While this is technically not an 8 story, the exact same thing would have happened had it been my '91 850, so I will relate. Wife's '97 328is needed tires, none were available locally, so I ordered from the TireRack, out of South bend, IN. OEM Continentals, nothing special($55ea!!). An option on their website was to drop ship the tires to one of their 'approved installers' in your area, and a price list was shown for mounting, etc. I chose not to do this, but did visit this installer today, with a truck bed full of new & old tires and wheels. When the manager, who waited on me, found out I had been referred to them by the TireRack, he pulled out a price list under a pile of papers, and proceeded to recite the same prices that were on the website, although when some prices had a range, he maxxed these out right away. He was not acting very sure of himself while he was doing this, and then mentioned that he must 'see' the tires and wheels. I directed him to my truck, he looked, and came back in and started to write the work order. In a minute or so, as he was finishing, he mentioned that there would be an 'extra' charge, because they were 'custom' wheels, and that charge would be $25....PER WHEEL!!, for a total of $168 and change!! I then proceeded to ask him how the mounting procedure for my wheels was different than a set of Mustang wheels, as the equipment these days is EXACTLY the same. I must have looked like I just fell off the turnip truck to this guy, although the logo of my racing engine business is on the side and rear of my pickup. Moral: Don't drop ship tires to an 'approved' installer. no way, no how. This was a Dobbs Auto in Ballwin, MO, USA. Anyway, drove less than a mile down the street, National Tire and Battery did it for half of the price, with a lifetime balance. Wife now has 4 sticker tires, and is ready to drive over some people on her way to the front! BTW, thanks to those who responded on this board, and by e-mail re: my eml deal, will hopefully have some answers later in the week.
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