Tyre fitting

[xtriple]

I used to (about 25 years ago!) have a share in 'save on tyres' in Totnes. I tried to help the lads one Saturday and so royally fucked the two tyres I fitted that I cost the business more than it made all morning!

 

I can fit dirt bike tyres and trials tyres, but road bikes I always take to the proper guys as I do like to get them done properly.

 

I always used to use 'Brixham tyres' which was owned by a bunch of religious nutters (not really, they were JWs and decent coves!) and they were spot on for everything. I never even used to get quotes anywhere else, just turn up and get the tyres from them and fitted there and then. They were decent, honest and not overly pricey. What more can you ask?

 

I did once or twice look online for cheap tyres but BT were usually cheaper, even for stuff they had to order in specially for me!

[hauserplenty]

 

Runflats, Impotenzas and low profile tires are quite difficult, each in its own way. Most shops I've worked at skimp on tire machines, but still expect all tires to be mounted in the same amount of time as a Cooper superpooperscooper. [/tire jockey rant]

Testicles.

You pay your money and you take your chance...

 

Top* tip: leave 'em in the sun** for a few hours to soften the sidewalls up a bit.

 

** If at all possible.

[Eddie Honda]

Going back about 10 years. A fast-fit mobile van guy would do (in his spare time after hours) a fiver a tyre, fitted, valve, balanced and take the carcass. Also back then, Adams & Page in Cressex, High Wycombe would charge the following formula for own tyres - £3 off, £ 3 on, £3 valve, £3 balance - so at least you knew where you were at for just getting tyres off before getting wheels blasted, etc.

 

I generally offer the tyre place an opportunity to quote me for fitted tyres, but given that I tend to want near obsolete sizes, particular makes, they generally will fit something I supply as an exception to their "WE DON'T FIT INTERNET TYRES HERE" policy.

 

I think the last tyres I had supplied to be fitted were done for €10 a rim - 3x Michelin XZX 145SR15.

[Andrew353w]

Nobody around me would fit tyres that you have supplied.

 

My local place has just brought in that policy, whereas before they'd balance & fit tyres bought elsewhere for an appropriate fee.

 

It could be because they've recently been bought up by Kwik-Fit, though! I've noticed a distinct change in attitude recently......

[KruJoe]

I used to piss about with soapy water, levers and lump-hammer (Bollox style), but it's just not worth the aggro.

These days I'll always take clean, rust-free rims and fresh tyres down in the car, lift them out myself and chat to the gaffer, and tell them I'll cart them home and do all the jacking up and wrench work myself (rather than having some YTS grease-monkey shovel up the soft underbelly of a BX with a BFO trolley jack, for example). I tell them I'll take the old tyres too, to sling on the farmer's silo. I'll often leave the job there for a few hours so I can come back after their lunchtime, when they can do it for cash.

Yogi's in Keighley was £3 until last year, a fiver a corner these days, boots slipped on and balanced. 

Fast-Fit in Skipton (a new outfit serving the taxis) match this price for me if I leave the old valves in for them. The last set of 17's I paid £25, as I'd cut out the old valves to re-paint the rims.

It certainly pays to know how to speak with Yorkshire-Asian workers like one of their own, and they seem to appreciate not having to touch the customer's car.

[fordperv]

I tend to just get my tires fitted by the place I buy them from, the gaffer is a good bloke, let's me use his jack and tools to remove the wheels as he knows I'm particular at how my car gets jacked up, one of his lads accidentally dropped the inflator on one of my freshly refurbished escort cosworth alloys chipping the paint, he was straight up about the cock up in apologising and offer of payment to repair, my mate who refurbed them painted the wheel again at mates rates so the saving got passed on to the gaffer, always get good fitted prices there so I'm happy.

[gm]

there's a really good mobile guy round here that will come to me. he quoted £45 to fit a set of four but only charged £40 as I already had the wheels off the car. he kept the used tyres to sell on cheap to the kids at driftoland

[cort16]

I bought 2 new tyres for my juke today and it took all my will power to buy 2 decent tyres rather than 50 quid wangking ditch finders. I went to a local place and they matched black circles. I've had 25k out those front tyres which is pretty good I recon .