Tyre fitting companies not wanting to fit your tyres?
Discussion
FWIW said:
Glenn63 said:
I just get the local mobile tyre man to come to my house and fit them. He did ask if they were brand new but that was it, £100 to fit 6 tyres.
I imagine he was pretty happy with that! 
My local “go to” independent (shout out to Trade Tyres Shenstone) work on the labour only model. They are brilliant, ridiculously busy, and I’ve given up getting prices anywhere else because they are always better. £10 for a puncture repair, too.
Glenn63 said:
I probably could get it cheaper if I went somewhere but my mrs was having two of my old ones put on her car so Id have to have taken both cars and then sat around for an hour n half. This way I sat in my garden sipping a whisky playing fetch with my dog
There’s more to value than price 
Glenn63 said:
I probably could get it cheaper if I went somewhere but my mrs was having two of my old ones put on her car so Id have to have taken both cars and then sat around for an hour n half. This way I sat in my garden sipping a whisky playing fetch with my dog
Ah, I thought this was a quiet way of saying "I've got a 6x6 G-wagen" 
Fortunately my locals aren't muppets and do what you need done. I'd laugh in the face as I walked out on anyone who refused to fit my winter tyres that were "part worn" because they were taken off last year when winter ended.
As for s/h parts and stuff - that's why some people find it less hassle and aggro just to work on their car themselves rather than negotiate with someone who can't get their head around the fact that some part for a 20 year old car either isn't available new or somewhere like SNG Barratt wants £900 for it for a car worth a grand. Also, I've yet to tighten my wheel nuts with a pneumatic impact gun but with a flat compressor reservoir or "forget" the anti-rattle shims for brake pads and leave them lying on the bench. Not to mention I've never buggered a locking wheel nut using an impact gun on it. Self-professed professionals have done each to me (and more) on occasions when I've been super pressed for time and just gone to a garage.
The two lads down at my nearest village are sound though so I give them stuff I can't be bothered with now I know they're trustworthy.
As for s/h parts and stuff - that's why some people find it less hassle and aggro just to work on their car themselves rather than negotiate with someone who can't get their head around the fact that some part for a 20 year old car either isn't available new or somewhere like SNG Barratt wants £900 for it for a car worth a grand. Also, I've yet to tighten my wheel nuts with a pneumatic impact gun but with a flat compressor reservoir or "forget" the anti-rattle shims for brake pads and leave them lying on the bench. Not to mention I've never buggered a locking wheel nut using an impact gun on it. Self-professed professionals have done each to me (and more) on occasions when I've been super pressed for time and just gone to a garage.
The two lads down at my nearest village are sound though so I give them stuff I can't be bothered with now I know they're trustworthy.
stevemcs said:
We charge £15 to fit a tyre, for those thinking you make 50% on a tyre your wrong, if you are not competitive with online prices people won't come to you.
A lot of people just turn up at my local independent fitters and go for it if it's a £40-£60 budget tyre. No haggling, no price comparison etc. All they know is their tyres are illegal and ANY new rubber will do. They also charge £10-15 to fit loose tyres.
KTMsm said:
I got sick of being messed about and having to go back as they were busy so bought a tyre machine and balancer off ebay for £600ish
I do my own and a few mates, pretty much paid for itself within a year
(I do trackdays and winters and change my cars / wheels regularly)
Did you get a 3 phase machine, and was it second hand? I do my own and a few mates, pretty much paid for itself within a year
(I do trackdays and winters and change my cars / wheels regularly)
I fit my tyres manually with tyre levers but I'm tempted to eventually go this route. I think 3 phase isn't going to be worth it for me and I'm always not sure what I'm looking at as I've never used an electric and air tyre changer so might not spot if somethings missing/broken.
I pay £10 a corner fitted and balanced. Pay cash. Local independent. Whether they put it in the till or treat themselves to a take out on a Friday lunchtime I don’t know or care.
Just take the wheels not the car they go on.
New Ar1’s last time and lightly used Pilot Sport 3’s before that. Never any questions asked.
Local recycling centre is literally next door to them so take old tyres there.
Never thought it would be an issue anywhere tbh.
Just take the wheels not the car they go on.
New Ar1’s last time and lightly used Pilot Sport 3’s before that. Never any questions asked.
Local recycling centre is literally next door to them so take old tyres there.
Never thought it would be an issue anywhere tbh.
Edited by Kswap on Saturday 19th June 16:50
bluezedd said:
Did you get a 3 phase machine, and was it second hand?
I fit my tyres manually with tyre levers but I'm tempted to eventually go this route. I think 3 phase isn't going to be worth it for me and I'm always not sure what I'm looking at as I've never used an electric and air tyre changer so might not spot if somethings missing/broken.
No single phase, old Dunlop machine - I'd never used one either but watched it being done plenty of times then watched a youtube video - it's not rocket science I fit my tyres manually with tyre levers but I'm tempted to eventually go this route. I think 3 phase isn't going to be worth it for me and I'm always not sure what I'm looking at as I've never used an electric and air tyre changer so might not spot if somethings missing/broken.
You need a compressor too but I already had an Aldi cheapy and it manages ok
monthou said:
Lordbenny said:
Daston said:
never had an issue with our local place (not a chain), £20 for 4 tyres.
Balanced?If it is, that’s a good deal...I get cash mates rates and it’s £10 a wheel...balanced.
Daston said:
monthou said:
Lordbenny said:
Daston said:
never had an issue with our local place (not a chain), £20 for 4 tyres.
Balanced?If it is, that’s a good deal...I get cash mates rates and it’s £10 a wheel...balanced.
Garybee said:
Although it's annoying I can see why they might not want to. If they're busy then without the profit of a sale at the same time as fitting there isn't much in it for them. Of course they can always charge a much higher fitting price but I bet they'd have endless arguments if they charged £100 or so to fit four tyres.
Agreed. From their point of view, it’s a bit of a cheek to ask ‘ please fit these tyres, I got them cheaper down the road”. Also it appears that there is more or less (I suspect more,) a cartel of tyre wholesalers. I tend to use a small family run independent, but he still gets his just in time supplies from a van with a national name. Maybe t’was always thus and we never realised......Can any of you enlighten me as I’m not a buy my own and ask someone to fit them type whether it,s really worth shopping around to save a minimal amount, in my case for non esoteric rubber.Edited by Lester H on Saturday 19th June 22:59
Edited by Lester H on Sunday 20th June 22:09
I'm having my wheels refurbed soon. When I went to see the refurb company to book it in I mentioned I'd like to replace the tyres seeing as they'll be off the wheels anyway, and asked if they could give me a price for tyres...
"I suppose I could, but TBH all I'd do is order them online from the same places you could, then I'd add a mark-up. You're better off buying the tyres and bringing them with you when you drop the car off". Honest and to the point, I like that.
OK, so their core business is wheel repair and refurbishment rather than tyre sales.
It was only afterwards that I found fewer online retailers will sell you just the tyres these days. There's a few, but a lot of the ones who used to sell loose tyres will only sell them with fitting now.
"I suppose I could, but TBH all I'd do is order them online from the same places you could, then I'd add a mark-up. You're better off buying the tyres and bringing them with you when you drop the car off". Honest and to the point, I like that.
OK, so their core business is wheel repair and refurbishment rather than tyre sales.
It was only afterwards that I found fewer online retailers will sell you just the tyres these days. There's a few, but a lot of the ones who used to sell loose tyres will only sell them with fitting now.
donkmeister said:
I'm having my wheels refurbed soon. When I went to see the refurb company to book it in I mentioned I'd like to replace the tyres seeing as they'll be off the wheels anyway, and asked if they could give me a price for tyres...
"I suppose I could, but TBH all I'd do is order them online from the same places you could, then I'd add a mark-up. You're better off buying the tyres and bringing them with you when you drop the car off". Honest and to the point, I like that.
OK, so their core business is wheel repair and refurbishment rather than tyre sales.
It was only afterwards that I found fewer online retailers will sell you just the tyres these days. There's a few, but a lot of the ones who used to sell loose tyres will only sell them with fitting now.
Nice to hear there's still some common sense around! My mate has a local indie that he uses quite regularly and he was looking for something and the indie told my mate he couldn't compete with the online price on that size, told him to go to Asda Tyres and book the indie as the fitter - wish I knew somebody like that indie near me!"I suppose I could, but TBH all I'd do is order them online from the same places you could, then I'd add a mark-up. You're better off buying the tyres and bringing them with you when you drop the car off". Honest and to the point, I like that.
OK, so their core business is wheel repair and refurbishment rather than tyre sales.
It was only afterwards that I found fewer online retailers will sell you just the tyres these days. There's a few, but a lot of the ones who used to sell loose tyres will only sell them with fitting now.
donkmeister said:
I'm having my wheels refurbed soon. When I went to see the refurb company to book it in I mentioned I'd like to replace the tyres seeing as they'll be off the wheels anyway, and asked if they could give me a price for tyres...
"I suppose I could, but TBH all I'd do is order them online from the same places you could, then I'd add a mark-up. You're better off buying the tyres and bringing them with you when you drop the car off". Honest and to the point, I like that.
OK, so their core business is wheel repair and refurbishment rather than tyre sales.
It was only afterwards that I found fewer online retailers will sell you just the tyres these days. There's a few, but a lot of the ones who used to sell loose tyres will only sell them with fitting now.
Tyres guru, tyre leader, Asda (yes) tyres, Camskill for just a few would disagree with that, they all do a delivery only option."I suppose I could, but TBH all I'd do is order them online from the same places you could, then I'd add a mark-up. You're better off buying the tyres and bringing them with you when you drop the car off". Honest and to the point, I like that.
OK, so their core business is wheel repair and refurbishment rather than tyre sales.
It was only afterwards that I found fewer online retailers will sell you just the tyres these days. There's a few, but a lot of the ones who used to sell loose tyres will only sell them with fitting now.
Gassing Station | Suspension, Brakes & Tyres | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff