Buying tires online?

[IndyGunworks]

My neighbor just bought a tire changer, and manual tire balancer. He is claiming that with this we can do all of our own tire swaps and save quite a bit of money, and it wont cost me a thing to take my stuff down there and change tires with a collective effort. Just in time too because I need at least two tires before winter, and the other two probably only have 10k left on them.

With that in mind, where is a good place to shop for decent but somewhat budget oriented tires online? Of course I am only assuming they can be found cheaper dollar for dollar online, and that may not actually be the case?

If it matters the truck is a 06 Silverado 1500.

 

[Super Bee]

I buy all my tires for the dealership through Walmart. I order them on their website and pick them up in the store. Free shipping. I spent days looking on a hundred different websites and for what we use here, Walmart was/is the cheapest.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Ill check them out then.....

 

[ghuns]

Discount Tire's eBay store.

I needed a set of snow tires and winter wheels for the wife's car. Ended up $300 cheaper than Tire Rack, and they mounted/balanced and shipped them for free.

 

[eldirector]

Tire Rack and Discount Tire for most common tires.

I've also used National Tire & Wheel Off Road Tires Wheels & Accessories for offroad tires.

Man, I would LOVE to have a tire machine.

 

[IndyGunworks]

and they mounted/balanced and shipped them for free.

I am just guessing that it was built into the price.... which is what I want to avoid. Not saying that's the case, but most business' don't stay in business doing things for "free"

 

[IndyGunworks]

Tire Rack and Discount Tire for most common tires.

I've also used National Tire & Wheel Off Road Tires Wheels & Accessories for offroad tires.

Man, I would LOVE to have a tire machine.

Don't get to excited, its a cheap manual one sort of like what harbor freight sells.

 

[Bigguy5]

Depending on what you do with truck, I put retread on all my plow trucks that stay local and aren't running long distance at high speeds, and have had real greak luck. TreadWright Tires | TreadWright Tires

 

[long coat]

Buy Tires and Wheels Online. Free Shipping Available. | TireBuyer.com. they were about $20 a tire cheaper than Discoint Tire for my Nittos. Discount Tire did match the price. I think after that I have seen the Tire buyer truck at Discount tire.

 

[IndyGunworks]

I do travel up to a few hundred miles at a time a couple of times a year.... otherwise its 25 miles to and from work 3 times a week.

 

[indykid]

Tire Rack is usually cheaper through their online store than my local "Discount" Tires. That said, due to their policy of free fixing of nail in tire problems, I have given my business to Discount Tire.

I usually have them install the tires, so Discount might be willing to discount if for "cash and carry".

 

[bigretic]

I searched way too long last summer for tires for the kid's z28 and found that it was a whopping $25 cheaper to go through all that b.s. for the same tires and have them mounted. but since you have access to a machine I would think you'll be saving at least $100 or better. dont' forget valve stems and bead sealer... and buffing wheel. I'll toss another one up for tire rack prices via ebay.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Use TireRack to compare brands and models. In the past, I've found their search and research tools (including user reviews) to be MOST beneficial.

That said, I've never purchased from them.

 

[IndyGunworks]

why do I have to buy valve stems if the ones I have are not leaking?

 

[eldirector]

why do I have to buy valve stems if the ones I have are not leaking?

Because Murphy's Law dictates it WILL start leaking within 10 miles of driving on the new tires.

Seriously, though, they are exposed to the same conditions as the tires, are the same age, made of cheaper rubber, are cheap and easy to replace.

 

[Scout]

Tire Rack is in Elkhart. If you were near Fort Wayne, I'd suggest Leo Tire.

 

[steveh_131]

Interesting, I was just researching the appropriate tools for mounting and balancing your own tires. Looks like you can get the tool for mounting/dismounting for around $40 and one for balancing for around $80. Just might grab them. It would cost almost that much just to mount and balance one set of tires.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

Those cheap balancers never work as good as one that actually spins the tire from past experience in my auto classes. I usually just eat the cost of going through the local tire shop which doesn't cost much more than buying online. They rotate, balance, and patch them for free for the life of the tire so the extra $50 every 3 years is worth it to me. This is coming from a guy who does everything else to his vehicles and has thousands stuck in automotive tools and scanners.

 

[femurphy77]

Played this game several years ago with professional grade equipment bought on the cheap at an auction. Ended up selling the equipment for 5 times what I paid for it and pay to have them mounted and balanced just like everyone else. Unless your dealing with maypops on a regular basis it just ain't worth it! YMMV

 

[steveh_131]

Appreciate the feedback, guys.