Camden is about 3 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2. We give you an arrival time when you call.
Emergency tyre replacement is for a tyre that has to be changed rather than repaired, at the car; urgent jobs are fitted in if the diary allows. If it has burst or is visibly damaged, our burst tyre and damaged tyre pages cover what to do first. What we need on the call is the tyre size, printed on the sidewall in a form like 205/55 R16 91V, and where the car is. Common sizes are often on the van; other sizes are sourced for the job, and we tell you on the call which applies to yours.
If your size has to be ordered, we say so on the call and agree with you when the fitter can bring it; until then leave the car where it is safe and legal and do not drive on the tyre. At the car the fitter replaces the tyre, balances the wheel and sets the pressures. 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. On a fast road the car needs to be off the carriageway first. Our main emergency replacement page, linked below, has more detail.
Tell us where the car is now. If it is on a driveway, in a legal space on a quiet street or in a car park where the owner allows it, on firm, level ground, it can stay there until the new tyre is fitted.
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Postcode districts | NW1, NW3 and others |
| Red routes (no stopping) | A501 Euston Road; A41 Finchley Road (on the stretches marked with red lines) |
Have these ready when you call:
The replacement has to be the size the car is built for, with a load index and speed rating at least as high as the maker specifies. All of it is printed on the sidewall of the old tyre, and most cars also have a sticker inside the driver's door or the fuel flap.
Tyres on the same axle should match: the same size and type, ideally the same model, so the car brakes and corners evenly. If the tyre on the other side of the axle is badly worn, it is worth replacing the pair, and we tell you what we find while the car is up.
Four-wheel-drive cars are more sensitive. Some makers ask for all four tyres to be close in tread depth to protect the transmission, so tell us on the call if the car is four-wheel drive.
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.
Many newer cars, especially some BMW and MINI models, leave the factory on run-flat tyres and carry no spare wheel. The sidewall says so, with a marking such as RSC, ROF, SSR, ZP or RFT depending on the maker.
A car built for run-flats should stay on run-flats, because it has no spare to fall back on and its suspension is set up for their stiffer sidewalls. Tell us on the call if the car has them, so the right tyre is sourced.
“Excellent service from start to finish. He came out quickly to help my mum change her tyre and was extremely friendly.”
“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!”
“Quick, helpful and very understanding of our situation.”
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.
There is no fixed figure that suits every car, so the price is built from a few things and told to you before you decide.
The price is the same at any hour. Asking for a price does not commit you to anything.
When you compare prices, compare like with like: the same brand and pattern, the same load index and speed rating, and whether balancing and a new valve are part of the job.
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. Supermarket, retail park and station car parks are private ground, so the owner's permission comes first. Places of this kind in this area include:
You don't always need four new tyres. Here's when you can replace just one, when you should do a pair, and when all-wheel-drive means replacing all four.
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.
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.
Get the car somewhere safe, send a photo of the damage and the size, and the new tyre comes to the car. Tell us what has happened and the make and model of the vehicle. The price is given on the call.
