On the newer estates at Kingsmere and Graven Hill, or the older streets around Bure Park and Glory Farm, a lost locking nut key means the same thing: the wheel cannot come off until that nut is removed at the car.
Bicester is about 45 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2 (further by road). 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 has had tyres or a service elsewhere lately, ring that garage: the key is sometimes left in a drawer or a tool tray there. A spare set of car keys at home is worth checking too.
If the key has gone for good and the wheel has to come off, removal is the fix. The fitter takes each locking nut off with tools made for it, works carefully around the alloy, and fits standard nuts or a new locking set in their place.
A drive or a residential street in Kingsmere, Bure Park, Langford Village, Glory Farm, Southwold or Graven Hill works well, as do the villages of Ambrosden, Launton, Chesterton and Caversfield.
Bicester Village, the station car parks, Pioneer Square, Bicester Avenue garden centre and Bicester Heritage are all private ground. Their owners decide whether a fitter can work there, so ask before booking.
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. A car that has stopped on the M40 near junction 9 or 10, the A34 or the A41 needs to be somewhere safe off the road first.
With 45 miles between us, we take the job when the diary allows and say so plainly when it does not. A wheel that can wait may be better served by a replacement key from the dealer, if you still have the code card.
The price depends on how many locking nuts need removing and whether you want standard nuts or a new locking set, plus any tyre work. It is confirmed on the call before anyone sets off, and it does not change in the evening or at the weekend.
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Postcode districts | OX25, OX26, OX27 |
| Main roads | M40 J9 and J10, A41, A34, A4421 |
| Distance from our base | About 45 miles |
Every wheel nut is tightened to the maker's setting with a torque wrench. It is good practice to have the nuts checked again after the first short drive following any wheel work, as alloy wheels can settle slightly.
If you want locking nuts again, a new set can be fitted later. Keep the new key in the glovebox and note the key code somewhere outside the car, such as on your phone, so a replacement key can be ordered if it goes missing.
Tell us whether the key is lost, broken or rounded off. A clear photo of one of the nuts helps.
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.
If the key turns up but does not fit, or it slips on the nut, stop rather than force it: a rounded nut is harder to remove.
The previous owner, or the dealer that sold the car, may still have the key or its code, so a call to them can be worth it if the wheel can wait.
“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!”
“Had two tyres replaced and was really impressed. Friendly and efficient, job completed quickly. Highly recommend!”
“From start to finish, Hiwad was incredibly professional and helpful.”
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:
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Tell us the make, model and registration, and whether you have the key code card. The price is given on the call.
