- The tyre size from the sidewall, for example 205/55 R16, or a photo of it
- Where the car is: the SG5 postcode or the nearest road
- Whether the car has locking wheel nuts, and where the key is
31 miles from our base
Mobile tyre fitting
Mobile tyre fitting
in Stotfold.
Stotfold is about 31 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. We have no base or van stationed in Bedfordshire, so this is a longer trip for the van.
Arrival time given on the call
At a glance
Key facts and distance
| Postcode districts | SG5 |
|---|---|
| Local authority | Central Bedfordshire |
| Population (OpenStreetMap figure) | 9,632 |
| Nearest motorway junction | A1(M) junction 10 |
| Distance from our base | About 31 miles, straight line |
Facts: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); postcodes.io (OS data © Crown copyright and database right; Royal Mail's data © its copyright and database right).
Distance
Details that make a long trip worthwhile
Because the van comes a long way, it matters that the right tyre comes with it. Have these ready when you call:
Roads nearby
If a tyre fails on the A1(M)
The A1(M) and A1 run just west of the town. Do not stop beside the traffic to wait for a mobile fitter. If the car can be driven safely, leave at the next exit and stop off the main road. 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.
Where we can work
Where the fitter can work
A driveway or a residential street with room beside the wheel is fine. Supermarket, shop and business car parks are private ground, so we need the owner's permission before we can work there.
We fit new tyres, repair punctures where the damage allows, replace burst or damaged tyres and remove locking wheel nuts.
Step by step
How a callout works
→
Tell us what happened
Call or WhatsApp with where the car is, the registration and the tyre size from the sidewall.
→
Agree what happens next
You hear what the job involves and the options for your car. Nothing is booked until you say yes.
→
Work at the car
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.
Checked before the fitter leaves
Before the fitter leaves, the wheel is checked for security and the tyre pressure is set to the maker's figure.
Where we can work
Good spots for the job, and places to avoid
Good places for the job
- A driveway or private parking space
- A residential street where it is legal to park
- A workplace or business car park, with the site's agreement
- Firm, level ground with room to work around the wheel
Places we cannot work
- Motorways and fast main roads, including their hard shoulders and slip roads
- Anywhere the car or the van would block traffic or put people at risk
- Soft ground, steep slopes or loose gravel where a jack cannot sit safely
Supermarket, retail park and station car parks are private ground, so the owner's permission comes first.
What we do
What we can do at the car
Puncture repair
A nail or screw in the main tread can often be repaired. The fitter takes the tyre off the rim and looks at the inside before deciding, because a small hole can hide bigger damage.
Damage in the shoulder or the sidewall, or a tyre that has been driven flat, cannot be repaired safely, and you are told why before anything else is done.
- Tyre taken off the rim and inspected inside
- Repair considered only for small holes in the central tread area
- Wheel balanced and pressure set after the repair
Burst and damaged tyre replacement
A burst tyre, a bulge in the sidewall or a deep cut from a kerb or pothole cannot be repaired. The fitter replaces the tyre at the car and checks the wheel while the tyre is off.
Send a photo of the damage and the size on the sidewall so the right replacement can be found.
- Damaged tyre removed and the rim checked for bends or cracks
- Replacement matched to the size, load index and speed rating
- New tyre balanced on the wheel before it goes back on
Flat tyre help
A flat tyre does not always mean a new tyre. Whether it can be repaired depends on where the damage is and how far the car was driven flat.
If the spare is missing, flat or a space saver you would rather not rely on, the repair or the new tyre is brought to the car.
- The cause found with the tyre off the rim
- A repair if the damage allows it, or a new tyre if not
- Valve checked and pressure set before the wheel goes back on
Removing locking wheel nuts
Lost, broken or rounded key? The nuts are removed at the car with extraction sockets made for locking nuts.
Plain nuts or a new locking set go back on, and the tyre can be sorted on the same visit.
- Removal without the key, using sockets made for locking nuts
- Replacement nuts matched to the wheel's seat type and thread
- Tyre repaired or replaced on the same visit if needed
Out-of-hours tyre fitting
We work evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays when the diary allows, at the same price as a weekday job.
Out of normal working hours, where the car waits matters more: somewhere lit, legally parked and away from passing traffic.
- The same repair-or-replace check as at any other time
- A new tyre fitted when the damage rules out a repair
- A lit, legal spot to work in, agreed on the call
Wheel balancing
A vibration through the steering wheel at a steady speed is often a wheel out of balance. Balancing spins the wheel and adds small weights to even it out.
A wheel is balanced each time a new tyre is fitted to it, and it can be done on its own when a weight has come off.
- Wheel removed and spun on a balancer
- Weights fitted to the rim to even out the balance
- Wheel back on with the nuts torqued to the maker's figure
Van tyre fitting
Van tyres carry heavier loads and are marked with a C after the rim size and a higher load index. The replacement has to match both.
Fitting at a yard, a business car park or the kerb outside the job keeps the van working.
- C-marked tyre matched to both load index numbers and the speed rating
- Fitted where the van is parked: a yard, a site or the kerb
- Pressure set for the load the van carries
Run-flat tyres
Run-flats keep the car moving for a limited distance after losing pressure, but they still need sorting properly afterwards.
The correct run-flat is sourced for your car, including maker-approved fitments, and fitted at the car.
- Correct run-flat in your size, load index and speed rating
- Inspection inside the tyre before any repair is considered
- Advice on maker markings such as RSC and the star
New tyres
New tyres fitted where the car is parked
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.
Reading the size on your sidewall
The size is the string of figures on the tyre wall, such as 205/55 R16 91V. The first number is the width in millimetres, the second is the sidewall height as a percentage of that width, R means radial construction and the last number is the rim diameter in inches.
The part after the size, 91V in that example, is the load index and speed rating. A replacement should match or exceed both, and the two tyres on one axle should be the same size and pattern.
Budget, mid-range or premium
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.
Signs a tyre is due for replacing
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.
What the fitter needs at the car
A driveway, a residential street where parking is legal or a workplace car park all work. The jack needs firm, level ground and there has to be room to work around the wheel.
What a tyre fitting includes
- New tyre sourced in your size, load index and speed rating
- Old tyre off, new tyre on, wheel balanced and refitted
- Wheel nuts tightened to the maker's torque figure
- Pressures set to the figure on the door placard or in the handbook
★★★★★
“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!”
DFDavid FordhamGoogle review
★★★★★
“From start to finish, Hiwad was incredibly professional and helpful.”
KMKian MGoogle review
★★★★★
“Good and reliable service in all conditions.”
LOLeo OduorGoogle review
Staying safe
Staying safe until the job is done
While you wait for the fitter
- Stop somewhere off the main flow of traffic, switch on the hazard lights and, if you have one, put on a high-visibility vest.
- Get everyone out on the side away from the traffic and wait behind a barrier, on a pavement or well back from the road.
- If the tyre may still be repairable, say so before using a sealant can, and leave any nail or screw where it is.
- Keep your phone on and charged, and tell us about anything that makes the spot hard to find.
Tyre failure on a motorway
- If the car can still be driven safely, carry on to the next exit or services and stop away from traffic before you call.
- If you cannot leave, use an emergency area or the hard shoulder, stop well to the left and, if it is safe to, get out on the side away from the traffic.
- Wait behind the barrier, not in the car. Rule 277 of the Highway Code says not to attempt any repairs on your vehicle on a motorway.
- Call 999 if you are in danger or stuck in a live lane. Otherwise National Highways can be reached on 0300 123 5000.
| Main roads nearby | A1(M) |
|---|
Tyres and the law
Tread depth, tyre age and the law
The legal tread limit
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.
The 20p test
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.
Other defects that make a tyre illegal
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.
How old is your tyre?
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.
Pricing
How the price is worked out
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.
What goes into the price
- The tyre itself: size, load index, speed rating and whether it is a run-flat
- The tier you choose: budget, mid-range or premium
- The work: a repair, one new tyre or several, and any locking nut removal
- The location of the car
Questions
Questions and answers
Can every puncture be repaired?
No. A repair is possible only in the central part of the tread, for damage up to 6 mm, on a tyre that has not been driven flat. Shoulder and sidewall damage always means a new tyre.
The pressure light is on but the tyre looks fine. What should I do?
Measure the pressures with a gauge before going further. A modern tyre can lose a lot of pressure before it looks flat.
Can I bring the car to you instead?
No. Rescue Tyres is fully mobile and works from one base at Brent Cross, NW2, which is not open to walk-in customers. The fitter comes to the car.
Can you work on the street outside my house?
Yes, if it is legal to park there and the car is not blocking traffic. A quiet residential street is usually fine; a busy main road or a red route is not.
Are you insured?
Yes. Rescue Tyres is fully insured, has fitted more than 2,000 tyres and is a UK registered company.
Can you fit tyres at my workplace?
Yes, if the site is happy for the work to be done there and there is room around the wheel. Tell us the address and where the car is parked on site.
What if the tyre needs replacing rather than repairing?
You are told before anything else is done, with the reason and the options for a new tyre in your size. Nothing changes until you agree.
More in Letchworth (Hertfordshire)
- Beauchamp Mill
- Astwick
- Radwell
- Church End
- Caldecote
Helpful guides
Tyre advice worth reading
Illegal tyres: the fines and penalty points explained
Driving on illegal tyres can cost £2,500 and 3 penalty points per tyre. Here's what makes a tyre illegal in the UK and how to stay legal.
How to make your tyres last longer
Tyres are a big running cost. These six habits stretch their life and save you money without compromising safety, from correct pressures to smooth driving.
Mobile vs garage tyre fitting: which is better value?
Mobile or garage tyre fitting? How the two compare on time, safety and emergencies, what a fair quote should include, and when a garage is the better choice.
Call to check we can take the job
Need a tyre fitted?
Tell us where the car is and the tyre size. The price is given on the call.