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I just did a four tire change which had ~11/32 on each tire at the cost cost of 38% of new retail for our RX. Really great condition tires. Had Lexus do the install and alignment.
Probably tires from wrecks. Car gets new tires, gets totaled a week later. Tires still have value, but since the original owner no longer has them, no warranty. No damage either. Or if not wrecks then just cars that get parted out.
Heck, I wonder how many of those tires are from returned tires. Buyer didn't like. Maybe one refused to balance, so they all got sent back; tire shop can't sell as new tires.
Probably tires from wrecks. Car gets new tires, gets totaled a week later. Tires still have value, but since the original owner no longer has them, no warranty. No damage either. Or if not wrecks then just cars that get parted out.
Heck, I wonder how many of those tires are from returned tires. Buyer didn't like. Maybe one refused to balance, so they all got sent back; tire shop can't sell as new tires.
New tires sold by legal resellers are sent back to their distributors.
The prorated refunds on new tires with warranties don't even come close as a credit to the prices paid for these tires. Paying $300 for $800 tires (costco price) imo is the better way to go. The only way I've gotten a new tire warranty to kick in was due to a recall. Other than that the warranty is rather useless (read all the fine print).
Are they sent back? Didn't know what. I figured some shops just ate the cost, at least sometimes. Shop dependent.
Last few times I've bought tires I figured the warranty wasn't worth much. I do my own rotations 'cuz I know when to pick a better time for myself, rather than during the work day (Sat or Sun morning), plus it allows me to check out things on/under the car. As long as I get a few good sets I'll be far enough ahead that I can eat the cost of a bad set, if it ever occurs.
What I hate is trying to figure out what tires to go with. A billion choices it seems.
Are they sent back? Didn't know what. I figured some shops just ate the cost, at least sometimes. Shop dependent.
Last few times I've bought tires I figured the warranty wasn't worth much. I do my own rotations 'cuz I know when to pick a better time for myself, rather than during the work day (Sat or Sun morning), plus it allows me to check out things on/under the car. As long as I get a few good sets I'll be far enough ahead that I can eat the cost of a bad set, if it ever occurs.
What I hate is trying to figure out what tires to go with. A billion choices it seems.
I look at the top 5 on Tirerack.com and read the ratings and comments looking for the best in snow and rain for most of my vehicles and for one that is all terrain. It's come down to Bridgestones, Michelins & Pirellis depending on the vehicle.
I wound up settling down on General RT43's on my cars. Reasonable balance of cost, life and performance. Michelin is probably better; slightly longer tire life, but more importantly, higher mpg. But the ones I had were absolutely junk in snow, while RT43's were ok in snow (at least when new).
[Got snow tires on most of my vehicles, so snow traction isn't as important as it once was.]
I wound up settling down on General RT43's on my cars. Reasonable balance of cost, life and performance. Michelin is probably better; slightly longer tire life, but more importantly, higher mpg. But the ones I had were absolutely junk in snow, while RT43's were ok in snow (at least when new).
[Got snow tires on most of my vehicles, so snow traction isn't as important as it once was.]
I used General Grabber HTS on my old Lex RX300's, but when I went up to newer Lex's the General didn't feel right with the newer suspensions.
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