The anal amongst us

MrLOL said:
on one of works pool cars i actually did

jumped up and down so much on it i stripped the inside of the bit that you put over the wheel nut.
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When i first got this car i broke the locking wheelnut key through force due to the same issue. I think the key was a flawed design as the new set was completely different (with Mercedes commenting on how often the old style ones broke) but still. That was a long night that one. I wasnt running RFT's that time either so i was stuck :(
 
Jez said:
When i first got this car i broke the locking wheelnut key through force due to the same issue. I think the key was a flawed design as the new set was completely different (with Mercedes commenting on how often the old style ones broke) but still. That was a long night that one. I wasnt running RFT's that time either so i was stuck :(
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Carry a can of tyre weld?
 
Nope i carry a spare wheel! Not much help when you cant get the other wheel off though :D

If you mean i should do...hmm, maybe i should actually :)
 
I used to take mine to Kwik Fit until they completely ruined the paint on them.

I take them to another place now and they look after them, do it properly and are cheap.
 
Jez said:
When i first got this car i broke the locking wheelnut key through force due to the same issue. I think the key was a flawed design as the new set was completely different (with Mercedes commenting on how often the old style ones broke) but still. That was a long night that one. I wasnt running RFT's that time either so i was stuck :(
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RAC tbh.
 
Just had a full set of tyres fitted to my freshly refurbed LM's.

I did ask the fitter to watch the rim as it's bare polished alloy.
He did then ask if I wanted to clean off the tyre soap as he only had blue roll and that might scratch the rim :)

Another excellent job by Event Tyres and only £10 more than the internet retailers (and that didn't include them fitting them on my drive!)
 
jamoor said:
RAC tbh.
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Indeed, but they are hardly quick compared with simply swapping a wheel yourself. Plus because the key was broken i had to get it to MB to get all of the wheels off the next day and a fresh set of locking nuts installed :(
 
Jez said:
Lucky enough to know someone you can borrow the machines from?
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I lend a hand (make the tea) at a depollution yard and they've got the kit there (scrap yards want the rims but not the tyres)

Takes me a few attempts to get them balanced though, must be some sort of black magic involved.
 
As expected, there's an indentation where they levered the side wall over the rim.

The edge of the alloy was a little tatty anyway but that's not the point :(
 
Joshy said:
I don't think you need to approach fitting tyres with the thought of "perfection". I certainly don't think "Lets get this perfect" when I'm mounting tyres, not even on £1,000 a piece Brand New wheels - I'm more thinking "Let's make this as painless as possible" because I found that tyre fitting is an awful, awful job to anyone who cares an ounce about their workmanship - I still cringe every time the tyre lever bar makes contact on the bare rim when removing an old tyre, or when the brand new £400 odd PZero I'm mounting gets stretched to the point I'm convinced it'll split whilst mounting the the top beading onto the rim. If your tyre fitter doesn't cringe at these moments asking him nicely isn't going to make a hell of a lot of difference to the out come because the fitter just doesn't care!

Come to think of it, despite never damaging a Rim, I'd refuse absolutely point-blank to fit a tyre with the owner watching over my back. Likewise, if the job card read "Take care with rims" I'd roll my eyes and carry on business as usual - I don't intend of damaging a customer's set of wheels and will naturally do my best to not allow that to happen, and certainly don't need a reminder to do my job properly.
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Sorry but my experience (I too worked in a garage and fitted tyres in my yooth!) based over 25 years plus tells me that most tyre fitters and machancis don't give a stuff, like so many within our beloved service industry and if you had an issue with me watching you work you wouldn't be working on my car. I pay the bill, I define the standards I expect and if you have no interest or are unable to accept that fine, I go elsewhere and at the rates I go through tyres and the costs of those tyres it's not my loss. Fact is most lads are happy to have a chat, I don't stand over their shoulder watching every move, I just engage in a conversation that ensures they know what I expect and for me it works without a hitch and I drink a coffee while we chat about 'stuff'. On the odd time I don't, like with my wifes Golf above, it goes wrong, so go figure. I also tip well on the odd occasion which means my car tends to get worked on as soon as I pitch up as I work on the basis that one good deed deserves another.
 
Housey said:
Sorry but my experience (I too worked in a garage and fitted tyres in my yooth!) based over 25 years plus tells me that most tyre fitters and machancis don't give a stuff, like so many within our beloved service industry and if you had an issue with me watching you work you wouldn't be working on my car. I pay the bill, I define the standards I expect and if you have no interest or are unable to accept that fine, I go elsewhere and at the rates I go through tyres and the costs of those tyres it's not my loss. Fact is most lads are happy to have a chat, I don't stand over their shoulder watching every move, I just engage in a conversation that ensures they know what I expect and for me it works without a hitch and I drink a coffee while we chat about 'stuff'. On the odd time I don't, like with my wifes Golf above, it goes wrong, so go figure. I also tip well on the odd occasion which means my car tends to get worked on as soon as I pitch up as I work on the basis that one good deed deserves another.
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Fair enough.

I just personally hate the idea of someone watching the quality of my work. Don't get me wrong, I've worked in-front of customers before, but they've always watched out of sheer interest rather than watching (and waiting) for me to screw up.
 
Joshy said:
Fair enough.

I just personally hate the idea of someone watching the quality of my work. Don't get me wrong, I've worked in-front of customers before, but they've always watched out of sheer interest rather than watching (and waiting) for me to screw up.
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Well if the quality of your work is good, what's the problem?

I have yet to find a tyre fitter who minded me watching, an extra tenner goes a long way towards a bit of good will. And by watching im not hoping or waiting for a **** up, im trying to avoid that happening.

I for one would be spending my money somewhere else if i met objections to me watching in fact.
 
If I'm somewhere I don't know, I just quite visibly watch them do it.

But asides from punctures 300 miles from home, It'll be the garage where Dad and my brother work, so one of them will be doing it.
 
I always take my car to the same one man tyre garage CLCM in Edinburgh. He is well regarded and never marks the wheels which are the same ones as Housey's wife's old GTI which are known to easily mark. His wheel balancing and alignment is also always spot on first time.

He is now £50 to change 4 tyres but a small price to pay when you know the wheels are in good hands. I knew before I went the first time from forum posts that he was going to be good so I never asked him to look after my wheels.
 
I never used to say anything and have mainly used a mobile fitter in the past with no problems.....until they royally monged my alloys last time.

Will now be taking it to a local independent and making sure I mention it!

Need to get 3 this week....two Bridgestone ER300 205/55 R16 and one Michelin Primacy in the same size, poor wallet :(
 
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