"New" source for tires

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I discovered a "new" source for automobile tires. There is a huge salvage yard in the Sioux Falls area. These guys are a top-notch modernized organization. Doubtful that you could find anything much over ten years old. When Hurricane Katrina hit, they were one of only a handful of salvage yard that could take in new flooded vehicles from dealerships. I scored a set of Michelin Latitude Touring tires with 70% tread for $250.
 
Originally Posted By: otis24
I discovered a "new" source for automobile tires. There is a huge salvage yard in the Sioux Falls area. These guys are a top-notch modernized organization. Doubtful that you could find anything much over ten years old. When Hurricane Katrina hit, they were one of only a handful of salvage yard that could take in new flooded vehicles from dealerships. I scored a set of Michelin Latitude Touring tires with 70% tread for $250.



Congrats! How were they stored? Off the car-or sitting out in the elements?
 
I went to a salvage yard in my area and the newest vehicle they had was from like 1985. I thought a salvage yard was full of wrecked vehicles new and old that you can take parts off of.
 
These were on the vehicle, a 2013 Equinox. The vehicle was inside on a lift. Generally speaking, these guys are professional. I think things get disassembled, tagged, catorogized and stored in bins, shelves, etc...
 
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
I went to a salvage yard in my area and the newest vehicle they had was from like 1985. I thought a salvage yard was full of wrecked vehicles new and old that you can take parts off of.


You are in HOUSTON?!?!?

Every salvage yard I have been to in the Houston area has NOTHING OLDER than about 1993.

Tell me, where is this fabled "vintage" wrecking yard in the Houston area?
 
70% tread life doesn't mean a thing if they're old. I realize your came from a 2013, but that just won't always be the case. Most salvage yards I've been to have the rims and tires on racks outside. Even if they are stored indoors, the age will be a poop shoot.

How much more would it have cost you for new tires at Tire Barn, Discount Tire etc? They have several sales a year.

I am thankful for my junkyards up here with old stuff. I saw the prettiest orange 2 door Cherokee (the actual Cherokee; not the XJ). Of all the full sized Jeeps they had with the straight 6's and V8's, this one was the only one missing the engine, which tells me it most likely had the AMC 401. Also, about 10 years ago, I saw a Pontiac truck with my dad at one about 2 hours west of me.
 
I bought used tires once but never again. Id rather buy new rubber and know they will perform and not have issues..not crticizing your decision to buy used, its just..to each your own opinion on the matter. 100% tread to start and changing them out less often gets my vote.
 
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
70% tread life doesn't mean a thing if they're old. I realize your came from a 2013, but that just won't always be the case. Most salvage yards I've been to have the rims and tires on racks outside. Even if they are stored indoors, the age will be a poop shoot.


Checking the date code should..er..take the poop out of the shoot.
 
I used to get my tires from a junkyard here (CIA, Limerick ME). They were pretty awesome, the last pick-n-pull in my area, a "second tier" of classic cars, etc. But they got organized and jacked their prices up, as it tends to happen.

They used to have an ankle biting tire pile outside and I'd just plow through until I found my size, $5-10. Now they're organized and want $20-25 for small sizes, like 205/65/15. I can get new ones from DTD for that!

With my own tire machine it made sense at one time.

How much is $250 off from list for new rubber?

The one nice thing is flipping a used car and putting some 70% rubber on. The buyer will think the alignment's good b/c the wear is even.
 
Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
70% tread life doesn't mean a thing if they're old. I realize your came from a 2013, but that just won't always be the case. Most salvage yards I've been to have the rims and tires on racks outside. Even if they are stored indoors, the age will be a poop shoot.


Checking the date code should..er..take the poop out of the shoot.


It sure would!

Better have a smart phone ready to google and decipher all the date codes from brand to brand...
 
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
70% tread life doesn't mean a thing if they're old. I realize your came from a 2013, but that just won't always be the case. Most salvage yards I've been to have the rims and tires on racks outside. Even if they are stored indoors, the age will be a poop shoot.


Checking the date code should..er..take the poop out of the shoot.


It sure would!

Better have a smart phone ready to google and decipher all the date codes from brand to brand...


Don't need a phone. The last 4 digits of the DOT number is the week and year of production. Same on all tires.
 
Hey dlundblad....
What year was the non-XJ Chreokee? Is that similar to CJ7 vs. Wrangler?
What year was the Pontiac truck? I'm thinking it was from the 30's or 40's, no? Kira
 
It's probably been said here, but I've had great luck with a few pairs of mail order tires from BestUsedTires. Their prices aren't quite what they used to be, but what is.
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
Hey dlundblad....
What year was the non-XJ Chreokee? Is that similar to CJ7 vs. Wrangler?
What year was the Pontiac truck? I'm thinking it was from the 30's or 40's, no? Kira


Full-size Jeep-basically, a 2-door Wagoneer. IIRC, they ran early 70's to 1983. (Big Wagoneers ran to 1992.)
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Kira
Hey dlundblad....
What year was the non-XJ Chreokee? Is that similar to CJ7 vs. Wrangler?
What year was the Pontiac truck? I'm thinking it was from the 30's or 40's, no? Kira


Full-size Jeep-basically, a 2-door Wagoneer. IIRC, they ran early 70's to 1983. (Big Wagoneers ran to 1992.)


Try 1963 to 1992.
laugh.gif
 
I've had good luck with tires from Salvage yard here in Portland, most of them have a room for tires and rims that usually are good for finding one offs, but I have gotten a good 4 tires set from some over the years. I don't think I have seen anything older than 7 years old there.
 
The price that I paid was a little less than half of retail. This salvage yard is reputable and I trust them. They are really good at getting rid of old [censored] and keeping more modern salvage vehicles. They are big enough and busy enough that they don't deal with old [censored]. That being said, I am curious to check the date codes.
 
50% of the cost for new with 70% of the tread as new? I'd rather pay the extra 20% for fresh brand new tires.

Plus if you don't fall for the Michelin tire craze you can get a really good deal with rebates.

But overall that does sound pretty cool as an alternate source for tires.
 
Salvage yard tires can be a good deal or bad. I had a customer that thought he got a great deal on some off brand tires that had full tread depth for $100. Problem was they were 10 years old and had sat flat for a long time. They had like a 1/2 inch of run-out in them and took a ton of weight to balance. After buying the tires, paying for mounting and balancing, and driving on them for a week he called me and told me to get him 4 new tires. Ended up paying $570 for a $400 set of tires. If I have any usable tires I will almost give them away just to not have to pay for tire disposal. Just listed a set of 4 255/35-20 Continental's with 40% tread on Craigslist for $25. If they sell it's like getting $40, and they still have to pay to get them installed on top of that, which people forget about when selling used tires!
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Kira
Hey dlundblad....
What year was the non-XJ Chreokee? Is that similar to CJ7 vs. Wrangler?
What year was the Pontiac truck? I'm thinking it was from the 30's or 40's, no? Kira


Full-size Jeep-basically, a 2-door Wagoneer. IIRC, they ran early 70's to 1983. (Big Wagoneers ran to 1992.)


Try 1963 to 1992.
laugh.gif



No, the full-size Cherokee was built 1974-1983.
 
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