Buying pickup tires online.

Jeff · February 07, 2021, 03:09:52 PM

Can a guy save money buying tires online, having them delivered at home, and mounted locally?

Southside · February 07, 2021, 03:29:34 PM

I did that once, don't think I saved anything as the guy I went to for mounting wasn't really impressed, rightfully so.

barbender · February 07, 2021, 03:38:48 PM

My experience was the same as Southside's. I just get them from the tire shop I usually deal with, their prices are fair and service is excellent.

Resonator · February 07, 2021, 03:54:08 PM

I have had good experience buying tires online and having them mounted by my mechanic. The big advantage I found was the greater selection, as local dealers only had a couple tire brands to choose from.

terrifictimbersllc · February 07, 2021, 04:58:26 PM

I've printed out the internet price including shipping if any that I could actually buy them for, or told this to the dealer over the phone, and asked for the same price. But that is with a chain here that advertises they won't be undersold of any advertised price.

It has been accepted as the tire price but then they add valve stem, balancing, which usually comes up to $20 or so a tire, no installation above that, and I've gone with that. Usually they initially add road hazard free replacement charge and I back out of that.

That chain wont put on any tires they don't sell, but several local tire shops Ive taken a tire or two to, have no problem with walk in asking for tires to be mounted.

Need tires again for my truck, and this time going to just have the internet price in mind when I call for a quote to a place much closer to me. If it costs a little more and dont have to haggle I figure so what pay a little bit more for the convenience.

breederman · February 07, 2021, 05:01:37 PM

I figure that I need to buy tires from my local shop so that he stays in business. If I save a buck 98 buying on line and he is out of business then what ?

Corley5 · February 07, 2021, 05:24:07 PM

It's like buying a Husky saw at Lowes and then taking it to your local Husky dealer to get it fixed ;) ;D

Jeff · February 07, 2021, 05:31:07 PM

Our local tire places mostly do not stock what I would need. Ill have to drive to a bigger town to a chain. And if I do that the local shop will get nothing.

On the other hand yhe local parts store quoted me 160 bucks for a hotrod black paint kit with hardner and reducer that was listed everywhere on line for 70.

Sometimes local greed loses out.

breederman · February 07, 2021, 05:41:19 PM

My local guy almost always has to order them but they are always there in less than 2 days, quicker than he can schedule me in anyways.

farmfromkansas · February 07, 2021, 06:23:06 PM

My cow trailer is about 8 years old, and 2 of the tires went bad. Bought 2 tires at local service center, cost 360 for the 2. Checked with Walmart.com, and could buy 4 delivered for 360. Same load rating and size. No freight and no sales tax. Will mount them myself, have a tire machine. They wont be balanced, have no balancer. Don't know if they are as good as the ones bought locally but they cost half as much per tire.

Corley5 · February 07, 2021, 07:23:23 PM

Local shop in Wolverine can have the tires I want the next day if I order by 5PM

Nebraska · February 07, 2021, 07:54:06 PM

My local guy has some sort of on line who sale he is linked to. I know he has a bunch of different brands most of the time they show up in at most 2 days after I order them.

Larry · February 07, 2021, 10:57:13 PM

A couple of years ago I had three tandem axle trailers that needed new tires. I took two to Discount Tire and got great prices and good service. For some reason I decided to buy tires for a gooseneck at Walmart.com. They were delivered to the local Walmart tire shop in a few days and I got a call they were delivered. I brought in my trailer and they put the tires on. I watched and was impressed with the service. The tire guy did everything right and when he was done the boss checked his work. Air pressure, torque on the nuts, and the rest. So....I saved money and felt like I got excellent service.

jcbrotz · February 08, 2021, 04:30:52 AM

I bought a tire machine and balancer due to local shops greed and mostly incompetence. Simpletire has pretty good pricing better than the wholesale at jack williams 75% of the time.

47sawdust · February 08, 2021, 07:07:49 AM

I had good luck buying tires online.
As Jeff said the local dealers didn't have the size I needed.
We spend a lot of money with our mechanic and he was happy to mount them.

Skip · February 08, 2021, 08:07:16 AM

What happens if you have an issue with a tire ? You gotta pay to have it broke down and send it back ? ??? :-\

Chuck White · February 08, 2021, 08:11:54 AM

A while back, one of my brothers checked around and then went on Walmart web site and found a set of tires that he liked, then checked with the local Walmart store about mounting and balancing them!

The guy in the automotive section at Walmart said "if they are Walmart's brand, they will be mounted and balanced free"!

He ordered them, and saved quite a bit, and they were delivered to his house, then he made an appointment and got them mounted and balanced!

moodnacreek · February 08, 2021, 08:40:58 AM

If I buy tires on line I mount them myself. I don't have the nerve to take them to a shop if they sell tires.

farmfromkansas · February 08, 2021, 10:55:31 AM

If I buy tires at the local tire place, there is no road hazzard warranty. It is an insurance plan, and you pay extra for it.

Raider Bill · February 08, 2021, 12:42:27 PM

Almost anyplace that sells tires sells the road hazard insurance. It's a $$$ maker for them.

alan gage · February 08, 2021, 01:05:53 PM

I've never looked online but have always assumed that tires are such a price competitive business that most people will be pretty close in price when comparing similar quality tires. We have a good shop in town that I like and trust so I always just go there. They hardly stock any tires at all but can have 90% of them next day.

Alan

hedgerow · February 08, 2021, 02:14:13 PM

I have bought a fair amount of tires on line. I do shop around when I buy tires. I have all the equipment out here on the farm to do tire work as if its a weekend or night and have a flat I usually need to get running if its farming time. The last complete set I bought early winter was for my wife's Jeep and Sam's club had a deal going on for the tires and mounting so I let them do the whole job. First time I have had a tire shop do any tire work in years.

gspren · February 08, 2021, 02:54:25 PM

Surprisingly I've found that my local one man auto repair shop that doesn't stock any tires can get nearly any brand in a day or two and his price is often better than the big name tire stores that I'd have to drive 30 miles to.

SwampDonkey · February 08, 2021, 03:46:02 PM

This fall I looked at the Canadian Tire sale for the tires I want and their sale price was about 5 dollars more than at the Toyota dealer across the street, and that was his regular price. :D I have not gotten around to getting the tires, but soon. Long time yet before bare dry ground. ;D

Jdock · February 08, 2021, 05:24:40 PM

I've got a tire machine and balancer, will occasionally mount and balance for people who buy tires online. I'm not set up as a wholesaler but from what I've seen if the local distributor stocks a particular tire it's hard to come out buying online and paying for the installation vs just buying it from the local tire store. For odd sizes or specific brand names/tread patterns ebay can often be your friend. I'd definitely check the local guys first though

Mean Dean · February 08, 2021, 06:17:35 PM

I started out buying my motorcycle tires online and mounting myself. then I went to buying my trailer tires off Ebay and getting the shop that advertises used tires to mount them for me. Now I get all of my tires online.

21incher · February 08, 2021, 06:26:51 PM

I bought a couple sets off of Tire Rack and had them ship them to the local installer I picked. Got exactly what I wanted and saved some money. They stock many tires that it takes local suppliers weeks to get and ship the same day. If you use one of their suppliers it's easy to deal with problems like a defective tire that won't ballance or is out of round.

Bill Gaiche · February 08, 2021, 08:17:10 PM

I have ordered online thru Walmart. Huge selection. A set for my pickup and last week for our SUV. Ships to our local Walmart, notified me they were in. They installed when I set up an appointment..bg

DWyatt · February 12, 2021, 08:51:07 AM

A friend of mine in the GM at a Goodyear commercial tire shop and gets a whole bunch of 20%-45% off coupons every year. When I need tires he gives me a coupon and I order online, they ship directly to the local shop and I call and schedule an appointment. When I purchase the tires online and have them shipped directly to the shop, mounting, balancing, and tire disposal fees are included. I was uneasy about it so I called the shop first, they said go for it because they make better money on those sales because Goodyear charges so much in their extra fees that get paid directly to the shop. Only reason it works for me is because of the large discount coupons. Best thing you can do is call the local shop and ask about it. I will gladly pay some extra moneys to keep that money in MY town.

Jeff · February 12, 2021, 10:54:02 AM

Quote from: DWyatt on February 12, 2021, 08:51:07 AMI will gladly pay some extra moneys to keep that money in MY town.

Me to, to a point, as in when I witness things like a automotive paint kit is locally $160 and everywhere on line is around $75-80, and this is typical, the local guy loses all my biz unless I'm desperate.

Trackerbuddy · February 12, 2021, 10:58:10 AM

I buy online and have them delivered to a local shop. There's usually a list of local installers on the website

DeerMeadowFarm · February 12, 2021, 11:07:46 AM

My buddy has a tire mounting machine and balancer so I always buy online.

farmfromkansas · February 12, 2021, 11:14:11 AM

What kind of balancers do you guys have? All I see are the little bubble balancers sold at HF or the expensive spin balancers sold online. Would like to have one like the service stations used when I worked there 50 years ago.

DeerMeadowFarm · February 12, 2021, 01:26:20 PM

Quote from: farmfromkansas on February 12, 2021, 11:14:11 AM
What kind of balancers do you guys have? All I see are the little bubble balancers sold at HF or the expensive spin balancers sold online. Would like to have one like the service stations used when I worked there 50 years ago.

My buddy bought his equipment here: https://www.gregsmithequipment.com/

hedgerow · February 12, 2021, 03:28:52 PM

Quote from: farmfromkansas on February 12, 2021, 11:14:11 AM
What kind of balancers do you guys have? All I see are the little bubble balancers sold at HF or the expensive spin balancers sold online. Would like to have one like the service stations used when I worked there 50 years ago.

Just watch Facebook market place and Craigslist and you can find some good deals on balancer's. That's were I bought the two I have.