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Tire Center FAQs

How can I schedule an appointment at my local Tire Center?
What services does the Costco Tire Center provide?
How are Costco. com tire orders delivered and installed?
What is Costco's tire replacement location policy?
How can I find tires on Costco.com?
Can I cancel my tire order?
Can I exchange my tire order?
Will the Costco Tire Center install any size tire?


HOW CAN I SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AT MY LOCAL TIRE CENTER?

 

 

Scheduling an appointment at your local Tire Center is easy! Simply visit Costcotireappointments.com and follow these steps:

  1. If you’ve made an appointment on Costcotireappointments.com before, you can Login using the email address and password you previously created. If this is your first time scheduling an appointment, click “Create new account” to register your email address and create a password.
  2. Once you log in, you can search for a location to schedule your appointment (if you ordered new tires on Costco.com, you should select the same location where your tires will be delivered). You can select the location by clicking the pin on the map or by clicking “Select Site.
  3. Select your vehicle type and the services you’d like. (If you ordered new tires and need them installed, you’ll be asked to provide your Costco order number and select the date you placed the order).
  4. Select your desired appointment time.
  5. Enter your contact information. If you’d like a text message reminder, check the appropriate box and select your Mobile Phone Carrier.
  6. Click “Finalize Appointment.” You’ll receive a confirmation email immediately, and you’ll also get a reminder email the day before your appointment.

If you ever need help scheduling an appointment, feel free to get in touch with the Tire Center at your local Costco.

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WHAT SERVICES DOES THE COSTCO TIRE CENTER PROVIDE?

The Costco Tire Center offers several installation and maintenance services to get our members on the road, including rotation, balance, nitrogen inflation, nitrogen conversion, and flat repair. Your local Costco Tire Center team will be glad to discuss any of these services in-depth. Find your local Tire Center here.

Please note that:

  • Costco will not install golf cart or ATV tires
  • Costco will not install UTV tires that will be used in street applications
  • Costco will install any loose trailer tire with the exact same size and load index tire that is currently on the wheel
  • Costco will only install trailer tires on a trailer if the owner of the trailer has the documentation stating the wheel torque specification from the trailer manufacturer
  • Costco will only install Costco-purchased tires 

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HOW ARE COSTCO.COM TIRE ORDERS DELIVERED AND INSTALLED?

Your Costco.com tire order will arrive at your selected warehouse in approximately 5-10 business days from the time of your order. You will be notified by phone or email when your tires arrive at the warehouse and you will have 14 days for installation.

For Alaska and Hawaii orders, the estimated delivery timeframe will be approximately 10-20 business days from the time of your order.

An Installation charge of $18.99 per tire is included in the quoted price.

This includes: Mounting, Lifetime Balancing, Lifetime Rotation, Lifetime Flat Repair, Lifetime Air Pressure Checks, New Rubber Valve Stem, & Costco Wholesale's Road Hazard Warranty.

For additional details please head to our Tire Site and select your warehouse location to view the tire warranty and Tire Center FAQs.

Please note:

  • Golf, Trailer and ATV tires must be shipped directly to your home and do not include installation fees
  • Costco will not install golf cart or ATV tires
  • Costco will not install UTV tires that will be used in street applications
  • Costco will install any loose trailer tire with the exact same size and load index tire that is currently on the wheel
  • Costco will only install trailer tires on a trailer if the owner of the trailer has documentation stating the wheel torque specification from the trailer manufacturer
  • Costco will only install Costco-purchased tires 

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WHAT IS COSTCO'S TIRE REPLACEMENT LOCATION POLICY?

We have a policy to always install the least worn tires to the rear axles on the vehicle. For example, if only one tire needs to be installed, it will be installed on the rear of the vehicle. If two new tires are installed, they will also be installed on the rear of the vehicle.

This is based on major tire manufacturers' fitment guidelines, which specifically caution against installing replacement tires on the front axle, due to safety reasons. If you have further questions, please visit our Tire Site. 

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HOW CAN I FIND TIRES ON COSTCO.COM?

You can find the exact tires for your vehicle as set by the tire manufacturers right here. Your safety is our top priority. As part of that commitment, our Tire Centers will only install tires that are suggested by the manufacturer for your make and model of car. We've designed the tire search on Costco.com to only display results that match up with your vehicle.

Once you select the warehouse you'd like to install your tires, simply enter the specific year, make and model of your vehicle in our tire search, and you should have some great options at your fingertips.

   

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CAN I CANCEL MY TIRE ORDER?

We are unable to cancel tire orders that have already been shipped and are in transit to your local Costco Wholesale Tire Center.

If you don't want to keep the tires, there are two return options:

  • For an immediate refund, stop by the Costco Wholesale Tire Center when the tires arrive.
  • Contact Us, and we'll submit the refund request for you. If you'd like the refund processed by Costco.com, you'll receive your credit back to your original method of payment within three to four business days.

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CAN I EXCHANGE MY TIRE ORDER?

We don’t have the ability to process exchanges for tire orders placed on Costco.com. If you’re not completely satisfied with your order, stop by the Costco Wholesale Tire Center when the tires arrive for a refund. If you'd like the refund processed by Costco. com, Contact Us and you'll receive the credit back to your original method of payment within three to four business days. 

If you return or cancel your tire order and you need a different set of tires, you’re welcome to place another order on Costco.com.

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WILL THE COSTCO TIRE CENTER INSTALL ANY SIZE TIRE?

Costco only installs authorized tire fitments, for safety reasons. This is why we advise that, before purchasing, our customers make sure the tire(s) they select meet the following vehicle manufacturers' Original Equipment (OE) specifications.

  • It must be a size authorized by the vehicle manufacturers.
  • It has an equal or greater OE Speed Rating. Not all tires have a speed rating requirement.
  • An equal or greater OE Load Index. If you are unsure of your vehicle's fitment requirements, please contact a local Costco Tire Center sales associate.

If you'd like to find your vehicle's tires or need more information, visit our Tire Site.  

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How Long Does Costco Tire Installation Take?

Installing tires is something we all can do ourselves but choose not to for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s just better to leave these things in the hands of trained technicians because we want this to be done right. 

There are many different places where one can go to install tires, but Costco seems to be at the top of that list for most people. So, how long does Costco tire installation take?

How Long Does Costco Tire Installation Take

Depending on how busy they are, they should be able to install your tires in about 30 minutes or so. However, if you need your old tires de-mounted and swapped with new tires, this process is likely going at least 20 minutes per tire as it also requires spin-balancing before the tire can be once again safely attached to the vehicle.

The good thing about doing this at Costco is that you can go ahead and do some shopping while you wait. This way you will not simply waste your time as you can combine multiple errands into one.

Why Should I Change My Tires At Costco?

Costco deals with many goods and services which means that you can do pretty much everything at a Costco facility. The best thing you can do is to combine your regular errands such as tire installations with a whole host of other activities you can enjoy at Costco. Costco also offers discounts and special coupons for their members with competitive prices on many goods and services.

It is also a good idea to go for package deals at Costco as that way you can save quite a bit of money as well. For example, if you buy your tires through Costco, you can pay a small installation fee and also enjoy a lifetime tire maintenance package which consists of everything you need to keep your tires in the best shape for as long as possible.

Costco technicians are well-trained, experienced, and always readily available for assistance which means that your car is in good hands indeed.

Which Car Services Are Available At Costco?

  • Fuel
  • Car Accessories
  • Insurance packages
  • Discounts on rental cars
  • Discounts on tires
  • Repairs, car service, and car care
  • Car trading assistance

Can I Get Fuel At Costco?

The vast majority of Costco facilities all around the country also carry fuel which means that Costco members can hop in and top up their cars directly at Costco. The good news is that Costco always tries to slightly undercut the current market prices in order to be more competitive and to lure in a higher amount of people into their membership.

We also need to mention that Costco deals exclusively with Kirkland Signature Fuel which is widely regarded as one of the highest-quality fuel mixtures you can get in the US. If you own a diesel car, be sure to do your homework before you arrive at a Costco pump as not all Costco stations come with diesel fuel available at all times.

Can I Get Car Accessories At Costco?

Costco is a huge wholesaler which means that they deal with literally everything. This also includes a whole host of car accessories and mods that can make your life a lot easier. You can buy your small and cheap stuff like new wiper blades, steering wheel covers, detailing kits, motor oil, car wax, or a lovely in-car air freshener.

However, you can also find stuff like bicycle racks, dashboard cameras, new batteries, car covers, audio head units, etc. You can order these online or buy them on the spot depending on the size and the weight of the object. Costco’s return policy enables you to return the item for a long time if you are not satisfied with it which ensures optimum customer satisfaction levels.

Can I Get Insurance Packages Through Costco?

A few years ago, Costco had its Costco Insurance Agency which was basically a one-stop-shop for all your insurance needs, but it turned out that Costco wasn’t willing to go into the insurance business so they stopped offering insurance packages. However, not all hope is lost as Costco signed a special partnership agreement with Ameriprise Auto & Home Insurance Company that offers special discounts for Costco members each year.

Can I Get Discounts On Rental Cars Through Costco?

Costco’s vision is to try and offer its members the broadest possible spectrum of goods and services so they can attract the highest amount of members possible. This means that when Costco does not deal with something, they tend to find a partner that does.

It’s the exact same story when it comes to renting cars as a Costco membership can give you certain discounts in many of the nation’s most prominent car rental businesses. The reason why Costco offers this is that they also have a sub-company called Costco Travel. Costco Travel is a travel concierge company that can book your hotels, your flights, and even your cruises for you.

Can I Get Discounts On Tires At Costco?

You sure can. For starters, Costco tire prices are some of the best ones you can get in today’s day and age even without any special discounts and packages added on top of that. Be that as it may, the best thing about buying tires through Costco is the fact that they always have tires on sale and that they always offer some form of coupons for additional savings as well.

When you combine all the tire-related benefits you can get at Costco, it seems like there aren’t many places that can even compete with Costco. Moreover, Costco even offers special types of tires like the Michelin X-Tour which can’t be bought anywhere else.

Can I Service And Maintain My Car At Costco?

Costco does not try to be the industry leader when it comes to car repair and car care, but they do offer facilities in which their own members can benefit from price discounts by up to 20% in most cases. You can get everything you need through Costco for all your car detailing and care, but you can also find 10-20 Costco facilities around the country that do car maintenance as well.

Given the fact that only about two dozen of these facilities exist, be sure to do your homework in advance not to waste your time.

Can I Trade Cars Through Costco?

Not quite. However, Costco does offer its Costco Auto Program package that gives you access to a wide network of trusted car dealerships where you can benefit from special discounts and deals. Costco is proud to advertise that people who go through their Costco Auto Program tend to save about $1,000 on new cars, and they tend to do so without haggling for anything.

What Is The Best Place To Get New Tires?

ChainInstallation PriceInstallation Package &
Optional Services
BJ’s$80 for 4 wheels ($20/tire)

 

TPMS kit fees may vary.
Tire disposal included.

– New valve stems
– Lifetime rotation and balancing
– Flat repairs
– Inflation checks
– 3 yr. road hazard warranty
Costco$80 for 4 wheels ($20/tire)

 

TPMS kits: $3/wheel
Tire disposal included.

– New valve stems
– Lifetime rotation and balancing
– Flat repairs
– Inflation checks
– 5 yr. road hazard warranty
Discount Tire$84 for 4 wheels ($21/tire)

 

TPMS kits included.
Tire disposal: $2.75/wheel

– New valve stems
– Lifetime rotation and balancing
– Flat repairs
– Inspection and inflation checks
NTB$68 for 4 wheels ($17/tire)

 

TPMS kits: $8/wheel
Tire disposal: $3

– Lifetime rotation and balancing

 

Optional:
– Wheel alignment ($90)
– Road hazard warranty (varies by tire)

Pep Boys$118.40 for 4 wheels ($29.60/tire)

 

TPMS kits and tire disposal included.

– New valve stems
– Balancing
– Vehicle inspection
– Treadwear mileage warranty
– Free rotation w/ any service
– 1 yr. roadside assistanceOptional:
– Wheel alignment ($100 for 3 mo.)
– Road hazard warranty (varies by tire)
Sam’s Club$80 for 4 wheels ($20/tire)

 

TPMS kit: $5/wheel
Tire disposal included.

– TPMS reset
– New valve stems
– Lifetime rotation and balancing
– Flat repairs
– 4 yr. road hazard warranty
– 3 yr. roadside assistance
Walmart$60 for 4 wheels ($15/tire; $25 for non-Walmart tires)

 

TPMS kits included.
Tire disposal: $1.50/wheel

– New valve stems
– Lifetime rotation and balancing
– 50-mile lug retorqueOptional:
– Road hazard warranty ($10/wheel)

Conclusion

If you ever wondered how long does Costco tire installation take, it’s a good thing you came across this very article. A trained Costco technician should be able to replace all four of your tires in about 30 minutes in total without taking any pauses. However, if you also need to mount new tires and spin balance them, this will take considerably longer.

You need to do this for all four wheels which inevitably means at least 20 minutes per single tire. Either way, Costco is a good place to do all of your tire-related errands as you can benefit from all sorts of special deals and packages that are only available for Costco members.

School Smart Vertical Sharpener Electric Reviews & Ratings

It's been 5 years at home school!

Danielle D. Davis

Sweden, Stockholm

1 Level

396 Review

0 Karma

We bought this pencil sharpener in March 2014. It's March 2019 and I'm changing the model. To help you understand the mistreatment of this sharpener, let me give you some context: we are a family of 5 homeschooled students. My children prefer to write with a pencil rather than a pen, so 98% of everything we write, we do with pencils - that's a lot! We also use colored pencils quite often for drawing, math, maps, and history. This sharpener outlasted everything we threw at it. Over the past few months, we've noticed that pencils aren't as sharp, and the sharpener sharpens one side of the pencil better than the other. I could probably limp with him for the rest of the school year if I wanted to. Instead, I want to replace my current sharpener with the same model. I am picky about school supplies: from pencils to erasers for hats, folders and paper, from scissors to colored pencils. I will only buy again if I know that the product I am buying…

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Two years of use revealed design flaws.

Gillian F. Francis

1 Level

497 Review

0 Karma

My rating is based on over two years of daily use. This sharpener quickly sharpens a regular pencil, but the shavings container is too small and difficult to empty. The container is easy to pull out and replace, but you can't just turn it upside down to empty it. You have to shake it a little to make it all fall out. The actual capacity is about half the size of the entire basket (i.e. the capacity increases by less than half the distance from the bottom to the top of the basket), so the basket does not hold as much as you might think by looking at it. Also, the basket often comes off while sharpening pencils. Since, for safety reasons, you cannot sharpen a pencil when the basket is out of place, this means that you must put the basket back in to continue sharpening. These design flaws are minor, but after years of use, time was wasted due to you wasting too much time shaking. ..

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Teacher recommends

Randy R. Robinson

Level 19

2 1100002 0 Karma

I am a high school math teacher and I finally found a pencil sharpener that lasts for a year. I bought this pencil sharpener and have been using it in my class for two and a half years now. It currently shows no signs of slowing down. I used to use about one electric pencil sharpener a year (usually cheap ones from Costco), so I figured it would make more sense to get a good one. Pros: The sharpener works very fast, I usually have to scold my students and tell them that the pencil has finished sharpening and they don't need to leave it there for that long. - I've been using it for two and a half years now and it still kicks (knock on wood). I have used about 3 other sharpeners before, usually about one per year - Container is very easy to empty and very easy for my cleaners to maintain - Huge value considering the low price Cons: - It's a little noisy, but most sharpeners (luckily it fast, so it doesn't really matter)…

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High quality electric sharpener for artists of all kinds

Dawn F. Fischer

9002 1 Level 9002 5 Review 9002 0005

4474 Karma

One of the best electric sharpeners for artists! A lot of the reviews seem to revolve around user preference, space, and safety. This sharpener is ideal for those who need sharp pencils that are effective and won't break. Most florist artists will want this as you usually need fine dots for accuracy and layering of color. This means that you apply light pressure while coloring, which, thanks to the thin tips, helps me to train even more! BENEFITS: - Fast and easy VERTICAL SHARPENING reducing the risk of breakage (compared to horizontal grinders) Chips are broken into pieces for maximum storage capacity - AUTO-STOP function that notifies you when sharpening is complete - Device size is definitely larger (like a manual coffee grinder) but fully controllable for its functions - the SOUND of the device is not much louder than any other electric sharpener I have come across Watercolor…

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Almost perfect

Kim S. Sanchez

Level 19

2 96 Review 536 Karma

- My observations in no particular order: - The motor is enough powerful; Unlike other cheap sharpeners that slow down when you press hard on the pencil, this one doesn't work. The case feels pretty solid and doesn't feel cheap. Several meters of cable make placement easier. sharpens pencils to an excessively long point, resulting in a menacingly sharp point that breaks easily and can be dangerous to young children. I think perfect for precision work. I'm not a sharpener expert, but I've never seen a sharpener take so long to make a sharp point. - Not adjustable for pencils larger than the typical standard pencil size. - Not particularly loud or quiet, somewhere in between. - Sharpens pretty quickly compared to others I've used. The black thing on the front is the chip holder. He has no back. As soon as you pull it out, the shavings spill out, so you need to hold the whole device above the dirt to empty it, which can be ...

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WORLD'S WORST school supplies company makes the WORLD'S BEST pencil sharpener - think about it! Carol M. Miller Based on my browsing and purchase history, I've been sent a lot of sharpeners. Some of them were quite expensive, from famous brands; Some of them were pretty good, but none of them could take a whole year of bullying over a pencil sharpener. However, IT does. Unfortunately, I've never been offered a Vine School smart sharpener, but despite always offering free gifts, I still prefer to shell out $30 to get one at the start of each year. Anyone who knows the manufacturer well will be surprised by the high quality of this product. School Smart is a notoriously terrible brand in just about everything: they produce unusable paint, dried clay, unwanted pencils, and crumbling paper. I avoid their products like the plague. However, somehow they seem to have found the largest in…

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October 2010 – MeIrz.net

Foreword:

As my friend joked: “bad tires can lead to early death, as well as to early birth.” Well, joke is a joke, but the topic of rubber is still heavy. To begin with, I will say that I am NOT an expert on this topic, I am NOT a mechanic and in general I have nothing to do with cars, except as a personal interest. About a month ago, I was on a forum where a loud discussion about rubber broke out ... I was virtually beaten up there for not understanding the point of buying expensive rubber. This infuriated me and I decided to go and on my own try to figure out why rubber is so important and why pay around $ 100 for a tire.

All that keeps you going:

After reading a number of sites on the topic of rubber, I realized that all that keeps the car on the road is a small surface of 4 wheels. I think that this is trivial and there is no discovery here, but usually it is told with a lot of paranoia and it seems that if you bought relatively cheap tires, then on the next trip the car will be blown off the road and smeared all over the track to hell! For a couple of minutes, I even wanted to go to the store and change all 4 wheels on my old mirage, so that I would not be smeared! But then I calmed down and began to think logically ... since I am a student and I buy especially expensive tires ... and in general expensive and not very expensive, I can’t and not when I couldn’t ... I usually drove on cheap tires and it’s been like that for 7 years already. From my personal experience, I concluded that not everything is so bad and even cheap rubber works well.

How much can you get cheaper:

I spent my whole driving life riding cheap tires… and there were moments when I really regretted it… For example, once I had an old rubber (got it for free) on the rear wheels. She was grated, dry (small cracks on the wheel) and slowly let the air out. And then one time I decided to go crazy and went into the turn a little faster than I should have… the road was slightly wet, the car suffered, and then it spun and threw it off the road ( http://meirz.net/?p=364 ). This experience made me understand that it is possible to save on tires, BUT wisely ... If you have cheap tires, then in bad weather it’s better not to scorch! You should not put on the old already indecent rubber, even if they give it for free, it will be more expensive to be treated! It is better to buy new, even the cheapest tires. Also worth mentioning a few things:

- Old tires, even if they have not been ridden, still wear out! Yes, yes ... over time, it dries out, cracks, loses elasticity and simply becomes unusable. Ozone and ultraviolet influence the chemical composition of rubber and this leads to the above described consequences. Tire manufacturers usually add protective agents to the rubber, but over time they go away and the rubber turns brown. Therefore, if you want to store rubber, then you should store it in a dark and cool place. It is also worth purchasing special chemicals and storage bags - perhaps this is already over the edge, but this is for your information. More details can be found here (http://www.tire-information-world.com/tire-sidewall-deterioration.html).

- It should also be noted that used tires may have a number of problems that are invisible at first glance. Torn cords, worn out walls, worn tread (not evenly rubbed - full on one side, almost worn out on the other). And it's just old age. Even if you store rubber correctly, some manufacturers still recommend not using rubber if it is older than 7 years (from the year of manufacture). The year of issue can be read on the rubber, in America/Canada the DOT specification is written on the rubber and the last group of 4 numbers shows the number of weeks (first 2 numbers) and the year (last 2 numbers) of the tire.

For myself, I concluded that if you are not an expert or you don’t have a friend who can help with tires, then it’s better to pay 10-15 dollars more (for a tire) and put on a new cheap rubber - it will be easier more reliable and cheaper in the future.

Who are you:

Maybe this topic is off topic, hehe, but it's an integral part. When you talk about something, you should always take into account your priorities, since this is what determines the choice. When choosing tires, you need to take into account your needs, driving style, climate, and the like. In other words, the choice of tire mainly depends on what you want and what you need. For example, I live in a climate where there really isn’t much snow… well, maybe there will be huge snowfalls for a couple of days, and then some snow and the main roads are always clean and covered with salt, so more slush than snow. Therefore, buying winter tires simply does not make sense. Also, I actually never drive fast ... here the police are on the alert, but I don’t want to get a fine. That is, my speed range is limited to 110 km / h, and in the city no more than 60 + the city is small. So it doesn't make any sense for me to buy semi-sport tires that hold the road like they're glued on. ..because at 60 km/h it won't be felt anyway. Perhaps you should think about comfort and the like - it's more realistic and practical. And yet here it is important to decide what exactly you want from rubber: mileage, comfort, contact with the road, climate (snow, rain, dryness) and so on. When choosing tires, these parameters will be key and therefore it is worth taking the time to think about it before you go to the store.

Buy what is more expensive:

A couple of days ago I was talking to a friend and told him that they say I want to understand how to choose tires. I want to figure out what the difference is between cheap tires that I “love” so much and expensive ones that look attractive, but I don’t see any real data on their steepness, except as Petya said ... it says on the forum ... and the like. Then he asked me: “I need to change the tires on my SUV here, which one should I put on?”, To which I immediately answered: “The most expensive one you can afford (from $ 80 and above)”. Someone can say they say you quickly changed your mind, like you rub it here that you don’t see the difference between cheap tires and the road, but how can you immediately buy what is more expensive ... Yes, it’s true, he has an SUV - cars that are not famous for their stability, especially in snow and ice + he has a wife and a child, so if I were in his place, even with the fact that I personally don’t see much difference between expensive and cheap tires, it’s still better to spend a couple of hundred bucks more and not be afraid that a wife and child could get into an accident... or at least know that you did everything you could to travel safely.

It's all about the numbers:

I think everyone is familiar with the expression: "I'm not rich enough to buy cheap things." In some places this is the right principle, although who knows how much ... I read a lot of material about tires and came to not the most inspiring conclusions. Perhaps I will give an example: if you buy a computer, then even knowing nothing, you can always ask: “What to look for when choosing a computer?” and any computer scientist will tell you: well, look, there is the speed of the processor, the amount of memory, space on the hard drive, and so on . .. that is, everything comes down to numbers ... On the fingers, it turns out that the more the number of topics, in fact, the computer is better ... Faster processor, more memory, more space and so on... When you come to the store, each computer has parameters written and if you know how to count, you can compare the price and parameters of the computer and choose what seems optimal or best.

How are the tires? That is, you come to the store and look at the tire, and it says: “Braking distance from 80 to 0 km / h, 50 meters on a dry road” - yeah, keep your pocket wider ... there is no such thing. As much as I walked and looked at the wheels, all that is written on them is technical information, which in fact is not very useful in terms of choosing a tire. Of course, you need to know the size, type and all that, but usually this is all determined by the model of your car. The only thing they usually ask you is what kind of tires do you need (summer, winter or all season) and how much dough do you want to keep. And yet, I think that it is worth getting acquainted with the marking (http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automobile_tire), section “Marking”. So where can you find “numbers” (as when choosing a computer) that can help with a rational choice? In fact, they don't exist! Here, someone can shout “stop the car!”.

There are numbers, for example state. site (http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Shoppers/Tires/Tires+Rating) where there are tire ratings, but there are more letters than numbers ... which is also not scary, because if you can count up to 4, then everything will be Fine. Perhaps it's time to give an example, consider 3 tires that fit my '95 Mitsubishi Mirage (Mitsubishi Mirage):

Michelin-X® Radial: A B 740;
Bridgestone-Insignia SE200: A B 440
Nexen SB-800: A B 300

There are only 4 characters in this rating system: AA, A, B, C. Originally there were 3 letters, but then AA was added so that this set ( set ) cannot be called with letters. But this is not the essence of it, what is important is that AA is very good, A is good, B is normal, C is weak . .. in principle, you can call it whatever you want, but the essence remains the same. Next, it's time to note that the first letter indicates traction, the second indicates heat resistance, and the last number is the percentage of mileage/wear compared to the reference tire. How they do it: a standard tire is put on a car, a checked one is put on another car, and then about 11.5 thousand kilometers are driven. In the process, measurements are taken and the tires are swapped (tire rotation). At the end of the measurements, the ratio of rubber wear is compared, after which the percentage of the reference and test tires is given. That is, if the reference tire was assigned 100% percent, and the tested percentage turned out to be 200%, then it will cover 2 times more kilometers (it should be noted that the reference tire does not always get 100% - it all depends on the test results). There are a lot of snags in this test, and the main point is implausibility - that is, the test does not reflect real use. This test is useful if you're going to be comparing mileage between two tires from the same manufacturer, and almost useless if you're comparing tires from two different manufacturers. You can read more about the test here ( http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=48 ). So these figures are actually useless in our case, where the tires are from different manufacturers. And so it's time to move on to prices: Michelin-X Radial goes to costco.ca (local store) for $84, Bridgestone-Insignia SE200 from the same store goes for $56 and Nexen SB from walmart.ca (also local store) goes for 31 dollars. And so you can see that all 3 tires have the same grip ( A ), the same heat resistance ( B ) and only the difference in percentage of mileage - which, as I have already explained, does not show very much. In fact, all these markings say that the tires have passed the state. testing and are safe enough, although if they are sold in a local store, this already means that they are all ok! There are total numbers, but unfortunately they don’t say a lot and won’t help when choosing tires, because from these data I still don’t understand why Michelin is better and why should I pay more for the same parameters?
Let's go further to look for numbers. If Mrs. tests do not show the difference between the tires, then what to do next? I searched and asked, but the conclusion came down to only two options. The first is to look for reviews and ratings on sites. For example, “Tire Rack” where you can see them in different categories. For example, braking in rainy, dry, snowy weather, and so on…

As far as I understand, the site tests and sells these tires itself… I don’t know, but when you test and sell the product at the same time, it’s hard to expect objectivity. Although they also have reviews from drivers, but these are also not numbers, but Vasya or Bob said. There is a site consumerreports.org which is supposed to contain objective information, but unfortunately I do not have a subscription to it and I cannot say if there is something useful there. In total, it turns out that there is a choice between trusting the seller or buying a subscription and trusting objectivity. The choice is yours, but I would go with the second option! And finally, you can always go to a friend, to a forum or hang out with mechanics where they will tell you which tires are best from their subjective experience.

I think we need to sum up this long chapter and say that tires are not computers and the numbers don’t describe anything here ... I wanted to find numbers that objectively describe the difference between different tires, but there aren’t any ... and in the end you just need to trust who the thread is .

Back word:

And so I think it’s worth writing a conclusion here, they say buy which is more expensive or all the tires are the same, which means pay less and don’t worry. Yes, I would really like to say either one or the other, but unfortunately I can’t! I'm sure there is a difference between cheap and expensive tires. I was told that different tires hold the road differently, give more comfort or vice versa, make less sound or vice versa, and so on. Tires are a whole science, but for the average buyer it remains mystical, since there is no common standard where you can choose different tires and compare parameters ... All I can do is give advice: do not buy used tires (if you have a choice), it is better to buy cheap new; before you buy tires, clearly understand what you expect from it and what requirements; if you don't want to mess around and live in peace, buy a well-known brand (spend a little more), I'm sure you won't go wrong; well, if you are looking for the truth about rubber, then you should either do your own tests or trust someone in this regard.


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