New tires=empty wallet

[signal34]

I run 245/40/18's on the roadster and they were going to be around $850 for a new set. Fortunately I knew a guy at one of the local tire shops and ended up getting the set for just a little over $600.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Tires are a love hate thing. They are, without a doubt, the most important part on the entire car. Seems it is the last place you would want to skimp.

I am even thinking of going to 16's just so I can find GOOD performance rubber. The only thing stopping me is that the car is not really an all out screamer, since it is mostly stock and the Ultra High Performance Potenza 960A's I have on there now are truely a good match for a stock HP 240Z. Overtiring it may make the car lose some character. I even thought about going down to 14's just for the lightness.

What I will probably end up doing is keeping everything the way it is, and installing some quick steering knuckles. But my mind changes daily. I am funny that way.

[IdahoKidd]

I guess there are two basic points here. One is that tires have gotten freaking expensive. I would have paid more for better IF they had been what I wanted. My choices for the wheels I have (have 3 sets of period correct, the slots, the heavy vane, and the fine vane -30 vane) are all 14 inch. I would have been happier if I would have gotten the same tire brand in a 215/60 or 225/60. I just bought a set of bridgestones for the SEC, 205/60HR16's a couple of months ago from a tire shop quite some distance from my home for over $100 less. There are more options in those tire sizes (15/16/17's). So, when it comes time to put tires on the project car, I will put on 16 Rota's and get a decent tire.

The part that chaps my arse is that they charged me $30 for 4 rubber valve stems with a chrome sleeve. These are availabe on ebay for 28 cents each. I have employees that bust their arse for $15 an hour. How can LSTC justify working for two full hours to recieve 4 rubber valve stems that are worth a dollar and twelve cents?

I will have a discussion with the manager this morning and they are likely to have the sale reversed and their merchandise back. I have 13 vehicles on the road. I am stubborn. I can find another tire dealer somewhere.

[Dobber]

Seems like there are more and more people out there that think they are worth 75.00 per.. Just because.

[Arne]

Arne, didn't you mention you spent years in a tire shop? If so, I feel a little better about the tires.

Yeah, over 20 years total, 17 of those with Schwab, the last 7 years in management there. That ended about 13 years ago, though.

Eclipses are nothing special, but will be reliable, daily cruising tires.

Edited February 4, 2011 by Arne

[sblake01]

Seems like there are more and more people out there that think they are worth 75.00 per.. Just because.

They may think that but I haven't paid that little for a new tire for any vehicle I've owned in years....... Edited February 5, 2011 by sblake01

[torker]

I feel for you. I have 4 vehicles to maintain. 3 on the road constantly. Everytime fuel goes up so do tires. Probably good you got them now and not this summer. Fuel is supposed to jump again:stupid: I wouldn't want to complain and then let them touch my vehicle after though. Sucks having to go 100 mi. for other service. I am only 30 mi. from several places but even then it seems you have to order tires to get exactly what you want. I actually put one size narrower on my wifes Caddy-same height because nobody in Wichita pop. 400,000 had the right size:stupid:

[VITAMIN Z]

Looked there. In the end, it would have been the same. Can't get a 215/60/14 unless it is a bfg ta. Wasn't what I wanted. By the time shipping and mounting, even the cheapies were over the top expensive.

Wow! sorry to hear about your tire misfortune, where I'm at I am getting the fat tires...BF Goodrich for $500.00 out the door, and I thought that was a great deal, specially since I am getting what I want.

[Dobber]

sblake01 I mean't, people think their time is worth $75.00 per. hour.

[JohnnyO]

I went with these: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Sumitomo&tireModel=HTR+200&partnum=97HR4HTR200&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&autoMake=Datsun&autoYear=1970&autoModel=240Z&autoModClar=

and am very happy with the purchase. I "negotiated" with my local Discount Tire manager and he agreed to order them in for me and charged me $72.00 mounted and balanced. At that time Tire Rack wanted $58 each plus shipping.

They are not rated for driving under 40 degrees but that is not a problem up here. My car is in storage by the time it hits 40.

They grip well and are reasonably quiet. Looks like they are on closeout at TR right now.

[sblake01]

sblake01 I mean't, people think their time is worth $75.00 per. hour.

Oh, gotcha.....I guess it would help if I read each post....

[Zedyone_kenobi]

That sumitomo is a nice offering in that size. Any summer tire is just about guaranteed better than an all season. Wish I would have seen those.