New tyres fitted at the car once you are safely off the main road, parked somewhere safe and legal. Our only base is at Brent Cross, NW2, about 0.1 miles to about 108 miles away depending on where you are on the road.
We bring the tyre to the car and fit it there, so you do not need to drive anywhere. You choose from the brands made in your size, from budget to premium, and we confirm the price on the call.
When the car is parked somewhere safe and legal, such as a side street near the exit or a car park where the owner allows it, we can come to it. Tell us which junction you left at and where the car is now.
| Road | A5 Edgware Road and Watling Street |
|---|---|
| Operator | Transport for London (London) / National Highways (trunk sections) |
Measured at points on the road itself, the A5 runs from about 0.1 miles to about 108 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2. Call and we will tell you straight away whether we can take the job; if we can, the arrival time is given on the call. If the car is unsafe where it is, your breakdown cover may reach you sooner.
Having new tyres fitted at the car saves a trip to a tyre centre and a wait in a reception area. The work is the same as in a workshop: the old tyre comes off the rim, the new one goes on, the wheel is balanced and refitted, and the nuts are tightened to the maker's torque figure.
The size is the string of figures on the tyre wall, such as 205/55 R16 91V. The first number is the width in millimetres, the second is the sidewall height as a percentage of that width, R means radial construction and the last number is the rim diameter in inches.
The part after the size, 91V in that example, is the load index and speed rating. A replacement should match or exceed both, and the two tyres on one axle should be the same size and pattern.
Tyres fall roughly into three tiers. Premium brands usually stop shorter in the wet and often last longer; budget tyres cost less up front but vary more in quality.
The label on most new car tyres grades wet grip, fuel efficiency and outside noise, which is a fairer guide than the brand name alone. For a car doing high mileage or plenty of motorway driving, look at the wet grip grade first.
Tread close to the legal minimum is the obvious sign, but it is not the only one. Fine cracks that open up when you squeeze the sidewall, a bulge, exposed cords or uneven wear on one edge all mean the tyre should be looked at.
Tyre safety groups suggest thinking about new tyres at 3 mm of tread, because stopping distances in the wet grow noticeably below that depth.
A driveway, a residential street where parking is legal or a workplace car park all work. The jack needs firm, level ground and there has to be room to work around the wheel.
Supermarket, retail park and station car parks are private ground, so the owner's permission comes first.
Call or WhatsApp with where the car is, the registration and the tyre size from the sidewall.
You hear what the job involves and the options for your car. Nothing is booked until you say yes.
The fitter comes to your home, your workplace or a safe place to park, raises the car on a jack and does the job beside it.
Before the fitter leaves, the wheel is checked for security and the tyre pressure is set to the maker's figure.
“A pleasure having them come down and save me. Big shout out to Hiwad, really responsive, recommend him to anybody.”
“Faultless experience. Great communication, attitude and service.”
Cars and light vans need at least 1.6 mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre, around the whole circumference.
For a car, each illegal tyre can bring a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points; the maximum fine for a van is higher.
Push a 20p coin into the main grooves at several points around the tyre. If the outer band of the coin is visible, the tread may be close to the limit and should be measured properly.
A tyre is also illegal with a cut longer than 25 mm or a tenth of its section width, whichever is greater, that reaches the ply or cord, a lump or bulge, exposed cords, or the wrong size or type for the car.
The last four digits of the DOT code on the sidewall give the week and year of manufacture, so 2319 means the 23rd week of 2019.
Rubber hardens and cracks with age even on a tyre that has done few miles, and many tyre makers advise replacing any tyre ten years old or more.
A run-flat tyre has a reinforced sidewall that carries the car for a limited distance with little or no air. Because the car can feel normal, the tyre pressure warning light may be the only sign that something is wrong.
Look near the size on the sidewall for markings such as RFT, SSR, ROF, ZP or RSC in a circle.
Cars on run-flats often have no spare wheel at all, so check under the boot floor and in the handbook.
Tyre makers commonly quote up to 50 miles at no more than 50 mph after pressure loss, but the handbook has the final word.
Use that range to reach a safe place such as home or a car park, not to finish a long journey.
Sometimes, but less often than a standard tyre. TyreSafe does not recommend repairing run-flats, and some tyre makers advise against it, especially after the tyre has been driven without air.
The tyre comes off the rim and is checked against the maker's guidance before a repair is even considered.
If a tyre fails and the car can still be driven safely, get it off the road into a side road, a lay-by or a car park. A lay-by on a fast road is a place to stop safely, not somewhere we can work; we come to the car once it is on a side street or in a car park. On a busy road or dual carriageway, do not try to change the wheel yourself; call your breakdown cover, or 999 if the car is somewhere dangerous. We never work on the carriageway of a motorway or main road, on a hard shoulder, in a smart motorway emergency area or on a slip road.
Road operator: Transport for London (London) / National Highways (trunk sections). For its sections, the National Highways contact centre is on 0300 123 5000; in an emergency, call 999.
In London, parts of the road are red routes. We cannot stop or work on a red route; the car needs to be on a side street or private ground first.
The road's junction list and the full Highway Code steps are on its main page, under Related pages below.
The numbers on your tyre sidewall tell you everything needed to order the right tyre. Here's exactly what 205/55 R16 91V means, digit by digit.
Do you have to replace tyres in pairs?
You don't always need a pair, but matching tyres across an axle matters for safety. Here's the rule on replacing in pairs and why new tyres go on the rear.
The tyre label explained: grip, fuel and noise
Every new tyre carries a label grading fuel efficiency, wet grip and noise. Here's how to read each rating and use it to buy a safer, cheaper tyre.
Send the size from the sidewall and where the car is parked, and the fitting is booked around you. The price is given on the call.
