Discussion
I went to have a pair of tyres changed over on my DB9 on Friday. I already had the tyres so I called the local tyre dealer and asked him how much, he quoted £10 per wheel all in. I mentioned that I had TPMS and would this present a problem? He said not, he just wouldn't have to replace the valves.
When I got there he came out and said "oh I didn't realise it was an Aston Martin it will be £15 per wheel". WTF!! 50% price hike for an Aston, there is absolutely no difference between swapping the tyres on this or any other vehicle. When I asked him he couldn't adequately justify and wondered off mumbling.
Anyone else notice a similar price hike just because it's an Aston
When I got there he came out and said "oh I didn't realise it was an Aston Martin it will be £15 per wheel". WTF!! 50% price hike for an Aston, there is absolutely no difference between swapping the tyres on this or any other vehicle. When I asked him he couldn't adequately justify and wondered off mumbling.
Anyone else notice a similar price hike just because it's an Aston
Anyway you're a powerfully built company diector so you should have told him to stuff it. F1 NDW said:
Interesting dilema Steve. Your a busy man, you've arranged things to get this done and you walk into this prick. Do you do the pragmatic British thing of weighing up what it's all worth to you in time and trouble or do you go with your heart and tell him to stuff it?
What did you do?
Hi Neil, What did you do?
I'd gone there with one of my lads with a van as I couldn't get the spare tyres in the car. I settled at £25 for the pair as i was there already, anyway it would have cost me more in petrol & time to stick to my principles.
The thing is they've had all my tyre business for the company vehicles and mine for the last few years, at least £3k last year.....not any more.......unless they're cheaper as usual.
Thats really funny. My example is that my DB9 had a small scuff on the nearside front wheel. I did my homework and to have it powder coated would have been £65. I was warned and advised by an Aston mechanic to be careful with the tyre pressure sensors. His advice was have it painted by a good company without taking the tyre off.
I went to a well known local company in Wokingham. The chap came out and said "£100." plus VAT. I said I could have it powder coated for less than that. this didn't seem to bother him it was a take it or leave it situation. I left it.
I then went to another well known company in Reading,who have lots of experience with Aston's as they are very near to the local dealer. the chap came out saw it was an Aston. I said "Please don't give me the Aston Martin Price" He didn't £50 plus VAT. He did the job which I was very pleased with.
I told him of the previous price. where he made a very true comment. "I find people who own Aston Martins are very good with money and not stupid. that is how they manage to own Aston's"
So there seems to be a trend here. Aston Martin put the price up as the owner is loaded.
I went to a well known local company in Wokingham. The chap came out and said "£100." plus VAT. I said I could have it powder coated for less than that. this didn't seem to bother him it was a take it or leave it situation. I left it.
I then went to another well known company in Reading,who have lots of experience with Aston's as they are very near to the local dealer. the chap came out saw it was an Aston. I said "Please don't give me the Aston Martin Price" He didn't £50 plus VAT. He did the job which I was very pleased with.
I told him of the previous price. where he made a very true comment. "I find people who own Aston Martins are very good with money and not stupid. that is how they manage to own Aston's"
So there seems to be a trend here. Aston Martin put the price up as the owner is loaded.
Just wondering, but is it not possible that the raised his price because he thought it might take a bit longer, or that he wanted to allow himself a bit more time, compared with, for example, bog standard steel wheels? (I'm not a tyre fitter so I don't know, but I can imagine him thinking "better take a lot of care of this one".
P.S. You're lucky in the UK that you can turn up at a tyre centre with tyres you've bought somewhere else, and they'll fit them. Over here they'd fit them, just not on the car.
P.S. You're lucky in the UK that you can turn up at a tyre centre with tyres you've bought somewhere else, and they'll fit them. Over here they'd fit them, just not on the car.
897sma said:
The thing is they've had all my tyre business for the company vehicles and mine for the last few years, at least £3k last year.....not any more.......unless they're cheaper as usual.
So he had £3k of business off you and tried to hike the price on a £10 agreed deal (not ignoring the fact that favours return favours). I would have told him exactly how much business he had just done himself out of for the sake of a tenner.Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff