I hate to hear that as I was probably going to purchase a set from them. I know that they are a little cheaper in some regards but now it is hard to justify a few dollars if I start having problems. If I go local, I, like ccs2k1, have a physical location to go to. I have always been loyal to my local Goodyear and I guess I need to keep that loyality. It is unfortunate that you are having these problems but atleast other people may be able to benefit from your experience.
No more Tire Rack purchases for me
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My local tire shop refused to match any internet prices because "legally, they can sell 2nds and blems over the internet". That's why they are so cheap.
He told me a story of a guy who bought 4 tires from Tire Rack for his BMW. They ended up going through 8 tires from them since 4 of them were "unbalance-able".
No internet tire buying for me either.
He told me a story of a guy who bought 4 tires from Tire Rack for his BMW. They ended up going through 8 tires from them since 4 of them were "unbalance-able".
No internet tire buying for me either.
That's possible but shops don't like Tire Rack.
About 3 weeks ago I stooped in a local Shell station I use to go to a lot but changed to Sunoco.
Cheaper and on my way home from work.
Anyway there's a Enrite gas station down from the Shell.
Enrite is 16 cents per gallon cheaper.
The Shell guy says it's because the additives are less and aren't as good as name brands.
Also says the your gas mileage will be less because of the lack of additives.
Like your tire guy...who can we believe?
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If the claim that the tirerack might be selling "seconds and blems" were true, then any other retailer, online-based or not, could surely do the same thing? What tiremaker lets seconds get out? Think of the potential for lawsuits!
I've so far bought five sets of tires from the tirerack and never had a problem. If I were able to get the same tire for a similar price locally, I'd go there, because I'm all for supporting local businesses. One of those tires will run me ca $100 from the tirerack and $150 locally -- go figure what I choose. Shipping from the Reno warehouse to a SF-based installer takes only one day.
I agree 100% with moribundman. I don't believe the 2nds thing. That is just another lie and I wouldn't do business with a shop that makes ridiculous statments like that.
Discount Tires has shops all over the place, I go there and haggle based on their internet price and usually get a good deal. What is interesting is the internet prices and in store prices are usually very different, but not always.
Discount Tires has shops all over the place, I go there and haggle based on their internet price and usually get a good deal. What is interesting is the internet prices and in store prices are usually very different, but not always.
Sometimes you can catch a great price at Sears when they are on sale and usually the tire shop of your choice will price match them. Thats what I did when I bought my Exalto's..in fact they were less expensive than the Tire Rack when all said and done.
Sam's Club has some good prices on tires...Town Fair matched their price plus 5% on my HydroEdges
Goose
Sam's Club has some good prices on tires...Town Fair matched their price plus 5% on my HydroEdges
Goose
FYI,
There are such things as "blems", just like there are "seconds" in clothing.
Blems would be tires that are fine from a structural point of view, but have an esthetic problem - usually a visual issue, like a smudge of black in the whitewall or things like that.
BTW - There are other words that are used to describe these things.
There are such things as "blems", just like there are "seconds" in clothing.
Blems would be tires that are fine from a structural point of view, but have an esthetic problem - usually a visual issue, like a smudge of black in the whitewall or things like that.
BTW - There are other words that are used to describe these things.
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There's no doubt that you can find some tires for good prices locally. It gets more difficult when you are set on buying a particular model that nobody has in stock locally.
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My last car with whitewalls was a... anyway, all the tires I got from the tirerack were without blems. Again, anybody might be selling blems.
It costs $20 per tire to have them mounted. Plus shipping charges. Plus the cost of a balance and alignment. Plus the cost of throwing away your old tires. In the end how much are you really saving? Anything? And you're recieving tires that have balancing problems. Hmmm, sounds like a great deal to me.
If you buy the tires from a local shop they give you a free alignment, mounting and balancing. There is more to it then just the price of the tires.
Lawsuits? Do you understand what a blemish is? The manufacturer simply can't sell them for full price. I didn't say "defective".
If you buy the tires from a local shop they give you a free alignment, mounting and balancing. There is more to it then just the price of the tires.
Lawsuits? Do you understand what a blemish is? The manufacturer simply can't sell them for full price. I didn't say "defective".
Town Fair matched Direct Tire's price on my Toyo Open Country's. Plus they give an additional 25% of the price difference.quote:
Originally posted by Blue_Goose:
Sometimes you can catch a great price at Sears when they are on sale and usually the tire shop of your choice will price match them. Thats what I did when I bought my Exalto's..in fact they were less expensive than the Tire Rack when all said and done.
Sam's Club has some good prices on tires...Town Fair matched their price plus 5% on my HydroEdges
Goose
I got my tires, mounting, balancing, alignment and tax for $635. I get free flat repair and free rotation every 5k.
1010tires.com which carries Toyo's (Tire Rack doesn't) price the tires alone at $743 before shipping. Then I have to find someone that will actually install them, balance and align my truck.
Internet tire sales have a long way to go.
It gets even more difficult when Tire Rack has an "exclusive" on the brand/specific tire, such as the Avon Tech M550s I want to get.
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In my case, I save about 50 dollar per tire by buying online. The local tire place charges more for shipping than the tirerack. Mounting and balancing is the same, because it's done at the local installer.
And no, I haven't had any balancing problems with any online-bought tires.
The tirerack says about warranty:
Manufacturers Warranties
Merchandise covered by a manufacturer’s warranty is sold with the warranty by the manufacturer extended to the purchaser. We will be happy to assist in obtaining fulfillment of a manufacturer’s warranty. Other than applicable manufacturers’ warranties, there are no warranties, express or implied, including any warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
If you get a lemon, or four lemons, you will have to take it up with the tire manufacturer, or, in case of teh tirerack, they will take care of it for you.
I could be wrong, but aren't tire manufacturers supposed to mark blems with a "Blem" stamp? A set that I bought years ago for an old Ford pickup were blemished, and they had a stamp in the sidewall about 1/2 inch long that said "Blem".
I bought the last set of tires for my wife's Santa Fe from Tire Rack. The transaction went very smooth.
I ended up having to take them to Discount Tire to get the balanced (long story with a bad installer).
Discount told me that next time I get the internet price + shipping and they will match it. I'm sure I'll go that route next time. There's just something nice about buying tires and driving them home
, not waiting for them to show up on the door.
Brian
I ended up having to take them to Discount Tire to get the balanced (long story with a bad installer).
Discount told me that next time I get the internet price + shipping and they will match it. I'm sure I'll go that route next time. There's just something nice about buying tires and driving them home
Brian
I bought tires from Tire Rack twice bafore at good prices and no problems.
Well that was then and this is now.
You may have read on my tire balancing fiasco thrtead I've been having problems with balancing tires I bought from Tire Rack.
They were fine for a couple of months and then the steering wheel started to shake a bit.
Went back to the local Tire Rack installer who put them on.
He checked the balance on all the tires and they were all off.
He balanced them again and they just don't balance.
Went to another to a guy I know who has a service shop and he said the tire balance was off.
So he rotated and balanced them again.
The balance number zeros out on the Hunter machine but the same problem exists.
Ford balanced the tires again Weds.
Same issues.
Called Tire Rack and they want me to send the tires back.
I asked what do I use for tires?
I'm told you must order another set and they IF they find a problem,they'll credit me.
So I must spend another $650 and maybe they'll find a problem on one or more tires.
I must trust them.
I stopped in the Tire Rack installer shop today.
He said to leave the truck tomorrow and he'll break the tire and rotate it 180 degrees and rebalance to see if that helps.
I was pro Tire Rack here before but not anymore.
No more online tire purchases for me.
Saving a few bucks is not worth this hassle.
Well that was then and this is now.
You may have read on my tire balancing fiasco thrtead I've been having problems with balancing tires I bought from Tire Rack.
They were fine for a couple of months and then the steering wheel started to shake a bit.
Went back to the local Tire Rack installer who put them on.
He checked the balance on all the tires and they were all off.
He balanced them again and they just don't balance.
Went to another to a guy I know who has a service shop and he said the tire balance was off.
So he rotated and balanced them again.
The balance number zeros out on the Hunter machine but the same problem exists.
Ford balanced the tires again Weds.
Same issues.
Called Tire Rack and they want me to send the tires back.
I asked what do I use for tires?
I'm told you must order another set and they IF they find a problem,they'll credit me.
So I must spend another $650 and maybe they'll find a problem on one or more tires.
I must trust them.
I stopped in the Tire Rack installer shop today.
He said to leave the truck tomorrow and he'll break the tire and rotate it 180 degrees and rebalance to see if that helps.
I was pro Tire Rack here before but not anymore.
No more online tire purchases for me.
Saving a few bucks is not worth this hassle.
Not to single Tire Rack out (I've bought from them and from Discoun tires Direct), but my experience is pretty much the same. I can haggle a price pretty close to the online retailers and they have a brick and mortar facility I can go back to if I have a problem.
Hah. You should live near their warehouse! THey have one in SHreveport. It's great. Go pick up you tires and then there's a guy down the street who mounts and balances for $5 per tire. I'd be broke w/o them as many tires as I've bought.
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