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Welcome to Eric Roberts’ Motoring News, a brand-new section of the Pellon Tyres website where I share the latest developments from the motor industry, explained in plain English.

Having worked in the tyre and motor trade for almost 60 years, I have seen enormous changes. When I first started as a young apprentice in Yorkshire during the 1960s, cars were simple machines. There were no computers, no electric vehicles, no driver assistance systems and certainly no internet.

Today, modern vehicles are packed with technology. Electric cars, hybrid systems, advanced safety equipment, connected diagnostics and ever-changing Government regulations are all transforming the way we drive and maintain our vehicles.

How the UK Tyre Trade Changed

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How the UK Tyre Trade Changed

How the UK Tyre Trade Changed

How the UK Tyre Trade Changed – From Buying Direct to a Warehouse the Size of Halifax!

How the UK Tyre Trade Changed

Sometimes something happens in business that suddenly takes you back fifty years.

That’s exactly what happened to me recently.

I had been looking at the possibility of buying tyres by the container load again. There were some interesting prices available, and, being an old tyre man, my mind immediately started working.

Could we buy a container ourselves?

Could we cut out some of the middleman’s margin?

Could Pellon Tyres make more money by buying in bulk?

It all sounded rather familiar.

Then the penny dropped.

I’d been here before!

And it took me right back to my days running Kut-Kost Tyres at Birstall, near Leeds, long before Pellon Tyres came along.

The Tyre Trade Was Very Different in the 1960s and 70s

Back in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, the tyre trade was a very different world.

Independent tyre retailers like ourselves could develop good relationships directly with the major tyre manufacturers.

I knew many of the tyre representatives personally, and if you were doing reasonable business and paying your bills, manufacturers wanted your account.

One of the greatest advantages was credit.

We could often buy tyres directly from a manufacturer and receive around 60 days to pay for them.

For a young businessman trying to grow a tyre company, this was fantastic.

It effectively helped finance our stock without having to keep going cap in hand to the bank.

We would order the tyres, put them into stock and, because business was brisk, hopefully sell most of them before the manufacturer’s invoice became due.

The customers paid us.

We paid the tyre manufacturer.

And the profit helped us buy more stock and grow the business.

It was a simple system, but it worked.

We Didn’t Need Hundreds of Different Tyre Sizes: How the UK Tyre Trade Changed

There was another reason why this worked so well.

Cars were much simpler.

There simply weren’t the enormous number of tyre sizes and specifications that we have today.

We could identify our popular sizes and keep plenty of them in stock.

If you had the right tyres on the rack when the customer drove in, you got the sale.

Simple as that.

But the motor industry was beginning to change.

Car manufacturers were modernising their factories and design processes, and new models and variations were appearing increasingly quickly.

More cars meant more wheel sizes.

More wheel sizes meant more tyre sizes.

And gradually it became impossible for an independent tyre retailer to stock everything customers might ask for.

That created a massive opportunity for another part of our industry.

Along Came the Big Tyre Wholesalers

Tyre wholesalers weren’t entirely new, of course, but they were becoming increasingly important.

Names such as Reg Bond of Pocklington and Motorsave spring immediately to my mind from those days.

These businesses realised something very important.

Instead of every tyre depot attempting to carry every possible tyre, the wholesaler could carry the stock for all of us.

And then came the real game-changer.

Daily tyre deliveries.

Suddenly we didn’t need an unusual tyre sitting on our racks for six months, waiting for the right customer.

We could stock our fast-moving sizes and buy the less common tyres from the wholesaler when we actually needed them.

It was brilliant.

We were still growing as tyre retailers, but the wholesalers were growing even faster.

The wholesalers started buying from around the world. How the UK Tyre Trade Changed

As these tyre wholesalers became larger, their buying power increased enormously.

They weren’t buying twenty tyres here and fifty tyres there.

They could buy containers.

And increasingly those containers could come from tyre manufacturers and factories around the world.

The wholesaler could negotiate the large-volume buying price because they had something we independent tyre retailers didn’t have.

Scale.

They had the warehouses.

They had the staff.

They had the delivery vehicles.

Most importantly, they could spread a huge range of tyres across hundreds or thousands of customers.

That changed the economics of the tyre trade.

Southam Tyres Came Up From Coventry Every Friday

Another company I particularly remember was Southam Tyres in Coventry.

They would send a waggon up into Yorkshire every Friday.

We could order practically any size or make we required, and on Friday the waggon would arrive.

Think about that compared with today’s world.

There was no sitting at a computer and checking half a dozen suppliers in seconds.

No sophisticated online stock system showing thousands of tyres.

No next-morning internet ordering.

You built relationships with suppliers and their representatives.

You knew when the delivery waggon was coming.

And you organised your stock accordingly.

Friday meant the Southam waggon!

It was a completely different way of doing business.

Eventually, we bought more from the wholesalers. How the UK Tyre Trade Changed

As the wholesalers became better and their ranges became larger, something inevitably happened.

Our relationships with the tyre manufacturers gradually became less important.

Why buy fifty or a hundred of one tyre from a manufacturer when the wholesaler could sell you exactly what you needed?

If you wanted four of one size, two of another and six of something completely different, that wasn’t a problem.

The wholesaler had them.

Consequently, independent tyre retailers like ourselves gradually bought more and more of our stock through wholesale distribution.

Looking back, it was an enormous change in the structure of our industry.

At the time, though, we were simply getting on with running our businesses.

We Even Had a Go at Wholesaling Ourselves!

Of course, being ambitious young businessmen, we looked at what was happening and thought:

Why can’t we do a bit of wholesaling ourselves?

So we rented a small warehouse in nearby Morley.

In theory it sounded like a good idea.

Buy larger quantities.

Get a better price.

Sell some through our own tyre depot.

Wholesale the rest to other tyre dealers.

Easy!

Except it wasn’t.

The warehouse needed staffing.

The stock needed managing.

Tyres needed unloading, stacking and moving around.

Then you needed customers and deliveries.

All of these things cost money.

We were tyre retailers trying to run a wholesale operation on the side.

Eventually I realised that the cost and effort involved simply didn’t make enough sense.

But one particular episode remains firmly lodged in my memory.

The 40-Foot Container of Kleber Tyres: How the UK Tyre Trade Changed

At one point I bought a 40-foot container full of Kleber tyres.

It probably looked like a fantastic deal when I bought them.

Then the container arrived.

Somebody had to unload it!

That somebody turned out to be me and another poor bloke who probably wondered what he’d done to deserve it.

We started pulling tyres out.

And pulling tyres out.

And pulling more tyres out.

Every tyre had to be unloaded and then properly stacked in the warehouse.

It took the two of us about five hours.

By the time we reached the back of that container, I was absolutely shattered.

I remember thinking:

Never again!

And for many years, that was that.

Fast Forward Nearly Fifty Years

Then recently something rather strange happened.

I started looking at containers of tyres again.

There were some interesting prices available, particularly on larger premium tyre sizes.

The old tyre dealer inside me woke up!

I started doing the calculations.

If we bought direct in sufficient quantities, perhaps there was extra margin available.

And then I remembered my younger self unloading that container of Klebers.

But there was now an even bigger problem.

The modern tyre market has gone mad with sizes!

Modern cars have completely changed the equation. How the UK Tyre Trade Changed

Walk around a car park today and look at the wheels.

The variety is incredible.

We have small hatchbacks, large SUVs, crossovers, sports cars, vans, hybrids and electric vehicles.

Eighteen-inch wheels have become completely ordinary.

We regularly see 19, 20, 21 and 22-inch tyres.

Then it isn’t simply about tyre diameter.

We have different widths and profiles.

Different load indexes.

Different speed ratings.

XL reinforced tyres.

Run-flat tyres.

Summer tyres.

Winter tyres.

All-season tyres.

Then we have tyres developed or approved for particular vehicle manufacturers.

And now we have the continuing growth of electric vehicles.

Electric Cars Have Added Another Layer

EVs haven’t created all this complexity by themselves, but they have certainly added another dimension.

Electric cars can be considerably heavier because of their battery packs.

They can also produce enormous amounts of torque immediately.

Tyre manufacturers have therefore developed products designed to cope with these characteristics, including different load capabilities, compounds and constructions.

Add these to all the tyres already required by petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles, and the number of possible combinations becomes enormous.

I looked at it and thought:

We’d need a warehouse the size of Halifax to stock everything!

A Cheap Tyre Isn’t Cheap If It Sits There for Three Years

And this is the part that matters when you’re running a business.

Let’s say I can save a substantial amount per tyre by purchasing a container.

On paper that looks like extra profit.

But what happens if I sell only some of them quickly?

The rest are sitting on my warehouse racks.

I’ve already paid for them.

That money is tied up.

Then I need the building to store them.

I need insurance.

Business rates may be involved.

Lighting and other running costs have to be paid.

Somebody has to unload the tyres.

Somebody has to stack them.

Somebody has to manage the stock.

And eventually somebody has to sell them.

Suddenly that fantastic container price isn’t looking quite so fantastic.

We Have a Massive Wholesaler Just Down the Road! How the UK Tyre Trade Changed

Then came the final part of my little journey back into tyre wholesaling.

We have major tyre distribution facilities only a few miles from us.

And that made me think.

Why on earth would I try to recreate their warehouse at Pellon?

They carry an enormous selection of tyres.

They employ the warehouse staff.

They operate the distribution system.

They carry the cost of having slower-moving tyre sizes sitting on racks.

And we can concentrate on what Pellon Tyre and Autocentre has always been good at.

Looking after our customers.

Perhaps the Wholesalers Were Right All Along

It made me smile when I finally put all this together.

Nearly fifty years ago, tyre wholesalers grew because independent retailers couldn’t possibly stock every tyre motorists were beginning to need.

I recognised that and started buying more from them.

I even tried wholesaling myself and eventually decided it wasn’t really for me.

Then, almost half a century later, I found myself looking at another 40-foot container of tyres!

Some things never change.

But fortunately age and experience occasionally teach us something.

I remembered the Kleber container.

I remembered the Morley warehouse.

I remembered the staff costs.

And then I looked at the incredible number of modern tyre sizes we deal with today.

Eric, you’ve learned this lesson once already!

From Birstall to Halifax – I’ve Watched the Tyre Trade Change

I’ve been fortunate enough to experience an extraordinary period in the British motor trade.

From Kut-Kost Tyres at Birstall in the days when we bought directly from tyre manufacturers on 60-day accounts, through the growth of the great tyre wholesalers, and eventually to Pellon Tyre and Autocentre here in Halifax.

I’ve watched steel-belted radial tyres become commonplace.

I’ve watched wheel sizes grow enormously.

I’ve seen run-flat tyres arrive, followed by increasingly sophisticated winter and all-season products.

I’ve seen SUVs take over our roads.

Now we’re watching electric vehicles create yet another generation of tyre technology.

And throughout all those changes, one basic business lesson has remained remarkably consistent.

You don’t necessarily make more money simply because you buy something cheaper.

The true cost includes storing it, handling it, financing it and eventually finding somebody who wants to buy it.

Stick to What You’re Good At: How the UK Tyre Trade Changed

So am I going back into importing containers of tyres?

I don’t think so!

The young Eric might have seen the buying price and jumped straight in.

The older Eric remembers spending five hours unloading that container of Kleber tyres!

Today I’m quite happy to let the enormous tyre wholesalers carry thousands upon thousands of different tyres in their warehouses.

We’ll keep sensible stocks of the tyres we know we’re going to sell and use the tremendous distribution network that the modern tyre industry has built around us.

Then Pellon Tyres can concentrate on being a tyre retailer and garage, which is what we’ve successfully done here in Halifax since 1989.

Sometimes progress means embracing the latest technology.

And sometimes progress simply means remembering a lesson you learned fifty years ago.

Although I must admit…

For a few days there, I was rather tempted by that container!

UK Garage Trade Is Changing

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UK Garage Trade Is Changing

UK Garage Trade Is Changing

The UK Garage Trade Is Changing – And Halifax Is Seeing It Too

UK Garage Trade Is Changing

Something is changing in the UK garage trade, and here at Pellon Tyre & Autocentre in Halifax we are beginning to see it with our own eyes.

Over recent months I have noticed something interesting when looking around our workshop. We seem to be servicing and repairing an ever-wider selection of car makes.

Ford one minute, then perhaps a BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai, Kia, Renault, Peugeot, Volkswagen, Skoda or Toyota.

Of course, we have always been an all-makes independent garage. That’s nothing new.

What does seem to be changing is where motorists are choosing to have their cars maintained.

And as the old saying goes, what comes around goes around.

Remember When Everybody Went Back to the Main Dealer? UK Garage Trade Is Changing

Going back a few years, manufacturers worked very hard to keep customers within their own dealer networks.

Buy a new Ford, and you went back to Ford.

Buy a Volkswagen, and you went back to Volkswagen.

The enormous glass-fronted dealerships became a familiar sight around towns and cities throughout Britain.

Many grew into huge motor groups operating dozens, sometimes hundreds, of dealerships.

Meanwhile, independent garages like ours simply carried on doing what we had always done – servicing, repairing, fitting tyres and keeping local motorists on the road.

Now the motor trade appears to be changing again.

Some main dealer networks are shrinking.

During the past couple of years there have been numerous reports of large UK dealer groups closing, relocating or consolidating some of their franchised dealerships.

This doesn’t mean the main dealer is disappearing.

Far from it.

But the traditional model of having numerous individual franchised dealerships spread across relatively small geographical areas is under pressure.

Large premises are expensive to run.

Staff are very important and need looking after. Energy, business rates and equipment all cost money, while the way motorists buy cars is also changing.

Increasing numbers of people research cars online before ever entering a showroom.

Consequently, some dealer groups appear to be concentrating operations into fewer, larger locations.

That’s perfectly understandable from their point of view.

But where does it leave the motorist who simply wants their car servicing or repairing?

Halifax Motorists Still Need Their Cars Fixing: UK Garage Trade Is Changing

This is where I believe the independent garage becomes increasingly important.

If a local franchised dealership disappears, the cars certainly don’t disappear with it.

They’re still driving around Halifax, Sowerby Bridge, Elland, Brighouse and throughout Calderdale.

They still need MOT tests.

They still need tyres.

Their brakes still wear out.

Coil springs still break.

Batteries still fail on cold Yorkshire mornings.

Exhausts still corrode.

And warning lights still appear on dashboards at the most inconvenient possible moment!

Someone has to maintain all these vehicles.

Increasingly, that someone could be the local independent garage.

Britain’s Cars Are Getting Older

There’s another major change taking place.

Britain’s vehicle population is ageing.

Modern cars are capable of travelling enormous mileages when they’re properly maintained, and motorists are increasingly asking themselves a simple question:

Why replace a perfectly good car? UK Garage Trade Is Changing

Changing a car can involve spending tens of thousands of pounds.

Keeping an existing vehicle properly serviced and repairing things as they wear out can make considerably more financial sense.

An older vehicle naturally requires maintenance, though.

By the time a car reaches eight, ten or twelve years old, parts will have worn simply through normal use.

That’s not necessarily a sign of a bad car.

It’s just motoring.

And this ageing population of vehicles represents an enormous amount of work that has to be carried out somewhere.

We’re Seeing More Makes at Pellon

This is the part that interests me most because we’re seeing it ourselves.

Look around our workshop on a busy day at Pellon Tyre & Autocentre, and there can be an incredible mixture of vehicles.

Some customers come for tyres.

Others come for servicing.

We may have another vehicle undergoing an MOT while one of our technicians is replacing brakes, suspension components or an exhaust on something completely different.

Wheel alignment is another regular job.

The badge on the bonnet really doesn’t matter to us.

What matters is carrying out the job properly.

Modern Independent Garages Have Changed: UK Garage Trade Is Changing

I think there’s still an outdated image of an independent garage in some people’s minds.

Perhaps they imagine a little workshop with an oily mechanic underneath a car with a hammer and a spanner.

Those days have long gone.

Modern cars contain sophisticated electronics, computers and safety systems.

Today’s independent garage therefore has to invest constantly in equipment and knowledge.

Diagnostics, electronic service systems, tyre-pressure monitoring, wheel alignment equipment and hybrid technology are increasingly part of everyday garage life.

The modern independent garage has evolved along with the modern motor car.

It had to.

Trust Is Still Our Biggest Advantage

Technology may have changed, but one thing hasn’t.

People like dealing with people they trust. UK Garage Trade Is Changing

That’s particularly true when something goes wrong with their car.

Most motorists aren’t mechanics.

When somebody tells them their car requires hundreds of pounds to be spent on it, they’re placing considerable trust in that garage.

I’ve always believed that trust is something you earn over many years.

Our philosophy at Pellon has always been straightforward:

We never do a job unless it needs doing.

If something doesn’t need replacing, we tell the customer.

That might not produce the biggest invoice today, but hopefully it produces a customer who comes back tomorrow.

For an independent garage, reputation is everything.

Yorkshire Motorists Appreciate Straight Talking: UK Garage Trade Is Changing

Perhaps that’s particularly true here in Yorkshire.

People around Halifax and Calderdale generally appreciate somebody telling them things as they are.

If a brake pad has plenty of life left, say so.

If a tyre is dangerous, show the customer why.

If something can wait until the next service, tell them.

That’s how relationships between local businesses and their customers are built.

Many of our customers have been coming to Pellon for years.

Some families have used us through different generations.

You can’t buy that sort of loyalty with an enormous shiny showroom.

You have to earn it.

The Independent Garage Could Be Coming Full Circle

I’ve been around the tyre and motor trade long enough to see plenty of changes.

Businesses grow.

Businesses merge.

Manufacturers change direction.

New technology arrives and everyone predicts the end of something.

Yet the local garage survives.

Why?

Because ultimately somebody still has to repair the cars.

If Britain’s main dealer networks gradually become more concentrated into larger regional centres, then motorists will naturally look for convenient alternatives closer to home.

And that’s where good independent garages have an opportunity.

Not because we want to see anybody else’s business close.

Nobody in business should celebrate another company struggling.

But markets change.

When they do, somebody has to provide the service customers still require.

What Comes Around Goes Around: UK Garage Trade Is Changing

Perhaps we’ve come full circle.

The independent garage was once the natural place where most people took their family car.

Then enormous franchised dealerships became increasingly dominant.

Now, as cars stay on the road longer and dealer networks begin changing again, motorists may increasingly return to the trusted garage around the corner.

We’re already seeing signs of it here at Pellon Tyre & Autocentre.

More brands.

More different models.

And customers looking for somewhere local that can look after their car without all the fuss.

Nobody knows exactly what Britain’s garage trade will look like ten years from now.

But one thing I’m fairly confident about:

The good independent garage isn’t going anywhere.

And here in Halifax, we might just be watching the next chapter begin.

Another interesting article to read: Difficulties Recruiting Mechanics

Major UK Dealer Closures

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Major UK Dealer Closures

Major UK Dealer Closures

Major UK Dealer Closures Could Be Good News for Independent Garages

Major UK Dealer Closures

Something rather interesting is happening in the British motor trade.

Over the past year or two we have seen more reports about major franchised dealer groups closing branches, dropping individual franchises or merging their operations into larger regional centres.

Now I have been in the tyre and garage trade for more years than I care to remember, and these things tend to go in cycles. Large dealer groups expand, take over smaller businesses and build enormous shiny showrooms. Then eventually costs rise, manufacturers change direction and the accountants start looking at which sites are actually making enough money.

That appears to be happening again.

For independent garages such as Pellon Tyre & Autocentre here in Halifax, I believe it could create a very interesting opportunity.

Major Dealer Groups Are Cutting Back: Major UK Dealer Closures

This isn’t simply something being talked about on YouTube.

During 2025, reports appeared about a number of major dealer groups closing or restructuring franchised sites around Britain.

Car Dealer Magazine reported that Marshall Motor Group, Group 1 and businesses formerly belonging to Pendragon were among dealership networks affected by closures. The reasons included tougher trading conditions, reduced profitability, taxation and corporate restructuring.

Vertu Motors has also been very open about its own restructuring.

The group has closed selected dealerships where it believed the financial return was not good enough and has moved or changed some franchises. Its latest results describe further cost reductions, selective dealership closures and tighter spending controls as the group reacts to lower new-car profitability and rising costs.

Closer to Yorkshire, Vertu ceased Honda operations in Bradford in January 2026, with the site becoming a Kia operation instead.

Evans Halshaw has also confirmed a number of closures, including its Ford dealership in Batley during October 2025. Customers were instead directed towards other group locations.

So there is definitely movement taking place.

It Doesn’t Mean Main Dealers Are Disappearing

We have to be sensible about this.

Britain still has a very large franchised dealer network. The National Franchised Dealers Association says there are more than 4,500 franchised outlets operating across the UK.

Manufacturers aren’t simply abandoning Britain.

What seems to be happening instead is consolidation.

A manufacturer may decide it doesn’t need two or three dealers within a relatively small area. A dealer group may close one site and direct customers to another larger branch several miles away.

That may work perfectly well when somebody is buying a new car every three years.

It can be rather different when the same customer wants a service, brake repair, exhaust, tyre, suspension repair or MOT.

Most motorists don’t particularly want to drive 20 or 30 miles simply to have an ordinary repair carried out.

That is where the local independent garage comes back into the picture.

We Are Already Seeing It at Pellon: Major UK Dealer Closures

We have noticed something ourselves here at Pellon Tyre & Autocentre in Halifax.

Our workshops now see a tremendous variety of vehicles.

Years ago, customers often believed that a Ford had to go back to Ford, a Volkswagen had to go back to Volkswagen and a BMW had to go back to BMW.

That attitude has gradually changed.

In a normal week nowadays, we can have Ford, Volkswagen, Renault, Peugeot, Skoda, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes, Land Rover and many other makes coming through the workshop.

Some are only a few years old.

Others have already travelled well over 100,000 miles.

The modern independent garage has had to change along with the cars.

Today’s technicians deal with advanced diagnostics, electronic braking systems, TPMS, hybrid vehicles, complex suspension systems, electronic service records and increasingly sophisticated engine management systems.

The days of the little back-street garage surviving with a hammer and a set of spanners are long gone.

Britain’s Cars Are Getting Older

Another enormous factor is the age of Britain’s cars.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says there were a record 42.55 million vehicles on UK roads during 2025.

That included around 36.68 million cars and more than 5.17 million light commercial vehicles.

Even more interesting for garages is the age of those vehicles.

The average British car is now 9.7 years old.

Almost 46% of cars are more than ten years old.

That is significant.

A ten-year-old car will usually need considerably more maintenance than a two-year-old one.

Brakes wear out.

Coil springs break.

Wheel bearings become noisy.

Exhaust systems corrode.

Batteries fail.

Suspension bushes deteriorate.

Timing belts and auxiliary belts require attention.

Clutches, tyres and steering components all eventually need replacing.

Modern cars may last longer than ever before, but they don’t maintain themselves.

More Older Cars Means More Garage Work: Major UK Dealer Closures

For independent garages this ageing vehicle population could become extremely important.

Many drivers are simply keeping their cars longer.

The cost of replacing a perfectly good vehicle with a new one can be enormous, particularly when household finances are already stretched.

So instead of changing the car, people are repairing the one they already own.

From my own experience in the motor trade, that usually benefits the independent sector.

A customer with a brand-new car may naturally stay with the supplying dealer for the first few years.

But once that vehicle reaches five, six, seven or ten years old, many owners start looking for a trusted local garage.

They want somebody who knows them.

They want sensible prices.

And most of all, they want somebody who will tell them honestly what needs doing and what doesn’t.

That has always been our philosophy at Pellon.

We never do a job unless it needs doing.

The dealer business model is changing.

Another interesting point is that the traditional dealership itself is changing.

Large glass-fronted showrooms are extremely expensive things to operate.

There are property costs, energy costs, staff costs, business rates and enormous amounts of money tied up in vehicles.

At the same time, more customers research and even purchase cars online.

Manufacturers are also experimenting with different ways of selling vehicles, including agency-style arrangements where the manufacturer plays a much greater role in the actual sale.

Vertu’s own results show how the move to agency arrangements has affected dealership revenue, while the business has simultaneously concentrated on reducing costs and improving efficiency.

This doesn’t mean dealerships will vanish.

But I wouldn’t be surprised if Britain gradually ends up with fewer, larger franchised centres covering much wider areas.

Halifax Could Be a Perfect Example: Major UK Dealer Closures

Halifax and Calderdale are exactly the sort of places where good independent garages could benefit.

We have Halifax itself, together with places such as Sowerby Bridge, Elland, Brighouse, Hebden Bridge and the surrounding valleys.

People here need their cars.

Anybody who knows Calderdale also knows we aren’t blessed with flat roads.

Our hills, bends and winter weather put plenty of strain on tyres, brakes, steering and suspension.

If manufacturers and dealer groups continue reducing the number of local dealerships, motorists are hardly going to stop maintaining their cars.

They will simply look elsewhere.

For many, that means finding a reliable independent garage nearer home.

Vans Are Important Too

Another market that shouldn’t be forgotten is vans.

Britain now has more than 5.17 million light commercial vehicles on the road.

We have serviced vans for local businesses for decades.

Builders, plumbers, electricians, delivery companies and small businesses simply cannot afford to have a van sitting off the road for days.

They usually want somebody local who can diagnose the problem, obtain the parts and get them moving again.

That has always suited the independent garage model.

But Independents Have Challenges As Well: Major UK Dealer Closures

We shouldn’t pretend everything is easy.

Independent garages face their own pressures.

The Motor Ombudsman’s latest garage survey found businesses were struggling with rising energy costs, pressure to increase prices, customers delaying maintenance, parts shortages and difficulty recruiting qualified technicians.

Technology is another challenge.

Electric and hybrid cars require new equipment and training.

Vehicle manufacturers also continue developing increasingly complex computer systems.

Independent garages therefore have to keep investing.

The businesses that refuse to change will struggle.

Those willing to invest in people, training and equipment should have a much stronger future.

Trust Could Become More Important Than the Badge Above the Door

For years the manufacturer’s sign above a dealership gave customers confidence.

Ford.

Volkswagen.

Mercedes-Benz.

BMW.

Renault.

Today I think the name of the garage itself is becoming just as important.

Customers want a workshop they can trust.

They want to speak to somebody who knows their car.

They want repairs explained properly.

And they want to know that they aren’t being sold something they don’t need.

That relationship is difficult for a giant centralised dealer group to reproduce.

It is one of the greatest strengths of Britain’s independent garage trade.

Could This Be the Independent Garage’s Big Opportunity?

I believe it could be.

Britain has more vehicles on its roads than ever before.

Those vehicles are getting older.

Motorists are keeping them longer.

And at the same time, some of the large dealer groups are reducing or consolidating their traditional dealership networks.

Put those things together, and the independent garage becomes increasingly important.

We are certainly seeing signs of it here at Pellon Tyre & Autocentre.

Every year we seem to work on a wider mixture of makes and models.

And perhaps that tells us something about where the British garage trade is heading.

The enormous main-dealer showroom may still be the place where somebody collects their shiny new car.

But five or ten years later?

They may well be driving through the doors of their trusted local independent garage.

And from where I am sitting here in Halifax, I think independent garages could have a very interesting few years ahead.

A Black Box Warning

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A Black Box Warning

A Black Box Warning

One Flash—and Her Car Insurance Was Gone!

A Black Box Warning

A Black Box Warning – Every Young Driver Should Read

A young lady I know recently passed her driving test. Like most new drivers, she must have been thrilled to finally have the freedom to get into her car and travel wherever she wanted without an instructor or parent sitting beside her.

Unfortunately, that freedom did not last very long.

On her very first day of driving, she was flashed by a speed camera. The incident was also detected by the black box fitted to her car for insurance purposes.

Her insurance was then suspended, and she faced a £100 speeding penalty. To keep using the car, she has apparently had to arrange temporary insurance and pay for cover by the day.

One moment of carelessness had suddenly turned into an extremely expensive and upsetting experience.

I am not writing this to embarrass or criticise the young lady concerned. New drivers make mistakes, just as older and supposedly wiser motorists do. However, her experience provides a powerful warning about how black-box insurance works—and why young drivers must fully understand what they have agreed to.

What Is a Black Box? A Black Box Warning

A black box insurance policy is also known as telematics insurance. Despite the name, it may not always involve an actual box hidden inside the car. Some policies use a small plug-in device, while others monitor the driver through a mobile phone application.

The technology can record information such as:

  • The speed of the vehicle
  • Acceleration and braking
  • Cornering
  • The time of day the car is driven
  • Distances travelled
  • The roads and locations used
  • Overall driving patterns

The insurer uses this information to calculate a driving score and assess the risk presented by that particular driver.

Black-box policies are particularly popular with young people because conventional insurance can be frighteningly expensive after passing the driving test. A telematics policy may reduce the initial premium by allowing a careful young motorist to demonstrate that he or she is a safer driver.

That sounds like a fair arrangement—and for many responsible young drivers, it can work very well. However, the driver must remember that the car is effectively reporting back to the insurer every time it is used.

The Black Box Is Always Watching

When I started driving, there was no electronic device recording every journey. If you braked too sharply or went around a bend a little too quickly, the car did not send the information to an insurance company.

Of course, that did not make poor driving acceptable. It simply meant that motorists were not being monitored in the way some young drivers are today.

A black box can detect harsh acceleration, sudden braking and speeding. Depending on the terms of the policy, poor driving may result in a warning, a lower score, an increased premium or cancellation of the insurance.

The Financial Ombudsman Service confirms that insurers may use telematics information to decide whether to continue providing cover, adjust monthly premiums or calculate the renewal price. Complaints have been made after drivers believed that incorrect scores had caused their premiums to increase or their policies to be cancelled. Financial Ombudsman Service

This is why the policy documents and accompanying application must be read carefully. Different insurers have different rules. Some may issue warnings and allow the driver to improve, while others may respond much more severely to what they regard as excessive or dangerous speed.

The Speed Camera and Black Box Are Separate: A Black Box Warning

It is important to understand that the speed camera and insurance black box are not necessarily working together.

A roadside speed camera provides evidence to the police. The black box separately sends driving information to the insurance company.

Therefore, one speeding incident can potentially cause two different problems:

  1. The police may take action for the speeding offence.
  2. The insurer may take action under the terms of the black-box policy.

The minimum speeding penalty in the UK is currently £100 and three penalty points, although an eligible driver may sometimes be offered a speed-awareness course. A motorist caught by a camera would normally receive a Notice of Intended Prosecution and a request to identify the driver before any fixed penalty is issued. GOV.UK speeding penalties

The insurer does not issue the official speeding fine. However, it can act on the telematics information if the driving has broken the conditions of the policy.

In the young lady’s case, the £100 appears to be connected to the official speeding process, while the suspension or cancellation of her cover would be a separate insurance matter.

Her need to purchase insurance by the day is not an automatic punishment imposed on every driver. It is more likely a temporary and costly solution she has had to arrange after losing her original cover.

New Drivers Cannot Afford to Collect Points

For a newly qualified driver, three points are especially serious.

If a driver accumulates six or more penalty points within two years of passing their first driving test, the licence is revoked. They must apply for a new provisional licence and pass both the theory and practical driving tests again before regaining a full licence. GOV.UK guidance for new drivers

That means two ordinary three-point speeding penalties could be enough to place a newly qualified driver back at square one.

After all the lessons, expense, nerves and effort required to pass the test, that would be a terrible waste.

Insurance Cancellation Can Follow You: A Black Box Warning

Having an insurance policy cancelled can cause difficulties far beyond the immediate inconvenience of not being able to drive.

When applying for future insurance, motorists are commonly asked whether they have previously had a policy cancelled or declared void. The question must be answered honestly.

A previous cancellation can limit the number of insurers willing to provide cover and may make future premiums much more expensive. That is why a young driver should never simply ignore a cancellation notice or assume that another cheap policy will automatically be available.

The Financial Ombudsman Service reported receiving more than 1,200 car-insurance complaints from drivers under 25 during 2025. Policy cancellations were the largest category of complaint. It has also dealt with complaints involving black-box data, unexpected premium increases and drivers who believed their policies had been unfairly cancelled. Financial Ombudsman warning for young drivers

In one published case, an insurer cancelled a telematics policy after its system recorded a car travelling at 125 mph. The driver disputed the reading, demonstrating that disagreements about the accuracy of black-box data can and do happen.

What If the Black Box Is Wrong?

Technology is clever, but it is not necessarily perfect.

A telematics system could potentially apply the wrong speed limit or confuse a vehicle’s position with a nearby road. If a driver genuinely believes that the information is incorrect, they should ask the insurer for the details of the recorded incident.

Useful evidence may include:

  • The date and time
  • The recorded location
  • The speed detected
  • The speed limit used by the system
  • Screenshots from the insurance application
  • Dashcam footage
  • Details of roadworks or temporary speed limits
  • Any warning messages already received

The driver should first make a formal complaint to the insurer. If the matter is not resolved satisfactorily—or the insurer does not issue its final response within eight weeks—the complaint may be taken to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

The Ombudsman can examine the telematics information and ask what checks the insurer made to ensure that the correct road and speed limit were recorded. If a policy was cancelled unfairly, it may require the insurer to remove the cancellation record, refund charges and reimburse additional insurance costs.

However, this protection is for cases where something may genuinely have gone wrong. It should not be viewed as a way of escaping the consequences of proven dangerous driving.

Parents Should Read the Policy as Well: A Black Box Warning

Many young people purchase insurance with help from their parents or grandparents. Everyone naturally concentrates on finding an affordable price, but the cheapest quotation may come with strict conditions.

Before accepting a black-box policy, the family should find clear answers to the following questions:

  • What exactly does the device monitor?
  • What happens after one speeding incident?
  • Does the driver receive a warning first?
  • Are there restrictions on night-time driving?
  • Can poor braking or acceleration scores increase the premium?
  • Is there a mileage limit?
  • What happens if the device or phone application stops working?
  • Can the policy be cancelled immediately?
  • Are cancellation or removal charges payable?
  • How can incorrect information be challenged?

Do not assume that all black-box policies operate in the same way. Read the important conditions and ask the insurer to explain anything that is unclear.

Yorkshire Roads Can Catch Drivers Out

Around Halifax and Calderdale, our roads can change character very quickly. A driver may leave a faster main road and enter a 30 mph or 20 mph area within moments.

We also have steep hills, sharp bends, busy junctions and roads passing through villages where the limit can change several times over a relatively short distance.

New drivers must watch the signs and not simply follow the speed of the traffic in front. Saying that everybody else was travelling at the same speed will not help when the camera flashes or the black box records the journey.

The driver must remain in control and know the limit.

A Black Box Can Also Be a Good Thing: A Black Box Warning

It would be unfair to claim that black boxes are entirely bad. They can make insurance more affordable and encourage young motorists to develop safer habits.

Smooth acceleration, sensible braking and careful observation are all signs of a good driver. If the knowledge that a journey is being monitored encourages someone to slow down and think ahead, the device may help prevent a collision.

The problem arises when the young driver does not fully appreciate the consequences of breaking the policy rules.

A black box is not just a gadget fitted to obtain cheap insurance. It forms part of the agreement between the driver and the insurer.

One Flash Can Change Everything

The experience of this young lady should be a warning to every newly qualified motorist.

One flash from a speed camera may mean a £100 penalty and three points. At the same time, the black box may report the speed to the insurer, creating a second and potentially more expensive problem.

The result could be a suspended or cancelled policy, expensive replacement cover and a cancellation that must be declared when seeking insurance in the future.

So my advice from here in Halifax is simple: enjoy the freedom of passing your test, but do not let the excitement carry you away. Learn how your black-box policy works, watch every speed-limit sign and remember that the device is recording how the car is being driven.

It took a great deal of time and money to earn that driving licence.

Do not lose it—or your insurance—for the sake of arriving a few minutes earlier.

The UK Police can also ask for a driver eye test if required.

Chinese Tyres Hit With 45% EU Tax

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Chinese Tyres Hit With 45% EU Tax

Chinese Tyres Hit With 45% EU Tax

Chinese Tyres Hit With 45% EU Tax!

Chinese Tyres Hit With 45% EU Tax

What Could This Mean for UK Motorists and the Tyre Trade?

There’s been some pretty big news in the European tyre trade recently, and when I first spotted the figures, they certainly caught my attention.

The European Union has imposed new anti-dumping duties on certain passenger-car and light-commercial tyres imported from China, with the highest rate reaching 45.3%.

That’s a substantial figure.

Having spent most of my working life in the tyre trade, I’ve seen enormous changes in where our tyres come from.

When I first started, British and European tyre manufacturing was much more prominent. Over the years we’ve seen manufacturing become increasingly global, with China becoming one of the world’s biggest tyre-producing countries.

Today, Chinese-made tyres are commonplace in British tyre depots.

So what’s all this about?

And more importantly for customers here at Pellon Tyre & Autocentre in Halifax, does it mean Chinese tyres are suddenly going to become 45% more expensive in Britain?

The answer to that second question is no – not because of this EU decision.

But it’s an interesting story.

What Does Anti-Dumping Actually Mean? Chinese Tyres Hit With 45% EU Tax

The word “dumping” sounds rather dramatic.

In international trade it has a particular meaning.

Essentially, authorities investigate whether products from another country are being exported at prices considered unfairly low compared with their normal value.

Simply producing a cheaper tyre isn’t automatically dumping.

That’s important.

There are perfectly legitimate reasons why one tyre manufacturer can produce tyres more cheaply than another.

Labour costs can differ.

Energy costs differ.

Factories can have different levels of automation.

Raw-material costs and production volumes vary enormously.

However, if an investigation concludes that products are being dumped into a market and that this is causing material damage to domestic manufacturers, additional import duties can be imposed.

The idea is to restore fairer competition.

Why Has the EU Targeted Chinese Tyres?

Chinese tyre manufacturers have become enormously important in Europe.

Budget and mid-range Chinese tyre brands have grown rapidly and are now seen in tyre depots throughout Europe.

For motorists, that’s provided considerably more choice.

Not everybody wants – or can afford – a premium tyre.

At Pellon we’ve always recognised that.

Some customers want Michelin, Continental, Goodyear or another premium product.

Others simply need a decent tyre that suits their budget and their particular car.

Our job is to give people sensible choices.

However, European tyre manufacturers have been concerned about the enormous volume and pricing of tyres arriving from China.

Following its investigation, the European Commission decided that definitive anti-dumping duties were justified on the Chinese passenger-car and light-commercial tyres covered by the measure.

Depending upon the manufacturer concerned, the duty varies considerably.

At the top end it reaches 45.3%.

That’s certainly enough to get the tyre industry’s attention! Interesting article to look at: How the UK Tyre Trade Changed

Does This Mean Chinese Tyres Are Bad? Chinese Tyres Hit With 45% EU Tax

Absolutely not.

This is something I think is very important to explain.

Anti-dumping duties are about trade and pricing – not tyre safety or quality.

A tyre doesn’t become unsafe simply because it was manufactured in China.

China has enormous modern manufacturing facilities producing everything from budget products to sophisticated high-technology goods.

The same applies to tyres.

There are good tyres, average tyres and poor tyres from different parts of the world.

What matters to us is that tyres sold for road use comply with the appropriate regulations and that customers are given proper advice about what they’re buying.

I’ve never believed in frightening somebody into buying the most expensive tyre in the depot.

Different motorists have different needs and different budgets.

Will UK Tyre Prices Rise by 45%?

This is where we need to be careful.

The United Kingdom is no longer part of the European Union.

Consequently, a new EU anti-dumping measure does not automatically become a British anti-dumping measure.

The UK has its own trade-remedies system.

Britain already has anti-dumping measures concerning certain Chinese bus and lorry tyres, for example, but that’s a different measure covering a different tyre category.

So a Halifax motorist shouldn’t read a headline about the EU’s new duties and assume the Chinese car tyre they bought last year will suddenly cost another 45%.

That’s not what has happened.

But Could Britain Still Feel the Effects? Chinese Tyres Hit With 45% EU Tax

This is where things become interesting.

The European tyre market is enormous, and changing the economics of Chinese tyres entering the EU could potentially alter where manufacturers and exporters choose to sell their products.

If Chinese tyres become substantially more expensive to import into EU countries, manufacturers could naturally look towards other markets.

Britain is sitting right next door.

Potentially, that could mean more competition in the UK budget-tyre market.

Alternatively, changes in manufacturing, shipping and European distribution could eventually influence prices and availability in ways that aren’t immediately obvious.

Nobody can sensibly say exactly how that will play out yet.

But after a lifetime in the tyre trade, I’ve learned that when something substantial changes in one major market, the effects often spread much further.

Britain Already Has Tyre Anti-Dumping Duties

Interestingly, anti-dumping duties on Chinese tyres aren’t completely new to Britain.

The UK currently maintains an anti-dumping measure on certain bus and lorry tyres from China.

The present UK rates are fixed amounts per tyre rather than the new EU passenger-car percentage rates.

For the specified Hankook Chinese companies, the UK anti-dumping amount is currently £6.55 per qualifying bus or lorry tyre.

For other exporters covered by the residual rate, it’s £45.71 per tyre.

Those UK measures currently run until October 2028.

Again, though, these are bus and lorry tyres with the specified load index, not the ordinary passenger-car tyres most motorists buy from their local tyre depot.

Chinese Tyres Have Changed the UK Market: Chinese Tyres Hit With 45% EU Tax

There’s no denying that Chinese manufacturing has transformed the budget end of the British tyre market.

Go back several decades and the choice available to an independent tyre dealer like us was completely different.

Today there are huge numbers of tyre brands available.

The internet has changed things too.

Customers can compare prices and brands within seconds.

That’s generally a good thing, although the cheapest tyre on a computer screen isn’t necessarily the best value tyre for every motorist.

Someone doing 3,000 miles a year around Halifax might have completely different requirements from a motorway driver doing 25,000 miles.

Likewise, somebody regularly tackling our steep Calderdale roads throughout winter may place greater importance on wet and cold-weather performance.

Halifax Isn’t the Easiest Place on Tyres!

Anyone living around Halifax knows our roads can be demanding.

We’ve got hills everywhere.

We’ve got plenty of rain.

We’ve got potholes.

And when winter decides to pay us a proper visit, some of our hills become very challenging indeed.

From Queensbury and Northowram through Sowerby Bridge, Elland and the surrounding Calderdale valleys, tyres have plenty of work to do.

That’s why I always say that price should be one consideration, rather than the only consideration.

A good tyre needs to suit the vehicle, the driver’s mileage and the conditions in which that car spends most of its life.

Competition Is Good – But It Needs to Be Fair: Chinese Tyres Hit With 45% EU Tax

Personally, I’ve always believed competition is healthy.

Independent tyre businesses such as Pellon have survived by adapting.

We’ve seen tyre manufacturers come and go, enormous changes in wheel sizes, the arrival of low-profile tyres, run-flat tyres, TPMS, all-season tyres and now tyres developed specifically with electric vehicles in mind.

The tyre trade never stands still.

Chinese tyre manufacturers are another major part of that evolution.

But international competition also has to operate within recognised trading rules.

That’s what this EU anti-dumping decision is really about.

It’s not the European Union saying Chinese tyres are dangerous.

It’s the EU saying its investigation concluded that the pricing of the imports covered by the measure amounted to dumping and was harming European industry.

That’s a very different thing.

One to Watch From Here in Yorkshire

Will these new European duties eventually affect British tyre prices?

We’ll have to wait and see.

Britain now makes its own decisions regarding trade remedies, so the new EU passenger-car tyre duties don’t simply transfer across the Channel.

But with a major market sitting immediately alongside us imposing duties reaching 45.3%, I’ll certainly be interested to see what happens next.

Perhaps we’ll see changes in Chinese tyre prices.

Perhaps we’ll see more Chinese manufacturers targeting Britain.

Perhaps European manufacturers will regain some market share.

Or perhaps the effects will be much smaller than some people expect.

That’s the fascinating thing about being involved in the tyre trade.

Even after all these years, it keeps changing.

An interesting article about tyre prices: Why Tyre Prices Keep Rising – A Halifax Expert Explains

And here at Pellon Tyre & Autocentre in Halifax, we’ll carry on doing what we’ve always done – looking at what’s available, offering our customers sensible choices and fitting tyres suitable for their cars and their pockets.

Because whether a tyre comes from Britain, Europe, Japan, Korea, China or anywhere else, there is one thing that matters when it leaves our workshop:

Ling Long Chinese tyres: Ling Long Tyres for Ford Transit

It has to be suitable for the job and safe for the roads of Halifax, Calderdale and our beloved Yorkshire.

Tyres Have Changed Since the 1980s

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Tyres Have Changed Since the 1980s

Tyres Have Changed Since the 1980s

How Tyres Have Changed Since the 1980s – Memories of an Old Yorkshire Tyre Man

yres Have Changed Since the 1980s

When I first started working with tyres, things were very different from the tyre trade that we know today.

I’ve been around tyres for most of my working life, and when we opened Pellon Tyre & Autocentre here in Halifax in 1989, the cars, the equipment and especially the tyres were a completely different world.

Sometimes when I look around our workshop today at the huge alloy wheels, low-profile tyres, TPMS valves and sophisticated wheel alignment equipment, I wonder what the young Eric would have thought about it all!

Back in the Days of 13-Inch Wheels: Tyres Have Changed Since the 1980s

Younger drivers might find this difficult to believe, but back in the 1980s a 13-inch tyre was completely normal.

Sizes such as 145R13, 155R13 and 165R13 were everyday bread-and-butter sizes for tyre depots across Britain.

Cars such as the Ford Escort, Austin Metro, Vauxhall Astra and Ford Fiesta ran around on tyres that look incredibly narrow compared with today’s standards.

A 15-inch wheel seemed quite large back then.

Today we regularly see family cars arriving at Pellon with 18, 19 and even 20-inch wheels.

The change has been enormous.

Remember When Tyres Had an Inner Tube?

Another thing younger motorists may not realise is that inner tubes were still part of everyday tyre fitting.

Tubeless tyres had already become established, of course, but we still dealt with tubes regularly, particularly on older cars and certain wheel types.

Puncture work could be a different business as well.

You learned how to find the tiny hole in an inner tube, repair it correctly and check the tyre carefully before putting everything back together.

There was a lot of skill involved, and like most things in the tyre trade, you learned by actually doing the job.

Cross-Ply to Radial Tyres: Tyres Have Changed Since the 1980s

One of the great changes in tyre history was the move from the old cross-ply construction to radial tyres.

Radials had become increasingly common well before the 1980s, but when I first entered the tyre trade you could still come across older cars fitted with cross-ply tyres.

The radial tyre transformed road holding, tyre life and general driving behaviour.

Today we take radial construction completely for granted.

Back then it represented a massive technological step forward.

Tyres Were Taller – Much Taller!

Look at a photograph of an ordinary family car from the 1970s or 1980s and then compare it with a modern car.

One of the first things you’ll notice is the amount of rubber between the wheel rim and the road.

Tyres had much deeper sidewalls.

Today we call these higher-profile tyres.

Modern cars have gone in completely the opposite direction.

Large alloy wheels combined with low-profile tyres have become fashionable and, in many cases, necessary to provide the handling characteristics expected from modern vehicles.

A tyre such as a 225/40R18 would once have looked like something belonging on an exotic sports car.

Now it’s an everyday tyre size.

Remember the Famous Tyre Names? Tyres Have Changed Since the 1980s

This is another part I enjoy remembering.

Over the years I’ve watched tyre manufacturers come and go, brands change ownership and tyre technology move forward at an incredible pace.

Names such as Michelin, Goodyear, Dunlop, Pirelli and Continental have been familiar to British motorists for generations.

Then there were brands and tyre patterns that immediately take me back to particular periods in my career.

Ask an old tyre man about some of the great tyre names of the past and you’ll probably keep him talking for hours!

I remember my own days working with Goodyear and being involved in rallying when motorsport played a huge part in developing and promoting tyre technology.

What manufacturers learned on rally stages and racing circuits eventually found its way onto the tyres ordinary motorists used on Britain’s roads.

Winter Tyres Have Changed Too

Growing up and working in Yorkshire certainly teaches you about bad weather.

Halifax and Calderdale aren’t exactly famous for being flat!

When snow arrives, our hills quickly show the difference between a vehicle that can find grip and one that can’t.

Winter tyre technology has improved enormously over the years.

Modern compounds remain flexible at lower temperatures, and sophisticated tread patterns help clear water, slush and snow.

We’ve also seen the enormous growth of the all-season tyre.

Products such as the Michelin CrossClimate range have changed the way many British motorists think about tyres.

For somewhere like Halifax, where we can have sunshine one minute and pouring rain shortly afterwards, a quality all-season tyre can make a great deal of sense.

Tyres Have Become Much More Sophisticated: Tyres Have Changed Since the 1980s

A modern tyre may still look like a round piece of black rubber, but there’s an incredible amount of engineering hidden inside it.

Modern tyre manufacturers work on:

  • Wet braking performance
  • Rolling resistance
  • Fuel economy
  • Road noise
  • Comfort
  • High-speed stability
  • Aquaplaning resistance
  • Wear characteristics
  • Electric vehicle requirements

Compounds now contain incredibly sophisticated combinations of materials, including different forms of silica.

Computer modelling allows manufacturers to develop tread patterns in ways we couldn’t have imagined when I started in the trade.

Then Along Came Run-Flat Tyres

Run-flat tyres were another big development.

The idea was straightforward: if the tyre lost pressure, specially reinforced sidewalls could support the vehicle for a limited distance, allowing the driver to get somewhere safe rather than immediately stopping at the roadside.

BMW in particular became strongly associated with run-flat technology.

They certainly divided opinion amongst motorists and tyre fitters!

Some drivers liked the security they provided, while others preferred the comfort and characteristics of conventional tyres.

Whatever your opinion, they were another example of how far tyre engineering had moved.

TPMS Changed Things Again: Tyres Have Changed Since the 1980s

Then came Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems – TPMS.

Once upon a time, checking tyre pressure meant getting the gauge out.

Now the car itself can tell the driver when tyre pressure drops.

That’s undoubtedly a useful safety development.

At Pellon Tyres we now routinely deal with TPMS valves and sensors – something that simply wasn’t part of the everyday tyre fitter’s job when we opened in 1989.

Electric Cars Are Changing Tyres Again

Just when you think the tyre industry has settled down, along come electric vehicles!

EVs present tyre manufacturers with another challenge.

Electric cars can be heavier because of their batteries, and electric motors can deliver their torque almost instantly.

Noise is important too.

When you remove the sound of a petrol or diesel engine, tyre and road noise become much more noticeable inside the car.

Manufacturers are therefore developing tyres specifically suited to electric and hybrid vehicles, concentrating on load capacity, rolling resistance, durability and noise.

The tyre continues to evolve.

Yet One Thing Hasn’t Changed: Tyres Have Changed Since the 1980s

After all these years, there’s one thing that hasn’t altered.

Those four patches of rubber are still the only parts of your car actually touching the road.

You can have ABS, traction control, stability control, cameras, radar and all the other technology fitted to a modern car.

But ultimately, it all depends on the tyres being able to grip the road.

That’s something I’ve believed throughout my working life.

From 13-Inch Steel Wheels to 20-Inch Alloys

When I look back to the 1980s, the transformation really is remarkable.

We’ve gone from little steel wheels and tall, narrow tyres to enormous alloys, ultra-low-profile tyres, run-flats, TPMS and tyres specifically designed around electric vehicles.

Yet here at Pellon Tyre & Autocentre in Halifax, we’re still doing fundamentally the same job.

A customer comes in.

We look at their tyres.

We give them our advice.

And importantly, if they don’t need replacing, we tell them.

That’s the way I’ve always believed an independent tyre business should operate.

Having spent most of my life in the tyre trade, I’m sometimes asked whether tyres really are better today.

Without hesitation, I’d say yes.

Modern tyres offer levels of wet grip, braking, handling and durability that we could only have dreamed about decades ago.

But I must admit there’s still something that makes me smile when I see an old photograph of an Ford Escort sitting on a set of little 13-inch wheels.

Perhaps that’s just the old tyre man in me! Anyhow, here is an interesting post about the history of car tyres

The tyre trade has given me a lifetime of memories.

And even after all these years, I’m still fascinated to see what comes next.

Horror Tyre

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Horror Tyre

Horror Tyre

Horror Tyre

The Worst Tyre We Have Ever Seen – And the Driver Had No Idea

After spending most of my working life in the tyre trade, I sometimes think I have seen just about everything that can possibly go wrong with a tyre.

Well, yesterday at Pellon Tyre & Autocentre here in Halifax, we were reminded that you should never say never.

A customer brought a Ford Transit van into us and asked us to have a look at one of the tyres.

What we found genuinely horrified us.

And I don’t use that word lightly.

In fact, looking around at the reaction of our experienced staff, we all came to much the same conclusion.

This was quite possibly the worst tyre we have ever seen still fitted to a vehicle being driven on the road.

horror tyre

A Huge Section of the Tread Had Completely Disappeared: Horror Tyre

The photograph we took tells the story better than words ever could.

A huge section of the tread had been completely worn away, with a badly cracked tyre shoulder at least, exposing the tyre’s internal steel reinforcement.

This wasn’t simply a tyre that had gone slightly below the legal tread limit.

The rubber had disappeared altogether across a substantial part of the tyre. Many of the exposed steel cords were visibly corroded, with that unmistakable rusty orange colouring clearly visible in the photograph.

Sections of rubber had also broken and torn away, leaving the internal construction of the tyre exposed.

This wasn’t a tyre approaching the end of its useful life.

It was a tyre that had gone far beyond anything we would consider remotely safe to use on the road.

horror tyre

Yet Part of the Tyre Still Had Recognisable Tread

One particularly interesting – and frightening – feature can also be seen in our photograph.

Part of the tyre still has recognisable tread remaining.

Move across the width of the same tyre, however, and suddenly the tread virtually disappears. The adjoining section is completely destroyed, with exposed and corroded steel reinforcement showing through.

This may offer at least part of the explanation as to why the driver hadn’t realised just how dangerous the tyre had become.

If you simply walk around a van and look at the easiest part of each tyre to see, everything may appear reasonably normal.

The dangerous wear can be taking place somewhere much less obvious.

That’s why simply kicking a tyre or glancing at it before setting off isn’t really a tyre check.

You need to look right across the tread wherever possible.

How Had This Been Allowed to Get So Bad? Horror Tyre

That was the question all of us at Pellon were asking.

When we removed and inspected the tyre, the danger stood out like a sore thumb.

Yet the customer apparently had no idea.

This van hadn’t arrived on the back of a recovery truck. It had been travelling around with the tyre in this condition.

Looking at the extent of the damage, it was frightening to think about the journeys it might already have completed.

The Rusty Steel Cords Really Concerned Us

Perhaps the most striking feature of the photograph is the amount of rust on the exposed steel reinforcement.

We’ve had an unusually long dry spell here in Yorkshire, so naturally it made us wonder:

Just how long had those steel cords been exposed?

We cannot answer that accurately.

You can’t look at the amount of corrosion and calculate whether a tyre has been like this for a few weeks or several months. Temperature, moisture, road conditions, salt and many other factors can influence corrosion.

However, one thing is certain.

The steel reinforcement inside a tyre is not supposed to be exposed to the weather in the first place.

The visible corrosion tells us that moisture had reached steel that should have remained safely protected inside the tyre.

That alone demonstrates just how far the deterioration had progressed.

This Wasn’t Simply an MOT Failure: Horror Tyre

UK law requires cars and light vans to have at least 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre and around its complete circumference.

Tyres must also be free from serious damage.

And importantly, the internal cords must not be exposed.

Our Transit tyre wasn’t hovering around 1.5 mm or 1.6 mm.

We were way beyond that conversation.

We had extensive loss of tread, exposed reinforcement, damaged rubber and heavily corroded steel cords.

In our professional opinion, there was absolutely no question about it.

The tyre had to come off the vehicle.

What Could Have Happened at Motorway Speed?

This is the part that really concerns me.

We have the M62 running straight through our part of West Yorkshire.

Imagine this Ford Transit travelling between Halifax, Huddersfield and Leeds at motorway speeds.

Perhaps it has tools or materials in the back.

It hits one of our famous Yorkshire potholes.

Or the driver has to brake sharply because traffic suddenly slows ahead.

The forces going through a van tyre under those circumstances are enormous.

Now look again at our photograph.

That tyre was expected to cope with all those forces despite a substantial section of its tread being completely worn away and its internal reinforcement exposed and damaged.

The possibility of a tyre failure doesn’t bear thinking about.

A tyre letting go at motorway speed can cause a driver to lose control, potentially involving completely innocent motorists travelling alongside or behind the vehicle.

Why Did the Tyre Wear Like This? Horror Tyre

Whenever we replace a badly worn tyre at Pellon Tyres, we don’t just want to fit another one and forget about it.

We want to know why it happened.

Severe wear across one particular area of a tyre can have several causes.

Wheel alignment is certainly one of the things we would consider. Suspension or steering wear can also contribute. Incorrect tyre pressures, overloading and the hard working life experienced by many commercial vans can all play their part.

And then there are potholes.

Anyone driving regularly around Halifax and Calderdale will know that avoiding every pothole isn’t always easy.

A heavy impact can affect alignment or damage steering and suspension components, which can then cause abnormal tyre wear.

Simply replacing a destroyed tyre without investigating the reason for the wear could result in the new tyre eventually suffering the same fate.

Van Tyres Have a Hard Life

Ford Transit vans are workhorses.

Thousands of businesses throughout Yorkshire depend upon them every day.

Builders, plumbers, electricians, delivery drivers, gardeners and countless other trades rely on vans to earn their living.

Unlike many family cars, a working van can spend almost the entire day on the road.

It may be carrying considerable weight, climbing kerbs, travelling over building sites, running up and down motorways and negotiating rough urban roads.

That’s precisely why van tyres deserve regular attention.

Don’t Assume the MOT Will Protect You for 12 Months: Horror Tyre

Another misconception we sometimes come across is:

“It passed its MOT, so everything must be alright.”

An MOT only tells you that the vehicle met the required standards at the time it was tested.

It isn’t a guarantee that the tyres will remain safe for another twelve months.

A tyre can be legal when a vehicle passes its MOT and subsequently develop abnormal wear.

This is particularly important if the wheel alignment has moved out or a suspension component has developed excessive wear.

The responsibility for keeping the vehicle roadworthy remains with the driver.

Check the Inner Parts of Your Tyres.

This Ford Transit is a perfect example of why we encourage motorists to inspect the whole width of their tyres.

The photograph demonstrates it brilliantly.

One section still looks like a tyre.

The neighbouring section looks as though somebody has attacked it with a machine.

If that badly damaged area isn’t easily visible when the wheel is fitted to the vehicle, a driver might repeatedly walk past it without realising what is happening.

With front tyres, turning the steering from one lock to the other can make it easier to see more of the tread.

Look for:

  • Uneven tread wear
  • Bald areas
  • Cracking
  • Cuts
  • Bulges
  • Objects stuck in the tyre
  • Exposed cords or wires
  • Unusual wear on either edge

And check your tyre pressures regularly.

It only takes a few minutes.

If You Can See Wires – Stop Driving: Horror Tyre

This is perhaps the simplest message to come from this story.

If you can see wires or cords coming through a tyre, don’t carry on driving normally.

Get professional advice immediately.

Don’t think, “I’ll get another week out of it.”

Don’t wait until payday.

And certainly don’t plan another motorway journey on it.

A tyre showing its internal reinforcement has already gone far beyond normal tread wear.

We’d Rather Tell You Your Tyres Are Fine

At Pellon Tyres we have always worked on a simple principle:

We never do a job unless it needs doing.

If somebody brings a van or car to us because they’re worried about a tyre and we think it’s perfectly safe, we’ll tell them.

I’d much rather send somebody away saying, “There’s plenty of life left in that yet”, than sell them something they don’t need.

But occasionally we see something where there can be no debate whatsoever.

This Ford Transit tyre was one of those occasions.

Probably the Worst Tyre We’ve Ever Seen: Horror Tyre

I’ve been involved with tyres since I was a young man.

I’ve seen bald tyres.

I’ve seen tyres with cords showing.

I’ve seen blowouts, sidewall damage, punctures, cracked tyres and tyres damaged through poor wheel alignment.

But this one stopped us in our tracks.

The sheer area of missing tread was astonishing.

Then there were the rusty exposed steel cords, broken rubber, and severely damaged construction.

And perhaps most shocking of all:

The owner didn’t realise how bad it was.

Thankfully, the van came into Pellon Tyres, and we found the problem before something much worse happened.

So please use this photograph as a reminder.

Whether you drive a Ford Transit, a family hatchback, an SUV, or anything else, take a proper look at your tyres.

Don’t just look at the easiest bit to see.

Look across the tread.

Check the edges.

Check the pressures.

And if something doesn’t look right, have it inspected.

After seeing this tyre at our Halifax garage, I think all of us were left thinking the same thing:

How on earth did it get this far without somebody spotting it?

Thankfully, this time, somebody finally did.

Can You Trust Your Garage

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Can You Trust Your Garage

Can You Trust Your Garage

Why Trust Matters More Than Price When Choosing a Local Garage

Can You Trust Your Garage

Over the many years that I have been involved in the motor trade, one thing has never really changed. Motorists want to know that they can trust the garage looking after their car.

Of course, price matters. We all have bills to pay, and with the cost of living seemingly going up all the time, nobody wants an unexpectedly large garage bill.

However, I have always believed that there is something more important than simply finding the cheapest garage in town.

Trust.

Here at Pellon Tyre & Autocentre in Halifax, we have been looking after local motorists for many years. During that time cars have changed beyond recognition. We have gone from relatively simple petrol and diesel cars to vehicles packed with electronics, sensors, cameras, computers, and increasingly hybrid and electric technology.

Yet the relationship between the customer and their local garage remains remarkably similar.

People simply want to know that if their garage says something needs replacing, it really does need replacing.

New Research Shows Motorists Trust Their Garages: Can You Trust Your Garage

I was interested to read some recent research commissioned by temporary car insurance provider Tempcover.

The survey questioned 2,000 UK motorists and found that 83% trusted the repair recommendations made by the last garage they visited.

I actually find that very encouraging.

Independent garages sometimes receive unfair criticism, particularly on social media, where you occasionally hear the old stories about garages supposedly inventing work or replacing parts unnecessarily.

In my experience, the overwhelming majority of independent garages are hard-working businesses trying to look after their customers and earn a living.

After all, if you deliberately rip somebody off, how many times are they going to come back?

Probably never!

Keeping Customers for Years Builds Trust

One particularly interesting result from the survey was that 54% of motorists said they trusted their garage because they had been using the same one for years.

This is something that certainly rings true here in Halifax.

At Pellon Tyres, we have customers who have been coming to us for many years. In some cases, we have looked after several generations of the same family.

Dad might originally have brought his car in for tyres or an MOT. Years later his son or daughter starts bringing their car in, and eventually we might even see the grandchildren arriving with their first car.

For an independent garage, there isn’t much better advertising than that.

You cannot buy that sort of loyalty with a cheap advert or a special offer.

It has to be earned.

Being Clear About Repair Costs: Can You Trust Your Garage

The survey also found that 44% of motorists valued transparent repair costs.

Again, this doesn’t surprise me.

Nobody likes receiving a bill that is considerably higher than they were expecting.

This is why communication between a garage and its customers is so important.

At Pellon Tyres, if we inspect a vehicle and discover additional work, we contact the customer and explain what we have found.

We don’t simply carry on replacing parts and then present somebody with a huge bill afterwards.

The customer should always know what is happening to their car.

This is particularly important with an MOT test.

A car might fail its MOT because of worn brakes, suspension problems, tyres, or another safety-related defect. To somebody who doesn’t know much about cars, an MOT failure sheet can sometimes look frightening.

However, once the problem has been explained in normal everyday language, things usually become much clearer.

Explaining Things Without All the Technical Jargon

According to the research, 42% of motorists said that clear explanations of mechanical faults helped them trust their garage.

This is another important point.

The motor trade is full of technical terminology.

Track rod ends, anti-roll bar links, DPF systems, EGR valves, ABS sensors, TPMS valves, and countless other components are everyday language to mechanics.

They aren’t everyday language to most motorists!

If somebody comes into our garage with a knocking noise from the front of their car, they don’t necessarily want a twenty-minute engineering lesson.

They simply want to know:

What is wrong?

Is it dangerous?

How much will it cost?

Does it need repairing now?

Those are perfectly reasonable questions.

Sometimes showing the customer the worn part can make things much easier to understand.

A badly worn brake disc or tyre is fairly obvious when you can actually see it.

We Never Do a Job Unless It Needs Doing: Can You Trust Your Garage

This has always been one of my strongest beliefs in running Pellon Tyres.

We never do a job unless it needs doing.

That simple philosophy has served us well over the years.

Sometimes a customer comes in expecting an expensive repair and the actual problem turns out to be something relatively minor.

There is no point replacing perfectly serviceable parts simply because you can.

Perhaps you make a little more money that day, but you could lose a customer for life.

I’d much rather somebody leave our Halifax garage thinking, “They treated me fairly.”

Because the next time they need an MOT, tyres, brakes, exhaust work, servicing, or another repair, there is a good chance they will remember us.

Reliability Beats Cheap Prices

Another interesting result from the research concerned price.

When motorists were asked what mattered most when choosing a garage, 42% prioritized reliability and getting repairs completed correctly, while only 19% said price was their main consideration.

I think this is an important message.

Naturally, everybody likes a good price. We always try to remain competitive at Pellon Tyres.

But being the cheapest garage in Halifax has never been our main ambition.

Doing the job correctly and looking after our customers is much more important.

A cheap repair isn’t cheap if it has to be done twice.

Local Reputation Still Counts: Can You Trust Your Garage

The research found that 34% of motorists trusted garages because of a strong local reputation and positive online reviews.

This is another area that has changed enormously during my time in the tyre and motor trade.

Years ago, reputation was mainly spread by word of mouth.

Someone in Sowerby Bridge might tell their neighbour about a good garage in Halifax. A customer from Elland might recommend us to somebody at work. Families and friends would pass garage names between themselves.

That still happens today, but we now have Google and online reviews as well.

Before visiting a garage for the first time, many motorists will look at its reviews.

They want to know what other customers have experienced.

For a local independent business, good reviews are incredibly valuable because they are effectively modern-day word-of-mouth recommendations.

Halifax Cars Have a Hard Life

Living and driving around Halifax and Calderdale can also be pretty demanding on a vehicle.

We have steep hills, twisting roads, potholes, wet weather and plenty of stop-start driving.

Anyone who regularly drives around places such as Pellon, Queensbury, Northowram, Sowerby Bridge or Hebden Bridge will know exactly what I mean.

Brakes, tyres and suspension components can certainly earn their living around here!

This makes having a garage you trust even more important.

When something starts knocking, squeaking or vibrating, you want somebody who will investigate the problem properly rather than simply start changing parts and hoping for the best.

Sometimes Repairs Can Wait: Can You Trust Your Garage

This is another important part of building trust.

Not every advisory or slightly worn component needs replacing immediately.

There is a big difference between something that is becoming worn and something that is genuinely dangerous.

A responsible garage should explain that difference.

Sometimes we might tell a customer:

“It’s okay at the moment, but we’ll keep an eye on it.”

That might mean checking it again at the next service or MOT.

Other times we may find something that really does need immediate attention, particularly where brakes, steering or tyres are concerned.

Giving customers an honest assessment allows them to make an informed decision.

Modern Cars Make Trust Even More Important

Cars are becoming increasingly complicated.

My own Hyundai Tucson hybrid is a perfect example. Modern cars contain cameras, radar systems, electronic control units and sensors monitoring just about everything.

Many customers have absolutely no idea what half of these systems do — and why should they?

That’s our job.

As cars become more complicated, motorists are increasingly dependent on garages having the correct diagnostic equipment and technicians who understand modern vehicle systems.

However, technology alone doesn’t create trust.

You can have the most expensive diagnostic machine in Yorkshire, but if you can’t explain the problem properly to the customer, you’ve missed an important part of the job.

Independent Garages Still Have an Important Role: Can You Trust Your Garage

I have always been a great supporter of independent garages.

We employ local people, use local suppliers wherever possible and keep money circulating within our communities.

At Pellon Tyres, our staff live around the Halifax and Calderdale area. Many have been with us for years, and customers often recognise the person who worked on their car the last time they visited.

I think that personal connection still matters.

Customers aren’t just registration numbers on a computer screen.

Trust Takes Years to Build

According to the research, 89% of motorists were satisfied with the repair work carried out by their garage.

That is another encouraging statistic for our industry.

It shows that despite all the negative stories we occasionally hear, most British motorists are actually happy with the garages looking after their cars.

Of course, no business gets everything perfect every single time.

What matters is how you deal with problems when they occur.

If something isn’t right, sort it out.

That’s another important part of earning trust.

A Good Local Garage Is Worth Finding: Can You Trust Your Garage

After spending most of my working life in the tyre and motor trade, I think this research confirms something I’ve believed for years.

A good garage isn’t necessarily the cheapest garage.

It’s the garage where you feel comfortable leaving your car.

It’s where somebody explains what is wrong without confusing you with technical jargon.

It’s where you’re contacted before additional work is carried out.

And most importantly, it’s where you believe that when they tell you something needs replacing, it genuinely needs replacing.

Here at Pellon Tyre & Autocentre in Halifax, that’s the type of relationship we have always tried to build with our customers.

Cars may have changed dramatically over the years, but good old-fashioned Yorkshire honesty still goes a long way.

And I don’t think that will ever change. Another item could be garage payrol problems.

It all adds up to the importance of your local independent garage.

Pellon Tyre & Autocentre – Halifax

For MOT testing, tyres, servicing, brakes, exhausts, batteries, wheel alignment and general vehicle repairs, our experienced team at Pellon Tyre & Autocentre is here to help motorists throughout Halifax and the surrounding Calderdale area.

Contact Us

Good service, honest advice and repairs carried out because they’re needed — not simply because they can be sold.

Whatever Happened to Fibreglass Coil Springs

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Whatever Happened to Fibreglass Coil Springs

Whatever Happened to Fibreglass Coil Springs

Whatever Happened to Fibreglass Coil Springs?

Whatever Happened to Fibreglass Coil Springs

The Forgotten Suspension Revolution That Never Quite Took Over

The motor industry has always been driven by innovation. Every decade seems to bring another breakthrough that promises to transform the cars we drive. Some inventions change the industry forever, while others quietly fade into history despite showing enormous promise.

Many motorists remember the arrival of fuel injection, anti-lock braking systems, airbags, satellite navigation and, more recently, hybrid and electric vehicles. Yet there are other developments that generated great excitement within the motor trade but somehow disappeared almost as quickly as they arrived.

One such example is the fibreglass reinforced plastic (FRP) coil spring.

Here at Pellon Tyres in Halifax, I can clearly remember these unusual suspension springs appearing several years ago. In fact, when I mentioned them recently to some of the staff, they looked at me as though I had imagined the whole thing. Yet they certainly existed, and at one stage many engineers believed they could replace conventional steel suspension springs on millions of vehicles.

So what happened?

The humble coil spring: Whatever Happened to Fibreglass Coil Springs

Every car relies on its suspension system to keep the tyres firmly planted on the road whilst giving occupants a comfortable ride.

Without suspension springs every bump would be transferred directly into the bodywork, making driving uncomfortable and difficult to control.

The modern steel coil spring has been refined over many decades. It is remarkably strong, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and capable of surviving hundreds of thousands of compression cycles during its lifetime.

Despite these strengths, engineers have always searched for something even better.

The problem with steel

Although steel is incredibly durable, it has a number of disadvantages.

Firstly, it is heavy.

Every kilogram removed from a vehicle helps improve fuel economy, handling and emissions. Manufacturers spend millions of pounds trying to save just a few kilograms from each new model.

Steel also corrodes.

Here in Yorkshire, where winter road salt is used extensively across the Pennines, we regularly see suspension springs rusting before eventually snapping. Many motorists around Halifax, Sowerby Bridge, Hebden Bridge and the surrounding Calderdale villages have experienced the unpleasant surprise of discovering a broken spring during an MOT inspection.

As garage owners we became very familiar with replacing steel springs.

Then along came a fascinating alternative.

Sogefi enters the picture: Whatever Happened to Fibreglass Coil Springs

Italian engineering company Sogefi, already well respected for manufacturing suspension components and filtration products, began developing something very different.

Instead of producing springs from hardened steel, engineers experimented with fibreglass reinforced plastic, often referred to simply as FRP.

Rather than winding steel wire into a coil, these springs were manufactured using thousands of glass fibres bonded together with advanced resin technology.

At first glance they looked almost too unusual to be taken seriously.

Yet behind their strange appearance lay some remarkable engineering.

Much lighter than steel

The biggest advantage was weight.

These composite springs weighed approximately 40 to 70 per cent less than conventional steel springs depending upon the application.

That may not sound much, but engineers become very excited whenever weight can be removed from the suspension.

Suspension components belong to what engineers call unsprung weight.

Reducing unsprung weight allows the wheels to react more quickly to bumps and uneven road surfaces.

The result can be:

  • Better ride comfort.
  • Improved road holding.
  • Sharper steering response.
  • Reduced vibration.
  • Lower fuel consumption.

Every vehicle manufacturer was looking for these improvements.

They didn’t rust: Whatever Happened to Fibreglass Coil Springs

From the point of view of garages like ours, another enormous advantage immediately stood out.

Composite springs simply didn’t rust.

Anyone who has worked beneath British cars for many years knows exactly how harsh our climate can be.

Road salt, damp winters and endless wet weather eventually attack almost every steel suspension spring.

Composite materials solved this problem almost overnight.

That alone made them a fascinating proposition.

Audi leads the way

It was Audi that became one of the first major manufacturers to introduce FRP coil springs into production.

Working alongside Sogefi, the company fitted them to selected high-performance models.

The engineering world was impressed.

Trade magazines predicted that many other manufacturers would soon follow.

At the time it genuinely appeared that steel springs might gradually disappear.

I remember them arriving: Whatever Happened to Fibreglass Coil Springs

After spending most of my working life in the tyre and motor trade, you naturally remember unusual developments.

I clearly remember these springs being discussed throughout the industry.

They certainly looked different.

Compared with conventional steel, they almost appeared futuristic.

At Pellon Tyres we fitted some during repairs, and it was obvious that somebody had invested years of research into producing them.

Fast forward several years, and I recently mentioned them to the lads in the workshop.

Their response?

“You must have dreamed them!”

Well, I can assure everyone that I wasn’t dreaming.

Why didn’t they become the future?

This is perhaps the most interesting question of all.

The technology worked.

The springs were lighter.

They resisted corrosion.

They reduced vehicle weight.

So why don’t we see them everywhere today?

The answer is probably a combination of factors.

Manufacturing costs: Whatever Happened to Fibreglass Coil Springs

Composite manufacturing remained considerably more expensive than producing traditional steel springs.

Car manufacturers always work within strict budgets.

Saving weight is important, but only if the financial case also stacks up.

Steel continued improving.

Steel spring technology did not stand still.

Metallurgy continued advancing, making modern springs stronger, lighter and more durable than ever before.

The gap between steel and composite became smaller.

Electric vehicles changed priorities.

Within only a few years the entire industry became focused upon electrification.

Manufacturers invested billions into batteries, electric motors, charging systems and software.

Composite suspension springs became just one of many technologies competing for investment.

Lessons from history: Whatever Happened to Fibreglass Coil Springs

The story reminds me of many innovations throughout my years in the motor trade.

Some ideas transform the industry forever.

Others arrive slightly ahead of their time.

Remember when everyone predicted:

  • Rotary engines would replace piston engines.
  • Run-flat tyres would become standard on every vehicle.
  • Hydrogen would dominate road transport.
  • Wet timing belts would revolutionise engine design.

Some succeeded.

Some partly succeeded.

Others quietly faded away.

The fibreglass spring belongs firmly in that second category.

The future may not be over

Interestingly, composite materials continue to develop.

Carbon fibre, advanced plastics and lightweight alloys are now used extensively throughout modern vehicle production.

As electric vehicles continue evolving, reducing weight remains one of the biggest engineering challenges.

That means the idea behind composite suspension springs may yet return in another form.

Sometimes technology simply waits for the right moment.

Yorkshire roads still demand good suspension. Whatever Happened to Fibreglass Coil Springs

Whether your car uses steel springs or advanced composite materials, the purpose remains exactly the same.

Around Halifax, Calderdale and the Pennine hills, suspension works extremely hard.

Potholes, uneven road surfaces, steep gradients and constantly changing weather all place tremendous strain upon springs, dampers and suspension joints.

That is why regular inspections remain so important.

At Pellon Tyres we frequently inspect suspension components during servicing, wheel alignment and MOT testing.

Broken springs remain one of the most common faults we discover, particularly after harsh winters.

Looking back

After nearly sixty years in the motor trade, one of the pleasures is remembering developments that younger mechanics have never encountered.

The Sogefi FRP coil spring is certainly one of them.

It represented bold thinking.

It challenged accepted engineering practice.

Although it never replaced conventional steel springs on a large scale, it proved that engineers are constantly searching for better solutions.

Perhaps one day a new generation of composite suspension components will once again appear on our roads.

If they do, I shall probably smile and say,

“I’ve seen something very similar before.”

After all, motoring history has a wonderful habit of repeating itself.

Importance of Your Local Independent Garage

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Importance of Your Local Independent Garage

Importance of Your Local Independent Garage

The Importance of Local Independent Garages – Keeping Halifax and Calderdale Moving

Importance of Your Local Independent Garage

There has never been a more important time to support your local independent garage. Across the UK, motorists have more choice than ever before when it comes to maintaining their cars, yet many still overlook the wealth of experience, personal service and value that can be found right on their doorstep.

Here at Pellon Tyres in Halifax, we have been looking after local motorists since 1989. During that time, we have seen enormous changes in the motor trade. Cars have become safer, cleaner and packed with technology, but one thing has never changed – the importance of having a trusted local garage that genuinely cares about its customers.

The Heart of Every Community: Importance of Your Local Independent Garage

Independent garages have always been an important part of towns like Halifax and throughout the Calderdale area. Whether you live in Pellon, King Cross, Sowerby Bridge, Elland, Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd or the surrounding Yorkshire villages, chances are there is a local garage that generations of families have relied upon.

Unlike many large national chains, an independent garage is usually run by people who live in the same community as their customers. We shop in the same supermarkets, attend the same local events and often know our customers by name.

That creates something which cannot be bought – trust.

Many of our customers first came through our doors over thirty years ago. Today we are often servicing the cars of their children and even grandchildren. Those long-term relationships mean everything to us.

Experience Counts

Modern vehicles are incredibly sophisticated. Hybrid systems, electric vehicles, advanced driver assistance systems, computer-controlled engines and complex emissions equipment all require specialist knowledge.

Some people assume that only a main dealer can work on modern vehicles, but that simply isn’t true.

Independent garages continually invest in the latest diagnostic equipment, training courses and technical information to keep pace with changing technology.

At Pellon Tyres we regularly update our equipment and training because today’s vehicles demand it. Whether it’s diagnosing an engine management light, carrying out wheel alignment using modern laser equipment, servicing hybrid vehicles or performing MOT tests using the latest DVSA-approved equipment, independent garages continue to evolve with the industry.

Technology may change, but good workmanship never goes out of fashion.

Honest Advice Matters: Importance of Your Local Independent Garage

One of the biggest advantages of using a trusted independent garage is receiving honest advice.

Our philosophy has always been simple.

We never replace parts unless they genuinely need replacing.

If a component still has plenty of life left, we tell the customer exactly that. Building long-term trust is far more important than making a quick sale.

Many customers tell us they appreciate being able to speak directly with the technician or garage owner rather than through several layers of customer service.

When someone explains exactly why a repair is needed and even shows you the worn part, it gives confidence that your money is being spent wisely.

Supporting Local Jobs

Every time someone chooses a local independent garage, they are helping to support local employment.

Independent garages employ MOT testers, mechanics, tyre technicians, apprentices, office staff and suppliers who all contribute to the local economy.

At Pellon Tyres we are fortunate to have experienced members of staff who have worked with us for many years. That continuity benefits our customers because familiar faces build confidence and experience cannot be replaced overnight.

Many independent garages also provide opportunities for young apprentices to learn valuable engineering skills, ensuring that the next generation of technicians continues to serve our communities.

Keeping Yorkshire Moving: Importance of Your Local Independent Garage

Living in West Yorkshire presents its own challenges.

Anyone who drives around Halifax, Calderdale and the surrounding Pennine hills knows just how demanding our roads can be. Steep gradients, twisting country lanes, heavy rain, occasional snow and endless potholes all take their toll on a vehicle.

Tyres, brakes, suspension and wheel alignment are particularly important in this part of the country.

Many customers arrive at our depot simply because their steering no longer feels quite right after hitting one pothole too many.

Sometimes a simple wheel alignment transforms the way a car drives, improves tyre life and saves money over the long term.

Our Yorkshire roads certainly keep local garages busy!

More Than Just Repairs

Today’s independent garage offers far more than changing tyres or fitting exhausts.

Most modern garages now provide:

Having all these services under one roof makes life much easier for busy motorists.

The Human Touch: Importance of Your Local Independent Garage

One thing that has always made independent garages special is the personal approach.

People often arrive worried because an unexpected warning light has appeared or their car has started making an unusual noise.

For many families, a car is essential. It gets them to work, takes the children to school and allows them to visit loved ones.

We understand that.

Taking the time to explain the problem in plain English, discussing the repair options and providing an honest quotation helps remove much of the stress.

That personal service is difficult to measure but is often what customers remember most.

Investing in Better Equipment

Some people imagine that independent garages still rely on old-fashioned tools.

The reality couldn’t be more different.

Modern workshops invest heavily in technology.

Diagnostic scanners can communicate with dozens of electronic control units.

Digital wheel alignment systems measure suspension geometry to fractions of a degree.

Electronic brake testers automatically upload MOT data.

Battery testing equipment now analyses modern stop-start and hybrid battery systems in minutes.

Without continual investment, independent garages simply could not keep up with today’s vehicles.

A Proud Local Business: Importance of Your Local Independent Garage

As the owner of Pellon Tyres, I still enjoy visiting the workshop each day.

Even after all these years, I enjoy seeing another problem solved, another satisfied customer and another vehicle safely back on the road.

We’ve seen fashions come and go.

Cars have changed beyond recognition.

Yet the satisfaction of helping local motorists has never changed.

Many customers pop in simply for advice or to ask us to check a tyre before setting off on holiday.

Sometimes all that is needed is reassurance.

Other times we discover a dangerous fault before it becomes a serious problem.

That is one of the most rewarding parts of running a local garage.

Looking Towards the Future

The future of motoring is changing rapidly.

Electric vehicles are becoming more common.

Hybrid technology continues to grow.

Artificial intelligence is beginning to assist vehicle diagnostics.

Advanced safety systems are becoming standard equipment.

Despite all these advances, there will always be a need for skilled local technicians who understand both the technology and the people driving the vehicles.

Independent garages have adapted successfully for decades and will continue to do so.

Final Thoughts: Importance of Your Local Independent Garage

Yorkshire has always been built on hard work, honesty and looking after one another.

Independent garages reflect those same values.

When you support a local garage, you are not simply paying for a repair. You are supporting local employment, local families and businesses that genuinely care about the communities they serve.

Here at Pellon Tyres in Halifax, we remain proud to be part of that tradition. Every vehicle that enters our workshop is treated as though it belongs to a neighbour, because very often it does.

Whether your car needs a new set of tyres, an MOT, a routine service or simply some friendly advice, choosing an experienced independent garage means dealing with people who care about keeping you safely on the road.

In towns like Halifax and across Calderdale, that personal service is something well worth preserving. Long may it continue

Importantly: Can You Trust Your Garage