OUCH! and we think the BMW dealers are "Stealers" (archive)

I've bought from Tire Rack before. Great prices. Had the tires shipped UPS to my door and did the same thing. However I took them to the local "Big O" tire shop here in SoCal. Mounting and balancing for all 4 was under $60, and that was for chromed factory alloys and having the weights mounted on the inside of the wheel as I had requested. I felt it was very reasonable.

What I had done was make a couple of calls to local shops before I even called Tire Rack to place the order to get their commitment on a charge for the labor. While I was at it I also had them quote me a price for the tires, mounting and balancing. You have to keep in mind that sometimes a discount tire house will give you a break on the labor if you buy the tires from them. I have actually saved money this way compared to Tire Rack's price + shipping + labor.

Something to think about.

Greg T.
91 850i

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.

Go Cards! Go Rams!

Later,
Mark

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