Lou Trottier
Special to The Globe and Mail
This article was published more than 1 year ago. Some information may no longer be current.
Most tire retailers in Canada have a noticeable spike in tire sales twice a year. They correspond with the late fall November season (when everyone is prepping for winter tire installation) and then again in April (when all those winter tires are coming off). Accordingly, all tire manufacturers seem to have fallen into a pattern of competing with each other by offering a variety of rebates around these times in an attempt to entice consumers to their brand.
However, a couple of questions come to mind. If all manufacturers are offering similar rebates, is there any real winner? When a customer is spending approximately $1000 on a decent set of tires, is a $70 mail in rebate a big deal? And why can’t rebates be claimed at the point of purchase instead of making you, the consumer, wait for that rebate cheque or prepaid credit card in the mail?
From my perspective, there are two types of tire purchasers. The first comes from the well-known customer who comes through my door for regular repair and maintenance. When we indicate to them that their tires are in need of replacement, they declare that we should just make the decision for them and all they need to know is how much the total bill is. When I hand them a rebate form at the end of the day, some are enthusiastic about the freebie they weren’t expecting. Many others couldn’t care less.
Alternatively, the other tire sale comes from the avid shopper who spends hours travelling from facility to facility searching for the best deal. They are typically very brand loyal and know exactly what they want. The rebate is a real incentive for them to buy a set of tires, but that doesn’t mean that without a rebate, their need for tires would disappear. All the rebate did was influence their timing.
So I ask my question again: What’s the point of these rebates at all?
From the manufacturer’s perspective of course, this is a golden opportunity for them to gather your personal information.
Additionally, they are banking on the fact that 40 to 60 per cent of rebates are never claimed. The rebate application process in some cases can be intentionally difficult, intended to slow you down. Hence the reason why the rebates are never offered at point of sale.
In my humble opinion, tire manufacturers should just offer the savings year round, mitigating the cost to promote rebates and refund customers. Unfortunately, I’m confident the tire industry in general is not going to uniformly discontinue this practice any time soon just because I say so.
To make the process a little bit easier for yourself, ask your retailer to send you your invoice in PDF format so you have it readily in hand when you submit online. Also, if your rebate requires the DOT numbers of your new tires to also be submitted, ask your retailer to record these numbers on your invoice as well.
We own a 2016 Ford Fusion which has developed an issue.
It is throwing a “check charging system now” error intermittently. Battery is 1 year old and testing ok, new alternator belt, new alternator, new sensor between alternator and battery. We have detected that it would appear that after a fill-up is when we are getting the error. It is not immediate. Error has a box with OK in the center, and a battery light is on. When we press the OK button on the steering wheel the error disappears, and the battery light goes out within a minute or so. Usually do not see the error for the rest of the tank of gas. What could be causing a gas fill up to cause a charging system error? We have read that we should not overfill the tank (which my husband happened to remember doing (double clicking) after the gas pump stops) on the re-fill, but he has not done so on the last two fill ups and we still get the error.
Have had someone suggest a short in the fuel system? Any suggestions?
Rita P
Wow, that is an odd one. I have searched through my professional databases for someone with a similar problem but have not come across anyone who has those same symptoms.
You shouldn’t make a habit of over filling, but I believe that has nothing to do with you charge light problems as your previous repairs would indicate. My best guess is that the most likely scenario is that a problem exists within the gauge cluster. Somehow a short circuit is occurring between the fuel gauge and charge light that only occurs when the tank is reading full. This sounds to me like it problem that will be a very tricky to isolate as your repair facility may have to swap in a known good gauge cluster or Body Control Module (BCM) in order to offer a process-of-elimination style diagnosis.
I have a 2001 Mercedes SLK320 with 157,000 kilometers. Owners in some Mercedes forums suggest replacing the voltage regulator at around my current kilometer reading. The service manager at my Mercedes dealer tells me he has never replaced a voltage regulator and doesn’t see the need. The folks on the forum maintain that the replacement is much better than the original regulator with longer pins.
They also suggest that failure of this part is the one thing that can get you stranded on the highway.
Do you have an opinion on this?
Geoff S
I refuse to search online when something ails me, as all it will do is cause me lost sleep and inspire thoughts of sickness that simply do not exist. For this reason, I leave myself and my family’s health to a professional, our family physician. Accordingly, reading car forums is the same thing for me; I have no time for them. Simply, there are just those who believe that popping the hood on their car makes them an expert and they will argue till the end of time.
Don’t waste your time replacing your voltage regulator, instead spend the funds on a decent roadside service package. Because, once you spend money repairing something that isn’t actually broken, expecting it to break, you will be taught a comedic life lesson. Namely, everything else will leave you stranded, except for the item you just replaced.
Lou Trottier is owner-operator of All About Imports in Mississauga. Have a question about maintenance and repair? E-mail [email protected], placing “Lou’s Garage” in the subject line.
Shopping for a new car? Check out the new Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest discounts, rebates and rates on new cars, trucks and SUVs. Click here to get your price.
Have you heard of the concept of getting a rebate on your tires? Perhaps this has come across your radar, and you have wondered to yourself, "what is a rebate on tires?". How does something like this even function? Luckily, we have the answers to that and much more, and we can even show you how DoNotPay is working to help people save money on their tires and get the maximum rebate that they are owed.
What Is a Rebate?Rebates are designed to help customers get some of their money back after they have made a purchase.
They are typically offered on purchases that are larger in size as a way of incentivizing people to spend money right now with the promise of getting some of it back later. Rebates help companies advertise a lower price on their services because those who claim the rebate are effectively getting the product at that lower rate.
It works something like this:
The customer can lower the effective cost of the tires down to $550, and the tire shop can advertise them at that price. It is a winning solution for both sides of the transaction. Thus, rebates are an effective way to get more people to pay the full price today on the promise of savings down the line.
When viewed like this, it is obvious that rebates are a great solution for everyone.
Yes, you do not necessarily need outside help to claim a rebate on your own, but you may find that you wish you did get outside help before long. The reason is that it is very easy to miss steps when you try to tackle a large problem like this entirely on your own. If you miss a step in the process, then you should expect that you will not receive your rebate.
A few of the commonly made mistakes include:
Any one of these small mistakes could leave you empty-handed. There is nothing worse than walking away from a transaction in which you believed you were going to save a significant amount of money only to discover that isn't true at all.
Sadly, many people land in this position, and it can leave them wishing that they had approached the problem differently. That is what DoNotPay heard from many people, and that is why they developed a system for helping people claim their rebates.
Instead of taking the risk of filing a rebate claim entirely on your own, why not look to a trusted source like DoNotPay to help you with this? It is already established that they have been in the business of helping customers get the rebate that they require right when they need them. Thus, their methods are tried and true, and they can get results for you right away.
Here's how it works:
And that's it! DoNotPay will file your rebate claim on your behalf by mail or online, depending on the rebate campaign. You should receive your rebate by check within 30 days!
What else can DoNotPay do?DoNotPay can also help you claim your rebate with the following:
What Else Is DoNotPay Known For?There are many other programs that DoNotPay has put out to the world that assist people with the various aspects of life that matter to them. They have a whole list of things that they have crafted solutions to.
The public very much appreciates the fact that they can get help with:
These are a few of the things that DoNotPay does, though their entire library of services is much longer than this.
They always make sure to add more items to the list as time goes on and as they have the ability to come up with new programs. If you feel that you would like to check out what they are all about and see how they might help you, you should do so. Their best programs are constantly rolling out, so check back frequently for even more solutions.
1 What is RunFlat?
RunFlat is translated into Russian as “flat driving” or driving on a flat tire. Tire manufacturers use different technology designations (example: Goodyear RunOnFlat, Bridgestone RFT, Michelin ZP, Continental SSR, Pirelli Run Flat, Dunlop RunOnFlat, Nokian Flat Run, Yokohama ZPS, Kumho XRP).
2 What are RSC tires?
RunFlat System Component is a single designation for all RunFlat tires installed on BMW vehicles.
3 What is the difference between Run Flat tires and regular tires?
4 How RunFlat Tires Work?
RunFlat technology is based on the concept of reinforced tire sidewalls.
When a conventional tire deflates, it simply sags under the weight of the car, the beads move away from the rim and the sidewalls flatten onto the road. The weight completely destroys the tire in a few kilometers. Reinforced sidewalls of RunFlat tires keep the tire on the rim and successfully support the weight of the car after a puncture and complete loss of pressure. At the same time, all dynamic vehicle security systems such as ABS, ESP, DSC, CBC, etc. remain active.
5 How many kilometers and at what speed can you drive after a puncture?
The maximum run-flat distance depends on the tire manufacturer and operating conditions (50-150 km) The maximum vehicle speed is 80 km/h.
6 What are the differences in RunFlat technology between tire manufacturers?
7 Are there conditions for the use of Run Flat tires?
Without a tire pressure monitoring system installed, the operation of RunFlat tires becomes extremely dangerous, because the driver may not feel the loss of pressure in the tire and continue to move without speed limits, making sharp turns and maneuvers.
8 Are special rims required for RunFlat tires?
All tire manufacturers with runflat technology allow them to be installed on standard rims.
9 Can RunFlat tires be repaired after a puncture?
Depends on the tire manufacturer (in any case, only the tread part of the tire can be repaired).
10 Benefits of RunFlat Tires
11 Disadvantages of RunFlat Tires
TERMS OF PROMOTION
"TIRES PRE-ORDER"
1. Organizer of the Promotion:
Individual entrepreneur Melikhov Alexey Viktorovich; TIN 272006754470; OGRNIP 304272021700010; Postal address: 680009, Khabarovsk, Prospect of the 60th Anniversary of October, 204
2. Location of the Promotion:
Retail store "Altan Sheena", located at:
Khabarovsk, Avenue of the 60th anniversary of October, 204.
3. Terms of the Promotion:
The period of the Promotion is 01/25/2021 to 01/25/2022 inclusive.
The duration of the Promotion may be changed by the Organizer of the Promotion unilaterally.
4. How to participate:
When pre-ordering passenger tires at the Altan Tire retail store (from 4 pcs.
of the same name and standard size) within the Promotion period, the Promotion Participant receives a discount of up to 15% * depending on the timing of the pre-order **.
*Discount applies to Pre-Order Price. You can get acquainted with the Pre-order Price at the Promotion Venues (clause 2).
**Table 1 - Distribution of discounts by pre-order terms
| Winter tires | Summer tires | ||||
| Pre-Order Stage | Timing Promotions | Maximum discount from the predicted retail price after 10.09. | Pre-Order Stage | Timing Promotions | Maximum discount from the predicted retail price after 10. |
| Preorder 1 | 15.05.-10.08 | 15% discount | Preorder 1 | 15.11-10.02 | 15% discount |
| Preorder 2 | 11.08-10.09 | 10% discount | Preorder 2 | 11.02-10.03 | 10% discount |
Procedure for participation in the Promotion:
The Organizer of the Promotion guarantees the safety of the prepaid Goods within 10 calendar days from the notification of the Participant of the Promotion about the receipt of the order. If the Participant of the Promotion evades payment and receipt of the Goods, the Organizer of the Promotion has the right to unilaterally cancel the order and sell the Goods to third parties.
The order is considered canceled, and the advance payment minus expenses (including storage) of the Organizer of the Promotion is returned to the Participant of the Promotion.
The advance payment is returned in cash or to the bank details of the Participant of the Promotion upon the personal application of the Participant of the Promotion at the venue of the Promotion from 9:00 to 18:00 from Monday to Friday (except holidays). The term for the return of the prepayment is up to 10 calendar days in cash, and up to 3 working days for bank details. If the participant applied for a refund six months after making an advance payment, the refund is possible only in cash.
Additional shipping charges may apply.
5. Participants of the Promotion:
Citizens who are retail buyers in accordance with the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and holders of Altan Cash cards.
6. Not participating in the Promotion:
7.
Procedure for informing about the conditions of the Promotion:
Participants are informed about the conditions of the Promotion by posting the relevant information:
On the website http://www.altan-shina.ru;
And also in other ways at the choice of the Organizer of the Promotion.
8. Promotion Restrictions:
*** Cashback is a return of money to a bonus card under the AltanCash loyalty program. The full terms of the AltanCash program can be found on the website https://altan-shina.ru, as well as in the stores of the Altan Shina company.
9. Rights and obligations of participants and organizer of the Promotion:
Rights and obligations of the Participant:
The Participant of the Promotion has the right to demand from the Organizer of the Promotion to receive information about the Promotion in accordance with the Terms of the Promotion.
Rights and obligations of the Organizer:
10.
03. 
