Best way to get new tyres fitted

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Soldato
Joined
6 Mar 2008
Posts
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Location
Leicestershire
Now that I have a nice car with 18" Diamond Cut Alloys in good condition I'd like to keep them that way so I'm a bit weary of the high street tyre fitters especially having read some horror stories about them online and tyre fitting carelessly, causing damage to the rims.

So what's the best way of getting tyres fitted? Is it via mobile fitters as they may take more care or should I buy the tyres and get them delivered to me and then ask someone who is going to take more care in fitting them and if so who would that be?

I've got a booking with ATS at the moment but the last time I went there and they did wheel alignment it was horrendous so I haven't got any confidence they'd be able to change 4 new tyres with the required level of competence so I'm inclined to cancel it should there be better and safer alternatives that may apply.

Tia
 
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I’ve never had an issue, always get mobile fitters to do it. They all seem to use the same equipment though.

Stone chips have been a bigger issue for my diamond cut alloys than anything else.
 
CaptainRAVE said:
I’ve never had an issue, always get mobile fitters to do it. They all seem to use the same equipment though.

Stone chips have been a bigger issue for my diamond cut alloys than anything else.
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I did have a look at going with tyres on the drive then read how downhill they went compared to the last time i used them, as they were acquired by halfords. who'd have thought.

So I booked with kwik fit mobile fitting and whilst aware of the flack kwik fit get I found a thread online which praised their mobile fitting so was ok with that and thought if its on my drive they're probably going to take more care anyway as i've got ring video door bell and a security camera so if they clocked them they wouldn't be careless.

But then I saw ATS were doing £70 off and £50 amazon gift card so decided to go with them, now I'm wondering whether I should because of what I've read on other threads!
 
Last 3 tyre changes on my car have been;

"We haven't got the "thing" to balance your wheels."
You mean the adapter to hold a 4 x 100 fitment wheel to your balancing machine?!
"Yeah, so we've had to send them in the van to our other place so it won't be long."

Over 3 hours to get 4 tyres fitted :rolleyes:

Second my wheels were clearly placed outer face down on the concrete floor.

Third the guy with the impact wrench was either an addict long overdue his next fix or suffering from quite advanced Parkinson's.

Either all tyre places are **** or I have the worst luck :p
 
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Friend of mine had tyres on the drive (Halfords, national tyres, probably many other places) out to fit some new tyres to his beemer.

They scratched 2 of his diamond cut alloys, cost the company £5k for a whole new set in the end.
 
I prefer mobile fitters over once based in a garage. Had far too many careless workers cause damage to my wheels over the years. Mobile fitters are just a lot more careful and considerate.
 
I use our local ATS who are really good. They serviced our Kia actually, including 4x Michelin tyres and all round new disks and pads (badly needed) - did a really good job of it. As is always the case though, just because mine are good doesn’t mean anything.
 
Last mobile fitter I had looks to have taken the weights off with a metal scraper leaving deep gouges in the paint. The wheel lug wells are always scraped by the rattle gun too.
 
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I have actually thought about getting my own balancing machine.

You can pick them up for 300-400 plus another 100 for a tyre remover.

Tyre fitting is getting really expensive recently. £20 a tyre at a lot of places.

We have 4 cars now and i know I will have to do rear tyres on one, fronts on another and a full set on a third.

Just in year 1 I will pay £160 in tyre fitting alone. Just some food for thought.

The gear would pay for itself in about 2-3 years.
 
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Mobile fitters are very hit and miss, we've blacklisted several at work - the last one we blacklisted was seen on CCTV chucking the reassembled wheel from the back of the van to our van a distance of several feet and about 5 foot drop and after they left there was a ~8 inch by 3 inch greasy mark above one wheel arch with deep scratches in the paint along the length of it - likely from their dirty glove.
 
tom_e said:
Friend of mine had tyres on the drive (Halfords, national tyres, probably many other places) out to fit some new tyres to his beemer.

They scratched 2 of his diamond cut alloys, cost the company £5k for a whole new set in the end.
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presumably he took photos of the wheels just before the fitter arrived ?
 
tom_e said:
Yes, always get pictures but even if you don't the fitter should record any existing damage before fitting to cover themselves
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I've got the car booked in in the afternoon so I may wash it in the morning if not the day before and take photos of the wheels when I park at ATS.
 
It really does seem pot luck.. over the years I've had two wheels damaged.. the most recent one in September... the place took full responsibility once I showed them the photos and resolved the issue to my satisfaction...
 
adam cool dude said:
I have actually thought about getting my own balancing machine.

You can pick them up for 300-400 plus another 100 for a tyre remover.

Tyre fitting is getting really expensive recently. £20 a tyre at a lot of places.

We have 4 cars now and i know I will have to do rear tyres on one, fronts on another and a full set on a third.

Just in year 1 I will pay £160 in tyre fitting alone. Just some food for thought.

The gear would pay for itself in about 2-3 years.
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all your old 'mates' will come out of the woodwork as soon as you get one :cry:
 
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