Changing tyres in France - on a sunday?

[ca-uk]

Just got to our hotel, final 0.5km, nice - lumpy ride, on stopping big screw planted in front right tyre.

Checked at the desk - no tyre places open on a sunday, all shut now - there is 'a man' who will come out for 140 euro to look at it, but he may not be able to do anything.

We're in Troyes, meant to be back to uk tomorrow on 6pm chunnel. We are about 3.5hours from there..

Does anyone have any French experience - anything in France that is a chain/well known tyre shop that opens on a Sunday that there might be one of en-route?

I have the spare in the boot, but don't think i should drive that far on it? Would rather replace/repair the front right..

Thanks for any advice!!

 

[franey]

Hi
Whatever you do at this time of day I think its payout time.

If the garcon is going to charge 140 euros to come and look at it then thats easy money, its obvious you need a new tyre, either he can replace it or not.!! Don't fall for it.

If your spare is the space saver then there is a restriction on the speed.

Personally I would chance my arm with the space saver, they are quite robust but follow the advice on the sticker or in your handbook.

I will try to find if anywhere is open on a Sunday for you..............

Brb

 

[LTD]

Run with the space saver and if it goes pear shaped then you call for your International Recovery.

You've done all you can do up to that point.

 

[troiscentmille]

The Midas Centre in troyes number is 03 25 73 73 74 Located 8 Boulevard Victor Hugo

but of course its closed Sunday malheuresement. Michelin Onway is an (expensive) alternative

No cant find any open Sunday , Speedy Norauto Feu Vert etc all closed - Might be a "switched on" operator with an advert in a service station on the autoroute is the best I can think of

 

[st4]

Spacesavers can do apparently any miles, just speed restricted.

I should know, I had the AA man today. 1x puncture on a new tyre. Lovely.

 

[jasonyw]

The space saver doesn't save much space isn't it?

Merc should revert to normal wheel.

50mph as long is driveable is better than been robbed. Weigh your dilemma.

Good luck, hope you get home alright.

Your last hope is Merc Rescue if your car is regularly serviced by Merc.

 

[MD5]

What are the chances of one/some of the lads working on their own car on a Sunday? It may be worth a drive past for a look.

SPEEDY France - Centre auto, garage, point de service, pneus, à Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Toulouse... et partout en France. - SPEEDY France, entretien et réparations auto, boutique en ligne pneus à prix Internet

 

[ca-uk]

thanks chaps - i tried speedy earlier - all shut up/locked up.. is it definately a spacesaver in the boot as it's a 2004 model - when i looked before leaving then it looked like a normal wheel/tyre..

i have 18" amg's and a towbar (though i'm not towing, didn't know if the boot floor was diffo) if that makes any difference to the spare?!

luckily have internet here at the hotel so i can do some googling - i definately don't fancy trekking home at 50mph, though if the tyre is fine over the distance then it is likely better then being stiffed 140 for callout and likely 200 for a tyre..

 

[trapperjohn]

Best of Luck buddy.

 

[renault12ts]

thanks chaps - i tried speedy earlier - all shut up/locked up.. is it definately a spacesaver in the boot as it's a 2004 model - when i looked before leaving then it looked like a normal wheel/tyre..

i have 18" amg's and a towbar (though i'm not towing, didn't know if the boot floor was diffo) if that makes any difference to the spare?!

luckily have internet here at the hotel so i can do some googling - i definately don't fancy trekking home at 50mph, though if the tyre is fine over the distance then it is likely better then being stiffed 140 for callout and likely 200 for a tyre..

Doesn't make any difference. After all a lot are fitted after purchase.

 

[ca-uk]

i'll go and unload the boot and have a look - if not a spacesaver then > 50mph?

 

[ca-uk]

boo - big yellow sticker - 50mph

have found one norauto in paris that is open sundays - trying to weigh up whether all the way home at 50 is better or worse than heading toward paris!

 

[wemorgan]

If it helps, from my experience traffic in Paris isn't too bad on Sundays.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Depending on where in Paris it is, you are only going about 50 miles out of your way.

 

[ca-uk]

it's this one:

Norauto Bonneuil sur Marne
Adresse : 17 avenue de la convention
ZAC de la fosse aux moines
F - 94380 BONNEUIL SUR MARNE
Tél : 01 56 70 61 70

Horaires : Ouvert du lundi au samedi de 9h00 à 19h00. Ouvert le dimanche de 10h00 à 18h00.

looks like the right side of paris - guess the only risk is if they don't have a tyre of the right size in stock..

 

[Charles Morgan]

A manageable risk as you aren't that far out of the way and would still have plenty of time to get to Calais.

Good luck!

 

[219]

Aren't you in AA/RAC , who will have a reciprocal arrangement with a partner organisation over there ?

If tyre is repairable , they may do it for you , cost covered by your membership .

As above , Mercedes-Benz emergency number for the country as listed in the litte Europa book in the glovebox is another option .

 

[l5foye]

For future reference, you may want to consider buying a tubeless tyre repair kit-they are only £5 and there is enough stuff to repair 50+ punctures. Add a small air compressor driven from the cigarette lighter and you will everything you need for emergencies like the one you have encountered.

 

[gIzzE]

I know you will have sorted this by now but worth noting most tyre centres will only replace in pairs across the axle.

I wanted a pilot sport 2 for an A4 avant a few years back and none of the tyre centres would order me one, the tyres had only done 4k miles so I wasn't prepared to order 2 new ones, oh and they had cost me £110 each at home and were £240 each over there!
They wouldn't repair it either, so I stuck the spare on and used that and bought a can of gunk and a compressor in case I lost that one, I had 2 weeks and the journey home from the South so may have got a second puncture.
Got back and the local fitter plugged it for £10.


So interested to see if you saw anyone and whether they replaced it or even repaired it for you??

 

[ca-uk]

I had breakdown cover - but all they would do would be to tow me to a garage and cover X many pounds for overnight stay to wait for a garage to open monday.

I'll look up a tubeless repair kit - but wouldn't that also be a restricted speed?

We went via Paris - Norauto wouldn't repair the tyre as they said although it could be repaired, they wouldn't repair a Z rated tyre. We found one other tyre shop 'autobac' - they also wouldn't repair it due to speed rating. Norauto would replace the tyre, but had none in stock and on a sunday wouldn't be able to get one, autobac at first said we had to have same tyres on an axle so would have to replace the pair, then when i said i only want one and would sort out other when at home they agreed, but then they also had none in stock!

So, we ended up doing a 450 mile trip at 50mph on the space saver! Coupled with a jam packed parisian ring road, and the usual m20/m25 traffic jam then it meant 12 hours from troyes to home!

Still, we got home. Took the car up to the tyre shop this morning and they repaired it for £15 and didn't mention anything about speed rating?