Tyre Fitting in Dartington

Dartington is a village with a lot going on. The Dartington Hall estate, its gardens and its arts events bring visitors along the A384, and commuters use the same road every day. For many local drivers that means a mix of short hops and steady running, which suits a regular tyre check.

We are Automaster, a garage at Longcombe Cross near Totnes, and we fit new tyres, mend suitable punctures, set tracking and balance wheels. Here is what we would like Dartington drivers to know before they call.

What should I look at on my tyres before a trip to Dartington Hall?

Before a longer outing, walk round the car and look at every tyre. Check the tread against the legal minimum of 1.6 mm across the central three quarters, and run your eye over the sidewalls for bulges, cuts and cracking. Do not forget the spare if your car has one.

Pressures matter as well. A tyre that is under-inflated wears the shoulders faster, handles less crisply and can overheat. Your handbook or the sticker in the door frame gives the right figures for your car.

Is it a slow puncture or a faulty valve?

If one tyre needs topping up every week or so, there is a leak somewhere. A nail or screw in the tread is the usual culprit, but a worn valve or a corroded rim edge can do the same. The wheel has to come off for proper diagnosis.

A puncture in the central tread can often be repaired from the inside of the tyre. Sidewall damage cannot be repaired, and a tyre that has been driven flat may be beyond saving. We would rather tell you honestly than send you back out on a risky tyre.

• Wheel off and tyre inspected inside and out
• Tread repair only where the damage allows it
• Valve and rim edge checked for leaks

Why does my steering wheel shake or the car drift?

A steering wheel that shimmies at higher speeds is usually a balancing problem, where one part of the wheel and tyre is heavier than the rest. Small weights even this out. A pull to one side, or a steering wheel that is not straight on a straight road, points towards tracking.

Both are worth sorting out. Out-of-line wheels scrub the tread away unevenly, so you may be replacing tyres sooner than you should.

Do you cover Dartington and the villages around it?

Yes. Our garage is at Longcombe Cross, Longcombe, Totnes TQ9 6PL, and we welcome drivers from Dartington as well as Totnes, Buckfastleigh, South Brent and Ivybridge.

Visitors who have picked up a puncture while in the area are welcome to ask about a repair or replacement too. We can only tell you what is possible once we have seen the tyre.

How do I get a quote for new tyres?

Price depends on the tyre size, the speed and load rating your car needs, and how many you are changing. Fitting and balancing, and any alignment work, are part of the picture too, so we ask for details rather than guessing.

Send us the registration and the size printed on the sidewall, which reads something like a run of numbers and letters. If you are unsure, tell us the car and we will help you find it.