Where do you buy your tires?

[black97lsc]

Curious about where people buy their tires. I've mainly bought them from Discount Tire and local Firestone Store. Thinking about tire rack for my next purchase but since I'm going online, I wonder what other sites are good.
Thanks

 

[tixer]

I've always gone through my local Firestone as well. Recently I made my first attempt at internet tire ordering, and bought a pair from simpletire.com. The experience was a good one.

when you place the order, they offer a list of local shops that they can ship directly to, who will then mount and balance for you. I opted to have them shipped to my home instead, and took them to my shop of choice.

Between what I paid for shipping ($43 for the pair, if I remember correctly.) and whatever I was charged for mount/balance, the total savings over a local store may be questionable though.

 

[budpytko]

Mostly at a chain here in Mid-Atlantic, Mr. Tire! Usually best prices. And the price you get is: "On the rim and out the door". Their motto.

 

[steve]

tire rack, discount tire and costco are the places i have used.

 

[DLF]

The local Firestone dealer and Tire Rack.

 

[black97lsc]

I would love out the door, on the rim pricing. Hate when they throw in all this other stuff after they give you a price.
I'm tempted to buy online but like tixer said, after shipping and balancing you end up close to what you would pay locally. Unless you find a good deal online. I just checked out simpletire.com there are some good prices but never knew there were so many brands. I'm also browsing treaddepot.com, nice deals there too.

Looks like a lot of us go to the same places for tires!

 

[budpytko]

Here's locations for IL: http://www.mrtire.com/local/Home/IL

They are in Ohio and PA too. FWIW, you can get pricing there to use as leverage.

 

[black97lsc]

Here's locations for IL: http://www.mrtire.com/local/Home/IL

They are in Ohio and PA too. FWIW, you can get pricing there to use as leverage.

Thanks! :thumbsup:

 

[beerdog]

Tire rack is fine, but you still have to pay for ounting, balancing, etc. Plus, if you have a problem you have to deal wih TR, and not a local shop. Could become a hassle if you have to make a warranty claim. The set on my car came from TR. HAd them shipped to a Firestone shop and they installed for a prenegotiated $75. TR has preset pricing with their partner shops.

 

[steve]

Buying online in NJ saves you 7% sales tax. Tire rack has shops to drop ship to with the published prices for mounting, etc, along with ratings. Costo is a not the cheapest, but you get life time blance, rotation, nitogen fills, etc. also they hand toruqe lugs to spec.

 

[beerdog]

etc. also they hand toruqe lugs to spec.

Isn't this standard practice?

 

[MindyMark]

I personally try to avoid any franchise shops for any type of car service. I feel the employees ARE USUALLY more vested in their success of the shop then you find at franchise shops.

 

[steve]

Isn't this standard practice?

no way, most monkeys use an impact gun and tq each lug to 400+ ft lb

 

[budpytko]

...or until the wheel or nut breaks. Whichever comes first.....

 

[izackary]

Back in the northeast I have bought from Town Fair Tire, a regional chain with a good reputation. They also offer mounted and balanced pricing and include a front-end alignment. They often have clearance specials as well if one is so inclined (as I was with my unusual tire size on my Mazda). I am interested to see who you guys out this way prefer, though, as these MXV4s won't last a heck of a lot longer...

 

[ONLYTONY]

Town Fair Tire SUCKS

I bought new TOYOS for my 95. They put these directional tires on backwards. They also mounted the direction rims backwards No valve stem caps. All 4 tires inflated at different pressures. Lifetime waranty, 5K miles, sidewall damage only $48.00 to replace. Everbody I know will never go back to those idiots. I go to a small local guy, and he takes care of his customers

 

[izackary]

Your car isn't sporting Yankee paraphernalia, is it?

 

[billcu]

I used to buy mine at Discount tires, but now I have a friend at work that gets a discount at tire rack so I order from him.

I don't let tire places put the wheels on my cars, I don't like my lugnuts over torqued. I watch them all the time, overtorque with the impact, then check them with a torque wrench to make sure they are over torqued. The torque wrench clicks, without moving the nut. Idiots.

 

[driller]

I watch them all the time, overtorque with the impact, then check them with a torque wrench to make sure they are over torqued. The torque wrench clicks, without moving the nut. Idiots.

So true. :lol3:

 

[izackary]

I used to buy mine at Discount tires, but now I have a friend at work that gets a discount at tire rack so I order from him.

I don't let tire places put the wheels on my cars, I don't like my lugnuts over torqued. I watch them all the time, overtorque with the impact, then check them with a torque wrench to make sure they are over torqued. The torque wrench clicks, without moving the nut. Idiots.

Not just that but they will often scuff up the wheel with their socket spinning at a million RPM. I remember a guy out in AZ who had shiny red staggered wheels on his custom RX8. He took it into a chain out there, I forget if it was Big O or maybe Discount Tire, and they scuffed the crap out of his wheels, to the point where they were made to buy him new ones. You would THINK that they would take a little more care to not lose money on tire installations, but that would make too much sense...