Bye bye Tire Rack? A new sheriff in town?

McLovin · 03-03-2011, 10:53 AM

I've bought all my tires from Tire Rack for the past 15-20 years. I like the convenience of being able to have the tires shipped to my house, and pulling the wheels off my car myself if I want (no squashed oil lines, no buggered up alloy lug nuts, no lug nuts pneumatically tightened to 3,000 lbs, etc).

Plus, I've found their prices to be the best, or at least close.

However, I tried a new place (new to me, I'd never heard of them), tires-easy.com.

Their website isn't quite a nice as TR, esp. the checkout process, but wow, their prices are great. They are smart to be in Oregon, so there is never any sales tax on their transactions. The biggest difference between them and TR is the shipping cost, tires-easy charges quite a bit less. And, I don't know how they ship so fast, I couldn't believe it when the tires were on my doorstep.

Oh, and they have a much larger selection (sizes/brands) than TR.

Just passing a good experience along, I was very pleasantly surprised.

rusnak · 03-03-2011, 10:58 AM

Yeah I've bought from Tires-easy. You have to wait for their gimicky sales though. It's like buying tires at a Middle Eastern bazzar.

masraum · 03-03-2011, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McLovin

The biggest difference between them and TR is the shipping cost, tires-easy charges quite a bit less. And, I don't know how they ship so fast, I couldn't believe it when the tires were on my doorstep.

hmm, must have something to do with where you live. I never pay sales tax at TR. The shipping at TR is for me for four tires usually $25-35. Also, at TR I usually get my tires in 2-4 days depending upon when I order them. I think my tires usually come from a warehouse one state over.

Noah930 · Noah930's Garage

I think California still requires you to pay tax on those transactions. Technically. Realistically no one does. But there's some sort of "use tax" whereby even if you pay tax on an out-of-state transaction, if you use the product in your home state (CA), you have to pay the difference in sales tax (to CA) as if you bought the product in CA. It's due when you do your annual tax return.

IROC · IROC's Garage

I don't know. I just checked the Tire Easy website and for the one tire I was interested in, their price was outrageously high. I checked on a Toyo RA-1 (245/45-16) and they wanted $251 each. Tires Direct has the same tire for around $205.

McLovin · 03-03-2011, 11:57 AM

I've never tried tires direct, but I'll check prices with them next time.

So I guess the answer is there's a few good online tire places, and it pays to check with all of them for the best price on any any specific tires.

David in VA · 03-03-2011, 12:20 PM

Just for reference, I bought four Nitto NT-01's from discounttire.com at the lowest price I found on the internet and free shipping. No sales tax either.

KTL · 03-03-2011, 12:59 PM

Tires-easy is cheap for off brands. But as IROC pointed out, some of their prices for "mainstream" tires are out of whack high.

Tires Direct is located here in IL. Great people to work with. They discount stuff really well when they want to move tires. Last May I got a set of Toyo RA-1 in 235/45-17 ($80 ea.) and 255/40-17($126 ea.) for $450 total ($32 sales tax, no ship since I picked them up) and then had them mount & balance. Nothing wrong with the tires- '09 and '10 date codes, so they were fresh tires.

trekkor · 03-03-2011, 05:44 PM

Quote:

The shipping at TR is for me for four tires usually $25-35.

Who should I be using as my shipper?
I spend more than double that.

KT

rusnak · 03-03-2011, 06:23 PM

The problem with Tire Rack is that they only ship via UPS, and they won't tell UPS to leave the tires at my house. So I have to get 4 tires shipped to the office (not to the tire store - dumb idea). So, even after explaining to Tire Rack that their policy sucks sweaty donkey balls, they still just don't care that I have got to lug them home. And if they screw up your order, then you just blew all your savings for having to mess with them as a customer.

I only buy local now, and I support a local business in the process.

Halm · 03-03-2011, 06:29 PM

What's up with Tires-Easy.Com showing the availability of Bridgestone S03's???

tchanson · 03-03-2011, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rusnak

The problem with Tire Rack is that they only ship via UPS, and they won't tell UPS to leave the tires at my house.

Huh? I've been getting UPS Tire Rack deliveries left on my front porch for almost 20 years. Most recently a few months ago. And in my case, standard shipping is almost always next day at my door.

I've had nothing but great experience with Tire Rack.

I just compared their price on a set of Michelin Pilot Sport PS2's I'll be ordering in the Spring. Tire Rack's price was $21.00 a tire cheaper than Tires-Easy. I wish I could find a set of those mythical S-03's from Tires-Easy as well.

And, FWIW, our local NTB will match Tire Rack pricing also.

Tim

rusnak · 03-03-2011, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tchanson

Huh? I've been getting UPS Tire Rack deliveries left on my front porch for almost 20 years. Most recently a few months ago. And in my case, standard shipping is almost always next day at my door.

I've had nothing but great experience with Tire Rack.

I just compared their price on a set of Michelin Pilot Sport PS2's I'll be ordering in the Spring. Tire Rack's price was $21.00 a tire cheaper than Tires-Easy. I wish I could find a set of those mythical S-03's from Tires-Easy as well.

And, FWIW, our local NTB will match Tire Rack pricing also.

Tim

Here's the way UPS works: the driver is an independent contractor, and he chooses whether to leave my tires at my door. Even though it's in the best neighborhood in this part of the state, and the driveway is a few hundred feet long, they won't leave the tires. I had to redo the order to have them delivered to the office. Tire Rack was completely aloof to the fact that I was just trying to take delivery for stuff that I paid for and was mine, not UPS's. Next time take less space for your sig.

onewhippedpuppy · 03-04-2011, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Quote de rusnak

The problem with Tire Rack is that they only ship via UPS, and they won't tell UPS to leave the tires at my house.

Huh? I've been getting UPS Tire Rack deliveries left on my front porch for almost 20 years. Most recently a few months ago. And in my case, standard shipping is almost always next day at my door.

I've had nothing but great experience with Tire Rack.

I just compared their price on a set of Michelin Pilot Sport PS2's I'll be ordering in the Spring. Tire Rack's price was $21.00 a tire cheaper than Tires-Easy. I wish I could find a set of those mythical S-03's from Tires-Easy as well.

And, FWIW, our local NTB will match Tire Rack pricing also.

Tim

I've also always had very positive experiences with Tire Rack. Their comparison tests and user reviews are very useful as well.

jyl · jyl's Garage

UPS drivers are not indep contractors. They are unionized employees. FedEX Home Delivery drivers are usually independent contractors.

rusnak · 03-04-2011, 07:54 AM

Well then UPS lied to me.

jpachard · 03-04-2011, 08:22 AM

Hmm, they have a very limited selection of R compound tires.