Subject to my credit card being debited as billed, I'll award a big "thumbs up" to Tyre Shopper for online tyre purchase.
I selected to have 2 Continental tyres supplied and fitted by a local National Tyre outlet and all went as planned with only a little "office stickiness" (the reason being price - see later).
I learned a very long time ago never to take a car to a tyre shop if you want to avoid damage so I arrived at the appointed time with 2 loose wheels. All was done correctly with new valves and balancing included in the price. The tyres had been inflated as per my instructions (2 psi over as new tyres lose a bit of air as the beads bed) and fitting lubricant had been used.
2 x 165/70 x 13 79T Eco Contact 3 tyres:
National Tyre's online price GBP112.50
Tyre Shopper GBP82
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What do you mean by 'loose wheels'? Doesn't sound like a very good idea but I am sure there is some background to your comment
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What do you mean by 'loose wheels'? Doesn't sound like a very good idea but I am sure there is some background to your comment
I think he means two wheels in the boot. Not two wheels on which the wheel nuts aren't properly tightened!
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The internet has revolutionised shopping for me for anything. I loathe going shopping in a town, especially the centre of Sunderland and I'm not keen on phoning around for prices.
A few simple internet searches will find you what you want at the best price.
I find this particularly so for tyres. My Panda 4x4 uses M+S (mud and snow) tyres and the fast fit places are just not interested in even quoting for these.
So, well done for saving yourself some hard-earned cash.
PS, I think by "loose wheels" he means that he takes them in off the original car in the back of another car. Prevents the numpty tyre fitters putting their jacks on delicate parts of the car.
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Although the alloys on my golf are 5 years old they haven't got a mark on them, and i,d be mortified if some tyrefitter marked them when changing tyres. How do you avoid this if using unknown tyrefitting centres?
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I can only imagine that threatening the tyre fitters with a fate worse than death if they mark your wheels before they start is the best answer. Does take a degree of assertiveness that personally I lack.
I'm lucky to have found a good tyre fitter who repairs punctures and fits internet tyres for £5. As he is an employee of a body repair shop he doesn't appear to be on comission so never tries to sell me anything I don't want either.
Wouldn't dare threaten him with any kind of horrid fate, he's much bigger than I am.
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As a conclusion, my credit card account has been correctly debited so an unreserved "Thumbs Up" to Tyre Shopper.
"Loose wheels" is tyre fitter speak for wheels supplied as separate items - I took them in the boot of my own car.
I have to relate that fast fit centre dubious trading is alive and well. Whilst getting my Continentals fitted, a lady arrived with a Micra (must be a fairly similar tyre specification to the 106 for which I was buying tyres) and asked for a quote for "two of the cheapest tyres".
National Tyre quoted her GBP 160 (approx) to supply, fit, balance, swap to front axle(!) and check tracking 2 Chinese "lucky dip" radials. No doubt adjusting the tracking would have been extra.
She accepted. I resisted the temptation to show her my Tyre Shopper invoice - I (marginally) decided that it was unwarranted intrusion.
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