Mail order tires via Amazon Prime

[peakbagger]

I put a lot of miles on my econobox and usually end up buying two tires every year or two. The OEM tires didn't last long and didnt handle very well so I switched to Yokohamas for the first set. The local chain tire dealer doesn't stock much for tires, usually their house brand and one premium name and even though they claim they can order in other tires the selection is still poor for my rig. I previously ordered from Tire Rack but shipping starts to add up (32.95 for two). Just for the heck of it I entered the exact size and model into Amazon Prime and up popped the exact tire for a few bucks less and free shipping. Made a big dent in paying off my Amazon membership. I have spare rims so when the tires show up I will drop off the old tires with the stock rims at one of many places in town that install tires and I will be good for a couple of more years.

I sure wish I could do that for my Unimog tires

 

[semipro]

I want to see the Unimog.
I've had good luck with Tirebuyer. They deliver free directly to my local tire installer.
If you values a road hazard warranty I believe either Tire Rack or Tirebuyer offers it for free.

 

[peakbagger]

Its pretty common for a Unimog, one of the many US military surplus SEEs (Special Emplacement Excavator) that are flooding the market. I have use for the backhoe and loader but expect some folks are going to start stripping off the military equipment and installing a flatbed on them to make mean offroader. Most of them have less than a 100 hours on the engine and less than 5000 miles on the odometer and quite a few were reconditioned to as new condition just for the heck of it before the military decided to clear them out of inventory. .

 

[peakbagger]

Well my tires showed up yesterday 4/11 after being ordered on the 8th. I got a note in my mailbox that I had to pick them up at the Post Office as it wouldn't fit in the rural carriers truck. It looks like Amazon sent them via UPS to a USPS distribution site and then they were boxed and send to my post office.

 

[jebatty]

I used to order tires online, when they could be installed on standard rims. I then could switch summer/winter tires my self. My car now has pressure sensors in the rims, and buying rims with pressure sensors is quite pricey. Also, I feel better buying tires from my local tire shop owner and letting him and his family have that profit. Just using the shop to change tires bought elsewhere doesn't sit well with me regarding relying on a local business.

 

[peakbagger]

I don't worry about the TPMS sensors in the winter. I just tape over sensor on my dash when the winter rims are on. Unfortunately the local businesses don't stock the tires I want. There is regional chain nearby and they are glad to change the tires. Tire Rack has them as a preferred local installer and I asked the service manager once and he doesn't get dime except for the install.

 

[semipro]

I I feel better buying tires from my local tire shop owner and letting him and his family have that profit. Just using the shop to change tires bought elsewhere doesn't sit well with me regarding relying on a local business.

I asked my tire install guy about this and he said he got a cut from the online stores that delivers directly to him (e.g. Tirebuyer). Apparently they have some sort of arrangement.
IIRC he said he actually made more money that way all things considered.

 

[Ashful]

By the time I figure in shipping and (often higher) mounting and disposal costs, I've never been able to save enough from places like tire rack to make it worth the hassle, versus just letting the local retailers do the whole deal.

 

[peakbagger]

The reason I have ordered tires online in the past is selection. In rural area the choices are poor. The choices are usually private brand "rim protectors" generally poor handling and sometimes noisy or a brands like goodyear at a premium price. Therefore I end up ordering tires on line that work better for me. I wouldn't mind having the local option but its not there unless I want to drive and hour plus and even then the choices are poor. Its much easier to pick through quite a few brands through an internet site. I also on the rare occasion when I buy a new car I buy winter rims. In the past I could get the new tires mounted on new rims for far less cost than buying new rims from the car dealer. Over all between shipping and local pricing I saved $50 on a approximate $200 cost for two tires.

 

[semipro]

By the time I figure in shipping and (often higher) mounting and disposal costs, I've never been able to save enough from places like tire rack to make it worth the hassle, versus just letting the local retailers do the whole deal.

For me, at least, shipping to a cooperating tire installer was free and mounting and balancing was $7.50/tire.

 

[Ashful]

Maybe I should re-evaluate, but the twice I checked this route (albeit more than a decade ago), it ended up being within a few dollars of the same price. I figured there was no sense in taking business away from the local guy, and create a hassle for myself, over what amounted to about 2% savings on the deal.

I was buying through two tire shops, back then. A local family outfit near my house, and an STS near where I worked, both of which were Toyo and Michelin dealers. The vehicles were a 1/2 ton pickup (which I had re-fitted with proper load-rated Toyo truck tires) and my wife's crappy X-type sedan. My current car takes a very expensive tire, so maybe I'll check this route again when it's time for replacement, but I'll be surprised if the pricing landscape has changed enormously.

 

[bholler]

Maybe I should re-evaluate, but the twice I checked this route (albeit more than a decade ago), it ended up being within a few dollars of the same price. I figured there was no sense in taking business away from the local guy, and create a hassle for myself, over what amounted to about 2% savings on the deal.

I was buying through two tire shops, back then. A local family outfit near my house, and an STS near where I worked, both of which were Toyo and Michelin dealers. The vehicles were a 1/2 ton pickup (which I had re-fitted with proper load-rated Toyo truck tires) and my wife's crappy X-type sedan. My current car takes a very expensive tire, so maybe I'll check this route again when it's time for replacement, but I'll be surprised if the pricing landscape has changed enormously.

I use tirebuyer i have always gotten free shipping and then have my mechanic mount and balance which is usually 10 to 15 depending if the wheels need cleanup. So in my experince it is much cheaper