Tyres - is this right?

[Miss.September]

We have a Ford Territory, have had it for just over a year and it needs new tyres. We've gotten two quotes, one that was $170 per tyre, and one that is $299 per tyre. The $299 one, when we asked him about the $170 price, he said that the tyres wouldn't last six months. But the guy offering the $170 per tyre said that although it is a new tyre on the market, its really popular with Territories, and six months in, they're coming back for wheel alignments and rotations and are wearing really well. The $170 tyre is from The Tyre Factory, the $299 one is from Beaurepairs.

Fact is, we can't afford $1200 for tyres, but I don't want to be replacing them in six months either. Part of the condition of sale when we bought the car was that new tyres went on, the old ones were bald, and it seems that they've put second hand tyres on, so it wasn't something we were expecting so soon (with the amount of driving I do, new tyres usually last me 4-5 years). And we can't go back and fight the dealership. We sort of traded a very dodgy car (which they didn't test drive) so I know this is karma biting me in the butt!

So do you reckon the Beaurepairs guy is just fishing for a sale by saying the $170 tyres won't last, or should we just believe him?

[Pandora]

What brand are the 299 ones?
If they are continental it's a good price. But yes it's a lot.
Lots of tyre places offer interest free these days.

Ring a few different places and see what they know/think about the specific tyres this guy is saying are good.

170 is what I pay for a better tyre on my little corolla so it does sound a bit low for a territory..

They will also charge you for a wheel alignment on top of the tyres.

Ring all the tyre places and get quotes from each so you have something to bargain with.

[feeb]

We have an SV6 commodore and paid $240 per tyre for them.

DH rnag around beaurpaires, tyrepower, costco, kmart tyre, bob jane etc and got prices varying from $200 - $290 depending on brand.

[Tinks]

Wow tyres are expensive

I've never paid full price for mine. DH's 4x4 cost us around $100 each and tyres for my little jig are about $50. I do a fair bit of Km's and get 18mths or so out of them. So far Dh has had his on his car for a year and they're still fine.

[~me~]

We got to Kmart now for all our services and Tyres, they are very reasonable and honest.
It does sound alot?

[Miss.September]

Okay, after ringing around, we've found that the $170 ones still were the cheapest, (it included putting them on, balancing them and was an extra $50 for alignment) even though Kmart offer their 10% price beat guarantee, it's only on tyres they stock and the cheapest they had was $220. They wouldn't price match with the Tyre Factory because they didn't stock the same tyre. We've looked up the tyre that's been recommended and its known as Australia's best value for money performance tyre. The car is booked in for tomorrow, so I guess time will tell.

Thanks for all your help

[Ahurani]

Depends what brand they are. When dp got his car the other people had put the cheapest tyres on there and you can nearly lose it in the wet. I'd pay a little more for a better brand if I were you. I got my tyres for $200 each fitted.

[Trillian]

THe tyres we need for our car (holden captiva) cost us anything from $320 to $400 each depending on brand so we only ever get two on at a time - so maybe that could be an alternative for you in the future?

[Miss.September]

Trillian - It was going to be our plan, to do two at a time, but we've run out of time - we're doing a driving trip so they need to be done. We weren't anticipating that we'd need four new tyres only 12 months after getting the car, when they were supposed to be brand new ones on it already.

Ahurani - We've had that happen too, but with expensive tyres on a Nissan Patrol - wasn't fun slipping all over the road! My parents bought four brand new patrols (over time) that had a reputable tyre on it, and after the first one, every time they ditched the tyres and put a less expensive one on it, and handling was awesome. I'm not saying that this is the case every time, but the reviews I'm now reading on the tyre we're getting aren't so bad. I just hope that they're truthful!

I wish there was some sort of "middle man" you could ask for an independent opinion or somewhere to do a comparison.

[Pandora]

Choice do tyre reviews
Actually google tyre review and a few places have them, you may find them on one of those

[Netix]

I wish there was some sort of "middle man" you could ask for an independent opinion or somewhere to do a comparison.

I'm happy to be a middle man! Or woman rather. If you guys have any price queries about car things, or if something seems 'a bit off' with what your mechanic is saying, feel free to pm me. We run our own 4wd workshop, and I'm happy to compare prices of stuff if you think somethings a bit inflated. I'm not saying this to sell anything, just offering an extra, unbiased opinion, if anyone wants one.

Out of interest PakRak, what are the tyres you're getting tomorrow?

[Rosebud]

We just got 4 new tyres for our VW tiguan. The first set were $220 ea, drove down the street, turned around and took them straight back. The drone that was coming from them was unbelievable. There was no way in hell I was going to be driving around on something that was so loud I couldn't even hear myself think. (steer clear of MAXXIS tyres)

DH then went to the other extreme and we how have Pirelli scorpions $480 ea from memory, not cheap but what a sweet ride.

[Netix]

Rosebud, its all about the tread pattern. The big, blocky tread give you that 'drone'. We had Rock Crawlers on our patrol , and when the Man changed them for road tyres, it took me a few minutes to wonder what was up with the car, if there was something wrong because the sound was different. I eventually figured out the difference was that it was quiet! The off road tyres aren't made for quiet unlike the road/all terrains. Your scorpions would be more road than the Maxxis you had to start with I'd say.

Maxxis tyres are good for what they are made for. PS, they make 13 different tread patterns, I just looked it up. And all our 4wd Maxxis tyre users love them to bits.

[Miss.September]

Rosebud - $480 per tyre?! YEOWCH!!!!! They'd want to be silent. I'd want them to be capable of making me cups of tea for that price!!!!!!

Netix - Sent you a PM, but big thank you! Are you in Melbourne by any chance?

[Rosebud]

I would expect a drone noise from any 4x4 or all terrain tyre but these were ultra high performance street tyres which listed minimum noise at speed as one of its features.

Sounds like their 4x4 range is a better product line than their street.

[diva det]

hey girls if anyone wants someone who wont take em for a ride when buying tyres - my BIL Ownes a bob jane!!
if anyone want his number feel free to PM me and happy to pass it on
he wont *ick you or i will kill him lol
let me know if you are interested

[Netix]

PakRak, yep, in Melb, Sunbury to be exact. FWIW, 170 per tyre isn't all that cheap either.

Rosebud, maybe those Maxxis you got were minimum noise, compared with their super off roaders!