replacement car tires

 

   Are the manufacturer warranties on tires worth anything?

   Typically, we replace our tires with new ones after about 2 or 2.5
years, just so we don't risk being on vacation or something and having
problems.

   In the past, I've always gone to the same place and had them install
Dayton brand tires.  I liked the fact that they were made in the USA, in
a factory that employed about 1,800.

   We have a different car than we had last year, but my records show
that the last time we got new tires was 2007.  At that time, we paid $60
per tire.  When I called yesterday, they said each would be about $88 -
almost a 50% increase.

   That's huge for such a short period.  Is there a rubber shortage or
something?

   Anyway, I find myself re-evaluating my habits here.  I'm wondering if
it might be worth it to shop around online or something, and find a
place that offers a lower price, or higher tire wear warranty.

   I'm just not sure it would be worth it.  In my experience, the tires
last longest if they are regularly balanced & such.  I think most places
charge for this, don't they?  One thing I liked about the place we've
used is that you can come back every 10k and have rotation & balance
done free.

   Even Wal-Mart has higher prices now that I've checked - $75 for a
decent tire there, and that doesn't even include installation,
balancing, rotation, etc. (it's $90 per tire with those included)

   Are there any places online that offer good prices and low shipping
on a 60k or 80k mile warranted tire?  Would I be better off sticking
with the local place because of the service that they offer?

 




Tires come in many flavours:  Are you looking at touring or weather or
performance or radial?  What class of car?


Many places offer free rotations.  One of the few items I buy at Costco or
Sam's Club is Tires.   I only buy premium tires though (Michelins or
Bridgestone) for safety and weather reasons, i.e. piece of mind but those
warehouse club stores save me about $50 a tire and I get nitrogen filled.
Free valve stems I think so that's a savings of $5 per tire.  They still
charge for balancing though but that's up here. Last two times I paid $600
for 4 premium Michelin tires for my mid sized v6 at Costco.

Wal-Mart have had major issues with Goodyear and Nexan tires in Canada.  BF
Goodrich are cheaper versions of Michelin and Costco stock those.

While you are at it if you have alloys rims get the new installer to make
sure the rims are good and not corroding.

 

Ohioguy wrote:

Either you are driving a lot, your car has poor suspension or you must
be buying really poor grade tires.  At 120k miles, I've only replaced
two of the original tires on my Pilot (at 95k).

I considered replacing the other two last winter, the the tires dealer
told me I had at least another year (who would guess a tire dealer would
  turn away business.)  He was correct.  I've gotten another 15k miles
and they are still legal by inspection standards, although I will likely
replace the second two in November, just to have better tread depth for
the winter.



That may be your problem.   My Michelins seem to last forever - both on
my 2000 Accord and my 2005 Pilot.

My Accord's Michelins were $150 installed/ balance, etc back in 2006.
Well worth the price, although someone with perhaps 200k miles may not
want to invest that much in a car that might not last another 100k.


I only rotate every 20k and only needed one set of balancing in 95k with
one (minor) alignment at 75k.

  I think most places

most here include lifetime rotation, but charge for balancing.  From
what I recall, Walmart charges relative small fee for lifetime balancing.

  One thing I liked about the place we've

I'd try to figure why your tires are wearing out so quickly - poor tire
quality, driving habits (proper inflation is more important than
rotation) or alignment problems.

 


   It's mostly that I visually inspect the tires, which sit out in the
sun all the time.  Once I start to see even a tiny bit of cracking in
the rubber sidewalls, I'll replace them.  The used tire places probably
love getting my tires, because they still have a lot of tread on them.

   In other words, we probably only put half of the wear on them that we
could get.  However, I don't think that $250 every 2 or 2.5 years is too
much to spend in order to make sure the tires have good traction, and
that a blowout our something is less likely when we take a long trip.
Of course, now that the cost is getting up closer to $400, I'm less
likely to replace them this often.

 




What kind of car are you driving where you only spend $400 for 4 tires?   is
it a Civic or Corolla or cavalier/colbalt or Focus??   You never told us
what this car is you drive.   $400 sounds reasonable for a compact car with
15 inch steel wheels and 9 inch brake rotors.

As far as I am concerned $250 for 4 tires is a death wish and your auto
insurance company might not want to honour your policy should you get into
an accident and hurt yourself, your family, or bystander due to unsafe
tires.

If you are a hillbilly type like my own father who only drives once a week
into town for provisions and bullets and new underwear then $250 for 4 tires
is reasonable, but if you drive more than 1000 miles a month, you will be
taking your life into your hands with $60 tires in this day in age.