Is this a gimmick?

Waiting at the local tire place getting a flat fixed on another car and overheard them charging people for a TPMS Rebuild kit? What kind of crap is that? What is there to rebuild? You put the wheel on a mag machine, remove the old tire and put on a new tire. Careful not to damage existing sensor. Or am I missing something? Also, anyone should be able to do the reset?


Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems


Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems Rebuild Kit
Starting at $7.50

Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems Sensors
Starting at $85

Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems Reset
Starting at $30

 

I know from when i worked at Kal Tire when I was 19 that some new sensors can cost 125$

 

If the needle in the valve stem was defective and the tire was looseing air because of it I can see it but how often are they defective? I've never had one...let alone all 4 of them being bad. How do these parts wear from corrosion from the elements with the cap in place? I read where one guy said he was being charged for a "rebuild" kit everytime he got new tires. Sounds like a bunch of bs to me.
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/brochure/general/tpmsRebuildKit.jsp

 

I think the rebuild kit would consist of a new valve core, rubber seal (for inside the rim), and the nut (threaded part) that holds the sensor to the rim. JMO.

 

+1

 

+2

 

Some vehicles are a little more complicated in resetting the tpms than a Toyota. Some sensors can be expensive.

 

Ah. o.k. so that makes more sense. I guess just like when you get new tires you replace the valve stem. Instead of keeping the originals these parts get warn over time just like anything else. So at 7.50 a tire you can count on $30+ . Thanks.

 

yes that way you can spend the extra $30 for the set instead of having to buy another new tire if it goes flat and gets ruined just because you didn't rebuild the sensor and it started leaking.

 

The tpms service packs for Toyota tacomas are only $2 at costco, I know I change them everyday as I work there. Most of them are around that price except for bmw's which are around $15 . You should change them because the rubber seals crack over time just like rubber valve stems

 

Does Costco automatically do this when new tires are purchased? Do they ask the customer or is this a standard repair? I just got new bfg a/t's from them...I guess since my truck only had 15,000 miles on it they either didn't bother with it or they did it and didn't mention anything.

 

+3

 

Costco should have asked you if you wanted them , but at 15,000 miles they are probably fine I changed my tires at 15k also and left the originals on. Mileage is not as much of an issue as time. I drive about 20,000 miles per year so a yeaR is not long enough for the rubber to start cracking , anything over a year is questionable so might as well replace to be on the safe side.