Tire dealer vs. discount store

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If you purchase new tires and say in 3,000 miles one or more is defective for some reason will a box store like Wall Mart even do anything for you or do you have deal directly with the tire manufacture? I know tire specific shops will usually work with you to fix the issue.
 
Goodyear's walmart only tires (viva) are warrantied through/ by walmart. Their main-line tires you can get fixed anywhere.
 
Well, you will need to read and ask about the warranty policy of the tire store of choice. And ask about the tire manufacture defect policy.

Pick a store that you feel good about. If this is one of your concerns, do some asking so you feel comfortable.

I believe most tire stores will work with their customers during a tire(s) quality defect. Manufacture defects is what most tires are covered for! Road Hazard Warranty(RHW) is something that is up to the buyer to consider. Most shops will also cover flat repairs for free when buying their tires.
 
Originally Posted By: Camprunner
If you purchase new tires and say in 3,000 miles one or more is defective for some reason will a box store like Wall Mart even do anything for you or do you have deal directly with the tire manufacture? I know tire specific shops will usually work with you to fix the issue.


It really depends on the situation. The discount store will certainly warrant the tires THEY sell and distribute. The example of the Goodyear Viva tires at Walmart is a good one. The Michelin Defender XT at Sam's or Costco or BJs is another. Often times, these places really aren't tire "dealers" in the sense that they can sell and service any tire under the sun. To be sure, if you have a defect with a Goodyear Viva 2, Walmart will help you out. Just as if you have a defect with a Michelin Defender XT, Sam's or BJs or Costco will help you out. But you really can't bring in, say, a Bridgestone Dueler that Sam's doesn't sell and hope they can get a replacement Bridgestone for you.

If you buy your tires at Walmart, any Walmart should be able to warrant your tires. If it's a non-Walmart tire that you buy at Walmart, such as a Continental ProConact EcoPlus for example, any Walmart PLUS any Continental tire dealer should be able to help you out.
 
I am not a big fan of buying tires at big box stores such as WalMart. Those folks are commodity sellers and their level of expertise is very low (as a general rule). If you have a problem their solution is to replace, rather than fix - and in the case of vibrations, sometimes replacing tires isn't what is needed.

As has been pointed out, the tires sold at big box sores are generally not the same tire sold at a tire dealer, so any warranty issues have to be handled at the same stor you purchased the tires from - and if asked, the tire manufacturer will direct you there.

And lastly I want to comment on tire returns. Far and away, most tire returns are for vibration. These are not "defective" in the sense that there is something in the tire that shouldn't be there - or something that should be there, but isn't. No it's more about degree - generally of uniformity (think "round" and you'll be close).

Vehicles have differing degrees of sensitivity to vibration, so it's difficult to set a spec - and the tighter the spec, the more difficult it is to manufacture a tire to that spec.

Some tire manufacturers measure every tire and some only sample.

So when it comes to big box stores, I tend to stay away from those for pretty much everything - although in today's environment, it's hard to avoid. Lowes and Home Depot have pretty much killed the local hardware store.
 
This totally depends on the store you're talking about.

If you buy a tire at a chain store (Walmart or a tire chain), rest assured that you should be able to get warranty service at any location.

In theory, any tire seller that is a dealer of a certain brand will be able to warranty tires of that brand, whether purchased at that seller or not. But it doesn't always work that way. Some stores won't warranty tires they didn't sell.

Originally Posted By: Camprunner
will a box store like Wall Mart even do anything for you or do you have deal directly with the tire manufacture? I know tire specific shops will usually work with you to fix the issue.

Some brands don't have company-owned stores, so any warranty service will be handled by a company through a local dealer.
 
You really have to ask detailed questions from the seller.

A few years ago a friend bought a set of tires from the Les Schwab tire chain, a large regional western chain. The tires they sold him were private label made by Goodyear. One came apart, took off a fender and brake parts. Schawb made him send the tire to Goodyear and wait for Goodyear to compensate him. He finally got his money including the repair cost, but I thought that was a shabby way for Schwab to do business. My friend never had a business relationship with Goodyear. He did business with Schwab, and Schawb did business with Goodyear. Schwab should have made things right with him.

"...our business has been about earning your trust. We strive to bring you the best selection, quality and service every time you walk through the doors."
http://lesschwab.com/
 
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