Anybody know anything about tires?

[tylersmama]

I found out last week that I need new tires. Because spending hundreds of dollars right before Christmas when I'm already broke is JUST what I want to do right now. :rolleyes:

I've called around to a few places and here are the options I've narrowed it down to:

Dealer:
Goodyear Wrangler SRA, 40000 mile tires, $698.20 installed and out the door

Local tire place:
Goodyear Wrangler SRA, 40000 mile tires, $758 installed and out the door

Costco:
Michelin Crosstrain, 65000 mile tires, $842.99 installed, etc.
or
BF Goodrich, 60000 mile tires, $626.58 installed, etc.
Both options with lifetime rotation, road hazard warranty, etc...

I know NOTHING about tires. Most of my driving is just around town, but with winter coming up, there will be relatively frequent trips up to the mountains to go skiing. Price is an object, but I also want the best value for my money. I've had great service from the local tire place in the past, but it seems like the BF Goodrich tires from Costco might be the best value, and Costco has great service, too.

This when I kind of miss having a husband to deal with this crap for me...:bag

[JTsMom]

You can borrow mine. :)
He wants to know what tire size.

[codex57]

I did a quickie search. BF Goodrich seems to have an ok rep. I'm a loyal Costco shopper who's almost always impressed with the picks of Costco's buyer. Costco buyers have good taste and do their research. So, I'd go with the Costco BFG.

I'd trust their installation over the local tire place and possibly even over the dealer.

[JTsMom]

So far, he says he's guessing you drive a big truck/SUV, and the Michelins are likely not worth the extra money in that size, and that the BF Goodrich would likely be your best bet.

[Tondi G]

I'd go with the BFG from Costco!

[Mikey0709]

I have found costco to have AWESOME customer service on tires. They repair no charge... and if the tires goes flat and is NOT repairable.... they will give you a pro-rate money back toward purchasing a new one. I don't believe many places to a deal like that.

For example... if you buy a new tire and within 6 months get a flat due to road hazard where it cannot be repaired (side of tire for example).... they will determine what value of the tire was used so far (maybe 20%) and give you 80% credit to a new one!

I ended up going with the michelins from costco for my suv... a little more than the goodrich - but they got a better rating so i'm hoping they would last a little longer. Costco has the $60 off 4 tires sale typically twice a year if you can wait?

[jse107]

Check tirerack.com for reviews. You can also order them from there and have them delivered to a tire place near you. I need new tires this month too, and we're ordering General GTS (I think) or Continentals from them. It also has a "Tire Selector" tool that you can use to narrow down your search.

GL!

[KrisM]

How many miles are on your vehicle, how many do you drive a year, and how long will you keep the vehicle? No need for a 60,000 tire if you only plan on putting another 20,000 before you sell it.

[ohiomom1121]

We got Toyo tires (Open Country) from our dealership and they were actually cheaper than Costco (we are huge Costco people so always check there first). They were rated really high and they were great during the winter last year. Liked them so much we got a set for DH as well when his wore out.

[bigpassport]

I just bought tires and the one thing I wish I had compared was fees for x, y and z. Discount Tires charged me for installation, environmental fee, and other b.s. and then sold me on certificates for free tire replacement. I have bought tires from Discount Tires in the past and love their free follow-up services, so I don't regret my decision and I'm happy with the tires themselves. I just wish I knew going in what all the fees were before I was hit with them. So be sure, as you are shopping around, you ask "What additional fees and expenses are there on top of the price of the tires?" Also, there seemed to be a lot of tire rebates available. I wonder if you can find out if there are any rebates coming up in December that would make it worthwhile to wait another couple of weeks.

[tylersmama]

Thanks for all the responses so far. Let me try to answer some of the questions.

I drive an '06 Jeep Grand Cherokee (tire P235/65R17). It currently has 53000 miles on it, and I have no plans to sell it anytime soon. Most likely I will be driving it for at least 3-4 more years, possibly until it dies. I probably drive around 15000 miles a year, although that may go down a little when I'm in school.

All the prices quoted are installed, with tax and fees, out the door. The Costco price for the Michelins includes the $70 off coupon that they currently have. I'm definitely leaning toward the BF Goodrichs from Costco right now, but would love to hear any more thoughts!

[KrisM]

I can only add a weird tidbit.

P235/65R17 - know what that means?

235 mm is the width of the tire
65 is the percentage of thewidth that is the side wall height
R17 is the diameter of the rim

So, your tire is 9.25 inches wide and has a diameter of about 29 inches.

[JTsMom]

I should have said this earlier, but DH is a parts manager, and has been working in that business for move than 25 years, just so you know where the advice is coming from.

He says he would definitely go with the BFG, and they should be a "tough" tire.

[ThreeofUs]

Costco! We always get a much better deal there, and you can go back any time for free inflation, rotation, etc., and their warranty is "you're satisfied". You never get stuck with extra fees, or have to deal with bs.

TireRack.com has great deals, but you have to pay for installation - and if anything goes wrong, it's a fight between the retailer and the installer as to who fixes what (and the customer generally loses...).

[tylersmama]

I can only add a weird tidbit.

P235/65R17 - know what that means?

235 mm is the width of the tire
65 is the percentage of thewidth that is the side wall height
R17 is the diameter of the rim

So, your tire is 9.25 inches wide and has a diameter of about 29 inches.
Awesome. Seriously. I knew it had something to do with the size, but I had absolutely no clue what it meant! :thumbsup:


I should have said this earlier, but DH is a parts manager, and has been working in that business for move than 25 years, just so you know where the advice is coming from.

He says he would definitely go with the BFG, and they should be a "tough" tire.
Perfect, thank you SO much, Lori!!!!

THIS is why I love the BBB! You guys rock! :yay: