Emergency tyre replacement is for a tyre that cannot be repaired on a car you need. We fit urgent jobs into the diary when it allows, and the fitter fits the new tyre where the car is parked, as long as it is somewhere safe and legal to work.
Aston is about 95 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2 (further by road). We have no base or van stationed nearby. 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.
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Postcode districts | B6 |
| Main roads | A38(M) Aston Expressway, M6 J6 Gravelly Hill, A5127 Lichfield Road, A4040 Aston Lane, A34 Newtown Row |
| Distance from our base | About 95 miles (straight line) |
A tyre has to be replaced rather than repaired when the damage is outside what BS AU 159 allows. A repair is possible only in the central part of the tread and only for a hole of up to 6 mm across. A cut or bulge in the sidewall, damage near the edge of the tread, a blowout, or a tyre that has been driven flat and damaged inside all mean a new tyre.
The size is printed on the sidewall. Using 205/55 R16 91V as an example, it reads like this:
Read us the whole code and any marks after it. XL or Reinforced means an extra-load tyre. Run-flat tyres carry a mark such as RFT, ROF, RSC, SSR or ZP, and a run-flat should be replaced with a run-flat. The new tyre should match or exceed the load index and speed rating of the old one.
Common sizes are often on the van; other sizes are sourced for the job, which can mean a wait, and we tell you on the call which applies to yours.
Tyres on the same axle should be the same size and type. If the tyre on the other side is badly worn or a different pattern, the fitter will point it out and you decide whether to replace both.
If a space saver is fitted in the meantime, keep to the speed limit printed on it and use it only for short journeys. If you have used a sealant kit, tell us on the call. Our main emergency tyre replacement page has more detail.
| Part | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 205 | Width of the tyre in millimetres |
| 55 | Profile: the sidewall height as a percentage of the width |
| R | Radial construction |
| 16 | Wheel rim diameter in inches |
| 91 | Load index: up to 615 kg per tyre |
| V | Speed rating: up to 149 mph |
We take urgent jobs when the diary allows. If the diary is full we say so, so you can ring your breakdown cover instead. The price is the same at any hour.
The price depends on the tyre size, the brand and the job, and we confirm it on the call before anyone sets off.
We need firm, level ground with room to work beside the car: a driveway, a legal parking space on a quiet street, or a car park where the owner allows it. Supermarket, retail park and station car parks are private ground, so the owner's permission comes first.
Have these ready when you call:
Most tyres have small raised bars in the main grooves, called tread wear indicators. When the tread is worn level with them, the tyre is at the legal limit. A 20p coin is a rough check: if the outer band of the coin shows when it is pushed into the main grooves, the tread may be close to the limit.
Grip in the wet falls away well before the limit, so many drivers replace tyres at around 3 mm. Age matters too: cracking in the sidewall or between the tread blocks means the rubber is perishing, even on a tyre with plenty of tread left.
Call or WhatsApp with where the car is, the registration and the tyre size from the sidewall. A photo of the damage helps find the right replacement.
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.
“From start to finish, Hiwad was incredibly professional and helpful.”
“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.
These are the neighbourhoods, postcode districts and main roads on record for this area. Whether we can take a particular job depends on the diary and the distance from our base, so the call always decides.
Yes, if the site allows it. Places of this kind in this area include:
Buckled alloy wheel: the signs and the fix
A buckled wheel causes vibration, slow air loss and uneven wear. Here's how to spot one, how it differs from a balance problem, and whether it can be repaired.
A blowout at speed is frightening but survivable if you react correctly. Here's exactly what to do, why braking is dangerous, and how to prevent the next one.
Is sidewall tyre damage repairable?
Bulge, cut or crack in your tyre's sidewall? Here's why sidewall damage almost always means a new tyre, what causes it, and why it's so dangerous.
Get the car somewhere safe, send a photo of the damage and the size, and the new tyre comes to the car. The price is given on the call.
