Tyres, in store or provide yourself?

[IAmTheWalrus]

Hi,

Just wondering as so many tyres are available to buy online on places like eBay, does it ever save you money to buy tyres online, get them delivered then take them to a tyre place and ask them to swap it over rather than just order straight from them?

[steveo3002]

only if you know a fitter that does them for a cash deal ...most places want ££ for fitting to cover what they should have made on the tyre

bit like turning up at a restaurant and asking if they warm up the steak you got from the corner shop

[p4cks]

Try National Tyres. Cheap as chips and often a discount code

https://www.national.co.uk/promotional-discount-co...

I don't know how they make any money as I got a set of 4 Potenzas fitted (225/40R18) for £350.74

[mickyh7]

p4cks said:

Try National Tyres. Cheap as chips and often a discount code

https://www.national.co.uk/promotional-discount-co...

I don't know how they make any money as I got a set of 4 Potenzas fitted (225/40R18) for £350.74

Good God !
£780 for 4 PS4's in 19"
I paid £500 last year locally.

[Haltamer]

Best if you take advantage of the bigger promotions - Like the £100 off Michelin; That covers the cost of fitting and the "starting price" is lower online.

[trickywoo]

My local placed charged £15 a wheel last time I used them. They aren’t bad on tyre prices but I saved £50 in total buying online and getting them to fit.

[Jakg]

steveo3002 said:

only if you know a fitter that does them for a cash deal ...most places want ££ for fitting to cover what they should have made on the tyre

This is very important - I used a garage to fit my own tyres for years, but last time I was there they were rubbish and I won't be going back. But every other place I've tried won't fit my own - I'm sure there's a dodgy garage on a farm somewhere that probably will, but it'd be frustrating to find no-one AFTER you've got the tyres sitting in your hallway!

[ARHarh]

trickywoo said:

My local placed charged £15 a wheel last time I used them. They aren’t bad on tyre prices but I saved £50 in total buying online and getting them to fit.

Did you try telling them that, in my experience given that option they will get much nearer the price. Won't work with the chains though as they probably don't have the option to discount.

[tapkaJohnD]

Special case - I buy race tyres online and take them and the rims to my local KwikFit.
They don't sell race tyres, and are happy to fit a set for a fiver, which I hope goes in the fitter's pocket!

[Skyedriver]

Local tyre places to me will fit other tyres but reluctantly
My friendly garage won't. Too much risk, people come back saying they've damaged a wheel and they have to foot the bill.

[Krikkit]

I've given up trying local places for tyres these days - they seem to be totally uninterested in providing what you ask for.

e.g. rang a local Hankook "specialist" looking for a pair of PS71s fitted... "Nope we don't bother with them mate, how about a pair of Goodrides instead?" Pass!

Now just use camskill and book in with a place up the road, or through Asda/Blackcircles

[Smint]

I have 4 online sites i use and have a short list of tyres i'd happily buy, what i do is to start looking months before needing the tyres, keep an eye on your chosen sites over this period and in the meantime ask your preferred tyre shop what they can do, if they want to sell you only what they want you are at the wrong tyre place.

Sooner or later the right bargain will appear, if its online a quick call to your local place and see if they have anything to compare, if they have, great, if not snap the bargain up stick 'em in your garage or shed and get them fitted later.

Last set i picked up like this 2 years ago i found for £53 ish each, possibly wrongly priced but they honoured it, £10 each to fit.
Few days later i'd have been paying north of £90 online for the same or equivalent tyres, currently £110+

Don't leave tyre buying till the last minute.

[IAmTheWalrus]

trickywoo said:

My local placed charged £15 a wheel last time I used them. They aren’t bad on tyre prices but I saved £50 in total buying online and getting them to fit.

I paid about £15 for a reseal so I presume fitting would be the same, but they'll want to add on things like a balance weight? Anyway I've been advised to do the some kind of geo check too.

[IAmTheWalrus]

OK so first quote in from the towns biggest tyre fitter they say two front tyres b grade wet and v grade speed (149mph) £94 each inclusive of the vat. I asked about change of the tyre fee he said £29 each but would only work on new tyres. Could I buy tyres like that for £140 a pair? Orbit a different company charged me £15 or so for a reseal.

225 50 17 98w Xl were the cars specs
These say the made by Michelin so they work out at the same price £138.90

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203201018731?_trkparms=...

[Smint]

IAmTheWalrus said:

OK so first quote in from the towns biggest tyre fitter they say two front tyres b grade wet and v grade speed (149mph) £94 each inclusive of the vat. I asked about change of the tyre fee he said £29 each but would only work on new tyres. Could I buy tyres like that for £140 a pair? Orbit a different company charged me £15 or so for a reseal.

225 50 17 98w Xl were the cars specs
These say the made by Michelin so they work out at the same price £138.90

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203201018731?_trkparms=...

2 minutes checking on Camskill and you can have Continental, Goodyear and Pirelli A rated tyres for under £100 each delivered.

If you can't find someone prepared to fit and balance them for £15 apiece i'll be very surprised.

The cheapest tyre listed on Camskill i would personally consider would be Toyo Proxes Sport, again A rated @ £80.85 each plus if ir recall correctly about £2.50 each postage.
Uniroyal Rainsport 5 @ £82.90 plus postage and you'll struggle to find a better wet grip tyre at any price.

Edited by Smint on Friday 4th March 13:03

[trickywoo]

IAmTheWalrus said:

trickywoo said:

My local placed charged £15 a wheel last time I used them. They aren’t bad on tyre prices but I saved £50 in total buying online and getting them to fit.

I paid about £15 for a reseal so I presume fitting would be the same, but they'll want to add on things like a balance weight? Anyway I've been advised to do the some kind of geo check too.

£15 all in, including disposal of the used tyres is what I paid.

This was a year ago so I'm sure its more now but worth shopping around. My nearest place used to quote £15 for a puncture repair but £19 to fit a tyre. Its the same process. I can't see disposal being an extra £4 a tyre (over the patch and time to put it in).

[IAmTheWalrus]

Smint said:

2 minutes checking on Camskill and you can have Continental, Goodyear and Pirelli A rated tyres for under £100 each delivered.

If you can't find someone prepared to fit and balance them for £15 apiece i'll be very surprised.

The cheapest tyre listed on Camskill i would personally consider would be Toyo Proxes Sport, again A rated @ £80.85 each plus if ir recall correctly about £2.50 each postage.
Uniroyal Rainsport 5 @ £82.90 plus postage and you'll struggle to find a better wet grip tyre at any price.

Edited by Smint on Friday 4th March 13:03

ok well I dont know if you are quoting any tyre size to say the above, but upon using its search feature the only brand I found which I recognised which was cheapest were avon and they cost 89.65 so two of those is more than the quote from the place I called which were B grip for the wet too.

https://www.camskill.co.uk/m140b0s8019p201078/Avon...

I cant see to find a key to know if these re the right tyres, it says TL/TT as an optin and the above are TL.

[JP__FOX]

Definitely worth ringing round local tyres places to see who'll fit them for cash, avoid chains and I had more success... I found a place that'd do them for £10 a wheel if I took them the wheels off the car (track wheels so fine by me).

In the end, I was getting through that many tyres with track days that I just bought a tyre machine and the savings have paid for it

I'll happily do them for friends if they're not fussed about the chance of me adding a few scratches but I wouldn't do it for anyone with unmarked wheels, it's not just worth the risk.

As well as Camskill, try Black circles as you can select the fitting location and get them at a good price. Also worth trying Costco as with their offers, some sizes are cheaper fitted there then I can buy supply only!

[IAmTheWalrus]

JP__FOX said:

Definitely worth ringing round local tyres places to see who'll fit them for cash, avoid chains and I had more success... I found a place that'd do them for £10 a wheel if I took them the wheels off the car (track wheels so fine by me).

In the end, I was getting through that many tyres with track days that I just bought a tyre machine and the savings have paid for it

I'll happily do them for friends if they're not fussed about the chance of me adding a few scratches but I wouldn't do it for anyone with unmarked wheels, it's not just worth the risk.

As well as Camskill, try Black circles as you can select the fitting location and get them at a good price. Also worth trying Costco as with their offers, some sizes are cheaper fitted there then I can buy supply only!

Thanks for the advice, you must enjoy your trackdays to get through enough tyres to warrant the purchase of the machine?

[IAmTheWalrus]

So on blackcircles the cheapest brand I recognise is avon and they are £98 each too.