Online Tire Shoppers...Fair Warning!!!

I feel the need to chime in on this one.

I have owned a repair shop for 15 or so years and the most important thing to remember is we make our money through parts profit and labor, if you subtract one then the other side HAS to increase in order to keep the proper profit ratio in check.

The internet has really cause grief for shops like me.just because you found a way to purchase your parts at my cost does not mean you are entitled to have them installed at a cost that will cause my shop to loose money does it?

If you bring a hamburger to a restaruant do you expect them to cook it them discount meal because you brought your own supplies?

customers who supply their own parts are charged a labor cost that is 30% higher, very rarely do peole have a problem with this.

On the other hand we don't feel the need to interject when a customer has diagnosed the problem then purchased the parts. At that point we are installers and only take responsability for the work/install completed.

Just my .02 from a shop owner

brian m
 
Brian,

I'm sure you are a reputeable shop owner. I'm sure because I am sure I don't want to offend you (or anyone else) and I don't know you.

But I have had my fill of professionals these days who just want to rip me off.

Send my wife to get some recall work done on her honda (we will never own a honda car again) and they want to sell injector cleaning, and all the rest of this crap.

I called them, read them the riot act, and finally got the recalls done.

Or the local shop that told me my alignment wasn't bad, my tires were worn in one direction and the only way to fix it was new tires.

I do it myself because its a little cheaper, but mostly because I know its done right.

Alan
 
yes alan and I remember working in a alignment shop when this old coot brought his chevy in. the guy running the rack told the customer he could not align the car because it had a bad balljoint. the guy went nut said that we were all crooks and that he had broughtthe car to 3 alignment shops and all three tried to sell him ball joints. the customer is always right is just an expression, and if you call some one a crook long enough he might start acting like one
dick
 
I'll never forget the time in Rochester when I worked in a gas station for a little extra college funds, (and use of the WARM garage and cool lift) when a woman came in with some old snow tires to mount.

OLD snow tires...like BALD snow tires.

I mentioed that I would be happy to mount them but that she should seriously consider new ones that might actually function as designed..

I was labled a crook...the boss just shook his head and told her we'd just mount them for her and so she left.

Upon her return, she called me a dumb idiot kid...I had mounted the snow tires to the FRONT of her car, when EVERYONE knows they go on the BACK!

After much discussion, she signed a "I insisted on this" paper, and left the shop with them on the back, (at no charge..at my insistance, to limit our "involvement"). She drove away swearing about all the idiots of the world, in her VW Rabbit.....

------------------
Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by lateapex911 (edited November 18, 2004).]
 
Originally posted by JohnRW:
Actually, no...I was trying to make a point that Diane's comment about Walmart not being 'local' misses the fact that the people working there are 'local'. It's quite fashionable these days to bash large companies for all sorts of 'sins' that seem to be overlooked when committed by some small local schmoe.
Click to expand...

I consider "local" to be a local small busines owner (who probably also employees local people). While Walmart may provide jobs to locals, they are by no stretch of the imagination a "local" company in that sense.

Combined with the typical employees found in places such as this, turnover etc, they have no reason to be loyal to you and could care less if you bring them business, rather than the true small businessman we were discussing.

I prefer to deal with people rather than corporations. Hence I like to support local businesses.

Any local schmoe that does me wrong doesn't get my business anymore either.


Diane
 
Originally posted by lateapex911:
in her VW Rabbit.....
Click to expand...

LOL!!! I had coffee out the nose on that one!

I pay $60-$70 for a local Tire Rack installer. I leave them for a couple days so they can work on them when there are no other customers. I'm not looking to get the mounting for free!!

Brian M,
What do you think is a fair cost to mount a set of tire where you can make a little money?

------------------
Jeff L
#74 ITB GTi

[This message has been edited by JLawton (edited November 19, 2004).]
 
Wow...did not know this thread would get such a passionate response....
smile.gif


Just so I am clear, I firmly believe in supporting the local small business (my father owns a truck rental/repair garage in Danbury CT), however, when online prices were SOOOOOO low, selection was greater, and even paying the higher mounting prices, buying online was the way to go, saving as much as $200. Now, if you re-read my original post, I stated that we should now check with local stores first, armed with online prices. Many of the "local" shops that would not touch the tires said they would have matched the online price (plus shipping) and possbily mounted/balanced for free.

So, back to my original point..FAIR WARNING to online tire shoppers....check the local guy first, his/her prices can now beat/match online ones.
 
Hmmmmm....just got back from Used Tire World here in Orlando...20 bucks net for mounting and balancing two Hoosiers...you might try a used tire shop next time
 
I buy my race tires from Tire Rack. The tires for my truck, trailer and wifes car are purchased from a local tire store. They appreciate my business and are therefore happy to mount my race tires for a very reasonable price.

------------------
#63ITB Rabbit GTI
 
I see a theme running through these responses, and it's primarily "customer service", "customer loyalty", and "relationships."

Having worked within the auto repair industry (car dealerships' service/parts) I know what it's like when you get some sponge walking in with a part they want you to install. A lot of the time they'll want it installed quick and cheap and then you never see them again.

However, a lot of time that stuff can be a good loss leader. An example is the guy that works on my light airplane. I bought my airplane used, and the first thing I needed was some paperwork signed off (an Airworthiness Directive that did not apply to my airframe.) I was referred to the guy and, after meeting him, asked him if I could schedule an appointment to get the signoff (I told him it did not apply, so it was a paper-whip.) He read the AD, took my logbooks and signed them off on the spot, then didn't accept any money. With that act, he got himself a customer for life and I've never had anyone else work on my ship (of course, he had to back it up with good service).

On the flip side, over the last 10+ years I've watched him work with sponges on a consistent basis; there are a lot of cheap-screw pilots, just as there are racers. I'll watch this guy give them the same good initial service as any new customer, but if they turn out to be sponges (like having him do all the crap work but take the meaty stuff to cheaper places) he'll kindly, but firmly, find subtle ways to discourage their business.

I believe that while a lot of folks are cheap screws, most customers are interested in good service, and a good price, and are willing to pay a reasonable price for it. When that happens, the shop will enjoy that customer's long-time business.

So, I guess what I'm saying is that good relationships are a two-way street. My experience, and the experiences of others related here, support that idea. Hey, if you're a racer and you're finding it hard to get a good place for your business, maybe you should look inwards...

Greg
 
I have been buying my tires from TireRack for quite a while. I have had my street tires mounted at a BJ's and local guys.

Now that I am in northern NH, I use a local shop, Progressive Autoworks. VERY racer friendly (runs a Harley F150 at autocrosses). His balancing machine has a pressure roller to simulate tire/road forces. Makes for a great balanced tire. He doesn't even mind the Hoosier race tires. (A previous tire mounting shop said "I won't be upset if you don't come back").

So there are guys out there, just have to look.

Anthony R.
#86 NER CRX
 
Another place to try is Sears Mart, or is that K-Sears, or Sears Auto Center. They do any race ties, I believe $10 per tire for mounting and $10 for balancing. Plus you get some entertainment watching them mount the hard sidewalls.
 
Originally posted by JLawton:

Brian M,
What do you think is a fair cost to mount a set of tire where you can make a little money?

Click to expand...

Jeff,

my shop charges $18.oo per tire for mount and balance. basically it's 1 hours labor for 4 tires. we could do other work and make more but I feel the need to offer this service to my customers.

brian m
 
Jeeez, Brian..I need to move up your way!

I think the local shop (from whom I have purchesed two sets of LARGE truck tires) charges me 20 to mount, 5 to balance and 3 to throw away...28 x4 is 112, plus 6% for about 120, ....

------------------
Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]
 
Jake, we've got a guy in Wallingford that mounts and balances a set of Hoosiers for $60, cash only (he owns the joint).
 
Last set of street tires I took to my local guy, he charged me $8/tire to m&b, and that included peeling the old tires off the rims. He charged me $15/tire to do the ones on my truck, including pulling the wheels off the truck. I asked if he minded that I got the tires elsewhere, and he said not at all. I've never talked to him about mounting slicks. He's got an old Coates 40/40, and I don't know if it'll handle slicks.

------------------
MARRS #25 ITB Rabbit GTI (sold) | MARRS #25 HProd Rabbit
SCCA 279608
 
There's a Discount Tire on just about every corner in Phoenix, and I have used the same one for years for all our family tire needs. I had a new set of Michelins put on the truck last week and verified they still do "outside" tires. I took my new Toyos to them on Monday and $60 later I had all 4 mounted and balanced with new metal valve stems, and they hauled off the old tires. It has never cost more than $60 for 4 , and once 4 (M&B) was free
 
Originally posted by itbgti:
Wow...did not know this thread would get such a passionate response....
smile.gif


Just so I am clear, I firmly believe in supporting the local small business (my father owns a truck rental/repair garage in Danbury CT), however, when online prices were SOOOOOO low, selection was greater, and even paying the higher mounting prices, buying online was the way to go, saving as much as $200. Now, if you re-read my original post, I stated that we should now check with local stores first, armed with online prices. Many of the "local" shops that would not touch the tires said they would have matched the online price (plus shipping) and possbily mounted/balanced for free.

So, back to my original point..FAIR WARNING to online tire shoppers....check the local guy first, his/her prices can now beat/match online ones.
Click to expand...

Yes Alan this is a true statement. It is possible to find a tire guy/shop who can be competitive with the online tire purchases. It helps if you are independent and have been doing it for near 30 years......

------------------
Phil Phillips
2004 Honda Challenge H3
NASA ECHC CHAMPION

www.philstireservice.com
 
First I would bring my tires to a "racer" to get done to support their efforts (Brian M or Phils Tire Sevice to name a couple) however if you are in the sticks, like me, and their isn't anyone close then try BJ's... We have one about 5 miles away and they charge $12.00 for a mount and balance, and yes they did many of our Hoosiers 225/50/14's on a 6" wheel (what a bitch) without any complaints. I think the tire guy thought it was cool cause they were race tires. Never had any issues, and if the tires did get damaged then they are insured, or would pay to get new ones.

Raymond
 
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