Looks like a trip to the tire store today

[2manyrocks]

I'm amazed that these chain stores are able to stay in business. I have a Mazda protege that had some really pricey tires on it and wanted to swap them for more normal less expensive ones. One chain store wouldn't do it. Another knew immediately which tires could be substituted and did it with no fuss. Now I just buy tires from Walmart and have the local tire store mount them although I do have a HF tire changer that I could use if I had to.

 

[ultrarunner]

I found carry out more lax… if the shop isn’t putting the on a vehicle less liability???

 

[Yander]

The last two cars I had tires put on, both this year, I ordered from Tirerack and had Discount tire install them.

They offered a mobile service for an extra $50 and I opted for that. It is worth it to not have to hassle with dropping off a car and making two trips or tying up half the day waiting on an install. I will do it again if they continue to offer it.

They also torqued the lug nuts and did a nice job installing. I do have to take it to get an alignment checked.

 

[sd455dan]

I have thought about going the cheap tire changer route as well. Always seems like such a hassle to get to the tire place, then you have to wait in line, then sometimes it is free sometimes not. I do have a somewhat local guy that will do patches for me. But he charges $25 and it takes him like 5 minutes. I mean I get it, you gotta feed the family. But I think this might be another thing I add to my self-sufficiency portfolio.

The last two cars I had tires put on, both this year, I ordered from Tirerack and had Discount tire install them.

They offered a mobile service for an extra $50 and I opted for that. It is worth it to not have to hassle with dropping off a car and making two trips or tying up half the day waiting on an install. I will do it again if they continue to offer it.

They also torqued the lug nuts and did a nice job installing. I do have to take it to get an alignment checked.

Yep never going back and do all my own tire changes.
Really happy with the 988 rim clamp machine. New snow tires being mounted up for this next winter just putting in a TPS monitor.
Machine also worked for my JD riding Mower wheels and my Tractors 8.3" x 20" front wheels tires.


Best studded winter tire prices seem to be when it is a 100 degrees outside

 

[Mud2Money]

I’ve done lots of car and truck tires with a manual machine. But this weekend was a first. Changed the tires on my NH. It wasn’t bad at all. I will for ever be doing my own.

 

[gsganzer]

For you folks changing your own auto tires. Are you balancing them too?

 

[ultrarunner]

Uncle always does his own and bubble balances…

Don’t see that much as spin seems the standard now.

 

[KennyG]

For you folks changing your own auto tires. Are you balancing them too?

When I buy new auto tires, I have them mounted and balanced. When I fix one, I mark the orientation and keep it the same. I got a tire changer mainly for the trailer and hobby cars. I needed to fix rim leaks for 6 to 8 year old tires that look brand new. My trailer usage is so local and slow speed I don't worry about balance.

 

[sd455dan]

For you folks changing your own auto tires. Are you balancing them too?

Bought this balancer with the tire machine to save having to get the balancer later. I looked for a nice quality older bubble balancer first but everyone wanted about 1/2 of the electronic one. So far it has worked well except for one wheel that is bent with a fair wobble.

 

[newbury]

Since this seems to be the most recent tire thread:
2019 Ford Escape, 21,000 miles (very little driving during Covid), OEM tires (continental procontact) down to about half wear. One sprung a leak, lose about 5lb of pressure a day. Another has had a very small cut on the sidewall for ~5,000 miles.
Decided to replace the 2 tires. Really like their ride.
Was rather shocked by tire prices. Best price I found ($262@) was at Walmart.
But BEFORE that the best price was at Ford, $313@ - until I got to mounting and balancing They wanted $230 for the 2 tires!!
Then I stumbled across Walmart, they had the same exact tire (brand, model, size, speed rating etc.) listed in 3 places, 1 as a group of 4 at ~$1300, 1 web page as $320@, one for $262@. So I bought 2 with m&b w/ their square trade warranty for about the same total price that Ford wanted just for their tires WITHOUT M&B.