Tire Rack - I don't get it.
 

I haven't taken a close look at Tire Rack recently but a few years ago when I did look into it it didn't seem like a big deal / good deal. By the time you factor in shipping costs and the extra you have to pay to have a local tire store mount tires bought from some where else (tire rack) it pretty much came out a wash.

For example:

I'll be looking for 33x10.50 R15's within the year for the Jeep:

Tire Rack
$154/tire x 4 = $616
Shipping cost = $94
Local shop mounting/dismount/disposal $15x4 = $60

Total = $770

Is free lifetime balance / rotation included?
Warranty issues?


vs.


Discount Tire (local shop)
$179/tire x 4 = $716
Mounting stuff $15x4 = $60

Total = $776

Free balance / rotation for life of tire
Road hazard warranty stuff is easy to deal with*



In this case (my thinking went) why not avoid the whole hassle of on-line shopping / shipping / hauling tires down to a shop and/or coordination with drop shipping and just go to the local shop and buy your tires there?

What am I missing about Tire Rack. Y'all are not fools and you buy tires from there so you must know something I don't. If you wouldn't mind. . . edjumecate me, please. :)

• Is it that you can buy tires that might not normally be availiable locally?
  
• Do you really get better prices when everything is factored in?
  
• What happens if you have a "road hazard"? How do warranties work then?
  
• And do you get any goodies, such as free lifetime balances / rotation if you buy from Tire Rack?

(I like the free balance/rotation service from Discount Tire for my Jeep . . I constantly knock off weights on the trail and need my tires re-balanced every 3-4 months.)










* In my area Discount Tires are all over the place so I can go into any DT shop and get my tires fixed / replaced if needed. I once had a torn sidewall where the tire was a complete loss. . . it was replaced free of charge due to road hazard warranty.





.

I like Discount Tire too.

Since they are more expensive per tire, you should ask the manager to match Tire Rack's price.

Do that comparison again with PS2s for you BMW and see what happens.

In my case, I get to use my favorite installer - an autocrosser that Clyde found for me - and I know the wheels will not be damaged and he will take care with the car. The price difference is just gravy (and there is some price difference against Costco, but for convenience, the wife's car usually goes there).

Tirerack doesn't ship for free anymore?

Tire Rack
Front = $217 / tire
Rear = $286 / tire
Mount / Balance = $60
Shipping = $47

Total = $1163


vs.


Discount Tire
Front = $235 / tire
Rear = 291 / tire
Mount / Balance = $60

Total = $1162




:dunno:




The prices I'm posting for Discount Tire doesn't include the 10% discount I can get if I use my friend's Microsoft Passport discount card which gives discounts to MS employees on a whole ton of stuff around the region. If that were the case, Knock about $100 off the Discount Tire price.

I don't know, I've been clicking the "shipping quote" button under where it says "add to cart" next to the tire selections. If shipping were free, it'd be a different matter.

I've never bought anything from the tirerack.
If I lived somewhere else, I might have to though.

TireRack is certainly convenient when buying a tire/wheel package... they mount and balance beautifully with no damage, competitive prices, and the ready-to-mount wheels come right to your door. :dunno:

i think your math is skewed by the fact that you have Discount Tire, which is a national coast to coast chain with a burgeoning internet division, near you.

in the metro Boston area, the chain stores are Direct Tire, NTB and Goodyear and the markup on tires is like jewelry so it is a huge cost savings, even having to pay absurd mounting fees, to order online.

FWIW, Discount Tire is based in the Phoenix area...

I still love their little-old lady add... which holds the Guiness World Record for longest running TV ad. It was filmed out here -- if you're familiar with the area, you can see Camelback Mountain in the background...

http://www.discounttire.com/compMedi...Guinness1.html