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Today's Discount Tire experience.

32K views 130 replies 46 participants last post by  Discount Tire 
#1 ·
I needed new tires for Kaylee. Student loan check clears and we're good to go.

Walk into nearest DT.

"Hi. I need new tires for my Subaru."

"All Wheel Drive, you'll be needing 4 tires then?"

"Yup." I like it when parts guys actually know something.

Parts guy walked out to my car to write down the miles, etc. Asked me how I liked the tires that were on it. I said I didn't really care for them at all, but they were less than 15k old when I bought the car. The tires are Potenza G009's by the way. He asked if they were noisy yet, which they were getting louder as they wore. I mentioned that they were just not what I needed during the winter slush. He said that was a common issue on the old G009's, but their replacement G019 seemed to do better, but would be a better fit on something sportier than a stock Outback. I agree, but I knew what I wanted before I got there.

Went inside and said I wanted 4 Michelin Primacy MXV4s. Asked if they would match the DTD pricing, which was about $15 cheaper a tire. He could not match, but took $10 a tire off, which was close enough that the hassle of having tires shipped to my apartment building was no longer worth it so save the extra funds.

In and out with 4 new tires, no appointment, in about an hour.
 
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#2 ·
Excellent. I'm happy to hear your local store was able to take good care of you. In store purchases do come with FREE rotations, FREE flat repair and a FREE prorated Road hazard warranty. These services are not included with online purchases so there is some added value if the price was a little more. Excellent choice on your tires and thank you for posting.

-Travis
 
#4 ·
With friends and family, yup.
 
#5 ·
Got my $70 rebate check in the mail today.
 
#7 ·
Ha!

Origin of name: went to go look at the car and saw it is the metallic silver on gold color combo. My first thought was, "Wow. Shiny." Which made me think of "Everything's shiny, Captain!"

Firefly for the win.
 
#8 ·
I have purchased a couple of sets of tires from Discount Tires since I moved to the Salt Lake City area. They do seem to know what they are doing in terms of proper tires for my Subie. When I mentioned my concern about what to do if I ruined a tire after 15 or 20 K miles. They made me an offer that I felt was very reasonable. If I needed to replace the remaining three tires in addition to the ruined one they would pro-rate the tread wear on the ruined one and sell me three additional new tires at "cost." Sounds pretty good.
 
#9 ·
Asked if they would match the DTD pricing, which was about $15 cheaper a tire. He could not match, but took $10 a tire off, which was close enough that the hassle of having tires shipped to my apartment building was no longer worth it so save the extra funds.
Interesting. My local store matched the TireRack price for me when I bought a set awhile back. They were a special order and they matched the shipping quote from TireRack as well. I saved a ton of money. That was a year and a half ago though.

Wonder why they couldn't match the DTD price.
 
#10 ·
I've been buying from Discount Tire for quite awhile now. Their policy of fixing flats without question of where the tire was purchased and reasonable prices has me going back there time and again.

When my Outback needed new treads they didn't have the tires I wanted, Triple Treads. The guy gave me a bit of a hard sell for what he did have that left me a bit perturbed. But in the end I went online and found another Discount Tire store with the tires I wanted, less than an hour latter, 4 brand new tires.
 
#11 ·
I love Discount Tire. Free flat fixes/rotations, quick service. Out here they're called America's Tire though.

I was looking for a set of winter rims/tires for my Outback, printed the winter package from TireRack.com (4 steel rims, 4 General Altimax Arctics) and took it into America's Tire. They matched the price no questions asked, ordered, mounted, balanced, installed... super easy.
 
#15 ·
you used student loan to get tires?
wth
that is exactly an example of why the future people of this country are not doing things correctly. Isnt using student loans on personal things illegal?
It is his money now - that he will have to pay back eventually - so it doesn't really matter what he does with it. ;)
 
#14 ·
I don't think there is a Discount Tire shop near me, would be nice to have another competitor and one that is linked to online sales.

Also...it was good to have someone post a positive experience. Often online forums (especially car forums) focus a ton on negative experiences. One reason I'm rather cynical in my posting style on auto forums.

I didn't realize Discount Tire was on here as a vendor. Should hit them up for a much needed discount on snow tires I need ASAP.
 
#23 ·
I have been a huge fan of my local DT store for eight years. It took me about three years of calling around and surfing to realize that the good folks there will do their best to match any other deal, and they can order ANY tire or wheel, even if it isn't listed at the DT website. (The DT website sucks and is hard to use, IMHO). After that, I just shop for a wheel or tire online, then buy from my local store. I have to pay state sales tax, but I can count on flawless followup service.

They have always treated me with friendship and care. They know me by name after four sets of wheels and tires. I had them order a set of Sport Edition winter wheels for my '07 Outback from the Other Online Tire Source, because I don't care for the multi-hole style of DTs MB store brand. It was no hassle - the salesman just created an entry in their computer and matched the other price and shipping charges. "No problem!" he said with a smile.

To the DT moderator: please read the following post and respond! I would have made this a new thread here, but the Vendor forum is locked:

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums...ensors-no-more-reprogramming-each-season.html

I think these Orange sensors are the next great thing. There are SO many cars out there that will experience dead TPMS batteries in the next few years, that we need inexpensive clonable replacements for our OEM wheels as well as our winter ones.

My local DT store manager says he can't buy these sensors and the hand held tool - the main office has to decide and then all the stores will be able to. Considering how many hours of labor each store will save by not reprogramming the car computers twice a year, I think this is short sighted ... but maybe I can stir up some action here.

Can you comment about these sensors? I want a set but there is not one tire shop in the area who can help me!

John Davies
Spokane WA USA
 
#30 ·
I have been a huge fan of my local DT store for eight years. It took me about three years of calling around and surfing to realize that the good folks there will do their best to match any other deal, and they can order ANY tire or wheel, even if it isn't listed at the DT website. (The DT website sucks and is hard to use, IMHO). After that, I just shop for a wheel or tire online, then buy from my local store. I have to pay state sales tax, but I can count on flawless followup service.

They have always treated me with friendship and care. They know me by name after four sets of wheels and tires. I had them order a set of Sport Edition winter wheels for my '07 Outback from the Other Online Tire Source, because I don't care for the multi-hole style of DTs MB store brand. It was no hassle - the salesman just created an entry in their computer and matched the other price and shipping charges. "No problem!" he said with a smile.

To the DT moderator: please read the following post and respond! I would have made this a new thread here, but the Vendor forum is locked:

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums...ensors-no-more-reprogramming-each-season.html

I think these Orange sensors are the next great thing. There are SO many cars out there that will experience dead TPMS batteries in the next few years, that we need inexpensive clonable replacements for our OEM wheels as well as our winter ones.

My local DT store manager says he can't buy these sensors and the hand held tool - the main office has to decide and then all the stores will be able to. Considering how many hours of labor each store will save by not reprogramming the car computers twice a year, I think this is short sighted ... but maybe I can stir up some action here.

Can you comment about these sensors? I want a set but there is not one tire shop in the area who can help me!

John Davies
Spokane WA USA
We do not sell Orange Electronics but we do have a programmable/cloneable sensor which is produced by Schrader called the EZ Sensor.

Schrader International: A Tomkins Company

The cost per sensor is $69.00
 
#24 ·
I have used Discount Tire locally for two of my vehicles and soon will be using them for my third and fourth vehicle.

I have a Z06 that takes a 265x40x17 front tire. I wanted a set of General UHP's but they only came in 275x40x17. A brand X store refused me service unless I ordered from a manufacturer that supplied a 265x40x17 tire. I dropped by Discount Tire which is 15 miles farther away from my home and they agreed they weren't spec'ed tire size, but check a chart and said the tire was within range to work just fine on the Z. The installed the 275x40x17's on the front and a set of 295x35x18's on the rear balanced and out the door in 40 minutes. Four months later they got my F150 truck business. Soon they will get my Honda van business and later my Subie business. Customer loyalty is earned through honesty, integrity and service, not always lowest price (although it has been lowest), and I appreciate it.
 
#31 ·
I have nothing bad to say about DT. I have always purchase my tires there and every store i have walked into they have always taken care of me. I had to pre-order a set of tires and they had them the next day. I am on my second set of tires from them and my parents Outback has tires from them as well. As long as there is a DT near, they will always have my business
 
#37 ·
Bottom line, it costs over a thousand dollars to put just regular AS tires on one of my vehicles, 20 dollars for the life of the 4 tires is nothing in the grand scheme of things. If it help keep the water out of the wheels and lowers my maint routine of checking pressure I'm good with it. I've had two sets of wheels ruined by water in the air from these so called professional tire shops. Many don't have separators or drain their tanks often enough and then they want to sell you new wheels due to excessive corrosion preventing the valve or bead to seat properly. I don't care what the Chemical Engineering community thinks or you for that matter. $20.00 bucks over 40K miles X four is nothing. Start another OIL thread then you can debate the value of Amsoil vs all the others again.
 
#39 ·
If it help keep the water out of the wheels
It doesn't. Not any more than using a compressed air source which already uses an air/water separator.
lowers my maint routine of checking pressure
It doesn't. If you aren't checking your pressure, how do you know that it's staying constant?

I've had two sets of wheels ruined by water in the air from these so called professional tire shops. Many don't have separators or drain their tanks often enough and then they want to sell you new wheels due to excessive corrosion preventing the valve or bead to seat properly.
Ah, so now we see the root of your issue. You aren't upset about air vs. Nitrogen. You're upset over air vs. sloppy work using air.

I don't care what the Chemical Engineering community thinks or you for that matter. $20.00 bucks over 40K miles X four is nothing.
Just so long as you understand that the only benefit of that $20 spent is purely in your mind. There are no facts grounded in the physical sciences which back up the claims made by Nitrogen proponents. At least not when applied to passenger cars.

What's the environmental cost of obtaining, storing and transporting that $20 of "pure" Nitrogen?

When that "pure" Nitrogen is put into your tires, is it done in a sealed, pure Nitrogen environment which has no other gases? IOW, how do you truly know that your tires have 100% pure Nitrogen in them? Your tires in fact have somewhere between 80% and less than 100% Nitrogen in them - since air is already 80% Nitrogen to begin with.
 
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