I am here on holiday with my UK car. I had new tyres fitted just before I left. I have had the misfortune to hit a large stone in the motorway resulting in a holed side wall, so I need a new front tyre. I have been informed by the garage that I have to replace both front tyres as they need to be fitted in pairs. I have told them just to replace one and I have to go back today to see the boss. Does anyone know what the legalities are?

By law, they have to be the same on the front or back.

So I'm afraid you'll have to bite the bullet and buy 2.

Happened to us too, that's how I know.

Absolute nonsense brodev, I have worked in the motor trade for 45 years and we very often sell only one tyre to replace the one that needs changing. Sounds like he is trying to have your pants down mate. As long as the one on the other side is still legal you do not need to change it.

Thanks both for the conflicting replies . I believe that a car with different brands of tyres may fail a Portuguese ITV but my car is a legal (mot road tax etc.) UK reg. and cars coming from UK may well come with different brands on the wheels and nowhere can I see that this is illegal.

It is quite legal to have different brands in the UK. Obviously when cars leave the factory they are often fitted with Premium Tyres (Michelin / Goodyear / Pirelli etc) but when they need replacing customers invariably want the budget option so will fit a Barum / Hankook etc because of price. This is perfectly legal. Obviously I can not comment on Portuguese law but I would have thought something like this would be set by the EU and therefore be Pan EU as is the minimum tread depth.

we had same problem = on one axle it has to be same configuration.

FWIW, the same applies in France. The same make, specifications, etc... but there mustn't be more than 5 mm's difference in the groove depth between the new and old tyres (on the same axle).
To be sure, the OP should ask the garage to indicate the Portuguese regulations supporting their refusal to change just the damaged tyre.
Maybe Spain has the same regulations, too, if he's driving through Europe?
In many ways, Continental Europe doesn't correspond to UK laws, rules and regulations!

DMU
I will bow to your greater knowledge of European Tyre Issues! They like to make it complicated. We are coming across to France next month what is the standpoint of people carrying or not carrying the breath test kits?

After an initial flurry of commercial activity when they all sold out, they aren't compulsory any more!!
Bon voyage!

You must have same sizem make and model of tyre on same axle. So you'll have to buy 2 only if you can't but one the same as what's fitted!

Well, that said I don't see how they can enforce that on a foriegn plated car. Fit one!!

Hi All

While matriculating my car i was stopped one day while changing a tyre due to a puncture the GNR came over to see that i was OK as i was on a main road. The officer looked at what i was putting on and informed me that i had to have both tyres the same make and size. I mentioned about my car still being a UK reg car and he said as i was in Portugal i had to observe Portuguese law. He did however trust me to go to a local garage and get tyres of the same make and size fitted.

Peter

In Spain, all 4 are supposed to be same make, model and age, and conform to manufacturer's recommendations. You can fail ITV if they aren't. But the inspectors will often fail to see it if they're different. But I've failed ITV for it before.

So does this mean those nasty spacesaver spare wheels are illegal here?

If I was driving the car back to the UK, then I would be sure to have the same tyres on the same axle. Front and rear can be different, but I would not mix on the same axle. I did try different tyres on front and rear and after only 2 weeks I changed so they were all the same, again. I don't think I would like to drive a car with mixed tyres on the same axle. However, an option might be to buy a cheap pair for the axle, use them to get back to UK and then buy a match for the original in UK. This assumes you keep the one good one you currently have and bring it back to UK..
Space saver wheel does beg question of whether there is a law that says they have to be the same. Having said that, most new cars have a repair and blow up kit but no spare wheel! Looked at a new volvo just last week and that was the standard. A full sized tyre was an 'option'.

I had one tyre fitted today without any fuss. Yesterday I had stated forcibly that I only wanted one tyre and I had left the wheel at the garage. Today I had to see the boss. My tyre was on the wheel when I got there and it was fitted on the car without a murmur

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