ATS Tyre Shops....

[RedRobin]

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What do folks here think of ATS?

There's a very convenient ATS in my town and I used to dismiss them as a Kwik-Fit style of shop - In fact I even didn't read the sign properly and thought they were Kwik-Fit or similar and so never used them.

However, after a local small family tyre business refused to get me a pair of Goodyear Asymmetric 2's for themselves to fit, refused to fit them if I supplied them, and also refused to change my brake pads in the same session (AP Racing pads on AP brakes), I went to ATS out of desperation and was very pleased. ATS not only fitted my new brake pads but also refilled all my tyres with nitrogen and gave me nice green valve caps - All free of charge:



The guy who usually works on my car at ATS Bridport has an immaculate Mk3 GTI and the Manager is also a car enthusiast. They have offered to always refill my tyres with nitrogen for free - I think it's an excuse to see my car and chat while it's being done and they know I'll only drop by when they tell me it's less busy.

I heard later from someone who used to work there that the outfit that refused to sell me Goodyear Asymmetric 2's uses one big supplier and gets holidays abroad as an incentive. Word gets around easily in a small town and I won't be using or recommending them to anyone - Quite the contrary!

As usual, it's all about the people in the company and not just the company itself.

My local ATS place is doing the PS2's for £135 each fully fitted plus there's an offer on which would mean I'd get £50 worth of fuel too when buying two or more tyres.

[Nodz]

I've used my local ats when I needed 2 new ps3's and when I've had a puncture done and can't fault them. My local one is more geared towards hgv and can tyres but have started to do the car side of things. They was careful with my Monza's aswell which was good.

On the 2nd visit for the puncture repair I was talking to the chap doing it and it turns out he used to work for kwik fit lol. So that shows its the the companies reputation rather than the individuals who work there

[campbell511]

My girlfriend used our local ATS in Glasgow when she had a puncture and I was away.
At first the service and price seemed good until they over torqued the wheel bolts causing them to stretch and ultimately snap off.
Personal experience of ATS leads me to say avoid but I understand this is an isolated incident. Luckily she was only going at 30mph on the slip road off a motorway. Things could have been a lot worse.

I now always insist a torque wrench is used on my wheel bolts.

[Andy]

Well if you lived near me R/R i would have done it for you--but it might cost a bit in fuel but the drive up here would be a good one

[scottm72]

i used to manage a kwik fit garage and let me tell you all these places are all the same, the problem is the staff are overworked and under payed, so you are always going to get problems, all the bloody same,,, i am getting my new f1s tomorrow and i wouldnt even let these places fit them foc, if they dont scratch them they will over gun them, do the tracking wrong as most dont know how to do it and if there is a track rod end stiff they will just leave it,,,, wouldnt touch them with a barge poll,,,, try and find a garage that is well reputed and not a garage that is interested in mods on your car - that just means they are full of young guys usually.
i have a garage 500 yards away but i will do a round trip of 40 miles for peace of mind.

[RedRobin]

wouldnt touch them with a barge poll,,,, try and find a garage that is well reputed and not a garage that is interested in mods on your car - that just means they are full of young guys usually.

....I think that is a ridiculous an absurd generalisation to make. My VW dealership ever since I first bought my GTI 7 years ago has always expressed interest in my car's mods, as have VW Racing, JKM, TTshop, and every single workshop/garage which has worked on my car. I would far rather have people work on my car who have some degree of enthusiasm for it.

I am so far totally happy with my local ATS and, being a small town, I already know who the staff are and they know who I am. As a result, there is a mutual trust.

[56OctyVRS]

I used them for wheel alignement as they use hunter alignment.

[RedRobin]

I used them for wheel alignement as they use hunter alignment.

....My car is always done on a Hunter laser rig but down near JKM. Hunter have a very highly regarded reputation.

[56OctyVRS]

I agree the Hunter system is very accurate and I dont use anything other. Since moving home, the local ATS is the nearest place with the Hunter system and have always given excellent service.

[scottm72]

wouldnt touch them with a barge poll,,,, try and find a garage that is well reputed and not a garage that is interested in mods on your car - that just means they are full of young guys usually.

....I think that is a ridiculous generalisation to make. My VW dealership ever since I first bought my GTI 7 years ago has always expressed interest in my car's mods, as have VW Racing, JKM, TTshop, and every single workshop/garage which has worked on my car. I would far rather have people work on my car who have some degree of enthusiasm for it.

I am so far totally happy with my local ATS and, being a small town, I already know who the staff are and they know who I am. As a result, there is a mutual trust.

red robin your comment is laughable and also ridiculous, if you are happy with your local garage because you know them then bully for you but not all people have this option open to them, my so called ridiculous generalisation is based on a lot more facts that your relationship with your local garage.
without listing all the garages you have so successfully used im sure it is great that they are interested in your mods, and note you mention your local vw dealer ? my comment was on garages like kwik fit, smiley, budget, ats etc etc etc,,,, at no point did i mention a vw dealer so stop throwing your toys out of your pram and read things properly before you garble.
i was a tyre fitter with kwik fit for 1 year, then i was a trainee manager with budget for 2 years, then manager for kwik fit again for a while then finally an area manager for budget for 4 years,, so thats around 9 years in the game,,, whats your experience to call my comment ridiculous ?????
thats twice now you have rudely commented on one of my own comments and twice now you have talked rubbish,
all the garages like ats etc are all pretty much the same and swap staff all the time, when someone gets fired they simply go to the competitor who usually take them on,,,, it just keeps going round in circles, it is a cold and dirty job, long hours and tough conditions of which they get paid peanuts for,, i know ive done it,,,, or should i just dismiss all that and listen to your opinion because you have good local garages,,, i comment on things to help people out - after all thats what we are all on here for and i wouldnt be so rude to call peoples opinions ( absolutelly ridiculous ) if you disgaree with someone then fine disagree but dont do it in a way that makes you look like an arse

[RedRobin]

@ scottm72:

Your post didn't make it clear enough that the "garages" you were so wisely advising I shouldn't use were in fact tyre businesses. And hence my response and mention of other automotive businesses.

If you are offended by my opinion that you made a generalisation which I thought was ridiculous or absurd (meaning unreasonable), then I'm sorry. I should have perhaps used the word "absurd" rather than "ridiculous". I'll modify my earlier post accordingly.

However, your posts would be much easier to read and understand if you bothered to use capital letters where it is normally appropriate in the English language and also paragraph spacing.

Your total of 9 years experience "in the game" as you describe it, are only in KwikFit and Budget. It appears from many other people's reports that ATS are somewhat better and the fact that you use the term "in the game" doesn't reflect well on the nature of the tyre businesses you have your experience in.

[sub39h]

I'd like to add that the local National Tyres when I lived in Stoke were excellent as well. They too took an interest in my mods. They took extra good care of my brand new wheels. And they fitted spark plugs for me for free. One of the lads had a very nice Ibiza Bocanegra too.

I don't agree with your tarring all chains with the same brush opinion either Scott. Irrespective of your experience, unless you've been to every single one and worked with every single person individually your opinion on the staff is an unfounded generalisation.

[edd666999]

wouldnt touch them with a barge poll,,,, try and find a garage that is well reputed and not a garage that is interested in mods on your car - that just means they are full of young guys usually.

....I think that is a ridiculous generalisation to make. My VW dealership ever since I first bought my GTI 7 years ago has always expressed interest in my car's mods, as have VW Racing, JKM, TTshop, and every single workshop/garage which has worked on my car. I would far rather have people work on my car who have some degree of enthusiasm for it.

I am so far totally happy with my local ATS and, being a small town, I already know who the staff are and they know who I am. As a result, there is a mutual trust.

red robin your comment is laughable and also ridiculous, if you are happy with your local garage because you know them then bully for you but not all people have this option open to them, my so called ridiculous generalisation is based on a lot more facts that your relationship with your local garage.
without listing all the garages you have so successfully used im sure it is great that they are interested in your mods, and note you mention your local vw dealer ? my comment was on garages like kwik fit, smiley, budget, ats etc etc etc,,,, at no point did i mention a vw dealer so stop throwing your toys out of your pram and read things properly before you garble.
i was a tyre fitter with kwik fit for 1 year, then i was a trainee manager with budget for 2 years, then manager for kwik fit again for a while then finally an area manager for budget for 4 years,, so thats around 9 years in the game,,, whats your experience to call my comment ridiculous ?????
thats twice now you have rudely commented on one of my own comments and twice now you have talked rubbish,
all the garages like ats etc are all pretty much the same and swap staff all the time, when someone gets fired they simply go to the competitor who usually take them on,,,, it just keeps going round in circles, it is a cold and dirty job, long hours and tough conditions of which they get paid peanuts for,, i know ive done it,,,, or should i just dismiss all that and listen to your opinion because you have good local garages,,, i comment on things to help people out - after all thats what we are all on here for and i wouldnt be so rude to call peoples opinions ( absolutelly ridiculous ) if you disgaree with someone then fine disagree but dont do it in a way that makes you look like an arse

[RedRobin]

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Unfortunately sometimes words and meanings are ambiguous or simply misunderstood and people (including myself of course) kick off. It is the nature of the written word on forums. We are afterall, only human. 

On this occasion, my response to Scott upset him and I could see it would easily escalate. So, as I started the thread I decided to lock it temporarily in the hope that things would settle down. However, that seems to have thrown oil on Scott's fire!  I thought I had said sorry, but never mind 

[andrewparker]

Scott, seriously, I think you offend too easily