Sick of having tyres and balancing done/

I can see the appeal, but my local tyre place charges £5 a wheel for fitting and balancing, I just drop off my track wheels and tyres and go back next day. They fit the swap in when they are quiet and we`re both happy. If I want it doing while I wait, they will do, but I try and give them more time to keep it at a fiver. Been paying that for years. :)

Problem I see with doing it yourself is all you need to do is knacker one bead and waste a tyre and you`ve lost all the saving you had in doing it yourself.

Don`t get me wrong, i`m all for DIY and if I had room for a tyre machine and someone offered me one, I`d have it, but it`s not high on my list.
 
Pretty much the same as Nige for me. Something I'd love at home but as a friend works for a tyre fitters if I pop in when they are quiet he'll swap tyres on loose tyres for a fiver a pop.
 
Tom_ed1987 said:
And some balancing weights with decent adhesive backs :p

Very jealous, wish I had this kit. Getting tyre things done at a garage is one of my least favourite car ownership things. Don't think i've ever left completely happy with the work done.
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This for me. I would love to have the equipment to avoid using tyre places rather than to save money.
 
I'd love to know where people find places willing to fit tyres not bought through them for these amazing low prices :( Round here i know of 1 tyre place only that will do it for £10 a tyre and that's only because i've been going there for ages, anyone else will say no unless you buy the tyres through them.
 
sovietspybob said:
I'd love to know where people find places willing to fit tyres not bought through them for these amazing low prices :( Round here i know of 1 tyre place only that will do it for £10 a tyre and that's only because i've been going there for ages, anyone else will say no unless you buy the tyres through them.
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I always buy tyres online and have never heard of a garage refusing to fit them because they didn't supply :confused:
 
It's not that they wont fit them, it's the fact they wont do it for a fiver!
I know we wont, £10 is mates rates.
 
Ask your Taxi driver the next time you are in a cab. ;)

Whenever I go, almost all their customers are Taxi drivers getting part worns tyres fitted, which in itself it quite worrying... :eek:


I used to use another tyre place but the owner changed and wanted £7.50 a tyre. I spent half an hour in the local area driving round, calling at the smaller independants and found 2 who would happily swap and balance for £5 a wheel for 15" and £7 a wheel for 17"

They`ve had plenty business from me since then :) I don`t rush them and they are happy to earn a fiver when they are quiet rather than sit around earning nothing.
 
I have 2 real issues.

I get depressed at tyre shops and your feet get cold sat around as you scrutinise what they're doing.

Going back for re balancing .
 
Another update.

Tyre machine and wheel balancer is still there.

But I was getting sick of the 2 post lift I had purchased. It was a 1990 model and Made in Sheffield, solid for sure but just wasn't low enough for my cars. It would just about get under a 530i but the M5, 996, DB9 all a no go. I paid £550 for it and sold it for £550.

Seeing as I had saved myself a ridiculous fortune over the year on maintenance I decided to do it properly once and for all. Got myself a baseless Nussbaum lift which is fully refurbished and pretty damn ace :D

2014_08_21_13_56_42.jpg


The damage was £1200 inc fitting.
 
I can get an old tyre taken off, a new tyre put on, new valves fitted and balancing done for £5 a corner locally. The guy uses the proper machines as you stand there and watch as well.
 
Acme said:
I can get an old tyre taken off, a new tyre put on, new valves fitted and balancing done for £5 a corner locally. The guy uses the proper machines as you stand there and watch as well.
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I do it for £0.08 in my warm garage when I am bored or have some free time.
 
pepsilol said:
I do it for £0.08 in my warm garage when I am bored or have some free time.
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Is that how much power the process uses? :p

At the price you bought the fitting kit for, I would have to replace my tyres 17 or 18 times before I get my money back. That could be 17 or 18 years! :p

But I do understand, and would love to have my own tyre fitting equipment at home. And a twin-post lift. And other things. :)
 
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Acme said:
I can get an old tyre taken off, a new tyre put on, new valves fitted and balancing done for £5 a corner locally. The guy uses the proper machines as you stand there and watch as well.
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That's ridiculously cheap. He polish or something?
 
fonzee said:
That's ridiculously cheap. He polish or something?
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No, but he does look like he would murder someone for a hit of something. :p
He also repairs punctures for £5 (including taking the tyre off and putting it back on) and you can buy part worn tyres for £1.50 each and get him to fit them for £5 each, though I wouldn't recommend that! :p
Mr_White said:
Look at his car. It's not that expensive of a job when you have 10" wheels :p
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Hey, they are 14" thankyou! :p

He charges a flat rate regardless of wheel/tyre spec for fitting and balancing anyway.

He also works stupidly fast. I timed him, he took 40 seconds to take off the old tyre, put on a new tyre, re-valve it, fill it, balance it and leak test it. Not kidding. Bloke runs around like a madman.
 
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Garage is looking good man!

Does the lift have the safety pins so you could use it to store cars up high if you needed to space save?
 
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