Tire Rack was supposed ot be cheaper??! (brakes, trucks, purchase)
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Everyone touted how much you cna save through tire rack.
I looked up Blizzack ws70 tires for one of our cars. $155 plus shipping. Then you have to pay for installation and balance $20 per tire, old tire disposal fee $5 per tire. All said sand done basically $200 per tire. Belle tire price $115 complete everything including a warranty and if something goes wrong, I just take it back to them. I do not need to ship it anywhere. Belle tire is probably not the cheapest alternative. I have several more places to check.
Why do people tout tire rack as a good thing?
Hmmmmm $155 + 20 + 5 = $200 New math.
But, that doesn't really address your question. I have 11 vehicles taking every manner of tires you can imagine and I price the tires all over the place every time. I have bought 4 sets of tire in 2011 alone. TR is always at least a break even. I can believe that TR might be over on a specific tire, but 30%? I don't think so. So, you did something wrong, but what?
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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A discerning shopper looks around.
this week I had to buy from 'discounttires', as they were 20% less than TR for same 80k model Kumho. Ironically. I only bought one online,, as I got three locally from a very shoestring tire shop operator (in business since 1940's). I would have got 4 from him, but warehouse couldn't find anymore.
It was a wash, but I always support local businesses first (since I am a commercial building owner and ENJOY getting rents paid by profitable local businesses.)
Actually, I have my own tire machine and balancer, and often buy 'new' used tires for $5 each. BUT... I got a rare profit sharing check and wanted to support the local economy.
Shop around to your heart's content, at least we (USA) have a choice (temporarily)
Where Tirerack makes a big difference is not on tires alone. You may be able to buy tires at Sam's Club, Walmart, and a lot of other places cheaper than Tirererack. But if you buy a set or 4-5 wheels, plus the tires, plus the tire sensors, nobody around can compete with Tirerack.
For example, I bought a set of four 17" Blizzak tires, four Sport (F-7) aluminum alloy wheels, plus four tire sensors from Tirerack. Delivery via FedEx to my door step in Alaska cost around $332.00. The total cost for the tire plus delivery was around $1,500.
The wheels cost $99.00 each, and each came with a center cap, lug nuts, alignment ring installed, and a socket for all the tires. The four sensors cost around $308.00 total, and came installed on the wheels. The tires cost around $123.00 each, and came installed on the wheels and balanced. The weights used to balance the wheels are glued-on in the inside surface of the wheels, not the big and ugly lead weights used at most tire shops. Each tire was labeled in accordance to wheel rotation (drivers side, passenger side), with a set of installation instructions and a manual. Tire mounting, sensor installation, and balance is free at Tirerack.
It would have cost me over $2,100 to buy and have the same set of tires/wheel/sensor package installed on my wife's Rav 4 in Fairbanks, Alaska. Just the tires cost $187.00 each up here, and I would have to pay around $150.00 each just for one steel (not aluminum alloy) wheel. The sensors would have cost me around $175.00 each, plus mounting, balancing, and the rest.
But, that doesn't really address your question. I have 11 vehicles taking every manner of tires you can imagine and I price the tires all over the place every time. I have bought 4 sets of tire in 2011 alone. TR is always at least a break even. I can believe that TR might be over on a specific tire, but 30%? I don't think so. So, you did something wrong, but what?
You left out shipping.
Declaring that TR isn't less expensive based on one tire leaves out the pricing effect of the other 2.7 million tires TR has sold this year.
Knowing Tire Rack as well as Belle Tire, I am not at all surprised that Belle Tire beats TR's price. I've noticed that some tires are cheaper on TR and others are more expensive than what I can get locally. Last set I bought locally was $50 a set lower than I could get the tires and have them delivered from TR. That isn't even including the mounting and balancing which was included in the local price and would add even more from TR.
I usually buy from Discount Tire because they are close enough to the TR price that the hassle of finding an installer for TR tires isn't worth it.
But TR easily has the best selection. And if you call them, their people have great advice. Way better than local stores that usually only want to push what is in stock. So I sometimes buy from TR for unusual sizes (like for my NSX) where their selection is much better.
NTB is bottom of the barrel. Borderline unethical the way that advertise sales ("50% off if you buy an alignment")
So far in recent years with 3 sets I have purchased in the past 5 years, in all cases Tire Rack came in much lower than local dealers and in any case like a lot of things, it's easier for me to order online. Each time they turned up next day. Easy peasy.
Like anything shop around, but overall TR is competitive.
Where Tirerack makes a big difference is not on tires alone. You may be able to buy tires at Sam's Club, Walmart, and a lot of other places cheaper than Tirererack. But if you buy a set or 4-5 wheels, plus the tires, plus the tire sensors, nobody around can compete with Tirerack.
This is what I was going to say....
Quote:
Originally Posted by hoffdano
But TR easily has the best selection. And if you call them, their people have great advice. Way better than local stores that usually only want to push what is in stock. [/i]")
...and this. Even if I end up buying from my local Discount Tire or elsewhere, to try and get some advice from them is near impossible. It's like they are in constant movement because they want to make the next sale. They also try or sell you something other than what you came in for, not because it's a better option, but because they don't have what you want in stock.
The people at Tire Rack know what they are talking about.
I just take the Tire Rack/Tire Monkey/Tire Discounter online price (including shipping) and associated fees to the Dealership and they've price matched them without question. Smart businesses would rather have some money than no money.
I just take the Tire Rack/Tire Monkey/Tire Discounter online price (including shipping) and associated fees to the Local Dealership (which carries that brand) and they've price matched them without question. Smart businesses would rather have some money than no money.
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