It’s become a bit of a cliche that women don’t trust the motor trade, because they feel intimidated or patronised when they pop into a depot or garage for something as straight-forward as a couple of new tyres.

Yet our tyres fitting teams across the country find it’s the opposite when they turn up to fit a new tyre, carry out a puncture repair or fit a new battery.

We go to our customers with the sole purpose of sorting out their tyres or replacing an old battery - not trying to sell them brake pads or windscreen wiper blades so that they can meet sales targets!

Which is why we were delighted to receive this email from Holly, who called on the services of our Brighton team earlier this week.

She email our Head Office to say: “I have just had a new battery fitted by one of your employees (P. Smith is the name i have on receipt). I have only just got my car and passed my test so was fairly clueless on the issues of my car. I just wanted to say a big thanks and sing the praises of the gentleman who fitted my battery he was very friendly and helpful and not intimidating or patronising as I had feared. Many Thanks!”

Darren, Head Office

Formula One legend Michael Schumacher welcomed Pirelli’s new tyres for the 2012 season on the first day of testing earlier this week.

The Mercedes driver says that the new tyres are “a step forward” and that he noticed a big difference with the rear tyres.

Mercedes had trouble making the rapidly-degrading Pirelli tyres work during 2011, with the rear tyres suffering a notably higher rate of wear on the W02 than the cars of its rivals.

After running the W02 again on the first day at Jerez to evaluate the new compounds for this season, Schumacher said that they appeared to be easier to use.

“After a long break, it feels terrific being back in the car and hitting the circuit again,” Schumacher said.

“Our main job was to get a first impression of the tyres for 2012 and to start understanding them. They feel like a step forward, more consistent and comfortable to drive, and the biggest difference is with the rear tyre.

“Thanks to everybody at Pirelli for their good job this winter. Let’s see what we can learn tomorrow.”

Alex Kapadia, Operations Team

It wasn’t just the little ones who were excited to see the blanket of snow that covered much of the UK last weekend - Chris Knapman, the Daily Telegraph motoring correspondent, finally got the chance to put his new winter tyres through their paces!

His winter tyres test never really got off the ground until this weekend due to the mildest winter we have experienced in the last couple of years.

But in Part Four of his test, he really got to grips with issue…..

This is a taster of what he had to say: “With this being my first time driving on snow with winter tyres in the UK I spent a few minutes discovering just what I could and couldn’t do. I slammed on the brakes, accelerated as hard as I could and swerved from side to side. And when an uphill presented itself I stopped and set off again. While it would be overstating matters to say it was like driving on Tarmac, the tyres did always keep me pointing in the right direction, I was able to stop relatively smartly with the ABS pulsing under my right foot, and, so long as I kept the revs down, there was ample traction, particularly if I aimed for fresh snow, rather than icy tyre tracks, to drive on.

“With the snow a couple of inches deep in places, being sensible was still the name of the game, but at no point did I think I might not make it home. Which is more than can be said for the other cars I passed that night, which were invariably sitting on the back of a tow truck or crawling along at a snail’s pace. At a steady 35mph my 1.2-litre supermini passed them as if they were standing still.”

And at the end of his snow-covered road test - after over-taking a struggling Mercedes M-Class 4×4 no less - he concluded: “It also proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you don’t need four-wheel-drive when it snows.”

To read the full article go to http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/road-safety/9064527/Winter-tyre-test-part-four.html

Denna Bowman, Head Office

It’s a big night for Bridgestone tyres tonight as the New England Patriots take on the New York Giants in the 2012 Super Bowl.

Madonna is starring in the halftime show, sponsored by the tyres manufacturer, and of course there are the eagerly anticipated commercials aired during game time.

It’s the fifth time Bridgestone has sponsored the halftime show, and the whole spectacle will be seen by around 100 million people - which is why the organisers command the big bucks for the 30 second commercials.

Last year Bridgestone scored a hit with its “Karma” ad with the beaver was among the most popular with viewers, receiving a 97 percent rating on Fox Sports.

This year the company will be taking the opportunity to launch its new brand campaign, fittingly titled “Time to Perform,” during the game.

Approximately 36 ads will be shown and it is estimated that the ads sold for approximately $3.5 million each.

Denna Bowman, Head Office

As the UK braces itself for the big freeze, we are urging motorists to set aside a few minutes this weekend to check their tyres are up to coping with the the Arctic conditions.

Tyres can have a major effect on your car’s performance, improving its safety and keeping it moving in winter conditions.

Obviously fitting winter tyres will give you extra peace of mind when you are driving in snow and ice, because they provide greater grip and handling. They also reduce braking distances in cold, wet conditions.

However, if you don’t want to fit winter tyres there are some simple steps you can take immediately to ensure your tyres are in the best possible condition for maximum safety.

In winter tread depth should be checked to ensure it is well above the legal minimum of 1.6mm across the central three quarters of the tyre, around its entire circumference.

Tyre pressures should be checked at least once a month or before a long journey. Pressures should be checked when the tyres are cold (i.e. travelled less than 2 miles) against the vehicle manufacturers recommended levels.

And finally, when checking your tyre pressures, give the rest of the tyre a thorough visual inspection for any signs of damage. Look for any cuts, cracks bulges and remove any embedded objects which can cause punctures and blow outs at high speed.

Denna Bowman, Head Office

The Queen ‘changing greasy tyres’ - now there’s a bunch of words you wouldn’t expect to find juxtapositioned!

But surprisingly, learning how to change tyres was one of the skills the 18-year-old future monarch learned after joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service and going on a vehicle maintenance course.

According to a riveting series by Robert Lacey in the Daily Mail, this was just one example of how a down-to-earth upbringing prepared her for 60 years on the throne.

Lacey wrote: “In the spring of 1945, with her 19th birthday approaching, she escaped court life to join the Auxiliary Territorial Service, or the ‘Women’s Army’ as the ATS was known — No 230873, Second Subaltern Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor.

“For a month, she travelled to Aldershot every morning for a vehicle maintenance course, learning how to change tyres and cylinder heads, then returned to Windsor for dinner each evening to lecture her sister and parents on the joys of the internal combustion engine.”

Denna Bowman, Head Office

Formula One is the pinnacle of Pirelli’s investment in worldwide motorsport - but the Italian tyres manufacturer isn’t just in it to raise brand awareness.

According the Pirelli, motorsport has consistently been the company’s most important research laboratory from which the Group has developed some of the industry-defining innovations in the tyre sector.

Pirelli will supply a total of 45,000 tyres for the entirety of the 2012 Formula One World Championship.

The tyres for the top level of world motorsport will be produced at Pirelli’s dedicated competition facility within the factory at Izmit, Turkey, which is one of the most advanced of its kind in the world.

Pirelli’s engineers have put in place state-of-the-art machinery and innovative technologies to make tyres that are perfectly suited to the demands of grand prix racing.

At races and during official tests, the Pirelli F1 team numbers 50 specialists, from engineers to technicians. Each Formula One team relies on one dedicated Pirelli engineer, as well as on the entire squad of technicians and fitters.

Pirelli’s F1 team is made up of people who come from all four corners of the globe, but is based in Milan: Pirelli’s Research and Development headquarters. This department has always been at the heart of the Pirelli Group’s cutting-edge technology and employs 1,000 researchers, located in five centres around the world.

Pirelli is also the exclusive supplier to some of the world’s most important motorsport championships, both on two and four wheels – such as the GP2 and GP3 Series and the World Superbike Championship.

On top of this, the Italian firm supplies more than 70 national and international race and rally series, having been the exclusive tyre provider to the World Rally Championship from 2008-2010.

Alex Kapadia, Operations Team

With more and more vehicle manufacturers choosing not to fit spare tyres to their cars and instead install a puncture repair kit, motorists are having to get to grips with how this affects them.

The Sunday Times tackled the subject in its motoring supplement ingear this weekend.

MF, from Bingley, West Yorkshire, put this question to the Car Clinic panel: “After suffering a puncture, I discovered my BMW X3 has no full-size spare tyre, or even a space-saver tyre, but instead uses a tyre-weld kit. This happened on a Saturday afternoon, and I couldn’t get a replacement tyre before Monday. What are the guidelines for driving after using such a repair kit?”

Tim Shallcross, panel expert and Institute of Advanced Motorists advisor, replied: “Temporary aerosol repair kits are becoming increasingly common on new cars. Partly this is because full-scale tyre blowouts are becoming less common, so a temporary fix to a punctured tyre is considered acceptable by car makers. It is also cheaper for them than fitting a spare wheel, and saves space in the vehicle, which is a good thing.

“The punctured tyre will need to be repaired - or possibly replaced, depending on the damage - but it will be good for a few hundred miles at least. You should however, take a few precautions once you have repaired the tyre.

“First, drive the vehicle immediately for 20 minutes in order to seal the puncture. Then check the tyre’s wire pressure as soon as possible, and correct it if necessary. It is important to stick to the speed limit specified on the repair can; this will be 30mph for some products and 50mph for others - follow the instructions. If the car suddenly feels unstable, stop and check the punctured tyre.”

Denna Bowman, Head Office

Customers who order online want to be assured that they are getting the best deal and the best service whether they are buying a CD or a new set of tyres.

Our mobile tyres fitting teams around the UK take great pride in the fact that as well as offering low prices they also go the extra mile to make life easier for their customers.

This is what just two of our customers have had to say about the service they received from etyres in the last couple of days.

Andrew from Withersfield sent this message to Dean in our head office after calling on the services of our Cambridge branch: “I just wanted to thank you and the team at etyres for sorting out the replacement of my two front tyres and enabling me to leave my car at your head office.

“I got a call at 8.30am this morning from Dave the fitter to say he had completed the work which was great.

“Please pass on my thanks to Dave, Alex your manager and a big thank you to you for sorting it all out yesterday.”

While Melanie forwarded this email after using our Portsmouth branch: “I wanted to tell you about the superb service I received from your tyre fiiter (Clint) who works at your Hilsea Portsmouth branch.
Nothing was too much trouble, he is a fine ambassador for etyres..we shall continue to recommend to everyone we know.”

Sabrina, National Sales Team

Bridgestone Tyres UK has chosen the Midlands-based Acorns Children’s Hospice at its chosen charity for 2012.

Throughout the year the tyres company staff will be hosting a series of fundraising events including a monthly ‘Dress Down Friday’ day in aid of Acorns Children’s Hospice.

Established in 1988, the charity offers a care for terminally ill youngsters and their families, across the Midlands.

Acorns provides tailored nursing, emergency care and short breaks for the children at each of its three hospices across the region as well as continual support for their families from its highly trained Community Team.

Paul Lawrie, Human Resources Director at Bridgestone UK , said: “Supporting such as worthy cause is very close to many of our hearts within Bridgestone, and being based in the Midlands, it felt right we should support a local charity this year.

“In 2011 we raised more than £5,000 for our charity, we’re hoping to go beyond that this year.”

Denna Bowman, Head Office