Typical prices for a mobile tyre fitter

[glastoveteran]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a good mobile tyre fitter in the Bristol area. I had a quote from www.mobi-tyre.co.uk for £25 + VAT per wheel to fit and balance my own tyres on 19" wheels - does that sound about right?

Cheers, Alex

 

[Raify]

That seems pretty reasonable. Have you tried Event Mobile? They're good.

 

[glastoveteran]

Thanks Raify, they're not actually covering Bristol as yet...

 

[tjlazer]

I wouldn't recommend a mobile fitter. I did this when I had my CSLs fitted. They were hideously out of balance so I ended up paying a proper garage another wedge to fix the problem. They looked the business but fell far short of the mark. Unless there's no way to get the wheels to a garage I'd avoid...

 

[glastoveteran]

Thanks tjlazer, would you say that is solely because of the equipment they use isn't as good? Or is it just that there are good fitters and not so good fitters?...

My next easiest choice would be Kwik Fit (don't even know if they would fit tyres I supplied) but can they be trusted not to wreck my wheels?

 

[Greeno]

From previous experience Kwikfit will not typically touch anything where you have supplied the parts.

Although there was a small one i used to go to and on a quite saturday afternoon for cash they'd sort you out.

Best off trying a friendly indy

 

[cj10jeeper]

Just as a benchmark my local tyre place will do it for £10 per wheel balanced, valves and disposal, van or shop. Same equipment on the vans and same guys as in the shop. They rotate. Local wheel refurber is the same.

I know plenty of other on the forum who work on £10 per corner.

Can't help you locally though.

 

[Markyboy]

Just as a benchmark my local tyre place will do it for £10 per wheel balanced, valves and disposal, van or shop. Same equipment on the vans and same guys as in the shop. They rotate. Local wheel refurber is the same.

I know plenty of other on the forum who work on £10 per corner.

Can't help you locally though.

Sounds spot on to me. My local indy is £10 a corner also.

 

[a11y]

I wouldn't recommend a mobile fitter. I did this when I had my CSLs fitted. They were hideously out of balance so I ended up paying a proper garage another wedge to fix the problem. They looked the business but fell far short of the mark. Unless there's no way to get the wheels to a garage I'd avoid...

Totally disagree with that comment - it really depends on the experience of the mobile tyre fitter. I've used the same mobile fitter (a one-man outfit) a few times now including swapping over supposedly-difficult runflat tyres on my 108s, and he's done a perfect job every time. Not a single mark on the alloys, wheels perfectly balanced, although his van did leak a little bit oil onto my driveway :wink:

But this guy has around 35 years experience of fitting tyres and hence knows what he's doing. It's down to the person, not the equipment.

For reference, he charged me £80 last time to:
- remove 4 runflats from one set of wheels
- refit them to a different set of wheels
- remove my Falkens from my 108s
- refit my Falkens to my 202s

So I think £25 + VAT is a bit steep but it depends what area of the country you're in.

 

[tjlazer]

Well i'm just saying from my experience. The garage I took the wheels were not convinced mobile equipment could do as good a job simply because the equipment isn't fixed to the ground so they can't get as accurate a read on the balance. The local garage I went to charged £30 all in which seemed fair to remove and balance all 4 wheels.

 

[glastoveteran]

Thanks guys - I rang another local independent tyre dealer who will do it for £15 + VAT per corner so I'll go with them I think.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[EdButler]

Even 15+VAT is a total rip off to be honest! Why not haggle? I went to 2 locals who both charged £10+VAT. I just asked them to do it for £10 cash and they accepted straight out. And then bought a box of beer with the savings