Has anybody bought from Tirerack

[sir1900]

I'm looking at buying some winter tires for my 2012 Civic. I'm seeing the prices on Tirerack.com and they are very reasonably priced and even with the shipping cost, still cheaper than buying local.

Has anybody bought from Tirerack? Have you been happy dealing with them?

 

[Chris142]

I researched buying tires online but by the time you pay a local shop their exagerated rates to install a set of carry in tires it was cheaper to buy them locally. Shops here charge $40 per tire to mount and balance carry in tires.

 

[Lead Shoes]

Most shops charge an arm and a leg if you bring in your own tires, check around to see if any shops have a flat rate rather than stipulations on it.

And after u pay shipping and the over charge to have them mounted because you brought them, it is cheaper to buy them at the local tire joint.

 

[robertcope]

I've bought several sets of tires from them over the years, it has always a simple and good experience. I buy from onlinetires.com more now because they carry the tires I'm looking for. (I buy a fair number of tires every year for my track car.)

robert

 

[robertcope]

Originally Posted By: Brenden
Most shops charge an arm and a leg if you bring in your own tires, check around to see if any shops have a flat rate rather than stipulations on it.


Tire Rack has "Price Pledge Installer" shops, so this isn't an issue. You can ship the tires right to these places and the price should be guaranteed.

robert

 

[sir1900]

I do have a local shop who will mount and balance them for cheap, so that part is not going to be an issue.

For the record, the General Altimax Arctic seems to be a pretty good tire from all the reviews I've read.

 

[CarbonSteel]

I bought a set of tires for my '96 Corvette LT4 several years ago from them and by using one of their "install shops" I saved a few hundred dollars over buying them locally--BUT I never had any problems with the tires and I think this is the rub of using Tire Rack.

I have since switched to Discount Tire who will match Tire Rack's prices and it is much easier to obtain service than working with Tire Rack for a replacement. I would say that if you are not concerned with "remote replacement and service" then Tire Rack would work well for you; otherwise, you may want to find a local shop.

 

[stephen9666]

I ordered a set of tires from Discount Tire Direct and had them mounted locally last week at my local Firestone Auto Care. My total came out to around $80. When I told the shop they were ordered online they gave me the Tire Rack install price, even though they didn't come from Tire Rack.

If you can get shops to match or come close to online tire prices, then buying locally can be a good option. But, I paid $425 installed for my set of Hankook H727 tires. Local shops wanted $650 installed for the same Hankook tires, so I saved more than $200 by ordering online.

 

[Mr Nice]

Shop charge $15-17 per tire to mount and balance with new valve stems around here. Over the years I've bought about 24 tires from Tire Rack. Discount Tire Direct is another great online seller of tires.

 

[CapriRacer]

I think it is better to buy locally. If you have a problem, the local shop will see you as a customer and will work with you to resolve it - even if it isn't their fault. They've been known to cut people a break. Besides, most shops will price match if you present them with the facts.

Having said that, I am required to buy from Tire Rack to get the company discount. The process has been excellent. I mount my own tires using the company mounters and balancers - although I expect that perk to disappear at some point in time.

My advice: Do your research using Tire Rack, Discount Tire, etc - Buy locally - Bargain for the best price.

 

[CharBaby]

I have purchaced from Tire Rack and Discount Tire Direct and am happy with both. I have introduced others to Treadepot but have not purchaced from them myself due to the lack of availability at that time. Those I have introduced are happy with Treadpot as well. The only time I purchace from one over the other is for a particular tire. If they both carry the same specific tire & size, then I buy by price/shipped. All 3 online tire stores mentioned above are all held in high reguard and have a decent reputation.

Those in my circle of family/friends do the same and we all have our tires installed at our local Walmart* Service Center. I recomend W*M if you have one in your area that installs tires. The W*M installation price in now up to $16.50/tire.

W*M in my area only charges the manditory NY State $2.50 per tire, tire disposal when you buy tires from them[W*M], not when you bring in your own tires but, this may change. I have not yet been changed this extra NYS tire fee even though W*M does dispose of my old tires. So, their price of $16.50 includes:

Mounting/tire disposal
lifetime balancing/tire rotation
Valve stems/standard air, not Nitrogen. I don't even think they carry Nitrogen.

Lifetime flat repair is extra at W*M and Road Hazard Warranty is through the place where you bought the tires.

All of these things is why we all buy online and take our tires to W*M. If we had to pay an installer some of the prices that I have heard that others are paying, this could change everything for us.

I always bought tires localy and alway tried to get the best deal I could(apples for apples). Now, I do my searching online and check both the price of the online stores and my local tire stores. I usually save $120-$150 per set of 4 tires when I include shipping and local installation at W*M.

With all of the money saved over the years from buying online w/local install, and I don't ever purchace any RHW, should I ruin a tire beyond repair, I'll just buy another tire. It's that easy!

Lot's of people like the convienence of their local tire store. I don't like dealing with them especially when it come to "Pro Rating Tires". They always seem to "Talk the Talk" when it comes to the sale but, I have never had a good experience when it time to "Walk the Walk" ! Now, when I need tires, I don't concern myself with the "Pro Rating", I just buy new tires mainly due to being beyond the allowable years of the "Pro Rating" limit.

I don't buy the RHW either due to having to purchace the fee on all 4 tire(4 is the only way I buy) just to cover the one(1) tire that may get damaged beyond repair. I'd rather save the $120-$150 and just buy tires when I need'em

 

[NHGUY]

Priced a tire local,$93.00.Tire Rack sold it for $63 + shipping.As I mount all my own tires,I didnt need to get a shop involved anyway.The garages around here HATE TR.They know they sell way cheaper,and resent them.Of course all the local shops are doing is buying from regional tire distributors (Stratham Tire ..etc) and jacking the price way up (I bet TR prices are near what they pay).So to make $30 on one tire plus charge for mounting and balancing (which is excessive),is darn good profit.

 

[law3500]

I have had great luck with 4 sets of tires from treaddepot.com, they have always beat tirerack in price with shipping.

 

[J_Sap]

Originally Posted By: sir1900
I'm looking at buying some winter tires for my 2012 Civic. I'm seeing the prices on Tirerack.com and they are very reasonably priced and even with the shipping cost, still cheaper than buying local.

Has anybody bought from Tirerack? Have you been happy dealing with them?


I bought two sets of tires installed on wheels and were shipped from Tirerack this fall. Both are good quality and both arrived next day. The price was awesome and I didn't have to wait several hours to have a place install them.

One set was on steel wheels and were perfect. The other set of tires were installed on aluminum rims (could not get steel wheels in the size I wanted). They were good too; but they used 2oz of weights (8 X 1/4oz weights) on three of the wheels and 1.25oz on the last wheel. They should have tried to re-balance those wheels but they are stable at all speeds.

Tires I ordered were Michelin X-Ice 2 winter tires on both sets. I paid the extra for them because I like the fact they have a tread-life warranty unlike any other snow tire.

 

[Astro14]

6 sets of 4 tires each (maybe more...can't remember all of them...), 4 sets of brake pads and rotors, struts, shocks, wiper blades...

Very competitive pricing, great selection, good tech articles.

Great Folks...highly recommended!

 

[bullwinkle]

If you can find one that cares, Wal-Mart is actually an EXCELLENT place to have tires installed-lifetime balancing is usually included for under $10/tire. I've used the one by me several times.

 

[Kestas]

I do my own mounting and balancing, so it makes sense for me to buy from TireRack. They always have the best selection around.

One exception was a recent set of Michelins I had my eye on. The out-the-door (mounted and balanced) price from Costco was cheaper than the TireRack price with delivery.

 

[fdcg27]

I have bought from TR as well as other online tire sources and have found TR to be good to deal with.
You do have to shop around, since you'll find different prices on different sites as well as differing shipping charges based upon where the tires ship from.
Locally, I now pay $17.00/tire for mounting, balancing, new valve stems and old tire disposal.
I do have a trusted local indie tell me if they can price match the online purchases.
They are very honest about it, and will tell me when they can't based on their wholesale cost.
On some tires, like the Blizzaks I bought for the older Accord and the Alimaxes I put on the older Subie, they couldn't even come close.
As always, it pays to shop around.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
If you can find one that cares, Wal-Mart is actually an EXCELLENT place to have tires installed-lifetime balancing is usually included for under $10/tire. I've used the one by me several times.


Since you are not far from our neck of the woods, bullwinkle, what Walmart would you recommend?

 

[97f150]

I bought the set of Yokohama Geolandars on my F150 from TR. By the time the shipping and installation was all figured in I was within $50 or so of just buying them locally. Discount Tire Direct is where the Terra Grapplers on my Ram came from and with free shipping even after installation I was $300 or so ahead of the cheapest local tire shop.