Just want to share - when I ordered a new set of tires and shopped around for pricing, this was my break out:

Tirerack.com - $680 shipped
local shops - $660
SimpleTire.com - $630 shipped
Tirebuyer.com - $597 shipped

Tirebuyer.com will ship for free to select installers, which dropped my price $30, and sealed the deal for me. As well, the tires arrived the next day - I'd use it again.

Good info I'm in the market myself I have a local guy that is real close to the on line price I'm getting so I may give him the business. Prob help out the local guy..

Kestral wrote:Good info I'm in the market myself I have a local guy that is real close to the on line price I'm getting so I may give him the business. Prob help out the local guy..

good idea

Did the $660 at the local shops include install? How much did you pay for the install after buying online?

For giggles I priced out tirebuyer.com for my wifes car and it came out $25 more than the local installed price. At the same shop they were going to ship them to. Seems like it just makes sense to let the local guy make the money on the entire deal.

I do tires on the side for people I know. Tires are funny in that there is such a wide range of prices for any particular tire, but the prices aren't consistent between sites. For example, a Goodyear tire might be cheaper at tire seller "A" than tire seller "B," but a Firestone might be cheaper at tire seller "B" than tire seller "S." Shipping charges are especially a concern. I may compare 7 or 8 tire companies before I make a purchase. The main ones I use are:
Tirerack.com
Tirebuyer.com
DiscountTireDirect.com
TireHero.com
Simpletire.com
TireCrazy.com

smj999smj wrote:I do tires on the side for people I know. Tires are funny in that there is such a wide range of prices for any particular tire, but the prices aren't consistent between sites. For example, a Goodyear tire might be cheaper at tire seller "A" than tire seller "B," but a Firestone might be cheaper at tire seller "B" than tire seller "S." Shipping charges are especially a concern. I may compare 7 or 8 tire companies before I make a purchase. The main ones I use are:
Tirerack.com
Tirebuyer.com
DiscountTireDirect.com
TireHero.com
Simpletire.com
TireCrazy.com

Didn't know about the others. I usually just check out TireRack and DiscountTiresDirect.

I've purchased tires from all of them, except for TireCrazy.com. Tirerack.com is by far the best site to research tires, but their shipping costs usually make them more expensive than other sites. The sites I purchase from the most are Tirebuyer.com and DiscountTireDirect.com.

Good info - Last times I bought tires, Tire Rack was an easy choice, or a local shop would match them. Something apparently changed however as the last couple times I've called, their tire prices were very high.

I always support local when I can - sadly the local guys I called were priced way too high on install fees, especially with the TPMS - they made it sound like TPMS installs wer akin to rocket science, and their prices reflected that. Price gouging...

skinny2 wrote:Did the $660 at the local shops include install? How much did you pay for the install after buying online?

For giggles I priced out tirebuyer.com for my wifes car and it came out $25 more than the local installed price. At the same shop they were going to ship them to. Seems like it just makes sense to let the local guy make the money on the entire deal.

The install was $50 for four tires mounted and balanced, and $30 for TPMS install, activation and "training". $80 total.

My out the door for tires, TPMS, install, was about $750. Best I could get from local non-chain shops was around $950, and even if the tire prices were the same, TPMS sensors were at least twice as expensive, and install charges were also higher.

One of the best local deals I have quoted by a local shop is $135.00 ea. installed for Mastercraft Courser AXT A/T tire. It's made by Cooper tire and gets real good reviews. I may give them a try .. By the way that price is stock size 245/75/16 or if I jump to 265/75/16 they are $150.00 ea installed.