Buying tires online

[crfuller1958]

I apologize if this belongs in another area. Just wondering if anyone has bought tires online? And if so, where and why? Is there a savings to be had by doing this?

[chadgilbertson]

My take - You end up having to pay for mounting and balancing, plus future rotations, hazards, etc.. when buying on-line. Not to mention potential delivery issues.......

If you go to Discount Tire or a simmilar place all that is in the upfront costs...

For what it's worth!

[Coondog]

I did it on a Z28 I used to have. I don't exactly remember, but decent tires ran about $250-300 each. As I remember, I got BFG Comp T/As for $150 ea. It worked well. I got a great price on great tires. Delivery was a nightmare though. It is best to have them delivered to a commercial address. In my case, they required a signature, since I work, it was an issue.

TireRack.com was who and I saved about $150 per tire.

It cost about $20 per tire to have them mounted an balanced.

The price savings far outweighed any other issue.

[crfuller1958]

I've heard about tire rack, and checked out their site/prices. Obviously, you'd have to have the tires mounted/balanced/stems/etc. I guess I was mostly just curious as to anyone experiences buying online. Mainly the shipping aspect. The tires I was kind of pricing out would have been about $250 plus another $45 for shipping...$300 give or take. Then another $80 -$100 to have them put on my rims. I just don't know if you end up saving anything after it's all said and done. I'm not real crazy about Tires Plus or Discount Tire, which are the main two places in my area. Thanks for the replies.

[Vaindetta]

if you have an oddball tire size and you happen to know someone who owns a shop and can mount them for you....Yes, you can probably come out ahead. Otherwise you might as well just spend 200 bucks at walmart for some cheapo tires and have them install em.

[Matt95GT]

I purchased my last 3 sets of tires online and saved lots of money.

Retail tires = high markup, very limited selection. (E.g., only carry certain types so they can "upsell" you more expensive tires)

Tirerack.com is reliable and fast. Good info and reviews. Their prices are sometimes mediocre, but cheaper than retail.

edgeracing.com I also recommend. Very good prices on some of the hotter tire models on the market, and they were also quick to ship.

Watch for some of the small/shady online sellers though... not all sellers are created equal.

Another trick - some retail tire stores will price match well-known online tire stores. For example, NTB will honor Tirerack prices, only if they carry that same tire though.

Originally posted by chadgilbertson
My take - You end up having to pay for mounting and balancing, plus future rotations, hazards, etc.. when buying on-line. Not to mention potential delivery issues.......

If you go to Discount Tire or a simmilar place all that is in the upfront costs...

For what it's worth!

You pay for mounting and balancing at brick-and-mortar tire stores too.

Hazard warranties are useless. The one time I made that mistake, they wouldn't honor it because my damaged tire model was discontinued (last years model) and I would have had to pay for the "new upgraded version" plus it would have meant replacing at least 2. Plus they are pro-rated. It still costs you money either way.

Never had delivery problems, even to my apartment complex. In fact, Tire rack has distro warehouses all over... never took longer than 2 days from purchase to receiving tires.

[Matt95GT]

Originally posted by killer1958
The tires I was kind of pricing out would have been about $250 plus another $45 for shipping...$300 give or take. Then another $80 -$100 to have them put on my rims. I just don't know if you end up saving anything after it's all said and done.

You'll make up for shipping charges in markup savings.
Example: I just got tires from Edgeracing...
$75 each x4
Shipping was $35
Mounting/balancing was $74

The only local place carrying that model tire (actually last years version of it) wanted $30 more a piece, plus they didn't stock my size.

[sunrunner_pei]

I had a great experience ordering my new BFG tires from Tirerack.com, and saved over $250 from buying the set locally. I'll do it again. :)

[mattcow]

Shawn, any extra fees for the US to Canada shipping?

[sunrunner_pei]

I had them shipped to a US address in Maine, and had a good friend pick them up for me. I had to pay a small fee at the border, but that was figured into the savings posted above. :)

[jonnythan]

I buy all my tires online now.

When you buy in-store, you still have to pay for mounting and balancing anyway. I saved a ton of dough by buying online.

Tirerack.com got me the tires *the next day* too.

[Grand_Damn]

i bought my rims/tires from wheelmax.

when i bought mines, it was free mount and balance...

never had issues with delivery either...though it was delivered to the front office.

[thegrimone]

75 to 200 for mounting and balancing? Damn you guys are going to the wrong place, I got the 4 yokos on the car done at the local yoko dealer for $20 installed on the car.

I'm going back there to get my toyos put on in a few days, I will let you know then how much they want for a brand they don't sell, the only reason I'm going there in the first place is they sell many big chrome rims so I know they can handle my 17" without scratches.

[jonnythan]

Originally posted by thegrimone
75 to 200 for mounting and balancing? Damn you guys are going to the wrong place, I got the 4 yokos on the car done at the local yoko dealer for $20 installed on the car.

I'm going back there to get my toyos put on in a few days, I will let you know then how much they want for a brand they don't sell, the only reason I'm going there in the first place is they sell many big chrome rims so I know they can handle my 17" without scratches.
They must be getting nitrogen fills ;)

[crfuller1958]

I can get the tires I'm looking at thru Tire Rack for just under $300, including the shipping costs. The cheapest I can get them mounted and balanced in my area is approx $60-$70 bucks. So I'm looking at about $360 total...give or take. I can get the same tires at a Mr Tire locally for just about the same price. They include the mounting and balancing, stems/etc, in their price. Don't know which way I'm going to go yet, still checking out options.