Wow, im gobsmacked but just wondered if I was simply out of touch with the costs of swapping over tyres. Or is it just a case of companies starting to take advantage of the fact people are more commonly having tyres swapped for winter now?! Or, a case of them just not wanting the business from people coming along with their own tyres for fitment?

Having previously used Wheels in Motion for alignment on a couple of my cars, they were going to be my first port of call now the Yeti is running Polybushes and aftermarket ARB's. I need some new winter rubber also and after reading many reviews/owner views have settled on Nokian WR A3's.

I phoned Wheels in Motion for a price for fitment of the four new tyres and to get a price for a full alignment. Four new tyres fitted... £20 + vat EACH! Im sure I paid £5 each, fitted and balanced locally last year.

So that would be near enough £100 for just fitting four tyres?! Really?

I was told it was free to have them fitted if they supplied the tyres at which point I asked if he could supply me the Nokians and I got a 'no' in reply. :(

It's the latter Lee.

For some reason garages don't recognise it's perfectly accepted and understandable for people to bring their own tyres in for fitting. They're still providing a service, which they're able to charge a reasonable sum for. This seems to be lost on them.

Or as you've found, they take liberties and charge an unreasonable sum. I would expect a fitting charge of upto £10 per wheel. Especially as in your case you're also going to them for another service, for the suspension geo/alignment.

I paid £30 for my 4 Nokian’s to be fitted, £10 each is about the maximum I would pay I think.

Take your hard earned elsewhere, there will be someone who wants it.

I may save myself the fuel and have the tracking done more locally also then - hopefully at the same place that will fit my tyres for a reasonable sum. Just want to find somewhere with the hunter equipment.

cheers guys.

Check http://alignmycar.co.uk/ - should give you some nearby options

I pay £12 per wheel to get a tyre swapped over and then balanced. I can't find anywhere cheaper than that locally.

My Nokian WR A3s were £5 each to fit & balance at my local fitter. That was for wheels already off the car (MSW 22 alloys). Then paid £10 for one of the wheels to have a puncture repaired & rebalanced (which turned out to just needing the weights removed!) less than 48 hours after fitting them I'd bought them from Oponeo but he had no issue with fitting them at all.

I pay £12 per wheel to get a tyre swapped over and then balanced. I can't find anywhere cheaper than that locally.

That's about the price STS Tyre Pros in Stevenage Old Town charge me when swapping and balancing 'cover'; maybe £12.50 i.e. £5 per tyre to swap and £7.50 for balancing. They'll also inflate with Nitrogen.

Additionally, they have a pretty high-tech laser 4-wheel alignment setup and charge 'per adjustment'.

I know Wheels-in-Motion have a good reputation for alignment etc. but their tyre swap price is too expensive.