Cheap tyres

[AnOther]

Even when the £ bought 1.45Euros tyres were relatively expensive in France and with an exchange rate of 1.25 are considerably more expensive now !

Needing 2 new ones for my car and wanting to stick with the same type I've just ordered 2 AVON 255/55/16's from THIS outfit in UK at cost of £50 each plus £6 carriage per tyre, a total of £112.

Even allowing for local fitting cost's that's one hell of a saving over buying in France [:D]

 

[Benjamin]

As one for the future who do you get to fit tyres after you've bought elsewhere? The local garage? Do you expect just to pay their normal hourly rate?

[Chancer]

I gave up trying to get anything like a deal in France, one garage ordered me off the premises when I replied honestly to them saying "look its a great deal - 50% off!" by saying "great for you when your list price is double the other garages".

I now buy from scrapyards, a bit of a risk but I have never paid more than €30 including fitting and balance.

[AnOther]

I have a relationship with my local tyre shop, he's a fellow MG enthusiast so don't anticipate it costing me very much [;-)]

Otherwise yes, ask around the local garages and see what they will charge. If you have a French friend to go with you so much the better, less chance of paying the Brit price !

Changing 2 tyres is only a 20 minute job, 30 at the outside, so shouldn't cost a fortune and certainly shouldn't be enough to negate the potential savings you can make by buying mail order.

 

[Chancer]

Ernie

Was it £12 carriage for 2 tyres to France?

[AnOther]

[quote user="ErnieY"]......at cost of £50 each plus £6 carriage per tyre, a total of £112.....[/quote]......so that would be a YES then JR  [:D]

 

[Benjamin]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

Otherwise yes, ask around the local garages and see what they will charge. If you have a French friend to go with you so much the better, less chance of paying the Brit price !

 

[/quote]

Talking to a garagiste is not my problem it's just finding one that doesn't snort, shrug their shoulders' and walk away when they realise that they're not going to be making anything on the tyres.  [:D]

[AnOther]

Well it's their loss then isn't it.

Which is better, a slack handful of Euros for 20 minutes work or sweet Fanny Adams....I know which I'd prefer.....[:P]

Have you actually tried it I wonder or are you just surmising the response ?

[:)]

 

[Benjamin]

Yes it happened a couple of years ago with the local guy when I went to get a puncture mended.

He did actually mend it after a couple of days but not before commenting that he never saw my car for a service (I always use a main agent).

Maybe it's just him with a problem.

[AnOther]

Undoubtedly there will be varied responses but there are ample garages around to be able to find one to do it for a reasonable price.

If the price paid for the tyres in the first place is attractive enough you've got that little bit to play with for getting them fitted [;-)]

As well as the cost of course, the main thing for me was to get the tyres I wanted because, call me old fashioned, but I do not like having odd pairs front and back. Also it means my spare will still match the four on the car.

 

[LesLauriers]

Ernie,

Worth taking a look at www.allopneus.com at 1.25€/£ they are within a euro of the site you used on the starter price and when  comparing other brands. However at 1.45€/£ they are (were) a bit cheaper.

www.123pneus .com is also worth a look when comparing prices.    Locally I pay 30€ for fitting and balancing two tyres.

[AnOther]

Nice links thanks, and some nice prices to. Unfortunately the Avons I was looking for aren't on either which reinforces the difficulty I was having finding them here in France.

It's the typical FWD problem, the fronts get ripped to shreds and are now 70% worn whilst the rears still look like new. Normally about now I'd be swapping front to back but one of the fronts has suffered some sidewall damage which necessitates replacing both. I'll then rotate them to even out the wear so next time I'll be in the market for a set of 4 and my choices will be wider.

 

[Higgy]

I needed a tyre fitted over here in the UK prices ranged from £10 down to a fiver which inc fitting and balancing. So

if you can shop around I know it's not that easy in France as I had to have a new one fitted on an old VW LT28 gulp gulp and

swallow the pill.

[Punch]

Benjamin wrote:

Quote "Talking to a garagiste is not my problem it's just finding one that doesn't snort, shrug their shoulders' and walk away when they realise that they're not going to be making anything on the tyres." unquote

You're obviously not looking far enough. I think the notion that all garages do this is a very English mindset - a bit like buying a croissant in a bakers here and then going to another bar to eat it - not usual in the Uk but easily done here and accepted practice.

I have five vehicules on the road, but my tyres from www.allopneus.com and either have them fitted by the garages recommended on their website or (more usually) by Feu Vert or Norauro. Both of these chains have a price list in their stores that has a "forfait" (fixed price ) for fitting tyres, balancing and new valve - even if you supply the tyres no problem. I think it's around 12 euros per tyre. I have never had a problem with this. It does help if you ocassionally show your face in the store as well just to build up a rapport - maybe buy your oil or accessories from them.

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

Just paid over €700 for a full set for our 206cc (although that did include a call out and fitting etc as Peugeot in their wisdom didn't include a spare on this model). Was bowled over by the price. Had no idea they were so pricey here. Could have bought 8 tyres for our 4WD back in Oz.

[bigears]

Hi

I have in the past changed my own tyres.  Only have one tyre lever but its sufficient.  Breaking the bead is the hardest part,  drive over the tyre with a piece of wood over the tyre normally sorts out a  difficult one. 

[AnOther]

Now that IS being a glutton for punishment....................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!................[:-))]

 

 

[Chancer]

When I was an apprentice I changed two in my lunch hour, including wheelchanges  and still managed to scoff down a meal in the canteen, mind you I did have the use of the Morris Oxford parrked next to me as a beadbreaker!

I have never thought about using a plank, I reckon it would work well with a modern (damn heavy) front wheel drive like my Skoda Octavia.

I actually have a manual tyre change rig in my UK workshop that I bought for about 30 quid from Northern Tools, it works well except the beadbreaker is limited to wheelbarrow tyres. I will change my own next time and try the plank trick.

[AnOther]

Just an update:

My tyres turned up on Thursday and I had them fitted yesterday. Including removing the tyre from the spare and putting the best of the two coming off back on it, the cost was a very acceptable €22.20

PS: Same car JR [;-)]

[Chezstevens]

I have just bought 3 Trailer tyres for my Iforwilliams from Allopneus - great saving and they arrived after 2 days.  Local garage fitted them for 6.5 euros each. 

[Jonzjob]

Just noticed your signature ChezS? I hadn't realised that you had a 2CV [Www]?? What a wonderful machine they are!!