to dread getting new tyres.

[Tippytappytoes]

It took me many many years to find a Garage that I liked and trusted to get my MoT/Services done, after having some bad experiences at others (charging for work they didn't do or quoting one price on the phone then trying to charge more). Funds are fairly tight for me at the moment, so shopping around I have found somewhere else that is alot cheaper than my normal Garage so I have booked a timeslot for Thursday, and honestly, I'm dreading it.

I'm fairly robust character, I work in a male dominated environment but I still I hate going to Garages. I'm fairly sure this new place won't rip me off but I still worry that they will try it. That when it comes to paying I will, yet again, have to battle to get the price I was quoted (I always make sure the price they quote is 'fully fitted'). I'm a grown woman! AIBU?

I think garages are still a fairly intimidating place for women, although why in this day and age they should think that a women would be less knowlegeabe than the average man, I don't know.

I have to take my car to a well known national tyre company (no choice as it's a lease vehicle). Even though I am not paying the bill, they have to ring the leasing company for authorisation and keep the tyres they take off in case they want to inspect them, I still find the whole experience slightly intimidating.

If I was paying I would always get at least 2 quotes from local tyre dealers. DH always rings around for prices first.

I would check the tread yourself to see if the tyres need changing before taking it in. Also, if you can, order the replacements online, then take them to the tyre place and say 'please fit these on these wheels'.

If they start trying to suggest you need new brake pads (most common thing for garages to try and replace unnecessarily), say thanks, I'll get them checked and leave it at that. If they try and pressure you into doing it by saying it's dangerous, just ignore and go back to your trusted garage.

It's tempting to use the cheapest garage but unfortunately it's not always the best option and can end up costing you more in the long run.

There is no reason to feel intimidated, there is not so much of the discrimination around these days.

If funds are a bit tight, a good way to save money is to find which local tyre fitting place will just fit them for you (usually about £10 per tyre), then buy the tyres on line. This will have to be a local tyre fitter, not a big chaine one. You will be able to get better quality tyres for less money than cheaper ones at the garage.

Also, unless you are in an area that gets lots of ice and snow, don't bother with winter tyres. They cost quite a bit more, and they wear a lot quicker when driving on tarmac.

When they are delivered, get the delivery guy to put them straight in the back of the car for you, so no lifting required.

Our local tyre fitter cannot buy tyres from his suppliers at the prices we can get them on the internet.

Your local garage may fit them for you if they have a machine.

I recently had Kwit Fit Mobile come to my house and fit four new tyres. It was cheaper than any local places we got a quote from and the fitter was lovely. He even knocked on the door to double check that I def did want them all replaced as two still had good tread on them.

You can choose your tyres online (with good info on each brand) then book a time slot and pay.

Highly recommended. Especially if, like me, you find garages intimidating.

I often find Kwik Fit the cheapest, or at least within a quid or two. They've always been lovely and will even deliver the car back to me (I only live a few streets away).

Kwik fit are really good to be fair.The guys at my local branch, Warrington, are great.Very professional, don't deal with people any differently if they are male or female.

I hate going to garages and try to get DH to go with me when he can.

However, I have found a lovely place that is small so I really trust it. Its the garages attached to big car dealerships I dont trust. My car was recalled for a new part once and we were told that the brakes needed replacing. 2 MOTs later the brakes are still the same brakes.

I did have to go to Kwik Fit as it was a saturday and I got a flat tyre and even though they were quite a bit more expensive than my usual place they were really good and did knock the price down for me a bit (and I was on my own)

My exhaust needs replacing, I parked up and found what looked like grey hair hanging out the back but a quick look on google and it told me there is a problem, my DH took to quick fit and they looked it over for me and said quite honestly that its fine for now and not to worry until later. I was impressed as they could have got a sale.

IME Kwik Fit are a bunch of thieving tossers who take advantage of lone women going in. Of course, that may just be my local branch but I will never set foot in there again.

Kwik Fit have always been fair and honest to me as well, and never treated me like a silly woman. DH prefers to go to a local independent place where he can banter and haggle, but that's not my cup of tea at all.

Another vote against Kwik Fit. They put my directional tyres on back to front. Try www.blackcircles.com and use one of their recommended fitters. They're usually among the cheapest and they only tend to use reputable garages. I've been using them for 10 years and never had a problem with them.

I also disagree on the topic of winter tyres, as opposed to snow tyres, which are different. In lower temperatures (exact temp depends on the tyre, but usually around 7-8 deg C) they will wear exactly the same as summer ones, but will have reduced braking distances in the wet as well as in ice and snow. I live in Cornwall which is reasonably mild, swap around Oct/Apr each year and get the same sort of mileage out of my winter tyres as my summer ones. I also get better fuel consumption on them in winter. If you live in an urban area or drive exclusively on main roads that are regularly gritted, you can get away without them but for anywhere rural I would never think twice about changing to winter tyres. My rear wheel drive car on winter tyres handles better in snow than my mother's 4WD on summer tyres.

I got my tyres from a place recommended to me by a neighbour (and mechanic). They have always treated me very well and done extra little bits (new valve covers, checking pressures) for free when I have asked them. Not everyone is a rip-off merchant, and I hope you have a decent experience too.

We use a tyre dealer who comes to your house or work, and he's cheaper than using a garage (no overheads for him, and no hanging about for you). It'd be much less intimidating being on your own territory.

I am much more paranoid about going to my local bike shop, as I feel like I really should be able to fix my bike myself (and yes I do try, but it never seems to work). They're pretty dismissive of anything that's not a super-duper racing bike.

The last time I went to Kwik Fit they charged me for tyre insurance without mentioning it. They charged me for nitrogen inflation and treated me like a silly woman when I told them all their supposed advantages were bollocks (I ran it past my mechanic brother beforehand) and then spun me some pathetic line to explain why they had removed all my tyre valve caps and replaced them with chrome ones at extra cost, also because I was a silly woman. None of these chargeable extras were mentioned until I happened to spot them on the bill later.

Their manager, who was absent when I complained in person, phoned me back and apologised unreservedly and offered me an immediate refund.
Their Head Office phoned me to apologise and said they would deal with it.

So yes, my branch are thieving fuckers who try to scam lone females.

The thing with using kwikfit mobile is you get to do all the choosing and paying online before the fitter comes. So no haggling or question marks over price.

The same happens to my DH too though - several times he has taken a car in for a quick check or a puncture repair or something (often to KwifFit) and been told he needs new tyres when he doesn't, or they've tried to sell him cheap rubbish tyres you can get on the internet for less than half the price.

Whereas I seem to get a better outcome all round. Perhaps it helps that I avoid KwikFit and tend to question in quite a lot of detail what I am paying for before I authorise any work. Although once I went to get two winter tyres put on at a small independent garage, and told them to put the summer ones they took off in the rear, as they still had plenty of tread. Stupidly didn't check until I drove home and they weren't there, so phoned up garage and they gave me some implausible story of throwing them out "assuming I wouldn't want them". Obviously they were going to sell them. I had to drive back to the garage to get them - will never give them any business again. I was furious.

I live in a rural location in the NE and have never used winter tyres, nor do I intend to. If I moved somewhere that got snow for longer I probably would, but its an added expense that I just can't afford.

In my experience, buying winter tryes pretty much guarantees you won't see so much as a single snowflake all winter

I'm with pp. I had to change 3 tyres, as they were worn.bdont why the 4th was ok (probably from a previous flat tyre, with previous owner), and they were great. One thing extra they did charge me fir though, was the balance of the cars axel. It really was skew, and out if alignment. Apparently to do with the wear on the tyres.

Winter tyres aren't for snow, they're for cold weather - and because you're not using your summer ones while they're on, the additional expense over time is close to zero as you have 2 sets of wheels lasting twice as long. Ebay have loads - I got 4 nearly new ones (the coloured lines were still on them) on BMW alloys for 350 total - RRP was 250 each just for the tyres. The handling difference on my car is huge - but I drive 40 miles a day just commuting so it's worth the added safety factor for me. Doesn't do anything about the braking distances on the car behind though :)

I have a choice of two local garages in our small town which can fit tyres for a usually reasonable price.

Have you been told your tyres will definitely need replacing to pass the next MOT?

I usually check out etyres too, and sometimes the best deal at the time comes from there. They come to your house and fit and pressurise the new tyres on your drive. I know a lot of people round here who use them too, so worth a check, if they cover your area.