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Green Flag advised me that if I had a puncture they would change the wheel  if called out but only if I had a spare (which I have). Never tried them out yet!!!

However, once your tyre has gone you then need to get it repaired/replaced and not everyone stores tyres suitable for vans, nor the tyres for my car. Anyway, isn't it usually the case that where we go with the van we tend to be off the beaten track so finding a garage/tyre specialist close by is a challenge?  Could take up valuable Hill walking time as well! So, I also use Tyron Assist ( £95 for three years cover and you do not have to have Tyron bands). They go further then Green Flag. They will bring out a new tyre to relace the damaged tyre, fit it, including refitting Tyron bands if you have them, and take the old one away. You pay for the new tyre. They promise to arrive within two hours of a call. They keep a database of your details, tyre requirements etc. so that they get the right tyres to you. Thankfully I have not had to call them out so can't comment on the actual service. For those of you unable to change tyres, or who simply don't want the hassle, maybe this is worth a look. You can sign up on line.

Phil

Quote: Originally posted by gazza12345 on 27/9/2010

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If you are old or have a disability then thats fine. Call them out. But if you are fit & well. Whats the problem with you changing it your self.
If you break down with a mechanical problem. Then that warrants a call out because its an emergence because you don't have the tools to fix it. But if you have a puncher. This is not an emergence because you have the tools in the car to fix the problem. I think its just Laziness that people call them out just to change a wheel. No wonder premiums keep going up & they are taking over 1 hour to get to you. Its because there changing wheels & fitting bulbs & fuses for the lazy people.
Now i feel better for saying that.

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Fair point but it depends:-

We needed advise as to whether it was safe to tow on the spare and this information wasn’t available over the phone so we had to have someone come out to us, as it was a Sunday!

 

And  as other post have mentioned on a motorway or duel carriage way its just not safe to do this yourself.

 

On the subject of bulbs on our tow car it is actually virtually impossible to get to the light bulb with out it being on a ramp!

 

We carry spare fuses with us, but not everybody does.

 

"If you are old or have a disability then thats fine. Call them out. But if you are fit & well. Whats the problem with you changing it your self."

Is that what you say to the wife gazza?

anyway...here are a few answers.......

Too busy making the tea

Two hours for a call out gives you time to walk the nearest hill

Wife won't do it....

Raining

Windy

When its sunny we can get the folding chairs out and wait

Didn't train as an engineer

what...and get my hands dirty!

I'm on holiday

There's no rush....

I am sure there may be another hundred and one reasons to avoid the task if we just think....

Phil

If you are old or have a disability then thats fine. Call them out. But if you are fit & well. Whats the problem with you changing it your self.
If you break down with a mechanical problem. Then that warrants a call out because its an emergence because you don't have the tools to fix it. But if you have a puncher. This is not an emergence because you have the tools in the car to fix the problem. I think its just Laziness that people call them out just to change a wheel. No wonder premiums keep going up & they are taking over 1 hour to get to you. Its because there changing wheels & fitting bulbs & fuses for the lazy people.
Now i feel better for saying that

I actually find that quite a harsh and unwarrented reply. As already said in this thread, some of us, in fact many of us can't actually do the wheel change ourselves, not because we have not bothered to learn, or because we don't carry tools, but because of physical reasons. 

Lucky for me I don't tow on my own and my hubby, a fully qualified mechanic, can do the changes if needed but I am just not strong enough to undo the wheel nuts on a car.

I do  think your reply is unfair as so many people can't do the changes for many reasons and should not be made to feel incomptent.  In addition, if the various breakdown services offer wheel changes and people are paying their fees, why shouldn't they be able to access these when they need to!!!!!

There may be a case for breakdown services to offer a two tiered recovery, one that excludes minor roadside issues like tyres and bulbs, but I expect that they won't as people generally need them for these smaller things.

I would however recommend some of those tyre inflating gases that also mend punctures for single women/older/less physically able drivers (for use when in car but not towing) as these may save a long wait.  Not good enough to use for towing though.

With regards to spare bulbs, I would also point out that not everyone can do this at the roadside.  Some cars are harder to get into that others and sometimes the space is too small for an adult hand.  My hubby, who has smaller hands, often has to help out other mechanics with this, because he can get in spaces others can't.  Once you have to start removing lots of bits to get at a bulb, you need more skills/tools/time (remember you are on the roadside/motorway) etc.

Quote: Originally posted by vwalan on 12/5/2009

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the answer is always carry a good spare wheel n tyre and the required tools to do the job. green flag do recovery not roadside repairs. the cost of all these type of firms is spiraling due to people wanting wheels changed etc. they really should be for emergencies only.

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well i carry a trolley jack in the car at almost all times especially with the van on the back, I also carry a hi-vis orange jacket, added to that I am a MSA race marshal that is traied to work trackside with cars going past at over 100mph. would I even think about changing a flat on the motorway, not a chance in hell, you have no lookout, no warning 200 meters away that you are working roadside and no protection whatsoever if someone else comes careering down the hard shoulder

my advice for anyne who has a problem on the motorway is to get out of the car, put on hi-vis clothing, phone the recovery folk and get up the banking,

Most motoring organisations offer different levels of cover.  If you pay for a specific level of cover anyone paying for that cover is within their rights to use that cover.  If you are happy undertaking minor repairs then just opt for Recovery cover.  If you want help at home, then there is cover available.  The same with personal cover, if you want cover in another vehicle even as a passenger.

I don't believe that changing a wheel on a car is as simple as some would make out.  Raising a large car off the ground with a small jack on a busy road, would not be for me, even if I felt physically up to it.

I was once pulled up by a policeman as I unfortunately had not noticed a bulb had gone on the rear of the vehicle.  'Not to worry', said I.  'I will change it.'  Policeman said, 'Change it when you get home'.  I said, 'Well, I'm 150 miles from home so I better do it now.'  It was in a fairly confined space and in the process of removing the old bulb, it broke and cut my hand.  Bobby had a go at getting the remains of bulb out of holder and couldn't shift it.  In the end I had to call for the Green Flag.  The Old Bill raided his first aid box (ours had been raided previously!) for my cut hand.  After it was all done Copper said, 'OMG, I wished we hadn't pulled you up in the first place.'    That was the last time I attempted to change a car light bulb. 

 i have practiced changing the wheels on our caravan many times i use a 2 ton scissor jack modified to fit the chassis under the axel and because i always put our van on axel stands between trips i am used to lifting it safely ,i carry  hi vis clothing and warning triangles in case of a problem and would quite happily change a wheel if i felt comfortable that the situation was safe. on motorways i would change a wheel if i had police cover  in any other circumstances i would call out green flag . if the situation is "safe"it shouldnt take more than 10/15 mins to change a wheel and be on the road again much less than waiting for the breakdown services. i always carry the caravan spare just inside the doorway along with the jack ,torque wrench etc so that everything is to hand if needed

Quote: Originally posted by phil76 on 27/9/2010

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 i have practiced changing the wheels on our caravan many times i use a 2 ton scissor jack modified to fit the chassis under the axel and because i always put our van on axel stands between trips i am used to lifting it safely ,i carry  hi vis clothing and warning triangles in case of a problem and would quite happily change a wheel if i felt comfortable that the situation was safe. on motorways i would change a wheel if i had police cover  in any other circumstances i would call out green flag . if the situation is "safe"it shouldnt take more than 10/15 mins to change a wheel and be on the road again much less than waiting for the breakdown services. i always carry the caravan spare just inside the doorway along with the jack ,torque wrench etc so that everything is to hand if needed

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I would quite happilly pay the extra

would you really consider changing an offside wheel at the side of the motorway ?

I have seen the aftermath of a 44 tonne Artic hitting a stationary car on the hard shoulder !

Not a nice sight at all.

when we had a puncture on a busy A road. I called green flag because I didn't feel it was safe for me to change the wheel without a recovery vehicle protecting the hard shoulder area. Greenflag arrived in less than 45 mins and swapped the spare for me in 10 mins and I was on the way again.

brilliant service and various lifting gear on his lorry!