Costco no longer installs "non" Costco tires

[tiredguy]

I got there early this morning 30 minutes before opening and was third in line and then found out they no longer install non costco purchased tires

In a way I am not surprised. I was actually surprised a few years ago when they started offering to mount non costco tires

 

[97prizm]

This doesn't surprise me as it's probably insurance related more than anything. Sam's Club was worse than that years ago so i quit buying from them. I never knew they would install tires purchased outside of their stores.

 

[SatinSilver]

I was told the same thing at Ford Quick Lane when I went in for an oil change and to mount some new tires. Then after they looked at the tires I had in the back they said they would install them for me. The tires were Nokian eNTYRES from Amazon.

I'm surprised Costco doesn't even do oil changes since they sell oil. They won't even install car batteries that they sell. But the tire center does seem to be constantly busy all the time so they must do a lot of things right. They do seem to offer great prices on Michelin tires installed.

 

[Dave9]

Seems like a mixed bag, now online tire sellers will list shops that install them and their prices, so the shops have to more aggressively compete to bottom dollar rates to get the business, yet are annoyed they didn't make the profit on the tires. It doesn't surprise me that anyone doesn't want to do this if they have enough (higher profit) business to keep their bays full.

 

[sloinker]

They are counting on people who purchase tires to not come back for re-balance and rotation. After you figure in the cost of labor and incidentals like weights etc..there is no profit incentive other than folks wandering the aisles and purchasing something. That is why there are fewer waiting lounges at Costco/sam's. I still will order from walmart and have them mount/balance for what I believe now is $20 per tire. Doubled in cost over the last couple years.

 

[CKN]

Maybe the wait will only be one hour instead of two now...........................

 

[Rolla07]

Originally Posted by sloinker
They are counting on people who purchase tires to not come back for re-balance and rotation. After you figure in the cost of labor and incidentals like weights etc..there is no profit incentive other than folks wandering the aisles and purchasing something. That is why there are fewer waiting lounges at Costco/sam's. I still will order from walmart and have them mount/balance for what I believe now is $20 per tire. Doubled in cost over the last couple years.


My dealership charges 70$ for what Costco charges 80$...only diff is nitrogen fill...

 

[dareo]

Costco is way too busy as it is to be clogged up with cheapskates bringing in random tires.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by SatinSilver
I was told the same thing at Ford Quick Lane when I went in for an oil change and to mount some new tires. Then after they looked at the tires I had in the back they said they would install them for me. The tires were Nokian eNTYRES from Amazon.

I'm surprised Costco doesn't even do oil changes since they sell oil. They won't even install car batteries that they sell. But the tire center does seem to be constantly busy all the time so they must do a lot of things right. They do seem to offer great prices on Michelin tires installed.


I think they pay a little more than average so they get people who stay and know what they're doing. I've never had a problem with them and they're pretty fast if you make an appointment. My boss tells me he even tips them when they install tires on his cars.

 

[tiredguy]

Originally Posted by sloinker
They are counting on people who purchase tires to not come back for re-balance and rotation. After you figure in the cost of labor and incidentals like weights etc..there is no profit incentive other than folks wandering the aisles and purchasing something. That is why there are fewer waiting lounges at Costco/sam's. I still will order from walmart and have them mount/balance for what I believe now is $20 per tire. Doubled in cost over the last couple years.

When Costcd did mount non costco ties, the fee did not include followup rebalances and rotation. They only offer this on the tires they sell.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

It will probably be at all the Costco's that way. At least they will still repair others (for a fee). The one closest to me said he could do a tire swap (no spare rims) on the CRV as we bought many of the other sets. They said as long as you bought one of the sets for the car their they could swap.

Maybe not all got the message yet at that time. I made an appt at the one 15 minutes away for the next day early. They had no issue doing a swap on the Pilot (factory tires to Conti snows) and they also swapped 4 for my sons Forte (cooper to Conti snow) and I paid for the TPMS service on the Forte wheels on 3 and replaced the bad one on the fourth.

 

[dishdude]

As much as I love Costco and they are my default "go to" store, for tires it's Discount Tire.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted by dishdude
As much as I love Costco and they are my default "go to" store, for tires it's Discount Tire.
That practice same as my son. He has a Costco membership, but for tires in the ATL area, it's always DT.

For me no Costco nearby, but even if there was and I a member it wouldn't change where I buy tires, DT. They've given me no reason change, and over the years many reasons to stay.

And as an aside, reading this subforum for many years, even some of those that tout Costco as the greatest thing since sliced bread (my words) for tires, I've seen pics they posted having purchased and installed tires at DT/AT. When queried about source the pics of the inside shop area, no answer. Perhaps ashamed or something similar to admit went DT/AT for tires.