Bournemouth tyre trouble, sorted on the spot
Bournemouth's busiest road is the A338 Wessex Way, the dual carriageway that brings traffic in from Ringwood and the A31, and it is a common place for a tyre to fail at speed. Just as often, though, the problem is quieter: a car left on a Southbourne street overnight with one corner sagging, a puncture picked up on the way home to Kinson, or a warning light on the seafront road after a day out. Call us whatever the time. We answer 24 hours a day, every day, and the nearest free fitter comes to you with a tyre to fit there and then.
We aim to get to you within 60 minutes in most cases. On a summer weekend with beach traffic it can take longer, and we will always give you a realistic estimate on the phone.
Where to stop on the Wessex Way and the A31
Get yourself and any passengers safe before anything else. What that means depends on the road:
- On the A338 or the A31: both are fast, with traffic joining and leaving at short notice. Slow down steadily and head for the next exit or a lay-by. If you have no choice but to stop on the road, keep well to the left, put the hazard warning lights on, leave by the left-hand doors and wait behind the barrier, away from the car. Ring 999 if the car is stranded in a live lane.
- In town: on streets like those around Winton, Charminster and Boscombe, pull in where you won't block a junction, a bus stop or a driveway.
- Near the seafront: roads dropping down towards the beaches can be steep. Set the handbrake firmly and turn the wheels in to the kerb.
Don't carry on driving on a flat if you can help it. It rarely takes long to ruin a tyre that might have been saved, and the wheel can suffer too.
Back on the road without a garage
When the fitter arrives they'll check whether the tyre can be repaired. If the hole is small and sits within the central part of the tread, and the tyre hasn't been driven on flat, a British Standard repair may be possible. If not, a new tyre goes on beside the car. Where it isn't safe to work, for instance on a narrow bend or the edge of a fast road, we can arrange breakdown recovery to move the car first.
Tyres come in premium, mid-range and budget ranges with the manufacturer's guarantee, and balancing and disposal of the old one are included at no charge.
Wheel nut key: many cars have one locking nut per wheel. While you wait, check the glovebox and the spare wheel well for the adaptor, because the fitter needs it to get the wheel off.
Seaside summers and slow leaks
Bournemouth fills up in the warmer months, and cars arrive loaded with luggage, bikes and beach kit. Extra weight on tyres that haven't been checked in a while is a recipe for overheating, particularly after a long run down the A31 through the New Forest. Out of season, the problem tends to be slow punctures that go unnoticed on short local trips until a tyre is flat one morning. If you think you have one, our guide to slow puncture signs will help you decide whether to keep driving.
Neighbourhoods and roads we reach
We come out to every part of the town, from Westbourne and the town centre to Boscombe, Pokesdown and Southbourne in the east and Kinson, Moordown and Wallisdown to the north. We also cover the A338, the A35 and the stretch of the A31 near Ferndown, plus the neighbouring towns of Poole and Christchurch.
Tell us this when you phone
- Your whereabouts: a street, the road and direction, the nearest roundabout, a postcode or what3words.
- The problem: a flat, a blowout, a bulge, a nail you can see, or a warning light.
- The tyre size off the sidewall, for example 215/60 R16, or the registration number.
- If you have children or pets in the car, and whether you're safely off the road.
Need a tyre now in Bournemouth?
Phone 07989 606060 at any hour or message us on WhatsApp. Prices are competitive with no hidden fees, and we'll quote before the fitter sets out. To book a fitting at a time that suits you, see mobile tyre fitting in Bournemouth.
