Road hazard/tire warranty

[srivett]

He just had a 3rd front tire replaced on his car. I did not make note of the tire manufacturer but these 17" low pro tires are horrible for anybody but the poser crowd. They develop cuts in the tread and I've seen some casting imperfections. We run about 1000 km (600 mi) a week on our cars and he's killing off a tire every month or so.

Steve

 

[TomJones76]

quote:

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Originally posted by outrun:
SNIP
Consider customer XYZ...buys 4 brand new American Racing AR95 wheels and 4 German imported Goodyear F1 GSD3 Ultra High Performance Tires.

One week later smacks a curb, and gets and unrepairable sidewall puncture.

Buy paying the 17.90$ Road Hazard fee initially he got a brand new 205/55/16 worth 174.99 for free.

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I'm considering customer XYZ. I'll note that I'm a better driver than him, as the last time I smacked a curb was never, in 12 years of driving.
I'll also consider that XYZ should drive a little more carefully, and spend his $17.90 on flowers or stuffed animals for his wife or girlfriend.

 

[kreigle]

I've always purchased road-hazard. The first set of tires I purchased for my Prelude, I picked up 3 nails in the first year. At $25 each for flat repairs, the road hazard paid for itself.

The second set of tires, I picked up a screw in the edge of the tread, too close to the sidewall to patch. Tire replaced for free.

So far, I've had over 5 puncture repairs and 1 smacked curb (icy road), with 2 tire replaced outright. When I buy my 3rd set of tires, I'll definately get the road hazard on them too.

 

[kenw]

road hazard is different from fixing flats.

Discount Tire, for example fixes flats on any tire they sell for free, if it can be repaired. If it cannot be repaired (sidewall damage, etc)Road Hazard gets you a new, free replacement tire.

 

[Car Luver]

les shwab. best tire company I have dealt with. Free road hazzard,flat repair and rotation.

 

[kreigle]

quote:

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Discount Tire, for example fixes flats on any tire they sell for free, if it can be repaired.

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I wouldn't know. I don't have a Discount Tire with 500 miles of where I live. I've only bought tires and Sears and NTB and was told at both places that they only fix flats for free if you buy road hazard. Otherwise it would have been $25/repair to fix the punctures.

[ November 04, 2005, 12:23 PM: Message edited by: kreigle ]

 

[Not the Autorx Frank]

Ok you guys are going about it all wrong. I buy a road hazard for 1 tire only. What are the chances of having problems with all 4 tires? This way if I happen to get a flat its covered.

 

[CharBaby]

The only time that I have ever received road hazard warrante on tires is when it was already included in the price of the tire. Otherwise I don't purchace the extra warrante. I have been buying tires for over 30 years and I have never had a road hazard issue to where the tire could be replaced(pro-rated). Free flat repair, yes, but not ever a tire replacement for a tire that cannot be repaired. I have also never been able to purchace the road hazard warrante for just 1 tire when purchacing 2,3 or 4 tires,(wish I could). The sales person would never allow this, but I always ask.
Unless a person drives in an area that there is always a risk of loosing a tire that can not be repaired, the road hazard warrante is almost pointless....Think about it for a moment! Some tire stores charge a percentage of the tire cost for the RHW. Others charge a dollar amount(tire size dependant)for their RHW. When all is said and done, us shoppers will have spent on average $20-$30 extra on top of the cost of the tire(s) and never use the RHW. Should you have to use the RHW at some point in the tires life, the tire will be pro-rated, sometimes at a higher cost,(MSRP) as compered to the normal out-the-door cost of the tire. So then us shoppers now have to pay the difference for not only the amount of the tread used, but, the difference between out-the-door and MSRP,(retail vs wholesale)...Not only that! What if your driving out of town on a family vacation or business for example--and you have a blow out and the tire is ruined beyond normal repair? Now you have to contact a tow truck or AAA or what ever road side assistance program you may have. Also, good luck finding the same tire store where you purchaced the the tire in the 1st place. So, now you have to buy another tire from JOE B***'s tire store and the tire is now different from the other 3 tires on the vehicle.
I look at it this way!...I have never purchaced the RHW in over 30 years. If I have to eat 1 or 2 tires in my life, so be it!...Look at all the money I saved by not purchacing the RHW. Same goes for kitchen appliances, home electronics and vehicles. Look at the money saved over your lifetime. Most repairs are made after the warrante has already expired wheather the warrante is the normal one, or the extended one, unfortunatly! At least it always seem that way.
Sorry for the long post...My 2 cents!

 

[Thatwouldbegreat]

I used to think that road hazard was not needed. I figured that driver error was often to blame.

Up here in Vail, CO with lots of construction going on all the time, [and some careless workers] there are many pieces of metal in the road.

Not just nails either, but all kinds of sharp metal and spikes.

So road hazard can be worth it, on some tires in some locations.. IMHO.

 

[CharBaby]

Thatwouldbegreat & Others,
I certanly don't mean to imply that the RHW is never needed. I just think that shoppers need to evaluate just how much they need/use this extra warrante and just how much it cost at the time of tire purchace,(some tire stores charge a rediculous amount). Also, the RHW is "usually" good ONLY at the origional place of purchace. I agree that some people deffinatly need the RHW depending on where you live and the condition of the roads. And yes, RHW can certanly pay for itself if the tire is still reletivly new and is damaged beyond normal repair. Once the tire ages, that infamous "Pro Rating" comes into effect,(eek!)

 

[Thatwouldbegreat]

Char,

I agree!

Consumers have to look at any extended warranty, since many of them are 'profit centers' for the business and a bad deal for consumers.

In TireRack.com's case here are some of the things I liked:

Our four wheel drive cars need all four tires to be roughly the same diameter. With TireRack's RHW they will shave the replacement tire to match.

Both TireRack and Tires.com [ Discount Tire online ] have always provided great service whether I have RHW or not.

I recently lost a new tire to a sidewall puncture that could not be repaired and tirerack let me buy a replacement tire at cost with free shipping. I didn't have RHW but I wish I had.

Tirerack will also pay up to $25.00 for a flat repair. So that made RHW worthwhile for my kids who are in different parts of the country.

I don't have RHW on many of my cars, but I often get it for my kids cars.

My daughters don't have the time or interest to shop for tires locally so the only warranty I can get them is from an online tire retailer.

On the last $485.54 set of snow tires RHW added $46.00 or less than 10%.

For $46 I have 36 months of flat repair at $25.00 per repair.

I also have 100% tire replacement for the first 12 months and pro rated by time elapsed after that.

With those numbers I think the RHW isn't a bad deal.

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Road Hazard Warranty Certificate

http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires/roadHazard/trhp_cert.pdf

[ November 06, 2005, 12:25 PM: Message edited by: Thatwouldbegreat ]

 

[Thatwouldbegreat]

The warranty from tires.com is different but worth a look.

36 months free replacement down to 3/32" tread regardless of mileage. No pro-rating. And service available at local Discount Tire Stores

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/

tires.com also has free shipping...but their selection is a bit limited.


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Certificates for Free Replacement





Ever had a blowout on the freeway? How about a run-in with a pothole? You've no doubt seen debris in the road such as broken glass and nails. Our Certificates for Free Replacement eliminate the financial burden of replacing these damaged tires.

Your spare tire is a temporary solution. Unfortunately, more often than not, the tire cannot be repaired and must be replaced. Now imagine this happening while there is still plenty of life left in the tire. Having to pay for a tire twice would frustrate anyone.





How am I covered?
In the event one or more of your tires fail due to defect, or incurs damage that cannot be repaired, Discount Tire Direct will replace it absolutely FREE, (this includes freight to you). Regardless of the number of miles you put on the tires, you will be covered for the life of the original tread down to 3/32" remaining, or 3 years from the date of purchase. We have been offering this warranty for over 30 years. This Certificate for Free Replacement is unbeatable in the tire industry!

How do I redeem the Certificate for Free Replacement?
There are two convenient ways you can redeem this certificate:

1) Call any sales agent at Discount Tire Direct, tell them you had a tire problem and are covered under our Certificate for Free Replacement. A replacement* tire will be sent to you free of charge. At that time, you do have the option to purchase the Certificate for Free Replacement for the replacement tire.
Note: Discount Tire Direct reserves the right to have damaged tires returned for inspection.** This will be at the owner's expense.

2) You can go to any Discount Tire Company/America's Tire Company retail store. Their friendly staff will be happy to help you to get the replacement* tire you need.

Can I purchase the Certificate for Free Replacement after I buy tires?
If you have not purchased the Certificate for Free Replacement for your new tires, you have 30 days from the date of purchase to do so. You can do this by giving our courteous staff a call at 888-852-7476. Tell them you would like to buy the Certificate for Free Replacement for your tires. Remember, the sooner you call, the sooner you will be covered!

What do the Certificates for Free Replacement not cover?
Abnormal tire wear. Reasons for abnormal wear include a vehicle being out of alignment, suspension problems or improper tire inflation.

Damage caused by collision, vandalism, or willful abuse.

"Cupping" due to lack of rotation. Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 7,000 miles.

Tire(s) worn past the wear bar.

Labor in regards to mounting, balancing or bolting on of new tire(s).

What states are the retail outlets located?
Our parent company has outlets in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Washington.

*In the event the registered tire is discontinued or not available, a tire of similar value will be substituted.

**Please read "What is not covered" regarding inspection. Tires returned for inspection must pass those guidelines for credit to be issued.

 

[Chris142]

My mom had a flat yesterday I took the tire in to Pep Boys where she bought them. It had a small piece of wood in the sidewall so they would not patch it.

When mom bought the tires she bought the $5.00 per tire Road hazard warranty and this is the 2nd tire she has had to replace.

Cost $18.36 for a new tire