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I think paying over a thousand bucks for tires is ridiculous. I wouldn't go as cheap as the OP's example because of safety concerns, but I know I could get good tires for way closer to what the OP is paying than the girlfriend.
Of course, if I were interested in saving money, and I am, I wouldn't be driving a BMW.
But Mitch, not everyone has oodles of money to have the opportunity to live in a Lexus commercial. "Mmmmmm yessss, please poss the crumpets"
I dont' throw money at the car issue, I use my brain.
The M3 - Maybe $15K in it, probably worth $17K or more now, 5 years after I bought it...this is the E30 "real" M3 - Moderate investment, appreciating not depreciating. Typical tire price is $90-110 per tire, these are V-rated tires built more for grip than for longevity - but I don't daily drive the car, so the operating expense is small.
The MG - Bought for $2000, maybe worth $4 now, after I fixed many electrical issues, vacuum leaks, etc. Paint is dull and shabby, overall it's got a lot of "patina" to put a positive spin on it, but it's a fun car for warmer days, the correct size tire is available only from Vredstien or Michelin, about $70 per tire, but they will last about 50K. Again no big deal.
The Scirocco - main daily driver, the Black Rat is in dull "rat rod" black primer, everything except the reverse lights and the A/C work, plans to fix those too, bought for $1000 with severe tuneup issues but rebuilt engine, new clutch, new but cheap brakes all round, new but horrible Firestone tires all round. Have mostly sweat equity in this car, hard to say what it would be worth, would depend on finding the right buyer. But the car will do 80 all day long, 33-35 MPG, good handler, fun to drive, can get an excellent summer tire for it for $45 each. Right now I'm finishing off some old Michelin Symmetry tires that I got with a spare set of factory alloys, they were already mounted and balanced, they roll OK, so I might as well use them up...
Tires are not expensive on a per-mile basis, the problem is you typically buy 20K or more (usually much more) "worth" of tires at a time. Add up what you spend on gas in 50K miles. At 33 MPG, and assuming an average $3/gallon price, the Scirocco goes through $9 worth of gas in 100 miles, 90 in 1000, $900 in 10,000, so $4500 is my gasoline bill for the same mileage that uses up $180 for 4 tires. I can just see some business major saying "but that's more than the car's worth...". I just love the smell of sawdust burning in the morning...
Anyway, unless you suddenly drive through a hornet's nest of roofing nails and kill all 4 tires unexpectedly, you should not be caught unawares by what your tires will cost you, and when you will need them.
It's called planning ahead, and is obviously in short supply in today's USA. .
$700 wow, I recently paid $67 out the door per tire for some very good tires for my wife's CRV. Have had them on for a year now and love thier handling in dry and wet conditions. I paid $100 a tire for tires for my Tacoma P265/70-R16's and love them. You do not need to pay $150 plus for a good tire. There are lots of good ones out there for under $100 for most common sizes.
True. People need to learn how to shop around, wheel and deal. Sometimes you can even talk them down a little. In todays market you gotta be willing to try to talk people down if the price is out of range. Works for me...usually.
I just happened to buy new tires for my car today. I got basic name-brand tires in a 175/70/13 mounted and balanced for $220. So far they make the car drive muuuuch better. It almost feels like I have power steering now!
OK, so today I was made to feel like some primative being who just crawled out of cave. I drive a stick-shift 2004 Scion Xa. No frills, bells, or whistles. It's basic transportation at it's best, guaranteed to get you from point A to point B as safely and economically as modernly possible. And as far as I can see, this is all I need.
My (new) girlfriend, on the other hand, drives a BMW 328i. After a recent date (in which we drove her car), I suggested she take it to a mechanic and have them check for a bad bearing or bad tires. She took her car to a local BMW dealership and waited for me to pick her up. Upon arriving, I asked the service manager what the problem was. He informed me the car needed new tires. I asked him for the replacement cost. He smiled and said..."One thousand two-hundred eighty-six dollars ($1,286)!"
I said...."WHAT??? Supposedly these are some kind of "run flat" tires. Didn't know such an animal existed.
I called the place where I've gotten my tires for 12 years. Their cost? $923. Still expensive but at least $363 less. We got the tires at my place.
I was dumbfounded by this exhorbitant price. Even though my GF is not hurting monetarily, I think it's a God aweful waste to spend that kind of money on tires. Makes me really appreciate my cheap little car.
BTW, total replacement of my four tires this year??? $200!!! Priceless!!!
Do your research !!! You don't have to be a mechanic to understand things. Go online, check out a BMW forum read and learn as much as you can so that you can't be taken advantage of. I understand (well actually I don't) that a vehicle for some is just something that gets them from point to point, but you still need to know something about it. I just couldn't imagine being so vulnerable to not know anything about something I am operating or trusting my life too.
Oh and the tire thing, well I believe you get what you pay for.
Last edited by scarabchuck; 12-24-2009 at 07:02 AM..
Those of you that are getting tires installed somewhere for less than $200 (not stolen Chinese POS tires please) can you post where you're finding this? This week I'm putting a new set on my son's 96 Blazer, hubby's '02 Explorer and my '93 Miata. Even my Miata I can't find them installed with all the stupid taxes and fees for less than $400!!
As for the rest, I won't skimp on my tires but I also won't pay a crazy amount of top of the line either. When I bought my Eclipse, my mechanic said the tires on them were worth over $800 each. Give me a break! I put a set of tires on for $125 per tire and they were wonderful. Not bottom tier, not top tier, but still quite safe.
Those of you that are getting tires installed somewhere for less than $200 (not stolen Chinese POS tires please) can you post where you're finding this? This week I'm putting a new set on my son's 96 Blazer, hubby's '02 Explorer and my '93 Miata. Even my Miata I can't find them installed with all the stupid taxes and fees for less than $400!!
As for the rest, I won't skimp on my tires but I also won't pay a crazy amount of top of the line either. When I bought my Eclipse, my mechanic said the tires on them were worth over $800 each. Give me a break! I put a set of tires on for $125 per tire and they were wonderful. Not bottom tier, not top tier, but still quite safe.
I get mine from Tirerack.com. I have them shipped to me, and take them to a shop I deal with to have them installed and balanced. (I pay about $12 for each tire to get installed). It's not at a major chain, but they have all the equipment, and they charge me way less. Last time, I had a set of 15" tires (Kuhmo Ecstas) from tire rack at $46 each, paid shipping $38, then paid $48 to install them. In total I paid $270. Great deal imho. Give Tire Rack a look. They have endless choices.
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"Mmmmmm yessss, please poss the crumpets"
. I just love the smell of sawdust burning in the morning...
wow, I recently paid $67 out the door per tire for some very good tires for my wife's CRV. Have had them on for a year now and love thier handling in dry and wet conditions. I paid $100 a tire for tires for my Tacoma P265/70-R16's and love them. You do not need to pay $150 plus for a good tire. There are lots of good ones out there for under $100 for most common sizes.
No receipt= No sale occurred. No sales tax to be paid to the state, no federal income tax to be paid, etc............
