DTD customers: Do you buy DTD's valve stems?

[tommygunn]

I'm not even sure why Discount Tire sells them for people that just buy tires, because usually the installer supplies them, right?

For the people that did buy Discount Tire's valve stems, dis the installer actually use them? Or did they just use their own? Or do they just use yours and charge you for theirs anyway?

Does anyone here buy their tires from DTD and get them installed at Walmart?

 

[AdRock]

I don't see any upside to getting the tires from DTD and then going to Walmart.

 

[Sawdusted]

A lot of cities don't have DT stores. I did buy tires from DTD and went to wally mart for mounting. It was cheaper, but not necessarily better. Here's why

I also bought valve stems from DTD and told the wally tech to install them for me. He said no problem. When I went tp pick up, they said that the valve stems didn't fit. [censored]? They're standard valve stems! They simply left the old ones there and reused the old ones

I would have got them to dismount the tires and redo the job but I was in a hurry that day. Then again, I did mount cheap tires, so I would probably have to replace them soon again sometime so I let it go.

YYMV

 

[AdRock]

Ahhh, It didn't even occur to me that the tires would be bought online because there was no DTD around.

 

[eljefino]

DTD sells them as an upsell. They're about $2, right? Costs them 20 cents. They also appear in your shopping cart late in the game when adding up your order.

Every tire shop just has a huge bin of stems anyway. They won't keep track of yours, and might look at you like you have two heads.

They may also have a rough time adding up your order, which could be amusing or frustrating. Usually it's one line item for mounting, balancing, disposal, and valve stems.

The only reason to buy DTDs $2 valve stems is to avoid a tire shop's $4 stems. But you could tick that shop off rather fiercely supplying your own.

 

[Traction]

They cost me 17 cents ea. in bags of 50. No extra charge to the customer. It is the least of my expenses. Insurance, overhead, wheel weights, that's another story.

 

[Traction]

Originally Posted By: Traction
They cost me 17 cents ea. in bags of 50. No extra charge to the customer. It is the least of my expenses. Insurance, overhead, wheel weights, that's another story.

I correct myself. They do send the chrome ones that cost less than 39 cents ea. Had a few customers buy them, only to find out they had TPMS sensors and couldn't use them.

 

[tommygunn]

Thanks for the answers so far!

Actually, the price of the valve stems is the same: $3 at DTD, $3 at Walmart. So it seems pointless to buy them online.

My car doesn't have TPMS

 

[Rylan]

Same reason I purchase my TPMS service kit ahead of time. I even keep 1-2 spare kits in case the valve fails or if I need a flat repair. $2 in advance will save you later. Most shops will charge $5-$10 PER tire (sensor).

Regular valves are much cheaper and easier to get. Last time I grabbed a few before a flat repair. 80 cents each from the parts store. Still better than paying for "premium" valve stems.

 

[dailydriver]

I don't buy them from DTD, they just send them automatically with every new tire purchase I've made from them.

I don't use these, nor bolt in steel stems, I use the VERY short (< 3/4") RUBBER valve stems usually used on trailer tires, made by Dill (same company as the digital tread depth gauges).