Took my car to a nationwide fast fit place for them to check the brakes and tracking yesterday.(The one with the dancing fitters from a few years back) Nothing wrong with the brakes but the fitter pointed out a nail in one the rear tyres, which was also a bit low on tread. He quoted me 91 pounds + fitting + valve for a new one.
This morning I stopped at a regional fast fit place (I think they have 17 branches in the SouthWest) They wanted 62 pounds for the tyre, fitted. Same tyre, same everything.
Needless to say I promptly handed over the keys to the car and let them get on with it. Just shows that these big chains are really taking the customer for a ride (Yes, I know they have higher overheads, advertising budgets, marketng appropriations etc but 50% more expensive is taking the wee wee a bit).
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Just bought two Pirelli P3000's for £35 each inc VAT, valve and balancing from local firm.
National chains were wanting £50+ for the same.
Dave
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If you want cheap tyres, have a day trip to France, get four top quality Michelins about 30% cheaper than UK and with the money you save it'll pay for your day trip and some booze and you'll also have given your female partner a treat for which she'll be very grateful !
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Further to this, Calais has a number of tyre dealers and Quick fit type places. I have never had any problems with Speedy, which dare i say it is a subsidery or Quick-Fit. Don't take my word that they will fit your tyres well however. But as 'the' says you can safe about 30%, especially on Michelins and even up to 50% on other brands. Whoever said UK is tax paradise?
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Sorry, have to disagree here. Following a previous post on the same lines, I checked out the prices at the tyre place at Gonfreville, just outside Le Havre, at the Parc de l'Ocean alongside the Leclerc. Prices for Michelins were slightly dearer than the best price I could get in the UK. Germany were slightly cheaper (Andy Bairsto provided some leads for me) but hardly worth the effort.
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HJ always recommends that place at Micheldever Station just off the A303 betwixt Andover/Basingstoke. I made the effort (a round trip of 160 miles from MK) in Jan 2001 as their deal equated to 4 for the price of 3 on Firestone Firehawks.
I quite like a drive down the A34 on a sunny day and I met some friendly folk in the queue! I'd use them again without hesitation.
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Absolutely Right.
However, they now have a national chain.
Do a net search for Pro-Tyre.
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Robin this was posted a few weeks ago and there have been several similar posts.
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Rang round for quotes last week for 2 195/60 VR15 Conti Premium Contacts for my Focus 2.0.
Micheldever quoted ~£126 fitted, but as it's a good hour's drive away I thought I'd see if I could get anywhere close locally.
Got a quote of £150 from Universal Tyres after telling him of my Micheldever quote.
Rang a few others, not as good.
Spoke to Rapid Fit, quoted £96 per tyre. No thanks I said. What's the best price you've had they asked. £150 I replied. No problem was their reponse. 10 seconds to drop £40, not bad...
Finally got them from Rapid Fit for £140 after the two garages commenced battle with each other for my custom!
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Had anyone just put that nail in the tyre, do you think?
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Apparently this is a well-known french motorway scam - not the whole nail, just the head.....usually when you're going on holiday, car full of luggage & kids!
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Did a seaech for pro-tyre. Only cycle tyres came up. Any more info?
KB.
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Trevor, Did another search using protyre (all one word), and found Protyre - a group of half a dozen or so dealers in the south and south west. However Micheldever in Winchester isn't one of those listed. Now I'm confused - update requested please. I've got to get 4 tyres on my old Maestro and will need to have a fish round soon to see who's got what.
KB.
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Micheldever & Pro-tyre are same chain.
I was very lucky, I phoned Winchester to order some tyres and was helpfully told they had just opened a new Pro-tyre depot the day before 1 mile from me!.
However, this does not help if you are in, say, Newcastle.
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Back in the 90's, the same lot quoted 90 quid for a goodyear NCT whereas, I could get the same tyre for 50 pounds at a small greasy outfit found in the yellow pages.
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I've found that the smaller chains like Motorway and HiQ are much better value than the afore-mentioned plonkers at K*** F**, where poor service and high prices go hand in hand. And KF won't budge on price, but others will.
It's worth being cheeky and after getting a price for a tyre asking how much for 2/4. You might be surprised how much you'd save. I took my beloved MB 190 to Hi Q in Evesham a few months ago for two new front tyres which looked well worn to me. They told the fronts were ok but the rears were illegal. I was quoted on the phone £60 per tyre for Dunlop or Pirelli (good price) but when I asked at the garage 'how much for four?' the immediate answer was £200 all in. Saved £40 with NO haggling.
If you don't ask, you don't get!
Regards,
Pat
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I asked for a price on Michelin Primacy Pilots 205/65VR15 from the same company - £144 each (can't remember whether that was all in with VAT & fitting etc), but a local place wanted under £90 for the same tyre all in.
Agreed - but it's worrying that people pay this price without checking around! Normally they'll cave in & match if you provide proof that they're cheaper eslewhere, but it smacks of sharp practice.
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No, I'm not in Newcastle Trevor. I have a PROTYRE branch near me in Enfield and will contact them. Thanks for info.
KB.
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Their phone number is 0208367 8555.
Smartass or what?
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Many thanks to you all for your help with my enquiry.
What did I do, I hear you ask.......
I rang a local Hi Q (Universal) dealer and whispered sweet nothings in his ear as well as one or two other quotes, (coincidentally - before seeing Pat's worthy suggestion). He agreed to fit/ balance/valves/disposal/VAT...4 Firestone 590's for a straight £100. We done the deal and they're on and rotating.
Thanks again.
KB.
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