Would you (or Mrs) pay to get your tyres pumped up?

singist

singist

singist

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I've been asked to check out opinions on this ..... it's going ahead anyway but I would appreciate any feedback.

There will be an operator in NCP car parks all over Britain; offering to check the tyres for obvious faults and make sure that the pressures are correct. I'm told that the cost would be something like £1 small car, £1-50 medium and £2 for things like Range rovers.
What I'm asking is, if it were you, would you take advantage or carry on doing it yourself?

I know that when I do my own, the machine takes 2x20p to be able to complete the process and I end up with filthy hands too so to sit in comfort and have someone else do them for a couple of quid max seems a good idea.

I'm told (Michelin research) that the savings made in MPG and tyre wear would far outweigh the cost so everyone wins ( it seems ). I'm also told that 90% of people are driving around with under inflated tyres and at least 25% are dangerousy under.

So, what do you guys think?
 
Not a chance.

How do they know what pressure you should be running the tyres at?

Huge handbook they carry with them?

Are they going to weigh the vehicle too in order to decide on the payload it may be carrying and then adjust the tyres to suit?

Most mainstream tyre garages already offer a free tyre pressure check and adjustment anyway.

Ill do it myself and know that its done right.
 
Berger said:
Not a chance.

How do they know what pressure you should be running the tyres at?

Huge handbook they carry with them?

Are they going to weigh the vehicle too in order to decide on the payload it may be carrying and then adjust the tyres to suit?

Most mainstream tyre garages already offer a free tyre pressure check and adjustment anyway.

Ill do it myself and know that its done right.
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Nearly all vehicles carry pressure info (standard fitted tyres) on the door pillar; if not, the handbook, if not there is a general Michelin guide.

NOT a tyre place, NCP car park.

How often do you check your tyres? ...... truthfully?
 
Why would someone pay more to have their tyres checked for a range rover than a small car or a medium sized car, thay have all got 4 tyres?
Is the air that they put into a larger car worth more?
 
No I have a pump in my boot and check my tyres myself, also all cars have 4 wheels why are bigger ones charged more?
 
Not a chance, I only use one of those 20p machines if I really have to. I've got a little 12v compressor and do it myself.

I check my GF tyres as well, it only takes 30 seconds!
 
singist said:
Nearly all vehicles carry pressure info (standard fitted tyres) on the door pillar; if not, the handbook, if not there is a general Michelin guide.

NOT a tyre place, NCP car park.

How often do you check your tyres? ...... truthfully?
Click to expand...

If you can be bothered to look at that then surely you can pump them up yourself! Do it at the petrol station and use the free gloves provided for you to stop your hands being covered in diesel too.

I check my tyres every time I fill up, which would be every other day for work, takes 2 minutes to do as we all have a handheld pressure gauge provided in the van.

And I will also alter the pressures when the van is loaded as you need to greatly increase rear tyre pressure for a full load.

At home ill give the car a quick look around when I get it off the drive and check the pressures before I take it on any longer journey or after ive washed it (weekly).
 
I think costco balance and check each wheel for £10!

I am not sure about check only.

Instead they should have advisors warning people of the impact cheap tyres can have.
 
I wouldn't pay a sausage, I bought a 12v compressor/pressure gauge which means i can do my tyres anywhere for free.
 
For £1 I would.

I check mine often anyway but I'd let someone else do it for £1 if they gave the tyres a check over at the same time.

I wouldn't want to hang around and watch them do it though, so they'd have to get the pressure info before I left.
 
Lummox said:
Why would someone pay more to have their tyres checked for a range rover than a small car or a medium sized car, thay have all got 4 tyres?
Is the air that they put into a larger car worth more?
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More volume and a little more time involved but I'm more interested in the principal of it really .... maybe a flat fee of £1-50 for all would be better.

I'm not trying to force anyone to do this, I'm genuinely interested in the answers so I'd like your real feelings ...... all the "I do myself, so I know they're done right" is ok but do you actually check 'em every 1,000 miles? and how accurate is the gear that you use? I know that I don't do mine every 1,000 miles; it's when I can remember or be arsed to do it.
 
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singist said:
More volume and a little more time involved but I'm more interested in the principal of it really .... maybe a flat fee of £1-50 for all would be better.

I'm not trying to force anyone to do this, I'm genuinely interested in the answers so I'd like your real feelings ...... all the "I do myself, so I know their done right" is ok but do you actually check 'em every 1,000 miles? and how accurate is the gear that you use? I know that I don't do mine every 1,000 miles; it's when I can remember or be arsed to do it.
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About once a week generally I'll give them a go over, so maybe every 250 miles. At most 2 weeks so 500 miles.
 
What I would say is you would have to check them all very carefully, what about sidewall issues on the inside edge up in the wheelarch where you wouldnt be able to see.

Would you have the owner turn full lock on for you so you could view all the tread apart from the tread on the ground?

Where would you stand legally, have them sign a disclaimer after you have done the "work" if they came back after having a blowout/puncture or something and blamed your workmanship.....
 
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