Tyre prices - online vs. local

[jwarren]

In response to my last post here. Just bought 4 x Michelin Primacy Pilot 195/65R15 91V's at the same online quote (www.valuetyres.co.uk) from Kwik Fit at £260.88, including fitting, valves, balancing and tyre disposal. On a C200k w0203. They say they price match locally and you get the webprice for local tyre fitter, print it out and job done!

 

[Shude]

Shude posted elsewhere that he got 45K out of his last winter tyres, which just seems incredible to me. My (summer tyres) do 20K or so, and that's all steady motorway driving.

I drive almost slow enough to drive Miss Daisy and most of my driving is on the motorway. Winter tyres are not harder wearing they harden less in winter to provide more grip.

Also, two of the tyres were frankly illegal in the centres. If I'd rotated them front vs back I think they'd have been evenly worn centres vs shoulders.

 

[Rory]

Winter tyres are not harder wearing they harden less in winter to provide more grip.

Exactly as I would have expected, yet you're mileage is still amazing, and Event Tyres winter link comments that one of the benefits of winter tyres is "less wear".

 

[Shude]

Exactly as I would have expected, yet you're mileage is still amazing, and Event Tyres winter link comments that one of the benefits of winter tyres is "less wear".

You get less wear in Winter because the winter tyres are softer and give better grip. Sliding and spinning wheels in winter or any conditions will wear those tyres more.

 

[kwakdonut]

Hmmm MyTyres do look very cheap, even if you add on £10 or so to get them fitted.

Have you tried eTyres - their price includes fitting at home/work?

I shopped around for Michelin Primacy HP's (225/50/16) a few months ago and nobody could touch Costco, but then I was recommended to a local(ish) independant (Jeffreys in Warrington) who beat their price straight off (without me telling them the Costco price). However they slightly damaged both wheels even though they 'guarantee' not too

IF they have 'slightly damaged' your wheels then they should be 'slightly paying' for them to be 'slightly repaired'!!!! Did you actually let them get away with this??? I certainly wouldnt, with modern tyre removal and refitting there is no reason to damage the wheel at all. I had tyres fitted at Kwik Fit once and the monkey managed to scrape both my immaculate alloys. I kicked up a fuss and the manager organised a local guy to come to my house and repair both the wheels. Safe to say I have not used them since!
People just accept this shoddy work and don't complain enough!! Go back and kick some butt!

 

[BonzoDog]

Shude posted elsewhere that he got 45K out of his last winter tyres, which just seems incredible to me. My (summer tyres) do 20K or so, and that's all steady motorway driving.

Years ago I had a Rover 820 fitted with Avon's. I did 60,000 plus miles from new and it still had the same legal tyres. Have tyres become quicker wearing in the last few years?

 

[Rory]

IF they have 'slightly damaged' your wheels then they should be 'slightly paying' for them to be 'slightly repaired'!!!! Did you actually let them get away with this??? I certainly wouldnt, with modern tyre removal and refitting there is no reason to damage the wheel at all. I had tyres fitted at Kwik Fit once and the monkey managed to scrape both my immaculate alloys. I kicked up a fuss and the manager organised a local guy to come to my house and repair both the wheels. Safe to say I have not used them since!
People just accept this shoddy work and don't complain enough!! Go back and kick some butt!

Normally I'd be the first to complain - however I'd been completely **** about where to get them changed and had waited until the tyres were probably illegal. I think I was just resigned to the fact that they were almost bound to get damaged.
They did unhesitatingly offer to get them refurbed, but then that's just more hassle and inconvenience for me, plus it was in my mind that the MB warranty would be invalid on refurbed wheels (car was 18mths old).
The only thing that would make me happy was brand-new wheels, but being realistic, that was never going to happen (I didn't ask).

On balance the least stressful course of action was to do nothing (except touch up the scrapes )

 

[Fandango]

Exactly as I would have expected, yet you're mileage is still amazing, and Event Tyres winter link comments that one of the benefits of winter tyres is "less wear".

Perhaps they mean less wear on your summer tyres, while you use the winter set

 

[Dieselman]

Years ago I had a Rover 820 fitted with Avon's. I did 60,000 plus miles from new and it still had the same legal tyres. Have tyres become quicker wearing in the last few years?

I don't think so but the cars have become heavier and have greater torque output.
I know someone who achieved 92k miles from tyres on a Vauxhall Cavalier with a lot of motorway driving. Strangely the front brake pads wore out in 9k miles.

 

[Rory]

I know someone who achieved 92k miles from tyres on a Vauxhall Cavalier with a lot of motorway driving.

I used to work in company where everyone had Cavalier company cars (which were bought, rather than leased, so the company was touchy about tyres etc).
Some people could have the same tyres from start to finish (around 65K miles) when others would be getting through fronts every 10K.

Most tyres used to carry the American TreadWear Rating number, but this seems to be less commonly marked now.
I've seen various explanations of TWR, but I think the reference 100 is supposed to be 15000 miles, although there's a lot of argument over the test method and the number is a comparitive thing, not an absolute.

The tyres that were on my MB from new were Bridgestone Turanza's and they were TreadWear 140 - the lowest I've ever had. I could almost watch them wearing out.
Previous leased company cars have had Firestone something or other fitted with TreadWear 400 and they were really hard wearing (and consequently also extremely quiet!).

 

[Will]

Just an update to say that I am pleased with the service received from mytyres.com

They emailed shortly after ordering to give an expected date of delivery, which was met.

The tyres arrived in perfect condition, and correctly supplied.

I simply took them to a local fitter who gladly fitted them for £20 the pair including new valves and balancing.

Total cost is therefore £173.60 which makes them around £100 a pair cheaper for about 15 minutes on the internet.

Overall very satisfied

Will

 

[Mactech]

Have used mytyres.com in the past and have been very impressed with both price and service.

 

[grober]

My experience of MY TYRES also good. supplied me with NOKIA WRs which were otherwise unavailable in the UK.

 

[BenzComander]

My experience with mytyres also good, but the last lot of Nankangs took a week or so to come through.

Recently spoke with my local tyre fitter outfit and they matched the online price plus £10 per tyre fitting when I needed another pair due to a puncture. No postal delays and price was close enough for me. They did admit that they made very little on the deal!!

 

[GrahamC230K]

Just for your info peeps-I used these guys this morning for a couple of replacement tyres- http://www.event-tyres.co.uk/index.php . If you need new car tyres, try these guys first. They seemed to be cheaper than most places and they will come out to your home or work at no extra charge. Get a quote online and it includes: tyre, fitting, valve, balancing and old tyre disposal. The online price is exactly what you pay the fitter. And the guy didn't damage my alloys and he balanced them correctly. You all know what a fussy sod I am, so for me to recommend them, they must be good!
And no, I don't work for them or know anyone who does. Just good honest service.

I hope so, they are coming to see me on Friday.

They were over £70 cheaper for my F1's (need 4 on the Audi) so I gave them my business. ATt £10 a tyre fitting locally,they are the same as the best online price I could find + the local fitting and I don't have to accept delivery of 4 tyres prior to fitting.

Couldn't save much for the pair I need on the Golf so gave that work to my local fitter. How caring am I.

 

[GrahamC230K]

I got four Goodyear Eagle F1 GSD3 225/45 17s fitted for £348. Pretty good.

Benefits for me were not having to have the tyres delivered as said above and you pay on after fitting.

Wheels were correctly torqued and pressues set exactly per my request.

As it happens, during fitting one of my alloys had the paint scraped. An honest mistake that could have happened anywhere I think.

I pointed it out to the fitter and was told to have the wheel refurbed and fax the invoice though for the money to refunded to me. I called the company about 45 minutes later to confirm this would be ok and they already knew of the arrangement.

I'll take the oppertunity to get two of my wheels refurbed for the cost of one.

They are coming next week for a pair of tyres on the Golf (local place had the wrong speed rating and then tried to charge me £40 more for the correct ones.

Recommended!

 

[TVRTASMIN]

Mytyres will send the tyres you order to a tyre fitting station of your choice. Providing it is on their list of approved fitters.

I looked on their website for fitters near to me and was surprised at how many there were, plus they include details of what each fitting station will charge.
I had four tyres fitted recently including valves and balancing for £30.
This was to loose wheels i.e they were not fitted to the car and it included disposing of four old tyres.

 

[GrahamC230K]

True to their word, I faxed the invoice for my refurb to Event Tyres and without quiblle was asked for my card number for the refund.

If they can do the tyres on the Golf tomorrow without damaging the wheels it's a thumbs up!

 

[Doodle]

Sounds promising...the S6 is rapidly in need of some new rears, especially with the way I'm driving it at the moment

 

[GrahamC230K]

Sounds promising...the S6 is rapidly in need of some new rears, especially with the way I'm driving it at the moment

You got one? I missed that. Cool.