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Tire Rack has been awesome for me, used them several times.
The thing about the local tire shop, is they will have maybe ~10 tires on their shelf. TR gives me the choice of 100s. It's like shopping at Amazon vs shopping at 7-Eleven.
If you have average/commodity tires on your basic sedan/econo box, the price is probably a wash. But if you have special needs (ie 35/45 series tires) or big goofy 22" rims, TR will give you much more selection than your local shop. TR will destroy the local shop in 15 years, the same way Barnes n Noble destroyed the local independant bookstore, and Starbucks destroyed the local independant coffee house.
The reason why I care so much, is that tires are an "infrequent" and "expensive" purchase. My last car would run $1000 easy for those 35 series tires, and my current car its ~$600 from TR vs $850 from [Pep Boys, Discount Tire, Americas Tire, Big O, Joselitos Tijuana Used Tires, etc]
Competition, it's good for the consumer. When I can buy a CAR off Amazon by checking the boxes in my web browser, Utopia will be here.
Local national chains have the same inventory Tire Rack has. Unless you live near a distribution center that has the tire in stock you will still have to wait a few days. Same thing as going into Discount Tire and ordering from them. If they don't have it in stock you can get it in a few days. So regardless you will have to wait a few days. Honestly easier to just price match TR with Discount Tire as you will be using them to install the tire anyways.
My POINT was that if you have to do everything by mail order, it takes TIME and EFFORT. Equals inconvenience.
If DT tires--yes, I know, they don't make tires either!!!!!!--would not balance, I would drive back over to DT and deal with it.
Did you post just to post, or were you serious?
Discount tire isn't local to us here. It'd be like me saying to go to Town Fair Tire. Or Les Schwab. They are regional. For me Discount Tire is only Discount Tire Direct, an online ordering place. JUST the same as Tire Rack.
But, you are acting like it's Tire Rack's fault the tires wouldn't balance so that's the last tire you'd buy from them. Which is stupid. It takes time to go back to your regional center and have it out with them as well, and wait until they ship the tires to the local store, too.
I just went though a road hazard tire warranty situation with Tire rack and it was easy and simple. As easy as if I had bought form that local shop.
Local national chains have the same inventory Tire Rack has. Unless you live near a distribution center that has the tire in stock you will still have to wait a few days.
I strongly disagree, based on my experience.
From clicking 'submit' on my TR order, to delivery on my doorstep was 16 hours. I may benefit from being near a major hub/warehouse, but TR works for me, and has earned my repeat business.
Tire Rack has been awesome for me, used them several times.
The thing about the local tire shop, is they will have maybe ~10 tires on their shelf. TR gives me the choice of 100s. It's like shopping at Amazon vs shopping at 7-Eleven.
If you have average/commodity tires on your basic sedan/econo box, the price is probably a wash. But if you have special needs (ie 35/45 series tires) or big goofy 22" rims, TR will give you much more selection than your local shop. TR will destroy the local shop in 15 years, the same way Barnes n Noble destroyed the local independant bookstore, and Starbucks destroyed the local independant coffee house.
The reason why I care so much, is that tires are an "infrequent" and "expensive" purchase. My last car would run $1000 easy for those 35 series tires, and my current car its ~$600 from TR vs $850 from [Pep Boys, Discount Tire, Americas Tire, Big O, Joselitos Tijuana Used Tires, etc]
Competition, it's good for the consumer. When I can buy a CAR off Amazon by checking the boxes in my web browser, Utopia will be here.
Actually I've shopped 40 or 45 series tires a few times in the last year. DT and others have a similar selection to TR. If it's not upstairs, it's in the warehouse and can be in the store in days.
Tires are tires. Shipping is shipping.
IF you can get the same brand a line, shipped, mounted, and balanced for 250 bucks less at TR you may be shopping at Sears. I've shopped tires for many years, TR has gradually lost their advantage which is why I no longer use them. There is no advantage to me, and numerous disadvantages.
TR does not equal Amazon.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiffer E38
Discount tire isn't local to us here. It'd be like me saying to go to Town Fair Tire. Or Les Schwab. They are regional. For me Discount Tire is only Discount Tire Direct, an online ordering place. JUST the same as Tire Rack.
But, you are acting like it's Tire Rack's fault the tires wouldn't balance so that's the last tire you'd buy from them. Which is stupid. It takes time to go back to your regional center and have it out with them as well, and wait until they ship the tires to the local store, too.
I just went though a road hazard tire warranty situation with Tire rack and it was easy and simple. As easy as if I had bought form that local shop.
OK, choose your local tire emporium. I too did not use DT when it was not a local company. I used other companies, or TR because that was then and now is now.
If you interpret my comments as BLAMING TR for the balance issue, you are very far off target.
I was simply pointing out the massive inconvenience and lack of rationality TR vs. locals. If you read the post, TR had me drive 30 miles to some truck stop so some guy could look at a tire in the trunk and say, "Yeah, those won't balance." AFTER I'd had the set road force balanced four or five times at the local shop, which BTW TR paid for. Talk about stupid.
I went to Mr. Tire . Yes TR was cheaper but I all so got a four wheel alignment and Road hazard warranty and the new tire sensors that are required for all cars all for 800 hundred as I said before.TR can't help with that an many companies won't install if you don't buy from them.Just a heads up.
Just busted 1 tire and dealership would've cost $165 (tire and mounting) and had to wait 2 days for them to get the tire that matches the other 3 on the car. I bought the same tire for $102 incl shipping at TR, got it mounted at a local auto repair shop for $25. Savings of almost $40 vs dealership, plus TR came with free road haz warranty for 2 yrs. Similar wait time. Luckily I had a full size spare to use in the meantime.
Just busted 1 tire and dealership would've cost $165 (tire and mounting) and had to wait 2 days for them to get the tire that matches the other 3 on the car. I bought the same tire for $102 incl shipping at TR, got it mounted at a local auto repair shop for $25. Savings of almost $40 vs dealership, plus TR came with free road haz warranty for 2 yrs. Similar wait time. Luckily I had a full size spare to use in the meantime.
Your first mistake was going to the dealership. There is markup everywhere with them, especially tires. Dealership prices will always be higher.
Go to a dedicated local tire shop (family or chain) and chances are they probably would have had your tire in stock and price matched Tire Rack.
I'm still confused why someone would go the the dealership for non-warranty items like tires, batteries, etc that are readily available everywhere else.
Your first mistake was going to the dealership. There is markup everywhere with them, especially tires. Dealership prices will always be higher.
Go to a dedicated local tire shop (family or chain) and chances are they probably would have had your tire in stock and price matched Tire Rack.
I'm still confused why someone would go the the dealership for non-warranty items like tires, batteries, etc that are readily available everywhere else.
. I did not go to the dealership.... Why would I when a phone call gets me the info I need. I called for pricing because that's where the tow truck would have taken me had I not have a spare - I used the Toyota roadside assistance that came free with the car when the flat Happened. I went to my trusted local mechanic and they not only did not have the particular tire in stock, their supplier did not carry it either. I told them TR had it and they were happy for me to bring in the tire from TR once it arrives and mounted it for me. So your mistake is assuming other people don't know better.
. I did not go to the dealership.... Why would I when a phone call gets me the info I need. I called for pricing because that's where the tow truck would have taken me had I not have a spare - I used the Toyota roadside assistance that came free with the car when the flat Happened. I went to my trusted local mechanic and they not only did not have the particular tire in stock, their supplier did not carry it either. I told them TR had it and they were happy for me to bring in the tire from TR once it arrives and mounted it for me. So your mistake is assuming other people don't know better.
I'm also a mind reader. Glad you put this info in your initial post
I just checked Tirerack again and the price of the tire I bought went down compared to what I paid 3 wks ago. A quick phone call and CS rep said I'll get a credit of the diff. Really awesome customer service.
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