What happened to cheap tires for a cheap car?

[krzyss]

Originally Posted By: Kira
EXACTLY MY POINT. If, out of inescapable processes only, we are to avoid a further diminution of our lifestyles, we need to upgrade our shared facilities and it needs to be done QUICKLY.

We NEED public transportation all over the place. Private vehicles are great but they're going to do nothing but get more expensive. We can hook up easily with all the communication capacity we have. If you need to call them Jitneys-go right ahead.

Subways, light rail and busses are going to be used all over the place. Use 'em, share 'em police 'em.

Can you imagine how much this threatens the "traditional man"? And this is only for transportation. Kira


Suburbs will need to move back to cities for public transportation to be feasible.

Krzys

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: KD0AXS
$200 total out the door for 4 tires mounted and balanced? The tires for my truck cost more than that EACH...not including mounting and balancing.


Were they dipped in gold?

Last tires I bought...OTD for about $450 (with alignment), four 215/75R15 Mastercraft snows.

 

[hattaresguy]

Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
Just to expand on the point Kira made.

China's growing economy has been causing all kinds of issues. When the folks who analyze such things tried to understand what was going on with tire raw material costs, China was always near the top of the list. Their ability to consume is just enormous. Oil, rubber, food, steel, water, air, etc. It is all a problem when your population is huge and you are trying to elevate your living standard to that of the rest of the world. They are competing for the same resources and the result is rising prices.

So plan on their being further problems. India is next and they have a similar situation.


X2

The tires for my truck OTD were just under $1k mounted and I got a deal, most places wanted $1,200.

 

[faramir9]

Good thread. Thanks. To be clear, the prices I quoted were after shopping for best deals and after all rebates; also figuring $60 for installation of tires ordered online, which might be low. Plus the highest-quality tire listed was an Altimax RT 43.

For John Q. strolling into a local tire shop with no research, no coupons or rebates, who asks for mid-level tires, the price would be much higher. ***That's*** why the prices depress me.

Looks like we won't get the Corolla after all. This has been fun, though.

 

[AdRock]

It would be nice to get out the door with 4 new tires for $200

The tires for my mustang were about $900 OTD. I'm running 2 315-35-17's and 2 275-40-17's

I was pleasantly surprised to see the Michelins I want to put on the F150 are only $146 a piece.

 

[Rylan]

I didn't get a chance to read thru all of the posts, but Sears carriers a line of Cooper "Response Touring" tire that is very underrated. I had two sets for my Accent.

First set of Coopers 13-inch size went on at 31K miles (replaced garbage OE Kumho tires) and wore great.
I replaced the OE 13-inch steelies with a 14-inch Kia Sephia alloys and another set of Cooper Response Touring 185/60/14. I believe the 13's still had between 4/32-5/32" after 40K miles.

Forgot to mention these Coopers are US-made and cost about $46/ea for 14-inch in 2010 ($33/ea for 13-inch in 2007).

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: faramir9


Looks like we won't get the Corolla after all. This has been fun, though.


You're skipping a car because of tire prices? Wow.

I have to admit, I've bought a $250 car, put a set of used tires on, taken pictures of said fantastic tires for the ad, gotten the car to pass inspection, and sold it for $1000.

 

[Shannow]

Should be the odd heap tyre here

http://www.vincelewis.net/unsoldcars.html

 

[KitaCam]

I made the decision to upsize from 15 to 17"ers when I saw that the difference between the two sizes for the same tire wasn't much more than $100 for the set...glad I made the move, performance-wise....

As I write this it occurs to me that $100 over 30k miles is $.0033/mile, 1/3¢ per mile...good/better tires are pretty cheap to upgrade from really cheap tires.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Should be the odd heap tyre here

http://www.vincelewis.net/unsoldcars.html


That article is a load of rubbish.

Can't they use any pictures that show something newer than 10 year old Honda Accords and Dodge Durangos?

 

[Kestas]

Some 10 years ago I bought four new Kumho tires from TireRack for my Ford ZX2 for $160, delivered to my door. I did the mounting and balancing, so that was my total cost. I'll never see such pricing again. They lasted 35K.

 

[Volvohead]

To the OP:

Find a mechanic friend and take him to the boneyard with you. You can find plenty of older economy/compact cars with newer parts on them, including tires. It is more common than you think that people just like you start fixing an "economy" ride, something beyond their budget goes on it, and they give up on them.

I've one mechanic friend who does precisely this with his second car. He found two pairs of practically new 14s for about $7 ea. last time out. For a case of beer, a nice mechanic buddy will also mount and balance them for you.

Otherwise, getting a set of four new tires of decent quality OTD for under $200 from a shop is just about impossible.

 

[faramir9]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: faramir9


Looks like we won't get the Corolla after all. This has been fun, though.


You're skipping a car because of tire prices? Wow.

I have to admit, I've bought a $250 car, put a set of used tires on, taken pictures of said fantastic tires for the ad, gotten the car to pass inspection, and sold it for $1000.


Not because of the tires. More general age and mileage, plus it has a Reconstructed title. Not in a great place right now, but the sun'll come out someday.

 

[faramir9]

Originally Posted By: Volvohead
To the OP:

Find a mechanic friend and take him to the boneyard with you. You can find plenty of older economy/compact cars with newer parts on them, including tires. It is more common than you think that people just like you start fixing an "economy" ride, something beyond their budget goes on it, and they give up on them.

I've one mechanic friend who does precisely this with his second car. He found two pairs of practically new 14s for about $7 ea. last time out. For a case of beer, a nice mechanic buddy will also mount and balance them for you.

Otherwise, getting a set of four new tires of decent quality OTD for under $200 from a shop is just about impossible.


Thanks. Good idea. As of now, it looks like we will not get the Corolla with the near-bald tires. But if we do, your idea sounds good.