Going local for tires

[sciphi]

It's a savings of $50 to buy new oddball-size special-order snow tires online and worry about getting them installed. A lot of the shops around me now hem and haw about mounting tires that are carried in, or charge a premium for the privilege.

For a larger savings on a more common size tire, it's worth it to me to buy online and deal with the hassle. But for $50 on a special-order oddball-size tire, I'd much rather buy through a local shop in case a tire gets mangled anywhere in the process from the distributor through getting mounted.

 

[CKN]

Many on here know that if you go to "the other side of town" you can usually get a tire mounted for between $10.00 and $15.00 without any complaints or questions asked. Any tire of any size can get mangled. It's not isolated to oddball sizes.

You have to ask yourself if it's worth it.

 

[crazyoildude]

Buy the tire you want at the cheapest place you can find it and if your "local" rip off tire shop wont mount it find a repair shop/ gas station that will.

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
Buy the tire you want at the cheapest place you can find it and if your "local" rip off tire shop wont mount it find a repair shop/ gas station that will.


I should have been more clear. It's not a $50/tire premium. It's $50 on a ~$600 tire purchase.

I've also dealt with the particular tire shop in question on a previous tire purchase that was price-competitive with online. The service was pretty good for a shipping error, and again when they had to order a new tire under road hazard warranty. Paying a 10% premium for good after-sale support is something I'm okay with.

 

[901Memphis]

I'd rather have the local shop do all the work with their tires if they can come that close to the online price.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
I'd rather have the local shop do all the work with their tires if they can come that close to the online price.


+1

 

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
It's a savings of $50 to buy new oddball-size special-order snow tires online and worry about getting them installed. A lot of the shops around me now hem and haw about mounting tires that are carried in, or charge a premium for the privilege.

For a larger savings on a more common size tire, it's worth it to me to buy online and deal with the hassle. But for $50 on a special-order oddball-size tire, I'd much rather buy through a local shop in case a tire gets mangled anywhere in the process from the distributor through getting mounted.


You're near Rochester, right? If so, Exit 11 Auto or Redi Imports will happily mount any tire you bring them. Should be around $80 - 90 for all 4 mounted and balanced. Exit 11 is good about cleaning the beads on alloy wheels when they mount them too.

As far as buying tires locally, if it's not a big price difference and they can get the tires you want, I see no reason not to. As far as finding some of the more oddball tires locally, Redi is a Nokian dealer (one of the few in the area).

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: rslifkin
Originally Posted By: sciphi
It's a savings of $50 to buy new oddball-size special-order snow tires online and worry about getting them installed. A lot of the shops around me now hem and haw about mounting tires that are carried in, or charge a premium for the privilege.

For a larger savings on a more common size tire, it's worth it to me to buy online and deal with the hassle. But for $50 on a special-order oddball-size tire, I'd much rather buy through a local shop in case a tire gets mangled anywhere in the process from the distributor through getting mounted.


You're near Rochester, right? If so, Exit 11 Auto or Redi Imports will happily mount any tire you bring them. Should be around $80 - 90 for all 4 mounted and balanced. Exit 11 is good about cleaning the beads on alloy wheels when they mount them too.

As far as buying tires locally, if it's not a big price difference and they can get the tires you want, I see no reason not to. As far as finding some of the more oddball tires locally, Redi is a Nokian dealer (one of the few in the area).


I'll have to remember Redi when snow tire shopping for the Cruze. Thanks!

Or, turns out that in my specific instance, the local shop is running a free installation special this Black Friday that wipes out the price difference between local and online. They'll honor the price as long as I pay for the tires on Black Friday.

 

[raytseng]

Go to a chassis tire/wheel shop that isn't a chain; and doesn't do things like lifetime rotations and charges for each service and you'll get setup nicely.

Go on tirerack and you can get a list of installers who are happy to install tires purchased indirectly. Doesn't mean you need to use tirerack, just their info on local installers.


You really want to do this on black friday? Hopefully it isn't just a zoo..

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: raytseng


You really want to do this on black friday? Hopefully it isn't just a zoo..


I have to purchase the tires sometime between Black Friday and Sunday. Since they're special-order, they won't get installed for a week or so. Plenty enough time for the BF crowds to work through.