First Time Buying Tires In Years - Dang, Things Have Changed

Buy a car with new tires. I've only bought tires once in my life. I'm 31

 

That isn't what he said... " and I have read to steer clear of Walmart tires."

And a tire change guy isn't hardly what I would call a tech anyway...

 

Impetuous youths....

LOL

 

I'm inclined to believe this. I have heard that the formulas on oil and other additives that have "Made for WalMart" on them are in fact proprietary blends, though. Can't confirm, but I usually buy at CarQuest or O'Reilly's anyway.

 

So you are inclined to think that a manufacturer would go through the expense and added cost to special run shitty tires just for Walmart cheaper?

No, trust me ( Extensive experience in the manufacturing industry ) they do not.

 

No, no, I'm inclined to believe that WalMart doesn't, as you said, but I heard the contrary on oils and additives and have seen myself the "Produced For WalMart by (manufacturer)" labeling. What I can't confirm is whether or not they are ACTUALLY proprietary.

 

Rickochet - got my Michelin LTX MS2 RWL about a year ago at Costco, paid almost exactly what you did. They did NOT have them in stock, but got them in less than a week. This was P245/75-16.

 

Years ago a bud who used to be a Ford Dealer owner and was later in charge of the state govt. motor pool told me a story. He had Goodyear tires on his personal vehicle that he purchased at a Goodyear store. While on vacation he had a major failure on one of the tires. The nearest Goodyear dealer was a Walmart. They replaced the tire with the "same" model tire. He noticed very soon that the replacement tire did not perform as well as the original. Through his contacts he was informed that the tires Walmart carried were not the same quality of the ones you get at a Goodyear store and might be factory 2nds. I don't know if this is true or not but I have seen this posted too many times on the web.

 

Don't drink the kool-aid. The facts are below:

He noticed very soon that the replacement tire did not perform as well as the original.

I would like to know how he measured this so called lack of performance on one of four tires. The ass dynomometer is not a good measure of performance.

Through his contacts he was informed

Never trust unnamed sources.

might be factory 2nds

All factory second tires are still required to pass all quality / performance checks and are required to be marked as a "Blemish Tire". They cannot sell a sub-quality tire only a cosmetic blemished tire.

I have seen this posted too many times on the web.

And we all know that they wouldn't allow it to be posted on the internet if it was not true.

Right?

 

And my last comment was, "I don't know if this is true or not but I have seen this posted too many times on the web."

 

I just paid $80 for my wife's rav4, which has 18" wheels and needs TPMS service. Thats from a place I identified as somewhere capable of balancing them right the first time, and not marking/scratching the wheels in the entire process.

 

False, no manufacturer would allow anyone to sell their product as a new product if it was in fact a "factory 2nd" Simply not true.

 

Let me rephrase. Perhaps "blem" or "second" was the wrong term. A tire of "lessor quality" might have been more accurate. Tires with differing quality compounds (and cheaper) can be made and still be a safe and DOT approved tire. Performance and durability will not be as good as well. My bud's contention was that the replacement Walmart tire did not wear nearly as well as the other three.

 

OK. Just trying to enlighten you. I have been working in the automobile manufacturing industry for greater than 20 years.

 

tirecrawler.com nobody can touch them and they have free shipping and no tax on cooper and toyo

 

Companies do not make a lower quality item just for WalMart and still put their brand name on it. Due to the volume WalMart buys, they can demand a supplier make them the sole or primary distributer of the product though. My cousin is a major buyer for WalMart, has a private jet at her disposal, makes deals in the millions for WalMart on a daily basis, and according to her it just doesn't happen. When WalMart walks in the door and offers to buy several years worth of product, they usually get a good price on it. They can also have their name put on the package if the contract is sweet enough. They do not offer to buy an inferior product.

Now, if they don't come to terms on the brand name item, then there might be a WalMart branded item that does not carry the original brand name. Just like the WalMart branded oil. WalMart does not make that oil. It is contracted to meet industry standards at a price point WalMart wants to pay. They can get something like that cheaper because they buy an agreed upon production amount. It might be the very same product as the brand name, but WalMart carries all the expense of marketing and sales.

A Goodyear tire at WalMart is made in a Goodyear factory like any other Goodyear tire. There is not a special WalMart production line that is only sold in WalMart.

Back when WalMart really tried to sell guns, they had several sole distributor contracts with Ruger for certain models. Ruger didn't make a "cheaper" WalMart gun. I doubt WalMart still has those contracts though as it seems they'd prefer not to sell guns anymore.

That said, I don't buy tires at WalMart. I prefer a locally owned independent shop, even if I have to pay a few dollars more. Usually I don't.

 

Plus one on the Destination A/T, nice tire with my only complaint is they seem to pickup lots of gravel.

 

Just like with changing your oil, changing your tires needs to be done by mileage or year, which ever comes first. Oil needs to be changed yearly regardless of mileage and tires probably every 6-8.

It's dangerous to drive around in 15 year old tires. Especially if those tires are not garaged nearly all the time (sun ruins everything).
Would hate to see someone get in a serious accident because a tire blows at high speed.

 

Here is my basic Access with the 235 70R 15 Nexen Roadians

 

I think his 09 Taco probably had 09 Tires....so 8 year old tires.