Recently received the Continental tires I ordered to participate in their rebate promotion. Normally take them to a shop I've used for years where the owner and partner are the only two who work there and do everything. They take their time and do things right. Match mount the tires (spin wheels before mounting etc.), ride balance and Road Force until all wheels/tires are in the single digits. NEVER had any damage to a wheel and every set rode like a velvet carpet. These guys are the best. Well, one of them was on vacation til early August and the owner was taking a break while the balancing and mounting machines were calibrated and serviced. Had to have the tires installed by 7/31 to get the full rebate. Didn't look like they were going to be able to handle it.
So, started looking around and had a few recommendations for Discount Tire. Called the local shop and spoke to one of the managers, Will, who turned out to be a tire nut. I went over all of the service I get at my usual tire shop and Will started firing back that he personally handles all of the customers who are like me and have concerns about doing installs correctly. Will says he has been with DT for about 10 years and specializes in the big wheel/low profile tire installs. Well, Will is apparently an install magician. He took my wheels and tires, handled them with a white glove treatment, and did a fantastic job of mounting and balancing. He also does the wheel spin prior to tire install and marks the high spots. He then rolls the tires on a rack and finds high and low spots there. Then does the best touchless mount I have seen at any big shop. Only contact are the holddowns that locate on the INSIDE of the inner bead area of the wheel. Nothing got near the face of the wheel or the rim. Zero damage. He verified the match mounting with the balancer and all were spot on. Road Forced everything and all were single digits, the highest was 7lbs. and the lowest was 2lbs. Pretty good for a 19" wheel set with rubber band 235/35 tires.
But the BEST part was when I went to pay for everything. Will had originally quoted me $54 per wheel/tire for all the service I wanted. First modification to that was he had included dismount and tire disposal, but I had bare wheels. Now it became $42 a wheel. Then he gave me a preferred customer discount and it brought it down to $37. When I mentioned that I bought the tires at Tire Rack and they were a recommended installer, he modified the price once again. $25 a wheel/tire, evidently Tire Rack customers get free Road Force at Discount Tire since both are now the same company for all intents and purposes. Will even washed all of the tire lube off of the wheels and loaded them in my car. In and out in about an hour with a perfect set of mounted and balanced wheels/tires. Think I've found a good alternative to my tried and true if need be.
So, started looking around and had a few recommendations for Discount Tire. Called the local shop and spoke to one of the managers, Will, who turned out to be a tire nut. I went over all of the service I get at my usual tire shop and Will started firing back that he personally handles all of the customers who are like me and have concerns about doing installs correctly. Will says he has been with DT for about 10 years and specializes in the big wheel/low profile tire installs. Well, Will is apparently an install magician. He took my wheels and tires, handled them with a white glove treatment, and did a fantastic job of mounting and balancing. He also does the wheel spin prior to tire install and marks the high spots. He then rolls the tires on a rack and finds high and low spots there. Then does the best touchless mount I have seen at any big shop. Only contact are the holddowns that locate on the INSIDE of the inner bead area of the wheel. Nothing got near the face of the wheel or the rim. Zero damage. He verified the match mounting with the balancer and all were spot on. Road Forced everything and all were single digits, the highest was 7lbs. and the lowest was 2lbs. Pretty good for a 19" wheel set with rubber band 235/35 tires.
But the BEST part was when I went to pay for everything. Will had originally quoted me $54 per wheel/tire for all the service I wanted. First modification to that was he had included dismount and tire disposal, but I had bare wheels. Now it became $42 a wheel. Then he gave me a preferred customer discount and it brought it down to $37. When I mentioned that I bought the tires at Tire Rack and they were a recommended installer, he modified the price once again. $25 a wheel/tire, evidently Tire Rack customers get free Road Force at Discount Tire since both are now the same company for all intents and purposes. Will even washed all of the tire lube off of the wheels and loaded them in my car. In and out in about an hour with a perfect set of mounted and balanced wheels/tires. Think I've found a good alternative to my tried and true if need be.
.