If your tyres have become worn or damaged and you need new tyres, as a Motability Scheme customer, your lease includes tyre repair and replacement from Kwik Fit. You can take your Motability Scheme vehicle to any one of the 600+ Kwik Fit centres across the UK and the team will carry out a full safety check and replace any tyres in need of attention at no extra cost.
What does my tyre replacement include as a Motability Scheme customer?
When should I replace my tyres?
Did you know you can also take advantage of Kwik Fit’s mobile fitting service and have your tyres fitted at home or at work? The team at Kwik Fit understand that it can be an inconvenience trying to find the time to get your tyres repaired at a local garage and it can take a big chunk out of your day. On top of this, if you discover a puncture or you are worried about the safety of your tyres, you may not want or be able to drive it to your nearest centre. That’s why Kwik Fit created their mobile fitting service, giving you the opportunity to not only choose when to have your tyres fitted, but also where.
Each Kwik Fit mobile fitting van is equipped with all the tools needed to carry out a tyre change or repair at your choice of location – it’s like a compact Kwik Fit centre on wheels! And it really is compact, opening the door to the Kwik Fit mobile van reveals a lot of technology that’s squeezed into a very small space, but with everything the fitter needs to provide a fast and efficient roadside service. So let’s take a closer look.
What’s In the Van?
Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
The PDA is the heart of the Kwik Fit van. It tells the mobile technician everything they need to know, from which tyres they need to pick up from the depot to where the customer has chosen to have them fitted. It can also tell them the optimum route for each leg of their journey in order to save on fuel and reduce vehicle emissions.
Tyre Changer
The tyre changer is the mobile tyre technician’s ‘right hand man’. While the model installed in the van is similar to the ones found in your local Kwik Fit centre, there is one key difference. Due to the reduced manoeuvrability in the back of the van, the tyre changer is fitted with an additional pneumatic assist arm (also known as a third arm or helper arm) which aids with the mounting of the new tyre to the rim, supports the movement of the tyre and protects the rim from scratches and damage. The helper arm makes easy work of changing more challenging tyres such as run flats and low profile tyres which are more robust and less flexible than a standard tyre.
Wheel Balancer
Every time a tyre is removed from the steel rim, the wheel should always be rebalanced when the tyre is replaced to ensure the wheel continues to rotate evenly. That’s why a wheel balancer is also fitted in the mobile fitting van. The wheel balancer spins the wheel round at speed and a computer read out tells the technician of any correctional action required to distribute wheel mass evenly. This is done by placing tiny correctional weights on the wheel rim at specific locations to even out the weight. The tyre is then spun again to ensure weight is now evenly distributed.
Compressor
Kwik Fit’s mobile fitting vans also contain a secret weapon which powers many of the tools found inside. A powerful compressor not only provides compressed air for tyre inflation but also powers a pair of 2,500 kilo airjacks to elevate the vehicle to allow the technician to remove the old tyre, plus a torque gun to remove/replace the wheel nuts. The compressor enables the fitter to use pneumatic tools to change tyres quickly by the roadside and let the customer get back on the road swiftly.
Toolbench
The toolbench provides the support act for the larger pieces of equipment found in the van. The myriad additional parts and manual tools include a torque wrench and impact sockets to manually tighten wheel nuts, tyre levers to provide leverage and assist with the mounting of the new tyre to the rim, tyre plugs for repairing tyres whenever this is possible, and new tyres valves which are replaced on every single tyre Kwik Fit remove. To ensure the safety of the fitter, the van also comes equipped with a fire extinguisher and traffic cones to ensure they are working at a safe distance from passing cars when fitting tyres on the roadside.
Tyres, Tyres and More Tyres
The Kwik Fit mobile van also has storage space for up to 25 tyres located at the very back of the vehicle. This is not just new tyres either; Kwik Fit’s mobile tyre fitting package also includes disposal of your old worn out and damaged tyres. Old tyres are loaded into the back of the van and taken back to the depot to be recycled into rubber chippings which can be used for artificial sports pitches and play surfaces.
Mobile Fitting for Motability Scheme customers
Try it yourself, if you discover that one of your tyres has been damaged or the tyre tread on one or more tyres seems overly worn, booking a mobile fitting appointment is easy. Simply call 0330 123 1533 to make an appointment. You’ll need to have your car registration number and tyre size to hand when you call to make your appointment so Kwik Fit Mobile bring the right tyre for your car. If you don’t know your tyre size, it can be found on the sidewall of your existing tyre and is made up of a series of numbers and letters e.g 205/55 R16 88V
You’ll then be able to choose an appointment at a date and time convenient for you. Appointments are available from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, or 8.30am to 1.00pm on Saturdays. On the day of your appointment, your Kwik Fit mobile fitter will contact you to let you know their estimated time of arrival.
More about your tyres on the Motability Scheme
Remember, puncture repairs, wheel balance and replacement of stolen or vandalised tyres is also included in the lease package, so Kwik Fit can get you back on the road as quickly and safely as possible if any of these instances occur.
If you are not a Motability Scheme customer and would like to find out more about what’s included in the lease, request an information pack or find out more on our website.
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How to choose the right tyres for your product
Time for new tyres? It’s easier than you think with Kwik Fit’s online booking service
