Tyre Bay Direct

It’s not uncommon for us to hear from garage owners and tyre fitters who believe they have had the bargain of the century on their garage equipment UNTIL they need a spare part. There are some companies who claim to offer parts warranty and technical support but what they don’t tell you is that you have to wait weeks for them to order it in! We at Tyre Bay Direct have a large section of our 20,000 square foot warehouse, located in the West Midlands, dedicated solely to stocking spare parts for your Unite tyre changers and wheel balancers. With reliable stock levels you can rest assured that should you have an issue with your tyre fitting equipment, you will be back up and running in no time.   Although many machines on the market look very similar they are in fact quite different and most parts are not universal fitting meaning we can only supply spares for a genuine Unite tyre changer or wheel balancer. We are able to keep stock levels high and prices low as a result of our commitment to the quality of the machine in the first place. What’s more, we offer an extensive parts warranty with all Unite tyre equipment giving our customers complete peace of mind.

It can be a little daunting when trawling through pages upon pages of your operating manual to find the part you are looking for which is why Tyre Bay Direct aim to make the process as quick and as simple as possible. Our first step to making this process easier for you was having our own in-house engineers and technical team. Available via email or telephone their expert knowledge will save you time and effort and will have you sorted in a flash.

Our next and much more impressive step to bringing spare part ordering to the 21st century was the introduction of our brand new knowledgebase. This online knowledgebase enables you to order spare parts online 24/7 with next working day delivery (when ordered before 3pm) available for many parts. In order to make this process as simple as possible we have created intricately detailed exploded diagrams for each machine. Here you can simply click on the part you require to be shown a photograph and continue to a hassle free checkout. This priceless section of our website is exclusive to our valued Unite tyre machinery customers only.

So when making the hard decision on where to purchase your garage equipment make sure you question spare parts availability AND lead times not just price and so called “reputation”! Remember, we only supply spare parts for our Unite range of tyre machines and wheel balancers so for complete peace of mind choose Tyre Bay Direct.

We have released an unrivalled parallel when it comes to tyre service equipment and maintenance with our brand new Knowledgebase.

Available automatically and exclusively to all our Unite tyre machinery customers this new section of the website has a landing area personalised to your equipment models and is automatically accessible from the moment your machinery is installed. The Knowledgebase lists the current equipment in your workshop with warranty status’ and expiry reminders along with complete manuals, operating instructions and instructional videos for your chosen machine, meaning any information you require is always at your fingertips.

There is an exclusive selection of articles and updates about the latest development in the industry, new regulations and in-depth articles about some less know aspects of products such as the Uniflate Nitrogen Inflation Systems and 8CCD Wheel Alignment. The Knowledgebase also allows you to see frequently asked questions covering a large array of topics as well as giving you the option to ask your own questions.

Perhaps the centrepiece of the new customer experience is the parts identification and online ordering system. Every machine has an intricately detailed, interactive exploded diagram allowing users to visually see parts and components for easy identification. You can even request quotes for service visits, extended warranty or additional machinery through the interface.

We already offer one of the best warranties around and as exclusive suppliers of Unite tyre equipment we have a full complement of spares readily available. We are aware that spares availability is a major concern when buying machinery and while some people are unlucky enough to have purchased from a company that doesn’t offer this commitment or have to wait for weeks for a spare, even with some so called “premium branded” machinery, this platform demonstrates our commitment to availability and easy access should there be any issues.

Many customers were asking us for a low cost extended parts warranty for peace of mind after the initial 2 years.With spare parts easily available we have created the ‘self-serve’ warranty where customers can identify and order parts online. This is available for either a small annual fee covering the most common parts or as a pay per part service ordering as you need them.

With our massive online presence it seemed a logical step to provide you with this wealth of information and the ability to order parts either in or out of warranty directly through the site. The detail and the interactive functions with images means no more thumbing through pages of part numbers to find what you need.

The finished product is indeed impressive and ensures that anyone purchasing a Unite branded machine has the back up and support required should the unthinkable happen. Furthermore all manuals, serial number information and instructional videos are in one easy access yet secured personalised account for quick reference. We have always strived for excellent customer service and they believe that this is yet another step to cementing that reputation.

Tyre Bay Direct offer not only reliable, affordable and robust garage equipment but a full range of tyre consumables too meaning we are able to cater for all your tyre fitting needs from start to finish. Our range of products include the popular and regularly replenished consumable items such as balancing weights, repair materials and tubeless valves as well as an array of cleaning and protection products, tyre mounting aids, hand tools, air tools, floor jacks and much more.

We have a dedicated purchasing team who work hard to find the best value tyre consumables whilst not compromising on quality. Every product in our range is put through vigorous testing to ensure they of the highest standards before being distributed to the trade. Whilst price and value is extremely important to Tyre Bay Direct we also take quality very seriously. Our customers expect high quality products at affordable prices and we aim to live up to our reputation by working very closely with all of our manufacturers to ensure every product is produced to the highest standards. The manufacturer of our repair materials, HOPSON, are no exception.

The range of HOPSON repair materials have been designed to repair nearly every tyre on (or off) the road including small motorcycle tyres, passenger car tyres, truck tyres and agricultural earthmover tyres. With a variety of patches including universal, tube, radial, bias / cross ply and patch-plug combos, they offer robustness, reliability and of course great value. All HOPSON repair materials are manufactured using thick, flexible and heat resistant rubber, many of which include extra shock absorbing, cushioning gum and are twice as tough as the rubber they are repairing.

HOPSON tyre repair patches, patch-plug combination and repair solutions are designed to repair almost any tyre. These products are available in variety of shapes and sizes to be sure that you find the perfect fix for all your repair needs.

If you are looking to start your own business as a mobile tyre fitter or looking to upgrade your current van, we may have the solution for you.  With our customers ranging from large fast-fit centres to mobile tyre fitters, we offer the full range of machinery, tyre consumables and tools to cater for all your needs, whatever the size of your workshop!

A couple of months ago one of our existing customers, Darren, got in touch about a fleet of vans he was looking to upgrade. In June this year, Darren attended our High Performance Tyre Fitting Training Course where he had the opportunity to try out our range of Unite machinery. Able to see the quality, reliability and robustness of the equipment for himself, we were his first choice for the job.

Being a mobile tyre fitter himself, Darren was well aware of the potential problems that come with it. Perhaps the most frustrating issue is only having room for a smaller, semi automatic tyre changer which not being designed to cope with low profile or run flat tyres can result in having to turn crucial customers away. Larger, fully automatic machines are usually over looked for a mobile van because of their rear tilting column and wide assist arms taking up precious working space. However with precise measurements and a well thought out design we were able to install the Unite U226, a 24″ fully automatic tyre changer complete with assist arm, which is fully capable of changing low profile and run flat tyres.

Another common problem for mobile tyre fitters is the lack of storage space for tools, consumables and especially for tyres. Many mobile tyre fitters will be familiar with doubling up their working space as their storage space meaning all tyres are removed from the van before any work is carried out, and then put back before moving onto the next job. To overcome this time consuming and frankly annoying setback we created a separate storage compartment, accessible from the back of the van, which is perfect for storing tyres out of the way. We added several storage compartments for tools boxes and consumables as well as a work bench which can be folded away to create even more work space.

 

Alongside the fully automatic tyre changer stands a compact 24″ hand spin wheel balancer, a 100 litre petrol compressor and inverter system, which is much more economical that a generator, as well as a full range of consumables and tools. The Unite U108 wheel balancers is the perfect solution for a mobile tyre fitting van being capable of coping with the same sized wheels as the larger balancers yet only taking up half the space!

When asked what he likes most about the van Darren commented “The carefully thought out lay out of the van allows extra working space and a tidy storage space at the back of the van for jacks and tyres so we no longer have to tediously load them off and on again each time.”

Lee Daykin, UK Sales Manager commented “I had been speaking with Darren for many weeks to come up with the best solution for his needs and we are both extremely happy with the outcome. We wish Darren the best of luck with his business and welcome him back anytime.”

Our aim at Tyre Bay Direct has always been to provide our customers with exceptional service, advice, support and of course great prices. With that being said, we had great anticipation for 2013 with some big plans and lots to look forward to and the year so far has certainly lived up to our expectations.

With the intention of creating a strong working relationship with all our customers, earlier this year we introduced a brand new discount card. These discount cards have been issued to everyone who has purchased one of the Unite machine packages and is designed to save you money on future orders. This is a thank you to existing customers but also a great help to those getting into tyres for the first time. Our goal is to be your long term reliable supplier rather than a one off garage equipment seller.

Although the majority of our customers are long term garage owners and tyre fitters, we regularly deal with people who are completely new to the trade. We are thrilled to be able to say we have successfully contributed to the opening of hundreds of brand new tyre bays whilst providing not only expert advice, great value and quality machines but Tyre Fitting Training Courses too!

Our IMI accredited High Performance Tyre Fitting Training Courses, ran by the same trainers who carry out training for the NTDA, have been a huge success.  We could not have wished for better feedback from all who have attended the courses so far with all candidates saying they thoroughly enjoyed the course and would gladly recommend it to anyone. All successful candidates will be able to proudly display their certificate giving their customers full confidence in their abilities. The trainers are fantastic and really ensure everyone gets the most out of their time here. The next available course is in November so be sure to book your place now before it is fully booked!

This year has also seen the launch of couple of brand new and exciting products from Tyre Bay Direct. Firstly, the Vertical Motorised Storage Systems which are designed to utilize the unused vertical space in your garage and save valuable floor space.  The motorised system allows one person to quickly and safely access tyres at the push of a button. This rotates the system bringing you the requested tyre without any effort or risk. Capable of holding over 280 tyres you need never send your customers away again!

We also launched the Customised Valve Key Rings which have been designed as a promotional gifts for the trade to distribute to their customers. Created to say ‘Thank you’ to your existing customers and bring in repeat business. The key rings can be printed with the text of your choice and come not only in the standard black valve, but a range of colours too including silver, red, purple, blue and green. Why not extend the uses of the key ring and turn it into a loyalty scheme by asking your customers to show the key ring, when they return, for a discount off their next order! The Customised Valve Key Ring is a must have for any tyre shop wanting to keep their customers loyal and stand out from the competition within the same area. You can pre-order your key ring now on our website!

Another highlight of the year so far was the launch of our new website.  Several months ago we sent a newsletters asking for your opinions on our website and suggestions on how it could be improved. We already had a fully e-commerce website, meaning you can order online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and with thousands of visitors a week it is extremely important that our website lives up to your expectations. We were extremely pleased with the response to the newsletter and the many great ideas and comments given. We would like to thank you all again for your time and comments and remind you that your feedback is highly valued so keep it coming!