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| The inside of a run flat tyre, which tyre dealers won't use themselves, but love to sell. |
TYRE and Exhaust Centre in Pietermaritzburg has quietly pioneered
KZN’s first mobile tyre workshop to repair or replace from run-flats to tractors
wheels.
They have for the last six months been fixing mainly truck tyres
around Msunduzi, but can also handle car run flat tyres up to 22 inches on their
wheel balancer installed in the mobile van.
Like all tyres experts, Paul Lallchander loves to hate runflats.
“Look, as tyre repair specialist I like them because they bring me business, but
as a driver I will not have them.
“When you get a puncture and drive a run flat for 80 kilometres,
you have to throw it away.
“I would just buy a spare tyre, and when I do get a flat I can
change tyres and the repair bill will be R40 to R50 for the puncture
repair.”
He spotted the imported mobile tyre-fixing van on a farm near
Mooiriver.
Vans like these are the norm in Europe, but the longer distances
between towns in SA makes them a logistical nightmare to run on a 24/7 basis.
Lallchander says with nine tyre shops and two back up vehicles in
KZN, he has that logistical issues solved.
“We are the cheapest 24/7 tyre service — certainly in the Midlands,
and also provide retreads.”
He said a 315 stock retread for a trailer will typically set a
truck owner back about R2 350 before VAT.
• In Port Elizabeth,
meanwhile, Continental Tyre has launched Conti360° Fleet Services. This truck
service under general manager of Continental Tyre South Africa’s Truck Business
Unit, provides a team of experienced tyre specialists offering support services
for fleets to achieve the lowest cost per kilometre.
This includes the recommendation and perfect selection of truck
tyres, quick assistance in the case of a breakdown and the ongoing monitoring
and reporting on the tyres of the whole fleet.
Tyre and Exhaust Centre has quietly pioneered a mobile tyre repair
shop that can fix and balance from run flats on German cars to tractor tyres.
Mobile tyres shops like this is the norm in Europe, but longer distance in SA
makes them a logistical nightmare locally. Paul SURNAME says with nine tyre
shops in KZN, he has that challenge solved.
