There has been a noticeable rise in recent years in the number of mobile tyre fitter companies on the market. And this is not just big names such as the AA – but companies specializing just in tyres as opposed to general breakdowns. And there is obviously a need for this service: if you think about how rapidly the number of cars on our roads is growing and the amount of new tyres each car is likely to need in one years, it’s not surprising that many companies are recognising the need and the business possibilities.
The majority of people will think of mobile tyre fitters as a service you would call out in an emergency when you get a flat tyre. And yes, this is one of their main functions. They can often diagnose the problem on the spot and in some cases can repair the tyre rather than replacing it. If a replacement is needed they can either put on your spare tyre so you can buy a new one at a later date, or bring along a new one with them. Obviously getting the tyre repaired is going to be a lot better for you from a cost point of view, which is one of the reasons why specialist mobile tyre fitters are becoming so popular.
It’s a good idea to keep the number of local tyre fitting services in your mobile for such an eventuality as they can usually get to you quicker and payment can be made at a later date so you don’t have to panic if you don’t have any cash or cards on you. If you want to speak to an expert directly rather than having to go through a call centre then this is another reason for using a small local service as opposed to a national roadside assistance firm.
But they’re by no means just an emergency service: you can also call the tyre fitting firm to make an appointment to have a new tyre fitted at a time that’s convenient to you. They will then come straight to your house or place of work. Some people find it difficult to fit in a time to take their car down to a garage so this is an ideal solution. And it doesn’t just have to be when you have had a puncture: if your tyres a simply getting a bit too worn or you want seasonal tyre replacements to keep you safe over winter, then this is another reason for hiring somebody to come to you. You may even find that if you build up a long-term relationship with the firm and use them regularly, you will be able to get a loyalty discount.
Another function of a mobile tyre fitting firm can be to provide advice over the phone rather than visiting you in person. This is another advantage compared to using a national roadside assistance firm. If you call the latter, you will usually, as mentioned above, be put through to a call centre operator who will not be able to advise you on any problems you have. With a small local firm specialising in tyres you should find that you can speak to someone who knows what they are talking about.
Furthermore, most good specialist tyre fitters will of course stock a wide range of tyres so you can be pretty confident that you can get the one you want in a hurry. (And we mean in a hurry: many will offer same day fittings even if it’s not an emergency situation). If you have breakdown cover with a national emergency service such as the AA then this probably won’t cover same-day fittings unless it’s a breakdown situation.
If you’re looking for a good mobile tyre fitter to use, the first thing you should do is ask people you trust (friends, colleagues etc) whether they know of any firms out there that are worth using. If nobody is able to recommend any for you then the next best thing to do is look online for tyre fitters in your local area. A quick search should provide you with a few names to help you get started, but make sure you check out their background and look for online reviews before you consider using them.
