Tyre Fitting in Totnes

Anyone who drives in Totnes puts their tyres through a lot. Fore Street is steep, the shopping streets mean constant slow manoeuvres and parking against kerbs, and the A385 and A381 approaches add faster running in between. Tyres that look fine on a quick walk-round can be carrying damage you only find when you look properly.

At Automaster, our garage at Longcombe Cross near Totnes, we fit new tyres, repair punctures where it is safe to do so, set wheel alignment and balance wheels. This page explains what to look for, what affects the work, and what to tell us when you ask for a quote.

How do I know if my tyres need replacing?

Start with tread. The legal minimum in the UK is 1.6 mm across the central three quarters of the tread, around the whole tyre. A tyre can be unsafe in wet weather well before it reaches that limit, so do not wait for the last millimetre if you can help it.

Then look at the sidewalls. Bulges, cuts, cracking or scuffing from kerbs are all reasons to have a tyre looked at straight away, because a damaged sidewall can fail without warning. Age matters too: rubber hardens over time even when the tread looks deep, and the vehicle or tyre maker's advice on age is worth following.

• Tread close to the legal limit
• Bulges, cuts or cracks in the sidewall
• Visible kerb damage on the rim edge
• Tyres that have gone soft repeatedly

Can a puncture in Totnes be repaired, or do I need a new tyre?

Often a puncture can be repaired, but only when the damage is in the central tread area and the tyre is otherwise sound. A nail or screw in the tread is usually a repair candidate once the tyre has been taken off the wheel and checked from the inside.

Damage to the sidewall or the shoulder cannot be repaired safely, and neither can a tyre that has been driven on while flat, as the inside structure may be damaged. If that is the case we will explain why a replacement is needed. Please do not keep driving on a flat or soft tyre.

Why do pulling and vibration point to alignment or balancing?

If the car drifts to one side on a flat road, or the steering wheel is off-centre when you are driving straight, the wheel alignment (often called tracking) may be out. Knocks from kerbs, potholes and tight parking spaces are common causes. Poor alignment wears the edges of tyres unevenly and can shorten their life.

A shake through the steering wheel at motorway-type speeds, or a buzz through the seat, more often points to wheel balance. Small weights are fitted to the wheel so that it spins evenly. New tyres normally need balancing as part of the fitting.

Where do I bring the car for tyres near Totnes?

Our garage is at Longcombe Cross, Longcombe, Totnes TQ9 6PL. We are an independent garage and an RAC Approved Garage, and we welcome drivers from Totnes itself as well as from Dartington, Buckfastleigh, South Brent and Paignton.

If you are not sure whether you need new tyres, a repair or an alignment check, describe what you are seeing and we will tell you what we would look at first.

What affects the cost of new tyres?

We do not quote prices on this page because they depend on the car. The tyre size on the sidewall, the speed and load rating your vehicle needs, whether you are replacing one tyre or a pair, and whether alignment or balancing is included all change the final figure.

Fitting tyres of the same type on an axle keeps handling predictable, so if only one tyre is damaged we may need to look at the condition of its partner. Ask for a quote and have your registration and the size printed on the sidewall to hand.