How much can I expect to pay for 4 new tyres?

Iceweasel

Lulu - the tread depth can't be measured with a ruler (as you found out) and using a 20p is a pretty rough and ready quick indication that the tyre is nearing the end of it's life.

The minimum tread depth is 1.6mm - to measure to that degree of accuracy you need a proper gauge.

You can get a digital gauge for around £4 which is a good investment, as is your own tyre pressure gauge.

Last year if the tester discovered a tyre that he judged needed an advisory I would reckon it was between 2 and 3mm.

An advisory for most things means that it has passed but needs an eye kept on it as it will get worse and wear out / fail soon.

How soon is soon depends on the miles you do.

That being the case it's unlikely that that tyre will still be legal after 11K miles.

As you say everyone has to start somewhere -in order to avoid unknowingly fall foul of many rules and regulations you should be able to ask freely on a motoring forum site like this.

There are those on every forum who will make fun of and belittle those with less knowledge/experience than they think they have themselves.

Then of course we have the trolls and numpties who come on and ask the most simple questions in an attempt to get a response from the regulars.

You and your partner need to read up on all things related to owning a car.

Don't leave safety decisions like tyres to others.

Anyone having an MOT at Kwik Fit needs to be prepared for them trying to rip you off with unnecessary replacements/work.

There are many things you can check yourself - bulbs, and wipers are the easiest to do yourself - and you should be checking them weekly anyway - like the tyres and the tyre pressures.

Good luck with the MOT and stay safe.

neilmcl

Lulu, also if you don't have a 20p to hand most tyres will have wear indicators/markers on the inside of the tread which are set at the legal limit, if the tread is down to these along the whole width of the tyre then you're at or below the legal limit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJEo4xptPAM

forgotmyname

Unlikely the rear tyres will have worn to the same limits as the front.

Probably doesnt need 4 tyres. Might not need any.

lulu_92

straighttalker wrote: »

You can't even cancel an appointment with Kwik Fit. Did you put a deposit down? Probably not. Have they already got your car at their garage? No. If you're so concerned about taking your car there just ring them up and cancel or just don't turn up. They can't do anything about it.

Regarding the potential cost of tyres, I typed in "fitted tyres" into google and a plethora of websites came up. One of the top three was even Asda tyres. You know, that well known supermarket. Click on their site, type in the registration number of the car (if you know it) and it'll tell you how much different brands of tyres will cost on an all inclusive basis.

When you book online you pay online. So I can't just "not turn up" as they have my money.

No need to patronise me.

Spicy_McHaggis

straighttalker wrote: »

You can't even cancel an appointment with Kwik Fit. Did you put a deposit down? Probably not. Have they already got your car at their garage? No. If you're so concerned about taking your car there just ring them up and cancel or just don't turn up. They can't do anything about it.

Regarding the potential cost of tyres, I typed in "fitted tyres" into google and a plethora of websites came up. One of the top three was even Asda tyres. You know, that well known supermarket. Click on their site, type in the registration number of the car (if you know it) and it'll tell you how much different brands of tyres will cost on an all inclusive basis.

Paid online when she booked.

Joe_Horner

lulu_92 wrote: »

To be honest I am expecting to pay for tyres because I do a lot of miles.
I do know how to use the internet to check tyre prices, although I am unaware what I do if Kwik Fit do in fact rip me off. Can I actually go to another garage? (I see you failed to answer this part of my post)

Hi Lulu.

Seeing as everyone seems to be missing this bit:

Yes, you can go to another garage for any repairs. Bear in mind, though, that if (say) your tyres are illegal then you'll be breaking the law by driving on the road to get there.

Having said that, if they're illegal then you were also breaking the law driving to Kwik Fit in the first place, so the additional risk isn't ll that high as long as you don't just keep using them.

If the rest of the car is presentable then you'd have to be very unlucky to be randomly stopped, on the way to having tyres changed, by a policeman who was anal enough to ticket you for it when you explained where you were going (best to phone up your chosen tyre place before going so they can back you up if needed).

Despite the scare stories about Kwik Fit, they're no more likely to "make up" MOT fails than any other MOT centre. DVSA (VOSA as was) are surprisingly hard on garages caught inventing fails - getting caught even once can be enough for a station to lose its testing licence. As a chain, that's something that Kwik Fit really couldn't afford so it just doesn't happen as often as people claim.

Stories like oil being sprayed on shock absorbers to make them look dead might happen during their "free safety checks" but won't happen during an MOT - DVSA regularly send "mystery shoppers" in with cars they've already inspected and your car could be one for all they know.

They may (or may not) fail something that would be a borderline pass elsewhere (a lot of the test is "tester's judgement") but, if it's close enough to a fail for them to do that then it's going to need sorting anyway.

What they may also do is pile on a load of advisories and try to scare you into thinking that every one is a potential dead basket of nuns and kittens waiting to happen. Resist the pressure to have anything advisory repaired until you've got a second opinion from somewhere independent!

k3lvc

If it fails you have until the end of the next working day to get it repaired before re-presenting it as per the below

http://www.kwik-fit.com/mot-re-test.asp

straighttalker

Ok, I take the part back where it's not hard to cancel.

I presume your vehicle takes 155/65/14 tyres given it's a C1. I've had a look online and you're right, you're looking at between £40-£50 fitted for a budget tyre in that size. Try and do your research and print off some prices of fitted tyres in case they try and charge you more.

If they tell you the car needs work, make sure you push them on whether the work required is merely a recommendation, needs carrying out within a few thousand miles or is an MOT advisory or fail.

lindens

Tyres cost from £40 upwards depending on the brand and size. I buy tyres depending on the amount of mileage i do, how fast i drive (ie motorway, country lanes etc) and how old my car is.
If i know i am going to do alot of motorway driving i will buy a better brand of tyre. If i just pootle around town i will buy a cheaper tyre. If my car is old and its life expectancy is short/unknown i will buy the cheapest or even part worn.

Spicy_McHaggis

straighttalker wrote: »

Ok, I take the part back where it's not hard to cancel.

I presume your vehicle takes 155/65/14 tyres given it's a C1. I've had a look online and you're right, you're looking at between £40-£50 fitted for a budget tyre in that size. Try and do your research and print off some prices of fitted tyres in case they try and charge you more.

If they tell you the car needs work, make sure you push them on whether the work required is merely a recommendation, needs carrying out within a few thousand miles or is an MOT advisory or fail.

The only thing the OP needs to be concerned about is it being a fail and even then they can have they work done elsewhere.

The mistake has been made booking with them, it's about damage limitation now. Who knows it might pass. :rotfl: