Cost to Change Tires?

My dealer did the winter changeover for $50. They replaced my winter tires with new set of Conti TrueContact which I did not purchase from them. The price included removing winter tires off the rims, mounting new summer tires on the rim, wheel balancing them, installing back onto car, and TPMS resetting. Most local tire shops will do them for about the same price. I've seen low of $30 to high of $100. Many tire place will include this seasonal service free for set of tires purchased there. If you are going with extra set of rims for winter tires, make sure you don't have your state inspection while on winter wheels. Since you live in MA, you will need to have annual state inspection. TPMS light "ON" will fail the inspection. If your inspection is during summer month, then you can try driving with TPMS light on during winter, though I'm not sure of the legality of that practice in MA. To avoid this, you will have to pay quite bit more on top of extra set of rims, for extra set of TPMS and re-registering them each time you change tires. For that reason, I am using same set of rims and TPMS on mine.

 

I live in New Hampshire, and my birthday is in June so the inspection is when the car is wearing its summer shoes (which are the ones fitted with TPMS), and in the winter, I just ignore the NagLight (or use black tape)!

 

Of course, as long as I don't mind TPMS light "ON" I could have put the TPMS in the winter wheels, in my case. Why didn't I think of that.

 

All I can add: don't bother with black tape; it'll just gum up the display, and you may even forget to take it off come spring, lol.

 

BTW (slightly off-thread, but still about inspections) earlier today I checked with dealer as to legality of removing poor-excuse for rear wiper on my 2009 Gen II, and was told that if the rear-wiper was part of the original safety equipment, then it should be present and operational in order for a sticker to be issued, so I guess I'll leave the motor in place, and pop the arm & blade back on at the end of June, although I'm tempted to do what this chap did (I nicked this from someone here on PriusChat, so thanks whoever you are!)

 

Why would you want to remove rear wiper, may I ask?

 

It actually improves viz. to the rear, particularly the spot in the upper-corner, where the view of the fast-lane is blocked by the wiper, it really does improve things! Go on, try it! You know you want to! The rear of the car would look nicer without the nubby bit sticking out through the glass, but see previous posts. Mine is sporting a SS blind nut at the moment to protect the threads.

 

I will go for the mod on the rear view camera to allow seeing the blind spot while driving. Better yet, I want new Prius Eco for that sleek look.

 

LOL!! The other day, we were waiting for some fast food and a guy came in to order. I asked my wife, "Do you suppose he just came from Walmart or he's going there from here?" She got a kick out of that.

But as for the OP, I'd suggest calling around. No need to take it to Toyota for tires. In fact, the guy who I buy my Prii from has a regular tire shop down the road replace tires for the used cars he preps for sale. In fact, the shop reminds me of some of the repair shops in Honduras. He does good work despite the looks of his shop.

 

Reminds me of some advice my old dad gave me. He was a carpenter/joiner and whenever he took on a new apprentice or workman, he would check out their tool-kit, for, as he put it, "...a good workman will always use the best tools, and will keep them in great condition!". I do the same and have noticed that most good dealers' work areas are neat, tidy, clean and their tools are most often the best! QED!

 

The ad Mendel posted says 66 mpg for the Subaru 360. Did you get in that range (maybe with one or two adults aboard)?

That would be better than a modern Prius!

 

That's a very good rule of thumb. I made beverage cans for 22 years before changing careers. When I started in 19766, it was a kind of grimy place. Our philosophy evolved to reflect the fact that we were making a food product and the place had to be spotless, safe, and efficient -- and the cans had to make the customers happy. Our plant once got an award from our biggest customer for providing 16 BILLION cans with no quality complaints. That company has become the largest aluminum beverage can maker in the world. It does pay to treat your customers like royalty.

And then, every once, in a while, you see an exception.

 

I watched a video on what exactly happens on a modern pop-top when you open it; quite complicated, a two-step function.

 

Is that the one which explains the engineering design involved as well as the manufacturing? Someone sent me the link a while ago, absolutely fascinating, and I learned a lot from it!

 

Sounds like the one. Includes explanation on the can is extruded. And the tab is more complicated than a simple hinge: something lifts/breaks/rotates, fascinating. My son always sends me stuff like that, or air-plays it when he's over.

 

Tire PSI changed my top speed about 10mph

@ WOT it did 50mpg and 75mph per the speedo

If I kept speed around 55 and tires at sidewall max I really did get in the 60's.

Around town if I hit the kill switch coming to stops I could get mid 80's mpg in the summer.

I never was able to get less than mid 40's not sure what CR did to get such low MPGs , maybe it had hanging brakes and a bad tune

 

Makes me think of a review of a Honda mini-sport bike, somewhere in the region of 125 cc. The reviewer commented: "you're ALWAYS racing".

 

Here you are: (for those who care)

 

Leadfoot drivers.

To make any legitimate comparisons between cars, they should drive them all the same way. No hypermiling on the efficient models, unless they create a separate measure.

 

I don't think lead feet would do it, the car forced you to be a hypermiler, around town I was basically WOT all the time and had to follow very specific shift points , shift too early and the car wouldn't accelerate, shift too late and you were already out of the power band.
It felt like doing the NASCAR 500 at 25mph since you really did need every gear and had to shift if you wanted to move.
Once I understood how to drive the car, it really wasn't that slow, keep it Rev'd up and rowing gears and I could easily keep up or even pass normal drivers off lights around town.

Most fun car I had, too bad simple parts like custom gas tank and exhaust are hard to find