Does the advertised tyre price include fitting?

Usually not. Fitting, balancing, a new valve and disposal of the old tyre are charged separately and vary widely — together they are a large share of the total on a mid-priced tyre.

Are budget tyres a false economy?

Often, in wet braking and longevity. The EU label ratings for wet grip and fuel efficiency are the nearest thing to an objective comparison, and they are printed for every tyre sold.

How do I know which tyre fits my car?

The full code is on the sidewall of your current tyres and on the plate inside the driver’s door. Size alone is not enough — the load index and speed rating are part of the specification.

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Nobody buys a tyre. Everybody buys a fitted tyre, and that is a different number.

Updated 25 September 2026 · 1 min read

The fitted price is the only comparable one

A tyre price almost never includes fitting, balancing, a new valve, or disposal of the old tyre. Those four are charged separately, they differ substantially between suppliers, and together they are a large fraction of the total on a mid-priced tyre.

A cheaper tyre with expensive fitting frequently beats a dearer tyre with fitting included, and frequently does not. The only way to know is to total all four.

The code on the sidewall is the product

Tyre size, load index and speed rating are printed on the sidewall and are not optional. A tyre in the right size with the wrong load or speed rating is the wrong tyre, and price comparisons that ignore those two letters are comparing different products.

Copy the full code from the tyre you are replacing, or from the plate inside the driver’s door, and compare only within it.

What actually drives the price

Brand tier. Premium, mid-range and budget are genuinely different in wet braking and longevity, which is why the EU label exists.
The label ratings for wet grip, fuel efficiency and noise. The closest thing to an objective comparison in this category.
Seasonality. Demand spikes before winter and after the first cold snap, and prices follow.
Fitting arrangement. Mobile fitting, a depot, or a garage — a real cost difference and a real convenience difference.

Before you buy

Copy the full sidewall code including load index and speed rating.
Compare only tyres matching it exactly.
Get the total fitted price, including valve, balancing and disposal.
Compare the EU label ratings, especially wet grip.
Check whether buying online and fitting locally beats a single supplier doing both.