The other place wanted £100 an hour cash and for the pleasure of talking to me to like something they just trod in.
So are most tyre places like this? I have to deal with customers all the time and I'm polite and courteous, people walk away happy and will come back time and time again. So it's not a difficult thing to achieve.
I really feel like buying a tyre fitting machine and balancer. So I don't have to deal with people like above and I can help friends and family out. Also if any local Pistonheads wanted a set of tyres change I'd do that. If I change 112 tyres I would have covered the cost of going to a tyre place.
As I'm at work I think I'll just pop round to the local place (I wish I could name and shame)it'll save me some time. They ignore you when you walk in and then talk to you like your asking them to kill their mothers. This isn't a monkey employee, it's the guy (well son) that owns the place. There's no customers or cars in the place and they're just twiddling their thumbs. Guy says £50 cash. Well I think that a bit steep, so ask if he'll do it for £40. I get "no it's £50" So I try again as I can see they need the work and I'll save me driving miles out of my way. "No it's £50 and that's it" and I get a load of rubbish about not getting them done anywhere else any cheaper. So I just left. This isn't the first time I've been round there to get my tyres sorted and it's never a nice experience, but it's convenient.
The other place Chiltern Tyres in Penn, who I have used before and there an alright bunch and polite enough. So I gave them a call and managed to get them down to £40 fitted and balanced. So it takes me 30 minutes to travel over there and they have all the tyres fitted and balanced in 30 mnutes. So I come away a happy man.
As it only takes 30mins to do the job. The other place wanted £100 an hour cash and for the pleasure of talking to me to like something they just trod in.
So are most tyre places like this? I have to deal with customers all the time and I'm polite and courteous, people walk away happy and will come back time and time again. So it's not a difficult thing to achieve.
I really feel like buying a tyre fitting machine and balancer. So I don't have to deal with people like above and I can help friends and family out. Also if any local Pistonheads wanted a set of tyres change I'd do that. If I change 112 tyres I would have covered the cost of going to a tyre place.
Your point exactly? you are not just paying for the 30Min job, but also the use of your car on there premises and the use of there tools... If you car has a light on the dash, are you going to complain about taking it to the garage for them to plug in there computer and find out whats wrong? its a specialist, and they can charge for there specialist expertise.
Anyone can prove me wrong and argue all they want but that is my POV and i'm sticking by it.
IMO Poor rant OP
Anyone can prove me wrong and argue all they want but that is my POV and i'm sticking by it.
IMO Poor rant OP
Its a very strange business model:
How much for tyre x?
"£100. But we'll match your lowest quote"
"So how much is it then?"
£100, but we'll....
"so how low can you go? There's obviously some lee-way for you to pricematch. Saves me going elsewhere"
"£100. I cant get lower. But we'll match....."
Very strange....
How much for tyre x?
"£100. But we'll match your lowest quote"
"So how much is it then?"
£100, but we'll....
"so how low can you go? There's obviously some lee-way for you to pricematch. Saves me going elsewhere"
"£100. I cant get lower. But we'll match....."
Very strange....
Most of the places I've been to are usually very good, quick work and at a reasonable price, even the local Kwik Fit. One place even added in a corrosion repair to my spare for free as they hadn't got round to repairing the puncture on it in the time they said they would, I went off to B&Q for an hour and it was done.
I had exactly the same when i bought some tyres online...went to a tyre place, all bays completely empty, fitters messing about or sweeping up, "can you fit 2 tyres to my car??"...looks at the 964 and says "yes £45 quid....each"
I justed laughed muttering you dont need the business then....
went to another place, guy was happy to fit the tyres for £15 each...plus we had a good chat about the merits of oil/air cooled over water cooled...
I know where i will be going next time....
I justed laughed muttering you dont need the business then....
went to another place, guy was happy to fit the tyres for £15 each...plus we had a good chat about the merits of oil/air cooled over water cooled...
I know where i will be going next time....
Its precisely because of this that i now fit and balance my own tyres the old fashioned way.
Valve removal tool - £1.50
tyre soap - freebie from a mate
set of four tyre levers - £15
wedges for tyre removal - old bit of steel box section cut in half with the edges ground off
balancer - old fashioned bubble type £25 quid from the autojumble
fitting lessons - pint of stella to a mate who drifts every weekend
so far ive managed everything from budgets on to steelies to M/Ts on compo's.
The only wheels i wouldnt want to try and do myself would be diamond cut alloys or those with stupid rubber band tyres.
Valve removal tool - £1.50
tyre soap - freebie from a mate
set of four tyre levers - £15
wedges for tyre removal - old bit of steel box section cut in half with the edges ground off
balancer - old fashioned bubble type £25 quid from the autojumble
fitting lessons - pint of stella to a mate who drifts every weekend
so far ive managed everything from budgets on to steelies to M/Ts on compo's.
The only wheels i wouldnt want to try and do myself would be diamond cut alloys or those with stupid rubber band tyres.
williamp said:
Its a very strange business model:
How much for tyre x?
"£100. But we'll match your lowest quote"
"So how much is it then?"
£100, but we'll....
"so how low can you go? There's obviously some lee-way for you to pricematch. Saves me going elsewhere"
"£100. I cant get lower. But we'll match....."
Very strange....
This made me How much for tyre x?
"£100. But we'll match your lowest quote"
"So how much is it then?"
£100, but we'll....
"so how low can you go? There's obviously some lee-way for you to pricematch. Saves me going elsewhere"
"£100. I cant get lower. But we'll match....."
Very strange....
but you are so right. Are you anywhere near Chesham/Amersham? I've only heard good things of Wheels in Motion ( http://www.blackboots.co.uk/about-blackboots.php
I have to agree with what was posted earlier though: you seem to have gone to a lot of effort to save £10. Granted that if the person you spoke to was that rude then you prob. should have taken your business elsewhere, but if the quality of his work is good then pay him and let him be a prat without it bothering you!
I have to agree with what was posted earlier though: you seem to have gone to a lot of effort to save £10. Granted that if the person you spoke to was that rude then you prob. should have taken your business elsewhere, but if the quality of his work is good then pay him and let him be a prat without it bothering you!
I think the first place was a bit expensive.
When I put winters on the Mrs car, my local place, removed all 5 wheels, unfitted the lousy eco rubbish that was on, fitted, valves, balanced and put wheels back on car for £38 quid incl VAT.
Assuming it was £50 just for fitting 4? tyres on bare rims that is a bit steep. I can see why they are quiet.
You know where not to go in future.
When I put winters on the Mrs car, my local place, removed all 5 wheels, unfitted the lousy eco rubbish that was on, fitted, valves, balanced and put wheels back on car for £38 quid incl VAT.
Assuming it was £50 just for fitting 4? tyres on bare rims that is a bit steep. I can see why they are quiet.
You know where not to go in future.
It was the attitude that really pissed me off. That's why I did a hour round trip. Not because it saved me a tenner.
Fitting a tyre isn't that specialist all you need is the space and the machine. A tyre fitter and balancer aren’t that expensive and if I could do some jobs on the side it would pay for itself.
Some people sound like they would put up with bad service and someone being rude to you. Which I think is utter crap. If you got a car related bad service, then you would be on here to complain.
Fitting a tyre isn't that specialist all you need is the space and the machine. A tyre fitter and balancer aren’t that expensive and if I could do some jobs on the side it would pay for itself.
Some people sound like they would put up with bad service and someone being rude to you. Which I think is utter crap. If you got a car related bad service, then you would be on here to complain.
Edited by TVR Tommy on Wednesday 19th May 17:02
edited to day i wrote this before seeing the post above!
_______________________________________________________
rudeness cannot be excused in business but...
in terms of them quoting a price and sticking to it then that's up to them isn;t it. no need to get all upset about it. you asked he said no. move on.
if someone had previously quoted a price and you turned up and they changed it then that's a different matter.
fyi a chap in bletchley quoted me a 'tenner a corner' if i had my own tyres to fit.
a tenner or 12.50 it's neither here nor there imo. if they're convenient etc.
_______________________________________________________
rudeness cannot be excused in business but...
in terms of them quoting a price and sticking to it then that's up to them isn;t it. no need to get all upset about it. you asked he said no. move on.
if someone had previously quoted a price and you turned up and they changed it then that's a different matter.
fyi a chap in bletchley quoted me a 'tenner a corner' if i had my own tyres to fit.
a tenner or 12.50 it's neither here nor there imo. if they're convenient etc.
Edited by briSk on Wednesday 19th May 16:59
I just learn the lesson and never go there again... Probably lucky for me my local place has a very good tyre place which is constantly busy, but turnaround cars in roughly 15mins... The place i get my MOT/Service/Fixing done also do tyres now so i'll probably be going to them in the future and all but the parts would probably be free for tyres for me.
Well in the principle point of view then you've made a choice and stuck with it, good on you. I probably misunderstood the OP and apologize for that. I've had bad experience with a "national" chain of tyre suppliers before, somehow taking a spanner to an alloy wheel will get the tyre on better? so vowed never to use them again!
Well in the principle point of view then you've made a choice and stuck with it, good on you. I probably misunderstood the OP and apologize for that. I've had bad experience with a "national" chain of tyre suppliers before, somehow taking a spanner to an alloy wheel will get the tyre on better? so vowed never to use them again!
Scamper said:
I had exactly the same when i bought some tyres online...went to a tyre place, all bays completely empty, fitters messing about or sweeping up, "can you fit 2 tyres to my car??"...looks at the 964 and says "yes £45 quid....each"
I justed laughed muttering you dont need the business then....
went to another place, guy was happy to fit the tyres for £15 each...plus we had a good chat about the merits of oil/air cooled over water cooled...
I know where i will be going next time....
Exactly I justed laughed muttering you dont need the business then....
went to another place, guy was happy to fit the tyres for £15 each...plus we had a good chat about the merits of oil/air cooled over water cooled...
I know where i will be going next time....
I bought tyres online for my track car. Local, very showy fast fit/exhaust/MOT place (they are a 3 branch independant) wanted £20 a tyre to fit them. There reasoning was I didn't get them there, and they had to budget for maybe damaging an alloy during fitting.
My response is I didn't get them there because when I called them for a quote, they couldn't get them - 888's, soft compound, and if they couldn't fit a tyre without really worrying about damaging a rim, then they need to get a new line of work.
So..
Went to my local fix anything garage, bloke says no worries, throw £20 for the four at the boy when he's done them, and what car have you got as a toy then? Oh, nice one! Want a cup of tea and a choccy digestive? I have the Cosworth as a fun blah blah blah etc.
Guess who has since had about a thousand pounds worth of business from my family and friends for MOT's and general servicing?
So, OP, you may have went out your way for an hour to save a £10, but you were right. Good on you.
same story here! Always look annoyed that you are there asing them to do something their business is set up to do, then charge you over the odds for the priviledge of scratching my wheels.
I've been trying a different one every time, and last week after getting rudely turned away from one place, i drove down the road and found a brilliant place, nice guys, talked about the cars had a chat about the tyres i bought and their merits, the guy's daughter (sorry no pics), and my rear brake conversion etc etc. I got 4 free metal valves put in without me asking for them, they told me one of the tyres they removed was still good and would be worth a few quid on ebay if i wanted to take it back with me, again something i was going to ask them to do!
The cost? £35 quid for all 4 tyres changed and they said i could have got the tyres i had bought off the internetz cheaper off of them!
The place is called Ash Tyre Services, in TN15 postcode which is in Ash, Kent. Around a 5 minute drive from Brands Hatch track.
I've been trying a different one every time, and last week after getting rudely turned away from one place, i drove down the road and found a brilliant place, nice guys, talked about the cars had a chat about the tyres i bought and their merits, the guy's daughter (sorry no pics), and my rear brake conversion etc etc. I got 4 free metal valves put in without me asking for them, they told me one of the tyres they removed was still good and would be worth a few quid on ebay if i wanted to take it back with me, again something i was going to ask them to do!
The cost? £35 quid for all 4 tyres changed and they said i could have got the tyres i had bought off the internetz cheaper off of them!
The place is called Ash Tyre Services, in TN15 postcode which is in Ash, Kent. Around a 5 minute drive from Brands Hatch track.
Edited by Robb F on Wednesday 19th May 17:07
I dont really see where they are being jobs worths? if they need £50 for each job then they need £50 each job.
After all if they are not going to make any money out of doing it for £40 then they dont need to do they?
You haven't bought the tyre from them, want anything else, and probably wont be using them again any time soon so why should they knock 20% of there price for you? I mean when was the last time you managed to knock 20% off anything that was legit?
After all if they are not going to make any money out of doing it for £40 then they dont need to do they?
You haven't bought the tyre from them, want anything else, and probably wont be using them again any time soon so why should they knock 20% of there price for you? I mean when was the last time you managed to knock 20% off anything that was legit?
Personally, I'd have paid it. I'm lucky as I have an excellent tyre shop near me. Went last week with a puncture, and they replaced the valve. I asked how much, and was told that they couldn't charge me 5p for a valve, so it's free. If someone is rude, but I need something doing, I tend to just get it done. Next time I'll arrange it so I go somewhere else.
Don't tyre places have to pay for tyre disposal? Anyone know how much it is?
Don't tyre places have to pay for tyre disposal? Anyone know how much it is?
It's not that hard to knock off 20% when you are mostly paying for labour. Everyone has the right to turn down a lower offer, but it's the way you go about it.
It would be good to have a service on PH where people can post up if they have had good service. So put in your postcode, then put car related service you desire, tyre fitter or a Mercedes specialist. You then get a list of peoples recommendations. People can than add there experience underneath. It wouldn't be that hard to then find someone who is good at what they do. You then get a good quality of service. The business then gets a good rep with PH user so gets more business. Everyone is happy!
It would be good to have a service on PH where people can post up if they have had good service. So put in your postcode, then put car related service you desire, tyre fitter or a Mercedes specialist. You then get a list of peoples recommendations. People can than add there experience underneath. It wouldn't be that hard to then find someone who is good at what they do. You then get a good quality of service. The business then gets a good rep with PH user so gets more business. Everyone is happy!
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff