New tyres fitted at the car once you are safely off the motorway, parked somewhere safe and legal. Our only base is at Brent Cross, NW2, about 70 miles away in a straight line. 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.
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 | M6 (Rugby to Cannock) |
|---|---|
| Operator | National Highways |
| Service areas | Corley services, Hilton Park services |
At its nearest measured point, the M6 is about 70 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2. We have no base or van stationed nearby. 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.
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.
One new tyre is fine when the others still have plenty of tread and match it in size and pattern. A big difference in tread depth across one axle makes the car brake and corner unevenly.
Four-wheel-drive cars are more sensitive to differences in tread depth between tyres, so check the handbook before replacing just one.
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.
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.
“Good communication, excellent work and takes the initiative. Happy to go the extra mile, highly recommended if you're in a tyre-related bit of bother!”
“A pleasure having them come down and save me. Big shout out to Hiwad, really responsive, recommend him to anybody.”
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.
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.
Run-flat and standard tyres should not be mixed on the same car.
Switching all four to standard tyres is possible on some cars, but it leaves you unable to drive on after a puncture, so check the handbook first.
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.
If a tyre fails on a motorway, leave at the next exit or pull into a service area if the car can still be driven safely. If you have to stop, use the hard shoulder or an emergency area, get everyone out by the left-hand doors, wait behind the barrier and do not try a repair yourself. If you are stuck in a live lane, stay in the car with your seat belt on and call 999. 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.
Several stretches between Rugby and Cannock are smart motorway, where there may be no hard shoulder at all, so look for an emergency area or leave at the next exit.
National Highways runs this road. Its contact centre is on 0300 123 5000; in an emergency, call 999.
The road's junction list and the full Highway Code steps are on its main page, under Related pages below.
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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.
