Trailer Repair

[Bird]

I'm sure you're right, in some cases at least, Pat, but I've had better luck with Discount Tire Company that anywhere else. In fact, I've been buying nearly all my tires from them for over 20 years. They've always been the best service; even repair flats free on tires that didn't come from them. They used to always be the cheapest, although sometimes that isn't the case now. However, if you find a price lower than theirs, they'll beat it. And at the present time, they're also the closest tire dealer to me.

I did do some shopping this time; didn't find anything on the Internet to beat the local prices. Sears was about $6 cheaper for the set of 4 and the local Ford dealer was about $10 cheaper, so Discount Tire knocked off $14 from their original price. National Tire and Battery (NTB) price was just ridiculous; about $20 per tire more. Sears' and the Ford dealer's prices did not include any flat repair in the future or re-balancing on request.

[jml755]

Discount Tire. Never shopped there until I had a flat on an original OEM car tire about 15 years ago. (Had been paying about $10 at the local gas station.) They fixed it and when I asked how much, they said "free", just consider us on the replacements. Guess where I've been buying all my tires (for 3 vehicles) over the last 15 years? Good prices (may not be the absolute lowest), don't try and rip you off and I can get a full set installed in a half hour if I get there before they open on Saturday mornings.

[Pat]

BIrd, Of course you are doing the right thing. No single source is always the best service or price. It does pay to shop around to keep your "used to always be the best" guys honest. I don't mind paying a reasonable premium for good reliable install/service and things like lifetime balance and flat fix although I have precious few flats.

Recently I put 4 tires on the Prius and watched the guy do the dynamic spin balance. He didn't like the amount of weight indicated so he pulled the tire and reseated it. It then barely needed a weight at all, just a sliver. He could have brute forced it but apparently that wasn't his style. I like to find shops where a good work ethic prevails.

Pat

[Bird]

Yep, Pat, I haven't had a lot of flats, but I've had one flat where I actually had to put the spare on (at the DFW airport) on the Windstar and one very slow bead leak on the Ranger in the past 2 years. I guess I started buying tires at Discount Tire 25 years ago when our daughters were teenagers. I did buy 4 tires elsewhere once when one of my brothers could get them cheap from Pep Boys for me.

And yes, because of the difference in service, I would have bought from Discount Tire even if they hadn't beat the Ford dealer's price.