For many car owners, buying tyres is a grudge purchase and having them fitted is a hassle, but by bringing this service to the buyer’s home or workplace it’s certainly a lot more convenient.
After having worked in the automotive industry for 35 years including many as a tyre store manager, Russell Langham was looking for a change and the chance to work for himself; after evaluating the options, he came across a relatively new division of the Jim’s Group, ‘Jim’s Mobile Tyres’ and signed on.
“The idea of getting out on the road, meeting new people and having greater work flexibility really appealed to me,” Russell said.
Based in the South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Russell travels all over the city in his IVECO Daily 50C van providing a range of services including tyre sales and fitting, puncture repairs, tyre rotations, emergency roadside breakdown repairs, tyre pressure checks and fleet services.
He has a wide range of customers from owners of passenger cars and four wheel drives to commercial vehicle and truck operators.
The IVECO van he uses is equipped with a full size Eagle tyre changer capable of handling today’s large diameter, low profile and run flat wheel and tyres, an Eagle wheel balancer, air compressors and jacks, and all the related tools to allow him to function as a workshop on wheels. All the equipment is 240V, with power supplied by an on-board inverter drawing from the substantial on-board battery packs.
The van itself features IVECO’s market-leading Hi-Matic 8-speed full automatic transmission which is coupled an advanced, 3.0 litre powerplant which delivers 170hp and 430Nm.
In selecting his van, Russell said he was attracted by the looks, the safety features and the wide range of options provided by the Daily range.
“The Daily has a sleek and modern appearance and is also well-specified with a range of safety equipment including Electronic Stability Program, four airbags and front and rear disc brakes with ABS, and the suspended driver’s seat certainly enhances the driving experience,” he said.
“I also wanted a full automatic transmission for a more relaxed driving experience – aside from being larger in size, the Daily’s just like driving a car and also had all the appointments I wanted such as sat nav, cruise control, reversing camera, a great climate control system and Bluetooth.
“With a GVM of 4,495kg, it can be driven on a car licence while still providing all the carrying capacity I need for my equipment and stock.”
To engage Russell, customers simply call the Jim’s Mobile Tyres number and advise him of their tyre size, from here he can recommend the best replacement options from a wide range of leading brands and then a time and location for fitment is arranged.
Calling on distributor contacts all around Melbourne, in most cases he can source the required tyres and provide a quote by the next working day.
Now over 10 months on the job, Russell said he is building his client base and the decision to buy an IVECO Daily has been the correct one.
“I absolutely love driving the Daily and working for myself,” he said.
“Prior to buying the Daily I was aware that IVECO had a great reputation particularly across its light commercial range and this has definitely proven to be the case from my experience.”