Motoring Discussion > Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet.	Accessories and Parts
Thread Author: Fenlander	Replies: 33

New Tue 13 May 14 15:04   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Fenlander

I said elsewhere my order for the BMW's Michelin Primacy 3s ended up cancelled. Looked online again this am and decided to go in two local tyres places to see if they would price match to get the business. First one was appalling... I gave them the size, speed rating plus the make I wanted and said I'd been looking online and needed to get close to a price match. After a lot of keyboard tapping I was offered the make I wanted but one speed rating up from the one I needed... for £170 each! I pointed out I had an internet price of £110 for that tyre in the correct rating whereby the guy started to tell me the "faster" tyre was much better and that the online folks said they had stuff in stock but actually there wouldn't be any. Anyway he says he'll see what he can do and immediate lops off £50 a tyre.... but that still leaves me £40 down on the set over online price... and weirdly the guy can't understand why I don't want his at that extra £40. Then his mate tries to sell me a promoted brand of theirs called Imperial that comes with a lifetime damage warranty (reduced % payout by tread depth though)... says folks are pleased with them and only £99 each... i.e. only £4 a tyre cheaper than something like the Uniroyal Rainsport 3 is online. Then, knowing this set was for a BMW, they go on about how much better overall Fords and Vauxhalls are than BMWs. Not that I would have touched them or that fitting place but on arriving home I find these Imperials are ultra budget and available in my size for £46 delivered so about £56 after fitting. I genuinely feel sorry for folks who get in the hands of these idiots for the poor guidance offered. Oh... the next place undercut best online price by £1 a tyre without a grumble, checked they were available and fitting booked for tomorrow. Last edited by: Fenlander on Tue 13 May 14 at 15:06 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 May 14 15:38   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Stuu

Happens all the time, how do you think these places make money? I was going through the SH of the car ive just bought and the poor old dear who owned it paid £400 just for a clutch, £300 for just two shock absorbers and another £300 for a couple of bits of exhaust. The chap who sold it to me said he could easily knock £100 off each of those bills and he questioned whether the car would have really needed new shocks at all. It is great for me as the new owner of the car that it has all these shiny newish bits on it but I feel for people who dont know any better than to believe what the garage tells them. My sister just paid out £1100 for a clutch on the Rodius which sounded a lot to me, although that did include the flywheel and they had without doubt totally knackered it. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 May 14 16:02   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Slidingpillar

I can remember my Mum visiting a tyre place, got the tyres for a fairly good price (might have been pre-arranged) but got sold two shock absorbers. Quite unnecessary and the new ones were the cheapest of the cheap and didn't have any action on re-bound. They'd put the old ones in the boot, and five minutes later, I'd swapped them back and was on-route to the tyre place. Gave the new shockers back and got a total refund. At the time, I think I costed up good ones at Halfords at slightly more than half what she was charged. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 May 14 16:46   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Victorbox

>> Then, knowing this set was for a BMW, they go on about how much better >> overall Fords and Vauxhalls are than BMWs. So they weren't all bad then? :-) Reply to this message | Report message       5

New Tue 13 May 14 16:56   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Fenlander

Well I'm kind of OK with random insults but not a great way to encourage a BMW owner to spend over £450! Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 May 14 17:13   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - R.P.

I use the local National tyres outlet. The manager is a biker, not been knowingly ripped off. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 May 14 17:55   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Bromptonaut

>> I use the local National tyres outlet. The manager is a biker, not been knowingly >> ripped off. Similarly, I've found the local F1 to be competitive on price and competent at fitting. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 May 14 21:10   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - bathtub tom

>>Similarly, I've found the local F1 to be competitive on price and competent at fitting. Went to my local one for tyres and they tried to charge considerably more than they'd previously quoted. I refused to pay and told them to remove their tyres and re-fit the ones they'd removed - they relented and agreed the price. Whilst there I saw one of their 'fitters' remove an oil seal by hammering an enormous screwdriver into it. I've done similar, albeit with a much smaller implement that would piece the seal and allow me to flip it out without damaging the surround. Haven't been back since! Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 May 14 21:25   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Bromptonaut

>> >>Similarly, I've found the local F1 to be competitive on price and competent at fitting. >> >> >> Went to my local one for tyres and they tried to charge considerably more than >> they'd previously quoted. I refused to pay and told them to remove their tyres and >> re-fit the ones they'd removed - they relented and agreed the price. >> >> Whilst there I saw one of their 'fitters' remove an oil seal by hammering an >> enormous screwdriver into it. I've done similar, albeit with a much smaller implement that would >> piece the seal and allow me to flip it out without damaging the surround. >> >> Haven't been back since! > Like all these outfits getting it right on the ground AND making a profit are down to individual managers. The guy running the nearest site to here, Northampton Sixfields, has it sorted so far as tyres are concerned. As I've good local garage I don't need to try them for other stuff. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 May 14 21:31   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - CGNorwich

My VW main dealers are as cheap as anywhere for tyres. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 May 14 19:06   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - ....

>>First one was appalling... Now imagine you've rolled there with a shreaded tyre and no spare of any type. Open up your wallet and say ARRRGH! Can't imagine why people have a tainted view of the industry. I know they're not all like that, people tend to remember the bad. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 May 14 21:36   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - R.P.

Just read that post about VW....BMW dealers are also very competitive... Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 May 14 21:37   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Runfer D'Hills

...and Mercedes ones. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 May 14 21:50   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - sooty123

The kwik fir near me is pretty good. I've been in there twice, both bills together came to £15. That was for front wheels balancing. Had to wait quite a while on the second time, so they said just call it a fiver. I thought that was pretty decent of them. When I've been waiting other customers are treated similarly. Might try them on tyres next time. Never thought about main dealers, mind you not that many round here. I think 1 in 10-15 miles. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 May 14 22:39   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Westpig

People will do amazing things to get a better discount on tyres. On occasion, I'll cover the front desk of my brother's rural garage when he's short of staff, to ensure one of the mechanics doesn't have to keep leaving what they are doing to answer the phone or deal with customers paying bills. I have had people query the cost of a tyre.. then say they can get one £5 cheaper in 'x' town and when you decline to match the price, off they go.... with me safe in the knowledge they are going to spend at least £3 on fuel and use up an extra 45 minutes of their life.... to save ultimately £2! Then there was the bloke who did the same with a motorcycle tyre... then came back and asked to have it balanced, because the place that had fitted it cheaper didn't have the machine that balanced bike tyres ???.... and got the hump when told a price that would have meant it financially more sensible to have had it done here in the first place. I could bore you to death with tales like that, it happens with frequent regularity. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 12:20   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Bromptonaut

>> People will do amazing things to get a better discount on tyres. New 'lingo is in for service today with supplying dealer. We told them a tyre was going down and sure enough it's punctured - but repairable. Cost to fix £18. Could probably get it done for £15, maybe less for cash, at local F1. Not worth it though as it's 10 mile round trip and an hour of my life. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 13 May 14 22:50   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Bill Payer

>> ...and Mercedes ones. >> That must be new - I knew my rear tyres needed changing so had looked around at pricing and the dealer picked it up during sevice and quoted me a price. I was very surprised that they were a little cheaper than I'd been seeing elsewhere. Then he said "each". Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 06:41   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Tigger

Toyota dealers are surprisingly competitive on batteries. Toyota do a 'free puncture repair', so I dropped in there with the wife's Yaris wheel, which had a big screw in the tread. They pronounced it beyond repair. But also said that they don't actually do their own tyres - they send them to a local tyre fitter. The local tyre fitter (don't know if its the one Toyota use), did a perfectly competent repair. I know the repair was just hassle for the Toyota dealer, but my first real disappointment with them in the six years I've been going to that dealership Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 08:29   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Fenlander

>>>Can't imagine why people have a tainted view of the industry. I know they're not all like that, people tend to remember the bad Well in my extensive survey 50% were hopeless which is worrying. What's worse is that the hopeless place was recommended by F snr and I know he went there for his budget/mid-range tyres a few months ago. Sadly he is of a stage in life where he's easily taken by the bull so I hate to think what he paid. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 09:07   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Fursty Ferret

>> Anyway he says he'll see what he can do and immediate lops off £50 a tyre.... >> but that still leaves me £40 down on the set over online price... and weirdly the >> guy can't understand why I don't want his at that extra £40. Disregarding the inability to demonstrate customer service, why do you expect a shop to match internet prices? Does the internet retailer have to: * Have a shop front? * Employ a lackey to flog stuff? * Business rates? * Insurance for a workshop? * Lighting / heating etc? * Tools? * Training? * Premises near to customers? You also pay for the fact that there's a recognisable presence if there's a problem, and for convenience. While I accept that the bloke you spoke to demonstrated a patent inability to do his job, I think going into a local tyre place and asking them to match internet prices is a bit insulting. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 09:21   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Fenlander

>>>, I think going into a local tyre place and asking them to match internet prices is a bit insulting. Really? Why? I'm talking a fully fitted service not deliver to my home then find own fitter. The internet tyre sales involve all the same costs... it's just they are split in different ways. I didn't mention but hopeless co are a fitting station for one of the internet sellers so I thought they might be able to cut out the middle man (the net) and sell to me at the same price. And the second place didn't look at all insulted... cheerfully offered to shave £1 a tyre off to beat the net price. Last edited by: Fenlander on Wed 14 May 14 at 09:24 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 09:27   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Slidingpillar

Can't always do it, but I do try to support local private businesses, ie not branches of nationals. While my local MOT centre would have been happy at first with the business I put their way, my employer was so bad at paying, I used to pay cash and claim as an individual. Helped having a boss who thought the same as I do. Even now, a local business gets cash or a direct bank transfer - and a chain gets a credit card. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 09:38   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Fenlander

>>> but I do try to support local private businesses And that's exactly what I said Mrs F when I went out to try these couple of local independents before booking online... lets see if we can put the money into someone local. I wouldn't want the rights or wrongs on price matching to obscure that ghastly attempt to try and tell me "as the experts" a higher speed rating tyre was better and worth paying the extra... and then trying to sell an ultra budget at nearly twice it's value to someone who'd declared a keenness for driving and an appreciation of decent tyres. Finally to allude to the fact I should have bought a more standard car with smaller tyres if I was worried about saving money... dear oh dear. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 12:46   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Cliff Pope

> I think going into a local tyre place and asking >> them to match internet prices is a bit insulting. >> Why? You can buy tyres online and get them fitted locally at no extra cost, including balancing. Mytyres for example sign up local garages in fitting partnerships, an arrangement which presumably benefits both parties. Why would the garage care whether you ordered through them or online? Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 13:17   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Runfer D'Hills

I had a puncture repaired at a rural garage last time I was in deepest darkest Northern Ireland. Big old tyres on my car 265/35/18s. £7.00 Thought that was pretty fair. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 13:18   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Fenlander

35?? Good grief. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 13:19   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Alanovich

Time to buy shares in chiropractors, F. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 13:33   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Runfer D'Hills

Strangely it rides very comfortably. No I don't understand either. BTW, they gave me a cup of tea while I waited for them to fix the tyre too which was an added bonus. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 23 May 14 16:24   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - 832ark

>> 35?? >> >> Good grief. >> But bear in mind they're 265s so will have a reasonably high profile - about the same as a 205/45 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 13:22   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - CGNorwich

Paid 5 Euros for puncture on my hire car on the Canary island of La Palma. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 13:32   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Lygonos

Local garage took £20 to fit/valve/balance 4 tyres onto 4 new wheels for me. No doubt they will make up for it come MOT time! Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 14 May 14 13:47   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Robin O'Reliant

£12 for the front tyre on my bike at a local place. Not a bad price as it wasn't punctured but the rim needed cleaning up as it hadn't sealed properly and the guy even removed and then re-fitted the brake discs to avoid damaging them. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 24 May 14 00:13   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Stuartli

I hit a pot hole at 50mph in Cheshire one night recently and subsequently had the nearside tyres checked at my local tyre dealer (goes under the banner of Tyre'd and Exhausted!!). They were thoroughly checked out, along with the alloy wheels, followed by a report that there was no damage to either the tyres or the wheels. Cost. Zero. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 24 May 14 10:51   Tyre fitters try and raid pensioners wallet. - Robin O'Reliant

>> >> Cost. Zero. >> So that's where he went... Reply to this message | Report message