YACTT: Getting new tires tomorrow (Sat) - *update: already done*

[naddicott]

Cliffnotes question: Do I need anything beyond tires and installation? I'm on a budget.
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Reading previous tire threads and reviews elsewhere, I've settled on getting a set of Bridgestone Potenza RE910s for my 98 Nissan Altima.

On my current tires, Lincoln's head on the penny test is fully visible with extra clearance, so I'm in a little too much of a rush to deal with tirerack.com and a 3rd party installer.

A nearby Discount Tires store has quoted me a price of $70 per tire (tirerack.com lists them as $65 each before shipping). At "DiscountTireCenters.com" the price is listed as $78 each, so they might try to charge that price when I go back tomorrow.

They also quoted two possible installation prices. $72 for all four tires with a "just the basics", or $99 with a "Life of Tire Service" agreement (free rotations other random crap I can't recall).

The guy is also pushing wheel alignment for an additional $69. The wear on my current tires appears to be fairly even, so I doubt this is necessary. Advice on this one would be appreciated.

As an alternative to the alignment is a $99 3-year service agreement with free wheel alignments any time I want (he reccomended every 6 months, I smell BS), as well as tire replacement if a tire fails from a road hazard (free if 1st 50% of tread life, pro-rated afterwards).

I want to take good care of my car, but money is very tight right now. Anyone have suggestions for me? Alternate tire suggestions are fine too, as long as they aren't more expensive than the $70 mark. I am thinking of the RE950s as an alternate. In case it matters, I take corners pretty slowly and drive like a grandma. The only dangerous weather I have to deal with is very rare occurences of heavy rains. Most driving time will be dry roads.

Thanks.

*Update: had to run around a bit, but I ended up going to a Firestone location and having them pricematch the tirerack.com price. *

 

[bcterps]

Go to Costco, good prices, lifetime tire rotations and balancing, free flat repair, etc.

 

[xXped0thugXx]

just get them mounted and balanced and your all set. You fall into those other gimmicks and contracts and you end up wasting money. In my experience ive never seen them work out. When it comes time to rotate them (7,000) do it yourself its really easy, that way you save a few bucks there.

 

[Slacker]

Ask them if they have any "Maypops" , then tell him you dont want them.

 

[JEDI]

walmart..$35 for Goodyear tires

 

[Actaeon]

Tirerack.com is your friend.

EDIT: Reread your post... sorry

Read tirerack for some reviews on tires, then find a tire you like, and find a shop that carries them. Get them installed. Easy.

EDITx2: Reread your post again. Sorry! You already done that.

I have no more advice .

 

[naddicott]

No worries Actaeon - you just boiled down 90% of the YACT tire threads that turned up in my search.

Costco does look tempting, but I'll have to call in the morning and see if they have the tires I want at the warehouse.

Doing the penny test earlier today made me a little nervous. If I can get the job done this weekend it's preferrable. I put on upwards of 250 miles per week with my commute and really don't need the hassle of preventable car troubles.

I also have had a friend vouch for the quality of the work the folks at the local Discount Tire do - he's gotten tires/brakes/etc. taken care of there with no troubles.

I will go for just mounting and balancing. I'll probably pay someone else to do the rotating when the time comes, but from what I've seen that's a cheap operation and I should have more cash reserves by then anyway.

I'll scan the thread again in the morning for any new bits of wisdom, after that feel free to post for your own amusement.

 

[rival]

when i got my tires, i got free rotation of the tires whenever i want and flat repair...it was at big-o tires...they seem pretty good, but i dont know...my tires cost me $175each

 

[TechnoKid]

195/65/15 right? go to costco, and then get the RE950. It will most of the time be cheaper going through Costco than getting from tirerack, shipping, and then $15 per tire for mounting/balancing. I have priced out these RE950 tires before (in a 205/55/16), and costco has been the least expensive. All tire places around me wanted like at least $125 more than Costco did for the RE950 (Brannon wants $149 for just the tire, not including mount/balance, sears wanted $134 for just tires). Costco has the RE950 (in 205/55/16 for my app) for $108 each which inlcludes mounting/balance/road hazard/rotation. Costco has to order the RE950 because its not a regualrly stocked tire. They do have the RE930 regularly stocked which are pretty good.

 

[masterxfob]

dunno where you are, but Chatsworth Tire in SoCal is by far the best you will find anywhere. better selection and better prices than even costco can offer; they also have free lifetime tire rotation!

 

[Insane3D]

Just got the first two of my Dunlop SP8000's for the new 17" x 9" rims I'm putting on my Mustang this year. Tirerack had the best prices, and they have always treated me right.

Man, going from a 225/50/ZR16 tire on a 16" x 7" rim to a 245/45/ZR17 on a 17" x 9" rim is quite an upgrade. The freakin contact patch on these tires is almost 10" wide...heh.

Just an FYI for the future...good luck.

 

[gunblade]

I got mine from costco last time. It was the michelin energy mxv4plus that is just mediocre but cost like 160 bucks per tire. If I remember correctly, there is some small charge too, like tire disposal fee, mounting etc. It wasn't that cheap compare to onlline store. Besides, Costco here is always busy and I had to be there real early in order to get the service done. I don't think it worth it.

My friend bought his tires online and mount it at Walmart for about $10 per tire, include flat repair and lifetime balancing and rotation. I knew walmart is lowly regarded for their auto service, but there is nothing to mess up in mounting tires. I definitely wouldn't trust other auto service there.

 

[naddicott]

Well, it was a little hectic for me this morning. The Discount Tire place was swamped and told me they couldn't get the tires I wanted until Monday, which totally differed from what they told me yesterday. :|

I ended up going to a nearby Firestone location to see if they would match the tirerack.com prices, which they did. I'm sure I could have saved a few bucks going out to a walmart or costco, but I also place a value on my time and the guys at Firestone had the job done in about 30 minutes.

It was nice to be able to decline alignment and other extras with confidence. Thanks!

[edit: fixed smiley]

 

[boyRacer]

You didnt get it aligned?

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

Originally posted by: naddicott
It was nice to be able to decline alignment and other extras with confidence. Thanks!

wth did you decline alignment. that's important.

 

[naddicott]

Originally posted by: GtPrOjEcTX

Originally posted by: naddicott
It was nice to be able to decline alignment and other extras with confidence. Thanks!

wth did you decline alignment. that's important.

The wear pattern on my old tires was very even. I didn't see a need for more than installation and balancing, and nobody here was screaming that wheel alignment was a mandatory step before I took my car in, even though there was a question in my original post to that effect.

Oh well, I'll keep an eye on the wear pattern of the new tires the next couple weeks, and if I notice any irregularities, I'll take the car into a shop to get my wheels realigned. It's not like the Firestone folks were offering any special deals on service/labor - they seemed kind of annoyed at having to knock $70 off their price for the tires to pricematch tirerack.com.

 

[Actaeon]

Sounds like you got a pretty good deal. Glad to see everything came out ok, and you're happy with your new tires. It was nice of Firestone to pricematch Tirerack. You even saved money by not having to pay for shipping!

How much was everything total? 280 for the tires... maybe 70 installation? So 350 for all of it? Pretty sweet deal.

 

[naddicott]

It came out to $407 before tax. Four Potenza RE950s from tirerack were $336 with shipping (the prices in my original post are for the 910s, 950s are $75 each at tirerack.com), which is what Firestone was willing to match. The extras (installation/balancing/tire disposal/valves) were $71 combined, in line with what the discount tire folks were going to charge me, but likely more than if I had taken the costco/wal mart route.

For the time crunch I was in with so little tread remaining, I'm satisfied. I can easily see how tirerack.com / local install is the best option if one has time, as I could have avoided sales tax (~$27 on the tires) going that route.

Next up: brake pads. I've been told they're low and to listen for a distinct noise when braking as a signal to bring the car in for new brakes.

 

[Actaeon]

Originally posted by: naddicott
It came out to $407 before tax. Four Potenza RE950s from tirerack were $336 with shipping (the prices in my original post are for the 910s, 950s are $75 each at tirerack.com), which is what Firestone was willing to match. The extras (installation/balancing/tire disposal/valves) were $71 combined, in line with what the discount tire folks were going to charge me, but likely more than if I had taken the costco/wal mart route.

For the time crunch I was in with so little tread remaining, I'm satisfied. I can easily see how tirerack.com / local install is the best option if one has time, as I could have avoided sales tax (~$27 on the tires) going that route.

Next up: brake pads. I've been told they're low and to listen for a distinct noise when braking as a signal to bring the car in for new brakes.

Sounds good! I paid about 200 for my tires shipped (Kumho KH11's @ 40 each, and 40 shipping), then 70 for installation, I got super cheap tires, but for your tires, that sounds about right.

Yeah, brakepads have these replacement indicators, its a piece of metal that goes only so far into the pad, so once you wear down the pad, you start to hit the piece of metal, making a noise, indicating you to change your pads. , you'll know it when you hear it.

Good job getting your tires done! I have always believed it is neccessary to have and maintain good tires on a car. It helps all aspects of a car, handling, acceleration, traction, and braking. After all, thats what connects your car to the road!