Cost Of A Puncture?

[Durbanite]

About 2 months or less than 400 miles ago we had new standard tyres fitted onto the front of our Corolla. The new tyres were balanced and new valves fitted. Over the weekend we had a puncture due to a nail and took the car to the same tyre fitter on the Monday.

They repaired the tyre, balanced it and fitted new valve. Cost was a few pennies under £20 which I thought was rather high for repairing a puncture considering they had balanced and fitted new valves 2 months previously.

My question is whether it is necessary to balance tyres again after a puncture in the tread area and to replace a valve not even 2 months old?

[AndyPoole]

I beleieve the answer is yes as you cannot guarantee that the tyre has gone back in the exact same poition on the wheel anf therefore the balance will be out, valave i doubt needed replacing.

[gumdrop]

Rear tyre puncture on my Yeti £25, new valve, balanced And nitrogen fill.

I insist on a new valve.

[David 38]

If buying new tyres carefully reading conditions of the big firms such as KwikFit, National etc. you will find if you buy a certain brand from them punctures are free to repair.

This post now raises in my head would balance etc. be free too.

[BrianI]

To repair a puncture, the tyre has to be removed to insert the rubber mushroom from the inside. When the tyre is put back on, there is no guarantee that the tyre will sit exactly as it did before and therefore the tyre balance should be checked and if necessary rebalanced.

Brian

[MalH]

I had a puncture repaired in France recently (20 Euro = £16) and the fitter put a mark on the wall corresponding to the valve position. It wasn't rebalanced and I've driven at 70mph since (solo I hasten to add!) without any discernable wobble.

[Woodie106]

I had a puncture repaired in France recently (20 Euro = £16) and the fitter put a mark on the wall corresponding to the valve position. It wasn't rebalanced and I've driven at 70mph since (solo I hasten to add!) without any discernable wobble.

 

Thats what we used to do when i worked for a well known tyre fitters, but we were told that company policy was to not do that & charge for a re-balance!! That was quite a long time ago - 23 or 24 years - something like that. I only stayed a couple of months & then was so bored i left.

[flashgordon]

Kwik-fit used to repair punctures free of charge and they still might, but you have to put up with the "safety check" that finds your shockers are worn out, your exhaust is knackered, and your brakes want replacing, but if you are as hardfaced as I am it's still a free repair.

[xtrailman]

Kwik-fit used to repair punctures free of charge and they still might, but you have to put up with the "safety check" that finds your shockers are worn out, your exhaust is knackered, and your brakes want replacing, but if you are as hardfaced as I am it's still a free repair.

And you pay more for the tyres.

I never use the large companies, on line might be different, but a firm in town has always been cheaper.

[springtime]

 

They repaired the tyre, balanced it and fitted new valve. Cost was a few pennies under £20 which I thought was rather high for repairing a puncture considering they had balanced and fitted new valves 2 months previously.

 

On a positive note just be thankful that the puncture wasn't on the edge of the tread otherwise it would have been a new tyre.

[Paul_B]

I used to get my tyres from etyres as the offered free puncture repairs, since they stopped doing it I've gone back to local tyre firm, they charge about £11 to repair, refit and balance. If you're a regular customer they often do it for free or ask for a donation into the coffee jar.

[Durbanite]

Thanks as I had no idea whether balancing was required if a plug was inserted on the tread. I always thought balancing was due to side walls and the way the tyre was moulded.

[CommanderDave]

When i had a tyre out of balance it was so far out they had to remove the tyre again and turn it 180 degrees to get it to balance as it was so far out . Which means the wheel and tyre themselves were out of balance .

 

I would of thought the weight of a mushroom would effect the balance .

 

 

Dave

[suandjas]

On a positive note just be thankful that the puncture wasn't on the edge of the tread otherwise it would have been a new tyre.

Depending on where its on the edge they can send it away for repair. But it cost about £30. 00 which is far cheaper than a new tyre

[springtime]

Depending on where its on the edge they can send it away for repair. But it cost about £30. 00 which is far cheaper than a new tyre

The last three I've had on the edge i. e. within half an inch of the edge, all required new tyres.

Three different tyre fitters all said sorry mate can't repair it.

As they were all company cars it meant no cost to me.

[iansoady]

Tyres all have a mark showing the lightest point which should generally be put next to the valve. Some also have a marking showing the "high point" of the tyre although I'm not sure what the value of this is.

 

Sadly I've never yet come across a tyre fitter (apart from myself, in a purely amateur capacity!) who has known about these markings and observed them.

 

Some useful information here (in service bulletin 1): http://www. continental-tyres. co. uk/www/tyres_uk_en/general/tech_services_uk/library_service. html