Tyre Fitter Economics

Z

z4pilot

Senior member
 Lytham, Lancs
I’m in the market for a new set of tyres, so have settled on Vredstein Sessantas and I’ve done the usual internet trawl to get an idea of the best prices. Delivery only prices are significantly cheaper than fitted – which seems to be a good £20 - £30 per wheel, so I decided to call into my local independent tyre place, reasoning I prefer at least some of my hard earned to benefit the local economy, to see what he’d charge to fit and balance…

“Sorry we don’t fit other people’s tyres”

Ok – so quote me for a set of Vreds…

“Can’t get them”

I can… :P less than £400 from Camskill, so what would you charge to fit them?

“Well their fitted price will involve going to one of their partners and that’s how they make their money back, by charging up to £30 per wheel”

I know… so how much on average do you charge to fit and balance?

“Bout £20”

Ok – so I’m not expecting you to do it for nothing, so how much would you charge?

He thinks for a moment…

“No sorry – we don’t do it”

All this was being discussed in the back office whilst him and his oppo were sat there doing nothing , because they weren’t busy in the middle of the afternoon…

So apart from the cost of the weights, the job is entirely labour, and I’m offering him £80 and he turns it down? Am I missing something in the way the economics of the tyre business works?? :?
 
They're just retards.

I bought 2 tyres from tyreleader.Co.UK which came within 48 hours and took it to a tyre place who fitted them for 15 quid each.
 
That was my initial thought... managed to keep a straight face though. Must be plenty of profit in supplying tyres though if you can turn down £80 for half an hours labour and not even have old tyres to dispose of as these are going on new wheels...
 
Not a lot of logic there, seemingly. I suspect a large portion of the public are in the dark about how much they are paying over the odds at various UK tyre centres. Even though tyre sizes are pretty straightforward many people are put off by them with the different numbers and letters involved. I paid £10 a corner for fitting locally.
 
£10 a corner at my local family-run place, but I always give him first call before I order tyres, and if he's within 10% I'll buy from him.

If not, he's happy for me to have the tyres delivered to him for fitting.

Although I have had a lot of tyres fitted there over the years, and used to bring my Corrado & M5s track wheels & tyres to be swapped at least once a month (although it was £7.50 a corner back then).
 
I pay £10 a corner to have tyres fitted at my local. He said he couldnt get vreds so happy to take the cash for fitting. It doesnt take long. Madness to turn down easy business like that.
 
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