Puncture repair costs inc wheel balancing

[MSG2004]

Hi

I thought twice re buying a car without a spare wheel of any type but did by a brand new gle last year.
Last week, tyre warning light on, screw in tyre, (cars only done 4k) and thankfully in the middle of the tyre so can be repaired - went to National Tyres, nearest to home - got the tyre repaired.

tyre size 265 45 20 - cost 25 quid

9 quid labour
3-50 cap and core
This is what concerns me - 6-75 wheelbalance by TIMES 2 = 13-50
vat
= 25 quid

Why the 2 times wheel balance cost? I was in a rush and thought about it just now and emailed their HQ

No one likes being ripped off but I may be wrong

Insult to injury, the lead balanced look awful compared to the original and the bloke put it in a place not covered by spokes and as lighter weights compared to the originals the length is a good 3:5 inches compared to the 2 inches on the original.

I may sound petty, but the wheel does look awful with that silly weight but not the fault of bloke that did the job imo but possibly could have hidden the weight a bit better

thanks all

 

[400ixl]

The machine tells them where to put it both on the circumference as well as the width of the rim, so they don't really get a choice.

Unless they split it up and make the machine do multiple calculations to try to hide it, but that is hassle that the vast majority would not care about.

The tyre may well have been put back on in a different rotation which is not counter balanced to the valve which will then require different counter weight distributions.

 

[John N]

£25 for a plug Repair and Balance sounds about average, I would suggest that the Balance x 2 is either a printer error or Invoice Error!

 

[400ixl]

I would have expected around £20, maybe more in central London for example. So not wildly out of my expectations.

 

[MSG2004]

Hello all
Thank you all for the replies.
National tyres state "6-50" for a balance as part of puncture repair. They charged 6-75, twice.
Kwik fit, Halfords charge 25 quid, but it the twice charge for the balance - and this does not correspond with what their HQ said.
I will update next week when/if I get another response. It was not a mistake as I recall the manager saying "you have big wheels, hence the extra cost." But closer inspection re invoice states extra charges for wheels over 20 inches, mine are only 20 inches.

It's a matter of principal, therefore I need clarity.
Thanks