Jedi54

iTrader: (7)

Hey Everyone,

I'm thinking of buying a set of tires from tire rack (for my gf's truck) but I'm wondering how expensive it would be to get them installed @ a local shop...

Are the savings that great?

I know many people here rave about Tire Rack, but how much $$$ do you truly save after having to get them installed.

Any comments / suggestions would REALLY help.
Thanks...

bean438

I was gonna order from tiretrends.com (canadian equivelent to t rack), but I was only saving 150.00 on a wheel/tire set.
You may save money depending on local prices if you buy a wheel/tire set that includes mounting, balancin, and valve stem.
Ordering just tires may not save you if not end up costing yopu more money once you factor in all the cost.
Pretty easy to figure out. Make a few phone calls.
Sometimes it is better to pay slightly more and get some service (road hazzard etc)

zoomed

i have been buying tires from them for 15 years on and off. the nice thing is that you always get exactly what you want. you probably pay a little more for installation but you will save some money overall. some tire shops are snarly about installing tires you bought somewhere else. worse case, go to Sears. they will do it no questions asked.

Fanman

If you live close to a Costco you may want to price them out. It comes out a little more, but it includes installation, lifetime balancing, lifetime rotation & road hazard.

Jedi54

iTrader: (7)

I've been using Costco for about the last 10 years but I've had far too many incidents with them as of late; broken wheel locks (3 times now) , poor service, tires not balanced properly, etc.

I've just lost a lot of faith in them lately so I was searching for alternate means...

Hmm, looks like I'll be making some phone calls today...

That's where I got my last set of tires... :D Any idea how much they'd charge to intall 4 tires?

Fanman

Jedi,

That is tough luck on your experience at Costco. I feel for you. I have never gotten my tires at Costco, but my brother/parents have several times and so far perfectly fine. I guess it's just hit or miss. I personally have used Sears a few times. Their prices on tires were ridiculous but their tire repair, and battery re-charge services were good. You might want to ask them if they install tires not purchased there, but in general they were real fast, and pretty friendly about me standing in the garage bay watching them do the tire uninstall/install.

zoomed

There was a time many years a go when we could buy tires at tire rack and get them installed for free at Costco! Anyway I have had mixed luck with them too in the expertise department. Anyway, I need new tires for the RX8 and I am afraid that the local shops will screw up the tire pressure sensors. Anyone have good or bad stories, or advice. The dealer is the last place I want to go but I wonder if its the safe thing to do. Anyone take tire rack tires to Mazda and have them install them?

Jedi54

iTrader: (7)

Ahhh, how quickly things change...

Just received the following from Costo:

Effective August 30th, 2004, we will no longer perform services on tires not purchased from
Costco. The purpose of this change is to ensure that we meet the service standards for Costco
Members that purchase tires from us. Over the years the increasing demand for no charge
services on non-Costco tires has made it difficult for us to adhere to our one-hour wait standard.

Sears, here I come! Wish me luck guys...

TybeeRX-8

I've used Tire Rack and a local installer twice now for my Miata and all I can say is that I'll never buy anywhere else unless something better comes along. With hte saving in tax (covers the shipping), I saved $28/tire on 4 Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. I recommend them to everyone who asks. The only limiting factor is they don't sell Falkens. Go to Discount Tire.com for those.

swoope

iTrader: (5)

have to agree i have been buying from tire rack for over 20 years i think, note to self stop getting old. have always had a great expereience with them.

btw, they have a way to find an installer in your local area, and give prices.

beers