Learn about the pros and cons of mobile tyre fitting
According to Google Trends, interest in "mobile tyre fitting" has been increasing steadily since about 2005.
Motorists with busy work or home lives have been enticed by the 'convenience' aspect of the service since it cuts out time spent finding and getting to a garage, and waiting for a new tyre or set of tyres to be fitted.
If you haven't yet tried this service but you're considering it, in this article we examine the various pros and cons of mobile tyre fitting compared to its more traditional rival.
Mobile tyre fitting: Advantages
Convenience - the chief advantage of mobile tyre fitting is that you don't have to get your car to a garage and wait for tyres to be fitted. Instead, the mobile tyre fitting service comes to your home, workplace, or other location, and does the job promptly.
Less waiting or transport issues - you'll still have to wait a certain length of time for the tyre fitter to arrive at your location, but this will almost certainly be less than needed to locate and reach a garage.
Additionally, once at the garage, you'll have to either wait for the tyres to be fitted or arrange transport elsewhere (e.g., your home), then return later to pick up your vehicle. All these steps waste time and may come with their own costs (e.g., public transport, lost working hours). You may also have to wait for a slot if the garage is busy.
No towing costs - in some circumstances - for example, if you've suffered serious tyre damage - you'll need to pay to get your vehicle towed to a garage. This can be a significant cost and is likely to be more than paying for a mobile tyre fitter.
The cost may be comparable to a garage - while such a convenient service sounds like it should be expensive, it may be comparable to using a garage (especially if it eliminates other costs, such as fuel/public transport). This is because mobile tyre fitters don't have the extra overheads of garages - such as premises rent and electricity. However, costs do vary, so it's worth checking both garage and mobile prices if cost is a big concern.
It could be useful if you’re away from home - if you need a new tyre or set of tyres while far from home, a mobile tyre fitting service would cut out the need to find and locate a reliable local garage. New tyres might only be a phone call or a few clicks away.
Mobile tyre fitting - Disadvantages
Out of hours fitting may cost more - While the cost of mobile tyre fitting may be comparable or even cheaper than the garage-based alternative, there may be extra out-of-hours labour costs if you need the service in the evening or on a weekend.
Mobile fitters may have less experience than garage technicians - an established, experienced garage may have the expertise of several technicians to draw on, while this may not be the case with mobile tyre fitters. However, there is no hard-and-fast rule for this.
Mobile fitters may not be able to source specialist tyres quickly - a large, established garage may have an inventory of premium or specialist tyres, while a mobile fitter may need extra time to source such products - adding to the wait time.
So, is mobile tyre fitting better?
The primary advantage of mobile tyre fitting is convenience. In theory, you will have less time to wait for your new tyre or tyres to be fitted and won't have to battle traffic or arrange transport to and from the garage.
While mobile tyre fitting may be more costly in some circumstances, you will almost certainly save time - which could be critical if you have work or family commitments.
In addition, if your tyres are damaged so badly that your vehicle cannot be driven safely, mobile tyre fitting could be a very useful service.
Fitting a tyre is a fairly straightforward process whether done by a mobile tyre fitter or a garage, so both options should result in correctly fitted new tyres. Of course, there is an unpredictable element to both services - since either can result in satisfaction or dissatisfaction.
