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tire buying info

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by jaw444, Jan 10, 2009.

  1. jaw444

    jaw444 Member

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    I read some threads about tires on these forums. My car needs new tires and i was just going to replace them with the same kind but saw that some posters mentioned that the stock tires were not the best for handling and safety, leading to research of the subject. Apparently there are several good choices.
    I decided on the widely recommended goodyear assurance Triple Treads, 195 width.

    So now, hopefully tomorrow or sunday, i need to find a place to buy these tires and have them installed.

    I know that this is a naive question but i would appreciate some advice or perspective on where to buy or not buy them. I expect that buying on line would be the best price, but i would like to get them this weekend. This time of year, i never know when there might be rain, haven't seen any yet since i got the car, but not being that used to the car, with the tread down to 5/32 ande 6/32, i just want to get it done ASAP.

    I expect that buying them and having them installed at the Toyota dealer would be the most expensive, right?

    In the past, all my life really, i've gotten tires at Sears, my dad got me started on it, because they had a good guarantee that they stood behind. I looked on the Sears website and didn't see the tires i want, they had ComfortTread but not TripleTread. Also, the way the economy is, i'm not sure Sears is still going to be there in a few months. It feels kind of like the 80s when all those business that had always been part of the landscape forever suddenly disappeared.

    There are various tire places around here, one that's in walking distance.

    If you get tires that come with a guarantee, like 60,000 mi or 80,000, if your tire blows, do you have to come to the place where you bought it for replacement, or is the warranty through the tire company and covered at any store that sells those tires?

    One time with my Accord, instead of going to Sears, i had the Honda dealer replace one tire that had a problem, i always got the ones that came on the car, they were Michelins, i don't know which model, i always got them replaced at Sears. After i got the tire at the Honda agency, it developed a problem, it was damaged on the road. They told me there is no warranty on tires they sell. I was shocked to hear that. After some back and forth, with a higher level manager involved, they agreed to replace the tire, i was a long time customer there, but they told me that tire would not have any guarantee.

    i realize there's a lot i don't know about buying tires.
     
  2. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

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    I've gotten the TripleTreds twice at Goodyear dealers, and once from TireRack.com.

    Given that you want them now, I'd check out local Goodyear dealers:

    Los Angeles Area Goodyear Tire Stores | Latest Promotion

    I'd try to get them to at least match the current TireRack.com price for size 195/60/15 (make sure you get this size which is a lot closer to the diameter/rotational size of the OEM tires than the 195/65/15 size), which is $101 each, plus shipping (usually about $35) and installation (about $60).

    Note that there's a current promotion -- buy 4 TripleTreds, get $40 groceries rebate in the mail.

    Whoever you get to install new tires, make sure to tell them that the wheels have the tire pressure monitoring sensors.

    Good luck.
     
  3. jaw444

    jaw444 Member

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    Thanks Tom, that's the info i needed.
    so,
    I found a Goodyear place (Discount Tires) that has them in stock, or can get them in a couple of hours. It's expensive compared to what i was hoping for, $129.95 a tire, plus all the stuff, disposal, valve stems, road hazard warranty, also he said on the Prius, it's recommended to replace the grommets, whatever that means. Out the door it's $695. I called around locally and didn't find anything better. Sears for example was $139.95 a tire before everything. Discount Tires is a chain where i can get service at any of their stores so, that's something i was wanting.

    In the threads i read on this forum about what the prices were, they were closer to $100 - $115 a tire. But i guess those might've been online prices. Also, those threads weren't that recent. Since then, there was the fuel crisis that drove prices on everything up. I live in the Los angeles area. That probably affects the price of things. most things are more expensive here.

    The first place i called didn't have the tires and couldn't get them til Monday. He was trying to sell me some Michelin Primus MXV4 tires instead. They were only $113 a tire. He said they were better, quieter.

    The TireTrack price for the Triple Treads with road hazard warranty is about $113. With shipping, the price is a little over $500.

    How much should installation run if i bring my own tires? I called a place called Just Tires and they said installation would be $100 for 4 tires. That would be before tax. Also, i didn't tell him i have a Prius with the tire pressure sensors and grommet replacement, maybe it would be more.

    Do you just take it to any tire place to have them installed, like a Goodyear dealer?

    If i ordered them online, would i have them delivered to my address or to the place where i want to have them installed?

    Based on the $500 including shipping for the tires from TireTrack, assuming no tax (?), and $100 or so for installation, it sounds like i'd save between $50 and $100 that way. If TireTrack charges any tax, the savings would be less. Not sure if i would have to pay more to dispose of the old tires.

    I think I'll probably just have it done at the local Discount Tires place, today, get it done, that would be worth something to me. He said it only takes 45 minutes, an hour max.

    Is it right that the grommets should be replaced?
     
  4. Scrittibear

    Scrittibear Junior Member

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    Wallace and grommets anyone? What'sa grommet?????
     
  5. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

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    The TireRack.com site will give you a list of approved installers in your area and their prices. If you find someone acceptable to you, then you can "drop ship" the tires directly to that installer.

    When I bought mine from TireRack.com, there were several approved installers in my area that installed the tires for $15 a tire. I found one a few blocks from my house, and drop shipped the tires directly to it. If I recall correctly, the installer called me when the tires arrived. Back then the price per tire was like $90 each, plus shipping costs of $35, plus the $60 installation charge, for a total cost of around $450 (no tax, except on the $60 installation).

    You don't need grommets, valves, stems or any of that stuff (in fact, I think that part of the tire pressure sensor system is in or on the valve/stem of your wheel -- so you definitely don't want new ones of those). You just have to tell the installer about the tire pressure sensors and that they should be careful not to damage them when removing the old and installing the new tires. If any tire pressure sensor gets damaged, it'll cost well over a hundred dollars to install a new one.

    Good luck.

    EDIT: BTW, in the long run, you can expect around a 2 mpg drop in your gas mileage from the bump up to the wider 195 mm tread width.
     
  6. jaw444

    jaw444 Member

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    Uh oh. I got the tires before seeing your post Tom. I'm looking on my invoice. It says they put 4 new valve stems on. eek.

    Does that for sure mean i no longer have tire pressure sensors? I told the guy about them when i called on the phone and he responded as if he knew about them, and i mentioned it again when he took the car from me, and he acknowledged what i said, or seemed to. In the car manual, it says to use a Toyota dealer for tire changes.

    i just went out and turned on the car. The tire monitoring system light came on and went off normally. Does that mean anything?

    I think every tire i ever got came with new stems or valves. They tell you a price for the tire and you think, "Fine," and then they add up your bill and list off all this other stuff and it's like, whoa, what is all that stuff? I never knew any of those things weren't required.

    Other than the tires, what i paid for was valve stems, balancing, waste disposal, and $12.99 per tire for a Life of the Tire road hazard warranty (with a 30 day low price guarantee) which includes free tire rotation and balancing every 5000 miles, and flat repairs for the life of the tires. Total: $695. It comes with a $40 mail in rebate.

    They put 37 psi in the tires. I thought i remembered reading in the threads on these forums that 40-41 was recommended? but i wasn't sure. I was talking to the guy that did the actual installation and i told him that but he said 37 was perfect around town and that on the freeway it would go up to 40, which was all perfect. So i would appreciate any more clarification on that point.

    One good thing happened. A week ago i had bought one of those Toyota cargo nets when i first got the car, I thought it was something you could just clip right on but when i opened package, I found that it needed two holes drilled into the car which stopped me in my tracks, not something i can do. I asked the Toyota service department if they could do it. I was told the charge was $70 and i would have to wait at least two hours. I decided to postpone it, wondering if i really needed a cargo net.

    As i was leaving the tire place today, and talking to the guy about tire pressure, i was putting something in the hatchback. I noticed the cargo net laying there, and i asked the guy if he knew anywhere around there (it's an automotive part of town) where i could have that cargo net installed, i showed it to him, he looked at the instructions and said he'd do it for me, and he did it, no charge. It took at most 10 minutes. i sure appreciated it. I put my groceries in it on the way home. Glad to have it. :)
     
  7. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

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    I'll let you know about the TPMS and the tire valves/stems Sunday or Monday. I believe the answer is somewhere on this forum, but I don't have time to search right now. But I'll be seeing some Prius TPMS experts Sunday and Monday so I'll ask them.

    Tire pressure: It's up to you. You can follow the recommended pressures on the door, or go with higher pressures like 42 in the front and 40 in the rear (whatever you do, make sure you have the front tires 2 psi higher than the rear, as Toyota recommends for the Prius). People here like the higher pressures mainly because it should result in better gas mileage, and perhaps better handling and longer, more even tread wear. But it also results in a harsher ride and less traction.

    Real nice of the tire guy to install the cargo net D rings for you for free! That's $70 saved right there. :)
     
  8. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

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    yeah, if you have tpms you dont need new valve stems

    ask them for your money back
     
  9. jaw444

    jaw444 Member

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    On the invoice, at the end, there is a list of 4 items, each starts with the word Registration, and then there is a serial number. Each of the 4 serial numbers is identical. Right below that, it says "State Fee $7." Does this have anything to do with the tire sensors?
     
  10. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

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    I don't know what those registration numbers are or what that "State Fee" is. My guess is that the State Fee is some sorta tire disposal/recycling fee.

    Rigormortis confirmed my thoughts about the valve stems. Get your money back and I hope the tire guy didn't remove or otherwise damage any of your tire pressure monitoring sensors.

    I'll ask some of the Prius TPMS experts I'm seeing about how you might test that nothing on the TPMS system was damaged.

    BTW, congrats on your new TripleTreds. Good choice. Other good news: I think you can realistically expect 10 - 12 feet shorter 60-0 mph stopping distances. Wider and better tires like your 195/60/15 TripleTreds will do that for you.
     
  11. rigormortis

    rigormortis Active Member

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    yeah dont pay for the valve stems..

    registration could be anything. maybe even flat repair or the manufactures warranty


    state fee is mandatory, not only do you have to pay to recycle the old tires, you have to pay a fee for the new tires to pay for the old ones, haha

    a recycle fee can be shopped around, some places charge less to throw out a tire
    for you. some places like sears or walmart only charge $2.50 for each tire you throw out. but you still have to pay for that state fee.

    some places will not take back tires unless you actually had tires installed.

    update
    -------
    yeah once i bought tires at some place, and told them to throw the old ones in the back of my toyota p/u just so i can save $10 on disposal fees by going
    to sears, ha ha
     
  12. jaw444

    jaw444 Member

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    For whatever this is worth, I called the tire place today. It was a different man from the one i spoke to yesterday. I told him i had a Prius and that when the tires were in stalled i also got new valve stems, and then later in the day, someone told me i'm not supposed to change the valve stems because the tire pressure monitor sensors are on them, and i wanted to know how that works when tires are changed. He asked if my car has the sensors. I said i believed so, the question threw me off. He said "well, does it?" i said the owners manual said it does. He said that doesn't mean anything, the manual talks about all the options whether you have them or not. I said my car has all the options. He said that the valves would not be changed then. I said the invoice said i got new valve stems. He said there was a core and the core had to be changed but that the part with the sensor would not be changed, he said it was changing the core that i was charged for.

    That seems pretty ambiguous to me.

    Is there any way of seeing the sensors if i look at the stems?
     
  13. Rokeby

    Rokeby Member

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  14. schoonie

    schoonie Junior Member

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    The difference replacement tires made on my Prius was astounding. I replaced with Bridgestone Insignias. The difference, especially in snow, made me wish I had just thrown away the originals. I recently had a fellow Prius owner have a very similar experience. In areas that don't get snow, it may not matter as much, but as long as they are available, I'll use nothing else.