Bridgestones at Costco
- Thread starter Finklejag
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Same deal with Sams Club. The main reason I shop there is that their butcher shop is excellent, and their steaks and chops are some of the best in the area (shocking, I know)..
Most of the stuff at Sams is similar to pricing in the grocery store if you compare ounces to ounces.
Most of the stuff at Sams is similar to pricing in the grocery store if you compare ounces to ounces.
Remember that Sams and Costco both have the big name tire companies making custom tires just for them.
This way they don't match the price from the other tire shops because they aren't the same product.
Sams has BFG, Michelin, and other brands custom made for them.
I just bought a set of goodyear tires today from a local chain, they were running a buy 3 get one free deal. Even with their free tire, I only ended up saving maybe 30 bucks.
People go to sams and costco because they can go there and get a fair price, and not have to shop around 20 different chains like I did. Its not always the cheapest price, but it is a fair price.
This way they don't match the price from the other tire shops because they aren't the same product.
Sams has BFG, Michelin, and other brands custom made for them.
I just bought a set of goodyear tires today from a local chain, they were running a buy 3 get one free deal. Even with their free tire, I only ended up saving maybe 30 bucks.
People go to sams and costco because they can go there and get a fair price, and not have to shop around 20 different chains like I did. Its not always the cheapest price, but it is a fair price.
Originally Posted By: Finklejag
It looks like Costco is stocking Bridgestones again. I think they use to? I feel Costco isn't the bang for your buck like they use to be. That $14.50 per tire fee they added awhile back hurt them.
Costco now has fewer offerings for my car on their online store. Only 2 now, use to have about 7-8 a few weeks ago.
It looks like Costco is stocking Bridgestones again. I think they use to? I feel Costco isn't the bang for your buck like they use to be. That $14.50 per tire fee they added awhile back hurt them.
Costco now has fewer offerings for my car on their online store. Only 2 now, use to have about 7-8 a few weeks ago.
Originally Posted By: JustinH
Remember that Sams and Costco both have the big name tire companies making custom tires just for them.
This way they don't match the price from the other tire shops because they aren't the same product.
Making custom tires just for them? What's up? They're better than I can find at the local Bridgestone dealer? Or, more likely, as with the PCs, eyeglasses, jewelry, fruit, and numerous other things at Costco, they are of inferior quality to meet a certain price point? Which seems to be the undercurrent nowadays, at least about Costco?
Remember that Sams and Costco both have the big name tire companies making custom tires just for them.
This way they don't match the price from the other tire shops because they aren't the same product.
Making custom tires just for them? What's up? They're better than I can find at the local Bridgestone dealer? Or, more likely, as with the PCs, eyeglasses, jewelry, fruit, and numerous other things at Costco, they are of inferior quality to meet a certain price point? Which seems to be the undercurrent nowadays, at least about Costco?
I was surprised at that, and they are $70 off a set of 4. They may have 1-2 "unique" models (like Sears), but for the most part, others are the same tires sold everywhere else: LTX AT2, Cross Terrain, Long Trail Touring, Dueler AT, Dueler HL, etc. The prices on some of their Bridgestone seem pretty good. I wish they'd also start carrying Firestone. It didn't seem they carry the AT Revos (at least not in my size).
I agree that the "deal" has somewhat diminished with their $15 added charge/tire.
I agree that the "deal" has somewhat diminished with their $15 added charge/tire.
Originally Posted By: oracle_oracle
Costco now has fewer offerings for my car on their online store. Only 2 now, use to have about 7-8 a few weeks ago.
I'd wait a while and see if that changes. They had a contract with Michelin, and Michelin did their tire website; it would not surprise me for their new web folks to have work remaining.
Costco now has fewer offerings for my car on their online store. Only 2 now, use to have about 7-8 a few weeks ago.
I'd wait a while and see if that changes. They had a contract with Michelin, and Michelin did their tire website; it would not surprise me for their new web folks to have work remaining.
The custome made tires makes it wasy for other shops to deny mathcing the lowest price you can find as they say you are not comparing apples to apples or tire model to tire model.
I gave up on Costco years ago when they decided to stock only Michelines and either BF Goodrich or Gooyear and only the most popular sizes, all others had to be ordered. Went online for purchases and have not turned back
I gave up on Costco years ago when they decided to stock only Michelines and either BF Goodrich or Gooyear and only the most popular sizes, all others had to be ordered. Went online for purchases and have not turned back
Originally Posted By: dkryan
Making custom tires just for them? What's up? They're better than I can find at the local Bridgestone dealer? Or, more likely, as with the PCs, eyeglasses, jewelry, fruit, and numerous other things at Costco, they are of inferior quality to meet a certain price point? Which seems to be the undercurrent nowadays, at least about Costco?
The "house" tires at certain retailers are often not really "different" from the mainline tire except for the name, and for slight differences in the tread pattern. A few examples:
Michelin's mainline passenger all season tire is the Harmony. They also make the Destiny for Discount Tire, the WeatherWise II for Sears, and the X Radial for warehouse clubs like Sam's and Costco. Internally, and with respect to the rubber compound, they're the same tire. There are some slight differences in the shape of the sipes and cuts of the tread pattern, but when you compare them side-by-side, you can see that the overall "template" is the same. When Consumer Reports tested passenger car tires back in 2005, they included three of this tire line: the Harmony, Agility [which is now called the WeatherWise II], and the X Radial. The X Radial actually scored the best of the three, and placed #2 overall in the test.
Goodyear's mainline passenger all season tire (or one of them) used to be the Regatta 2. They've had that tire for a while now, and it's showed up in various forms at Walmart and at Sam's Club. Walmart carried the Viva Touring, which was basically the Regatta 2 with a name change. Sams Club carried the Allegra. The Allegra was a heavily-siped tire which reportedly did EXCELLENT in the snow. Again, it was simply a Regatta 2 with a slight tread pattern modification.
More currently, Goodyear has the Viva Authority Fuel Max at Walmart. If you look closely at the tire, you can see that it's a near-clone of the Assurance Fuel Max sold at most other Goodyear retailers. Sam's Club now carries the Assurance Touring, which is based on the Goodyear Assurance.
As stated prior by somebody else, they do this so they don't have to price-match other retailers. This is common in many industries. You can often find the "same" printer at Best Buy, Staples, Target, Walmart, etc. They all have slightly different part numbers, and sometimes the plastic farings are shaped a bit different, but it's the same printer, taking the same ink, and using the same drivers and software. This way, Target can set its own price and not have to price-match directly with Walmart. Of course, prices still stay competitive, but they don't have to worry about missing somebody's President's Day sale or something like that.
I would caution against a judgement about tire quality at warehouse clubs (or any "house" tire at a retailer). They're often the same tire you can get at a mainline retailer, but without all the TV advertising. When's the last time you saw a Michelin ad for the X Radial on TV? (Hint: never. They're pushing their Energy Saver A/S and HydroEdge, etc.)
Making custom tires just for them? What's up? They're better than I can find at the local Bridgestone dealer? Or, more likely, as with the PCs, eyeglasses, jewelry, fruit, and numerous other things at Costco, they are of inferior quality to meet a certain price point? Which seems to be the undercurrent nowadays, at least about Costco?
The "house" tires at certain retailers are often not really "different" from the mainline tire except for the name, and for slight differences in the tread pattern. A few examples:
Michelin's mainline passenger all season tire is the Harmony. They also make the Destiny for Discount Tire, the WeatherWise II for Sears, and the X Radial for warehouse clubs like Sam's and Costco. Internally, and with respect to the rubber compound, they're the same tire. There are some slight differences in the shape of the sipes and cuts of the tread pattern, but when you compare them side-by-side, you can see that the overall "template" is the same. When Consumer Reports tested passenger car tires back in 2005, they included three of this tire line: the Harmony, Agility [which is now called the WeatherWise II], and the X Radial. The X Radial actually scored the best of the three, and placed #2 overall in the test.
Goodyear's mainline passenger all season tire (or one of them) used to be the Regatta 2. They've had that tire for a while now, and it's showed up in various forms at Walmart and at Sam's Club. Walmart carried the Viva Touring, which was basically the Regatta 2 with a name change. Sams Club carried the Allegra. The Allegra was a heavily-siped tire which reportedly did EXCELLENT in the snow. Again, it was simply a Regatta 2 with a slight tread pattern modification.
More currently, Goodyear has the Viva Authority Fuel Max at Walmart. If you look closely at the tire, you can see that it's a near-clone of the Assurance Fuel Max sold at most other Goodyear retailers. Sam's Club now carries the Assurance Touring, which is based on the Goodyear Assurance.
As stated prior by somebody else, they do this so they don't have to price-match other retailers. This is common in many industries. You can often find the "same" printer at Best Buy, Staples, Target, Walmart, etc. They all have slightly different part numbers, and sometimes the plastic farings are shaped a bit different, but it's the same printer, taking the same ink, and using the same drivers and software. This way, Target can set its own price and not have to price-match directly with Walmart. Of course, prices still stay competitive, but they don't have to worry about missing somebody's President's Day sale or something like that.
I would caution against a judgement about tire quality at warehouse clubs (or any "house" tire at a retailer). They're often the same tire you can get at a mainline retailer, but without all the TV advertising. When's the last time you saw a Michelin ad for the X Radial on TV? (Hint: never. They're pushing their Energy Saver A/S and HydroEdge, etc.)
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