Tyre Fitting in Bantham

Bantham sits at the mouth of the River Avon and is known for its beach and surfing. Weekends in summer bring queues on narrow lanes, and cars that go back and forth to the sand collect grit and stones in their treads.

Automaster, at Longcombe Cross near Totnes, fits tyres for drivers across the South Hams. We see people from Bantham, Thurlestone, Bigbury, Kingsbridge and Loddiswell, and the questions are usually the same: how worn is too worn, and what is that vibration?

How worn is too worn for tyres used on the beach run?

The legal minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three quarters of the tread, but wet slipways and sandy tarmac reward deeper tread. Check the pattern is wearing evenly, and look in the grooves for trapped stones that can work into the rubber.

Salt air does not harm tyres directly, yet cracks in the sidewall are worth noting. They can mean the rubber has dried out with age.

Surf boards, roof boxes and loaded boots: do they affect tyres?

A heavy load changes the pressure a tyre needs, and a car carrying equipment every weekend may wear the rear tyres faster. Use the pressures given for your vehicle when loaded, shown in the handbook or on the door pillar.

Under-inflated tyres run hot, wear on the edges and make steering feel vague, so they are worth checking before a trip.

When is a puncture repairable?

If the damage is in the central part of the tread and the tyre has not been run flat, a repair from the inside is often possible. We take the tyre off the wheel to inspect it. Cuts in the sidewall, or damage near the edge of the tread, mean replacement.

A tyre that has lost air should not be pumped up and forgotten. Have it checked so the cause is found.

Do you cover Bantham for tyre fitting and alignment?

Yes. Our garage is at Longcombe Cross near Totnes, and drivers from Bantham and the neighbouring villages and towns come to us for tyres, tracking and balancing.

Please contact us beforehand with your car details. Ask for a quote and give us the tyre size, then we can tell you what the job involves.

• Tyre size from the sidewall
• Number of tyres needed
• Any pulling or vibration
• Registration or car model

Why does my car vibrate or pull after summer?

Vibration points to wheel balancing, which evens out the weight around each wheel. Pulling or a crooked steering wheel points to alignment. Both are common after kerb knocks on tight village lanes and busy car parks.

Tell us what you feel and at what speed. That helps us decide whether balancing, tracking, or both are needed, and the cost depends on the work.

Tell us as well if you have fitted a roof box or a bike rack, since extra load changes how the car sits.