# Price Of Tyres/Wheel Balancing



## NC6000 (11 Jan 2007)

Hi Everyone,

What do you all make if this? My OH needed new tyres on her car(Yaris) so brought it into Advance. They charged her €70 per new tyre which isn't too bad but they also charged her €50 for wheel balancing. This doesn't sound right to me as I would have thought that this should be done as part of the installation of the new tyres.

Would all consider this €50 charge to be normal enough or were they ripping her off?

Any thoughts?


----------



## ClubMan (11 Jan 2007)

Did she ask what work and charges would be involved before/when she left it in?


----------



## NC6000 (11 Jan 2007)

I think they told her it would need wheel balancing beforehand.  I just think that the €50 charge is a bit much and should the balancing not need to be be carried out anyway due to new tyres being fitted and included as part of the service?


----------



## ClubMan (11 Jan 2007)

But did they tell her or did she ask in advance what the charges would be for the work that she agreed with them?

I have no idea if €50 is reasonable for balancing but I'm just wondering if she was quoted one schedule of work and price in advance and then charged something else afterwards in which case the rip-off allegation might stand up.


----------



## Leo (11 Jan 2007)

I got a puncture repaired and the wheel balanced for €10 at the weekend, so €50 would sound expensive. Costs should have been clarified up front though.


----------



## SOM42 (11 Jan 2007)

I think this may be an actual rip-off.  I know any time I get new tyres I get the price for fitting and balancing included so I know exactly how much I am being charged and I have never seen a bill for €50 for balancing.  However they stick on a charge for fitting/balancing etc when I take a work vehicle in.


----------



## ClubMan (11 Jan 2007)

SOM42 said:


> However they stick on a charge for fitting/balancing etc when I take a work vehicle in.


Do you challenge this if it represents different treatment to when you bring your own car in?


----------



## Digger (12 Jan 2007)

This smells off a rip off to me, Wheel balancing is usually only done on the front two wheels ,though I always get them to do all 4 so I can swap the tyres around to get even wear. Kwik fit (name has changed now I Think) will not charge extra for this, You just pay what they quote for the tyre.
It is literally a 30 sec job to balance a wheel .


----------



## Madilla (12 Jan 2007)

I had to get two new tyres at the w/e.The fitter told me the wheels needed to be balanced as they were wearing more on the inside. I paid €200 in total -€80 x 2 for tyres and €50 for balancing and got €10 discount. I got a computer printout which showed all the various readings on the alignment. I have had wheels balanced before and this charge seemed about right.


----------



## hanorac (12 Jan 2007)

I paid €50 for wheel balancing, had to get 2 tyres too, the garage were doing free balancing if you bought 4 tyres but i guess that's classed as an offer.


----------



## oopsbuddy (12 Jan 2007)

Just wondering if everyone is talking about only "balancing", and not confusing this with tracking and alignment. AFAIK, balancing is usually included with new tyre fitting (its just a few lead weights on the rim and is done while the wheel is off the car on the rig). Tracking and alignment is a different ball game and is done with the wheels on the car. It recently cost me €50, but is a very different job.


----------



## Avns1s (12 Jan 2007)

Madilla said:


> I had to get two new tyres at the w/e.The fitter told me the wheels needed to be balanced as they were wearing more on the inside. I paid €200 in total -€80 x 2 for tyres and €50 for balancing and got €10 discount. I got a computer printout which showed all the various readings on the alignment. I have had wheels balanced before and this charge seemed about right.


I agree with oopsbuddy. Balancing (or lack thereof) does not cause wear on one side or the other, Tracking (or alignment) does. This usually costs about €40 - €50.

Balancing is usually included "free" with the purchase of tyres. ALL wheels should be balanced, not just the front as suggested earlier. Properly balanced tyres will wear better, will give better handling and not vibrate the joints front and rear causing wear even if you dont feel the vibration. It only takes about 2 minutes per wheel.


----------



## SOM42 (14 Jan 2007)

ClubMan said:


> Do you challenge this if it represents different treatment to when you bring your own car in?


 
Not really.  Its a company account and I don't even get a copy of the invoice.  I do know that there are plenty add-ons (including balancing) compared to a private customer who would be more price sensitive and is looking for a better deal.


----------



## LB03 (14 Jan 2007)

Def sounds like a tracking job to me(40 - 50 euro)...usually small charge or included in price of tyres for balancing


----------



## BlueSpud (15 Jan 2007)

I think this charge was for tracking.  Balancing is done on a wheel to ensure there is not an imbalance on the actual wheel.  Tracking is making sure the two wheels are parallel to each other, cos if they are not, the tyres will wear quickly.  This is true even for well balanced wheels.


----------



## Grizzly (18 Sep 2009)

Had to get a new tyre. When I got it back from the garage I noticed that they had scraped my alloy wheel quite badly. 
Is this a regular problem with alloy wheels or were the garage being careless.


----------



## Pique318 (18 Sep 2009)

The garage were careless...very! This is not normally something that happens IME when changing tyres. Are you sure you didn't kerb the wheel when parking and forgot (or maybe 'er indoors did it) ?

It's not a hazard though if it's just a scrape.


----------



## sse (20 Sep 2009)

Grizzly said:


> Had to get a new tyre. When I got it back from the garage I noticed that they had scraped my alloy wheel quite badly.
> Is this a regular problem with alloy wheels or were the garage being careless.



I'd say it's unusual for them to scratch an alloy wheel as they will always get blamed, the place I always go to (Geraghtys in Waterford) are very careful with them, plus the nuts, covers etc.. Saying that I did have a problem in London once when the fitter kicked the steel spare wheel across the floor taking much of the black paint off, I assume he thought I wasn't there watching and/or he was just an idiot. Anyway when I pointed this out to the manager I got the tyre free on condition I didn't raise it with head office.

OP - I think this charge was for tracking/alignment as others have said, not balancing which is usually included in the tyre price.

SSE


----------



## Grizzly (20 Sep 2009)

Pique318 said:


> The garage were careless...very! This is not normally something that happens IME when changing tyres. Are you sure you didn't kerb the wheel when parking and forgot (or maybe 'er indoors did it) ?
> 
> It's not a hazard though if it's just a scrape.


 
No. My wheels were perfect when left in. It's not a very bad scrape but it just annoys me at the carless way my wheel was handled. Yet another place I won't be returning to. Unfortunately the list is getting longer.


----------



## allthedoyles (20 Sep 2009)

I pay €45 for a VW Golf Tyre - 175 x R80-x 14 - fitted


----------



## blinky182 (18 Oct 2009)

I paid €40 for just the balancing of 4 tyres recently in Advanced Pitstop!
I think this is excessive for 30 minutes work! And I'm not a satisfied customer, as I still have vibrations @ 120 Kmp/h.


----------



## monascribe18 (18 Oct 2009)

blinky182 said:


> I paid €40 for just the balancing of 4 tyres recently in Advanced Pitstop!
> I think this is excessive for 30 minutes work! And I'm not a satisfied customer, as I still have vibrations @ 120 Kmp/h.


 
take car back not properly done


----------



## blinky182 (18 Oct 2009)

This was Advanced second attempt to balance them, I've lost faith in them at this stage!!! I'll bring it somewhere that has pride in their work!
Any suggestions out there? In the Dublin area and would travel North to get this done if needs be!


----------



## Pique318 (18 Oct 2009)

It may not be the balancing of the wheels. After all, it's not done by eye.

I would suggest getting your ball joints checked as it's either one of those or a control arm/bent wishbone.


----------



## b0ng0man (19 Jul 2014)

*premium wheel balancing costs*

firstly it doesn't take 30 seconds to balance a tyre and wheel.
using the proper haweka system it takes say 5 minutes to find and attach flange plate.then the inside of the wheel MUST be cleaned on the flat side and on the cone side.then the wheel must be fastened via the flange plate through the wing nut.once the tyre is fitted it must be optimized that mean heavy part of tyre to light side of rim.tehn it must ne weighted. then the wheel must be torque back onto car now all that take more then 30 seconds.if you feel you can do it in that time and do a proper job you stand no chance. hope this helps.



Digger said:


> This smells off a rip off to me, Wheel balancing is usually only done on the front two wheels ,though I always get them to do all 4 so I can swap the tyres around to get even wear. Kwik fit (name has changed now I Think) will not charge extra for this, You just pay what they quote for the tyre.
> It is literally a 30 sec job to balance a wheel .


----------



## Leo (21 Jul 2014)

Note this thread is 5 years old...


----------



## seantheman (27 Jul 2014)

I got a pair of Hankook 215/70/16 Fitted/balanced/disposal of old tyres and a splash and dash at McDonagh tyre centre in Crolly West Donegal for €215 all in. No connection, just happy to reccomend a good inexpensive local service.


----------



## noproblem (28 Jul 2014)

People seem to think getting the wheels balanced is the way to fit new tyres and off you go coz it's included in the price. There's a huge difference in getting the wheels balanced and the wheels tracked and aligned, but some tyre outlets are letting people believe that balancing is "the job". €50 to get the wheels tracked and aligned is not dear by any means.


----------

