New tires - Internet? Town Fair dilemma

[coopns]

Had snow tires put on Dec at Town Fair. Took it in this morning to swap them out...Buddy calls the wife and says he can't put them on, they need to be replaced, worn they wouldn't pass inspection. So I called and said it does sounds like a sales job...(they didn't mention it when I got them taken off). So I ask about 4 new ones...$460. Come on, that is a bad sales job, I might have saved enough for new ones if they told me when I had them taken off.

So, I refuse to buy them there now, will get a second opinion as well though I don't doubt they are somewhat worn. Tires are about 3 years old, not sure of how many miles but wouldn't be over 15-20.

So I was thinking about Walmart AutoCenter, I figured they would be cheap or should I buy online?

Need some advice.

 

[rshaw125]

So all 4 are worn out? What a coincidence. Discount Tire is the way to go if they are in your area. Of course that is if you actually need tires.

 

[carwreck]

My experience with Town Fair in CT has been bad. They broke two wheel studs when I went there a long time ago.

In CT the best place to buy tires is at Pete's Tire. They also have locations in MA. http://www.petestire.com/

They are mostly a truck tire store but also sell car tires.

Why Pete's ?

You get to look at large construction trucks like B-61 or Autocar while they change tires.
No charge for installation.
Price on Michelin is the same as tirerack.com, plus Michelin currently has $70 rebate.
They only sell tires, so they don't attempt to sell anything else.
They know how to properly balance alloy wheels using the hunter 1-weight method.

----------------------------------

1999 OLDS GLS 3.4L

 

[Kuato]

I'd have them show me where the tires were excessively worn....and +1 for not going there again.

I buy my tires at Tirerack.com. Usually $30 cheaper per tire.

 

[jjjxlr8]

Originally Posted By: carwreck
They know how to properly balance alloy wheels using the hunter 1-weight method.

What do you mean? They only use a single weight?? If that's the case they may be not performing a proper dynamic balance. Most often, you need to have a weight in a second "wheel plane" to have a proper dynamic balance.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I've been buying my tires at Sam's Club. It's cheaper than online and they've given me good service in the past. I understand that BJs and Costco are also good, if you have a membership to any of them.

 

[daves87rs]

Heard some good stuff about sam's too...or discount tire.

 

[carwreck]

Originally Posted By: jjjxlr8
What do you mean? They only use a single weight?? If that's the case they may be not performing a proper dynamic balance. Most often, you need to have a weight in a second "wheel plane" to have a proper dynamic balance.

The guy at Pete's showed me how he balances wheels with 1 weight. The tires (Michelin MXV4) are perfectly balanced and have no vibrations. My prior tires (Goodyear GT ) were installed by someone with a "tire college degree" (search on "Ron White Tire guy at Sears" ) and had as many as 4 weights on some tires, and vibrations starting at 70 mph.

Proper balance can be done on many wheels with 1 weight when the installer knows how to properly install the weight (but some may require 2 weights, depends on the tire/wheel)

See http://www.hunter.com/videos/index2.cfm?v=15&cat=3 SmartWeight Wheel Balancing video for explanation.

 

[rjundi]

Town Fair can be mixed and is a sleaze joint.

I found Sullivan Tire to be honest and actually cheaper than ordering online for the tires I was interested in, Continental ExtremeContact DWS's.

Mail order is okay until there is a problem. The installer has no motivation to help out. Lastly you pay top dollar for installation since they make no money on sale. My independent tire seller I use does not charge install fees which makes his prices undercut and meet tireracks. He also takes care of issues that arises quickly. For example 1 month out he replaced a Conti ExtremeContact DWS free under a limited road hazard (2/32" wear) warranty. The replacement national backorder but located the tire for me. Even tirerack showed it out of stock. You just don't get that service from mail order.



You live in MA and there is so much competition. If you find out you need tires, call around for quotes. The prices vary wildly.

If you live in the sticks mail order may be a better choice.

 

[jjjxlr8]

The SmartWeight functionality in the Hunter machines is for reducing the total amount of weight because of the way the acceptable tolerances for imbalance are applied. You are likely to still require two smaller weights for proper dynamic balance.

But if you can't feel any imbalance, then you certainly don't need two weights! Maybe you didn't need any weights at all.

 

[NHHEMI]

Must be a Mass thing. I have had nothing but good experience with TFT here in NH( Seabrook & Portsmouth ). Is it possible you actually do need new tires and they are telling you the truth?

 

[carwreck]

Originally Posted By: jjjxlr8
The SmartWeight functionality in the Hunter machines is for reducing the total amount of weight because of the way the acceptable tolerances for imbalance are applied. You are likely to still require two smaller weights for proper dynamic balance.

But if you can't feel any imbalance, then you certainly don't need two weights! Maybe you didn't need any weights at all.

Direct quote from the Hunter Smart weight document http://www.proveq.com/pdf/Hunter/gsp9200.pdf " Allows for a single weight" ... "without sacrificing balance or ride quality"

When a tire/wheel is balanced dynamically, it is mounted and spun on a wheel balancer.

The wheel balancer displays two columns like "n.nn n.nn" that indicate weight and relative location. A laser on the wheel shows the exact location for the weight.

If the balancer displays "1.75 0.00 " it does not show that the tire maybe needs no weights, or 2 weights. It shows that the wheel needs only 1 1.75 oz weight as explained on the Hunter document.

And maybe you didn't understand that my original post was not to say that all tires can be balanced with 1 weight, it was just an example to show an experienced installer can properly balance a wheel with a minimum amount of weight, and a bad installer will put on too many weights in the wrong location.

 

[Sayjac]

'From your description', it does sound as though you may be getting a snow job, pun intended.

It can't hurt hurt to get a second opinion, but based on the quoted age unless they are to the wear bars or have visible cracks, they should have some life left in them. You can judge that for yourself.

If you do end up considering new tires, shop Tire Rack and Discount Tire Direct online, (DTD price includes shipping), buy from the lowest price as both seemingly give good service. DTD, like DT, will often try and beat your lowest price. I've done that with DT, including a Wally install price and the DTD no tax price. Nice.

Based on reading here, in the NE haven't read great reviews TF Tire, Sullivan seems to be better.

 

[coopns]

Thanks for all the replies. I did have someone else have a look and he said I could get another 4-5 months out of them. Again, I wasn't discounting the fact that they could be worn, it was how it was presented....hey...by the way...you need 4 new tires.

They are Viva 2. Is that a bad tire? Shopping for new ones, I see the Viva 2 are cheap but would you recommend another? I don't want to spend much over 70 a tire.

 

[rshaw125]

Viva 2 is a Walmart tire made by Goodyear. I had 4 on a mini van once. They were done at 45,000 miles. They were adequate.

 

[190E26FTW]

I like and recommend Discount Tires. Their use of the Road Force Balancer helps with getting the tires on right the first time around.

 

[cchase]

I bought tires last summer from TFT and was actually amazed to find they torqued my alloy wheels. They seem to vary wildly by location.

Usually tires from everywhere else they sit with the impact wrench until it stops moving... [censored] me off.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: cchase
I bought tires last summer from TFT and was actually amazed to find they torqued my alloy wheels. They seem to vary wildly by location.

Usually tires from everywhere else they sit with the impact wrench until it stops moving... [censored] me off.


As I said, the ones I have dealt with have been great. Very polite service, speedy work, done right, and very good prices. I am very hard to please. VERY HARD. I have nothing but good to say so far about the 2 I have dealt with. Especially Seabrook.

I just had 4 tires put on the Sister's car at the Seabrook store about a month ago. Not only did they torque them they had us come back after 50 miles to do a recheck of the torque( no charge ). Free rotations as well.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: coopns
Thanks for all the replies. I did have someone else have a look and he said I could get another 4-5 months out of them. Again, I wasn't discounting the fact that they could be worn, it was how it was presented....hey...by the way...you need 4 new tires.

They are Viva 2. Is that a bad tire? Shopping for new ones, I see the Viva 2 are cheap but would you recommend another? I don't want to spend much over 70 a tire.


The Viva 2 is a cheap junk tire. Don't waste your money. I checked into them for a family member's clunker and found nothing but awful reviews. They don't last, they have a lot of failures, and they are horrid in bad weather. Do a google search for Goodyear Viva 2 problems and settle in for the night.

Now, no offense, but if your tires only have 4 months to go they ARE worn. I didn't hear how it was presented to you so maybe it was rude or soemthing but it sounds like TFT has been honest with you. I fail to see what they have done wrong here? Again though I didn't hear it in person so I am merely going by the scenario posted. I am NOT calling you a liar or saying you are being a jerk or anything.

I have a question for you. IF they had tried to sell you 4 new tires when you had the snows put on( they came out and said - the tires we just took off are shot do you want to replace them now )would you have felt they were trying to upsell you and would you have been mad and posting here saying they tried to screw you over? Not meant offensive. Just asking. You are mad at them on one hand for saying the tires are worn and you are also mad they didn't tell you they are worn. How can they win in that situation? Again, just asking.

No offense. Best of luck with the tires. IMO avoid those GY VV2's = JUNK!

 

[ahoier]

yep, I can understand what NHHEMI is saying.

Most people would be "scoffing" at the technician and/or tire joint, at the attempt to "upsell" upon dismounting/changing out some "seasonal" tires.

Then on the other hand, you get some who will get [censored] that they didn't tell them the tires were worn when they dismounted them.


But here's the thing....when installers look at tires, they look more into "mounted" tires, than they do at dismounted tires.

Simply because, they are dismounted, they don't know what the customer is going to do with the "dismounted" (potentially junk) tires.

All the time I'm sure people will keep their old tires for yard ornaments/projects, tire swing, etc....it's not really in their job to scope out a tire that is being taken off the rim.


It's more important for them to inspect/diagnose a tire that is being MOUNTED on a rim, to be driven on, at high way speeds, when a person's life is in danger

So that's why they likely didn't tell you the tires were in bad shape when they "dismounted" them.....why attempt to diagnose "old" tires that are being taken off the rim, and potentially disposed of? Would be like dismounting a blown-out tire, then telling the customer, "oh, looks like you'll be needing a new tire" - well duh, it's obvious ain't it?

Here in FL, it's really hard to find a tire shop that will even mount tires that are 3-4 years old. And when they mount them, you bet, they will look all along the tires for any potential crack/dry-rot, etc...at least at Walmart TLE where I've taken my tires to be mounted.