Starting to shop for winter tires and maybe wheels. Once you factor in having to mount and balance tires from TireRack, and factor in shipping, is it still really much of a bargain?

Curious what experience you guys might have re: the value of buying online like this. Didnt see a thread like this. If I missed it, flame away I guess. But be a sport and still help please.

 

Don't know where you live ,but if your in Canada and ship to a near by cross border town the saving are between 40-50%. Canadians are getting hosed on tire prices. Fred B

 

I've always wondered the same thing. You might know already, but most places like Conrads or Sears will match tirerack prices. I've always found it's easler to just deal with an actual establishment and have them take care of shipping, and everything else.

 

I have ordered my last 3-4 sets of tires online as it ends up saving me money that way. I have access to mounting and balancing machines, but even if I didn't do it myself I'd end up saving $40-50 by having a small local tire shop do the mount/balance over paying a larger retailer for the same tires and service. The tax savings alone (vs buying locally) pays for almost half the mount/balance.

 

I buy from Tire Rack due to the selection versus the local tire shops (discount tire, etc.). I find it's about the same price or cheaper than the local guy. Tire Rack gives you prices of local installers too.

 

I bought tires with my new wheels, mounted and balanced. That was sweet. No idea what I am going to do next time.

 

If you get a full wheel/tire package, I think TR is a heck of a deal. Stuff shows up on your doorstep and you bolt it on. Done.

For tires alone, less so. I'd print off what they advertise and see if a local shop can make you a good deal based on that. Obviously, a local shop may not have the tires you want, but probably will for a winter tire.

 

My local shops destroy TR prices all said and done cause they're on every corner, and there is literally like 100 of them in my immediate area, and all are competing.

So I think it depends on your area more than anything else.

 

Shop for tires locally and then come back and answer your own question.

 

Make friends with your local Discount Tire manager, and if DT doesn't have a set of tires you're looking for, they'll order it for you through TR. I bought my Rivals through DT and came out $10 ahead (no shipping, mounting and balancing, less taxes, etc).

Also if you tell them that you can get a set of tires that TR does have cheaper, they'll beat the price on the spot. I think when I got tires for the Mazda2, I picked up some rock hard Yokohamas that were $10 cheaper on TR, and the dude knocked off $15 per tire in store while ordering.

 

Now that I can mount and balance myself TR makes even more sense. Before I would normally print out tire racks price and the shipping quote and walk in and the local shop matches the price + shipping of the tires.

 

TR doesn't make sense for me vs other online retailers because taxes.

 

This. DT actually bought my ZIIs from TR and sold them to me at a lower price. Does help if you spend a lot of money there...

 

Since TR is only about an hours drive from my house. The fact I can order a set in the morning and they arrive same day is pretty awesome.

I ******* hate dealing with local tire places like Discount Tire etc. They often has no idea what i'm talking about and never have anything in stock, always have to order it. Plus I don't trust them to balance my wheels right.

I luckily have a local buddy with a tire machine I can mount tires with for the cost of a sub sandwhich and soda.

 

My only grip about tire rack was that they first refused to mount 225 tires on 15x9 6ULs. I was like "wtf you sell your own 15x9 that you mount the exact same tires on" and they were like "duuuurrrrrrrrrrrr." Then they gave in and made me sign that I wouldn't use the tires on a street car.

I've ordered online the first time and picked up in person the second time after the local DT screwed up the finish on my daily driver's wheels. IMHO I trusted that the people at TR may be slightly more careful with my wheels than the 19 year old at DT.

 

I've got it almost as good. I always get it next day from their warehouse in Louisiana. TR definitely has their shipping/distribution nailed.

 

Worth it for race tires that you use in a few weekends, for street tires that last years I go to my local Discount Tire.

 

I order race tires wherever I can get them cheapest, which is ebay more often than not. Tire Rack on occasion, as a friend mounts my race wheels. Street tires, I go to Discount Tire. As mentioned, they will give me the same price out the door on tires mounted and balanced as they would if I ordered from Tire Rack and paid them to mount and balance.

 

My local discount tire is great. Price is negotiable, service is quick, and never had any wheel abuse. That being said, I usually order tires from TR due to their tire selection.

 

Depending on the tires, I have good luck with Radial Tire in Silver Spring, MD