Cars - always the source of problems!!

[TJ:01]

OK just got to share this with you guys. Was off to pick up a mate yesterday going down a country road and I've got to cross a weak bridge. Only enough room for one car and its my right of way. Car coming in the other direction refuses to give way and I have to swerve to avoid him - I hit a curb and it turns out I bend one of my front wheels - and it goes flat!

Pull over at the side and a mate comes out to help me change the tyre (I was near his house at the time) - turns out I need a locking wheel nut key to undo the fourth wheel nut. Didn't know this - now I've had my car 9 months never touched the spare or anything... well guess what I haven't got one! Had to wait 2 and a half hours for the RAC to come out and do something with the wheel so I could drive it home.

Anyway ring up the garage today to ask them where it is, because I went and got it serviced there last week. They ring back and tell me there was a note on their service log saying there wasn't one in the car... but they didn't fricking tell me!!! I didn't even know they existed till yesterday!!

So here's my question - am I the only person who didn't know cars have wheel locking nuts? Also - my advice - make sure you've got the key to undo it; cos on top of the wheel it's going to cost me ?120 to replace the wheel locking nuts!

[matt257]

?120? You are being robbed. You can pick them up for about ?35 at halfords and put them on yourself! Not a difficult job, just need the "key" to do it. Which ofcourse comes with the set. I would ask them to put normal ones on and get some locking wheel nuts yourself

[Robusto]

That does seem like robbery!
Can they smell your profession?
Some take us on.

[cj121]

They sound like wheel cnuts at that price TJ. Grab yourself some as mentioned earlier. You'll be able to buy a key for you existing set also, ask around at palces like Halfords.

[Deano]

Bummer mate. I know sod all about cars too, so I feel ya.

[Stevieboy]

Try here - they're between 20 - 40. Your garage is taking the piss pal

Ebay too

[TJ:01]

Thanks guys! Just spoken to my neighbour who knows someone who'd fit them for me too if I bought them and would charge less than the garage as well! It's just a load of hassle tbh - thanks for the websites and stuff they've been noted!!

On the plus side; whatever the RAC did to my tyre seems to have done the trick for the moment - sitting on the driveway its not gone down!

[the mothman]

Know how you feel with the tyre front mate, bloody wife again= flat tyre I said get it pumped up or sorted cos I was on nightshift and couldnt deal with it, get woken the next morning after 1 hour sleep, my tyres flat so I go to change it still arf' asleep and shes lost the bloody wheel brace ( sorry she just said she didnt lose it) so RAC as with yourself 2 hours later, cars are ok till they bloody go wrong along with the wives.

[nicwing]

I had the same problem with my Volvo, changed a tyre and they didn't guve me back the special nut, then got a puncture had to have all 4 wheels removed with a special tool as I didn't know the serial number of the nut then needed a complete new set.

Forget what it cost but I know it hurt!

[whisky77]

Have to agree with the rest of the lads, that is way to much to be forking out mate.

[PoohBore]

Your being ripped off unless they are charging you to remove each locking nut. I bought an extra set of locking nuts for my Focus ST from mcGuard who supply Ford at ?40. They were the better quality ones with more "keys" - thousands compared to the tens of variants Ford use. Should the supplying dealer not be able to check his master set against yours and order you a set. On Fleabay they sell kits to remove locking nuts.

What car is it ?

[TJ:01]

It's a ford fiesta. Anyways... update.....

My neighbour's mate has said he'll sort it for me. ?35 for the wheel nuts and ?30 for the labour... so much cheaper!!