How much does a tire changeover cost?

A changeover on rims is the quick one. Your winter tires already sit on their own wheels. We lift the car, take the summer wheels off and bolt the winter set on. Each wheel nut is torqued to your vehicle's spec. It usually books about half an hour.

A full swap takes more steps. Your winter and summer tires share one set of rims, so each tire comes off its rim and the other set goes on. We seat each bead, set the pressure and balance all four. Then the wheels go on and get torqued. It books closer to an hour.

Both prices are flat. The rate covers the labour and the torque check. Any parts are extra, billed at cost plus 20 percent, and the supplier invoice is yours to see.

• On rims, $60. Wheels off, wheels on, torqued and checked.
• Full swap, $95. Tires moved between rims, balanced, torqued and checked.

While the wheels are off, we look at the brakes and the tread. If a tire is near the 3.5 mm winter minimum, or a pad is getting thin, you get a photo and a note. Extra work waits for your yes.

Most changeovers end at the flat rate. A few things can add a line.

• Tire pressure sensors. Many cars read pressure from a sensor inside each wheel. A sensor with a dead battery or a corroded valve needs a part.
• Valve stems. Rubber stems age and crack, and we replace a tired one before it leaks.
• A bent rim. A frost heave or a pothole can bend a rim enough to lose air or balance.
• A damaged tire. A cut or a bulge in the sidewall makes a tire unsafe to mount.

Any extra part gets a photo and a phone call first. Nothing goes over the number you approved without a call. You can see how that looks on a sample digital inspection.

September. The law on Highway 3 starts October 1, and the first snow on the passes can come earlier. The morning after the first snowfall, our phone rings all day for two weeks. The third week of September is quiet, and the same work costs the same money.

Pick a week on the changeover planner and we confirm within one business hour. Morning drop-offs are usually done well before the end of the day. In spring, book after April 30 if you drive Highway 3. Our guide on when you need winter tires in BC lists the dates by route.