Gotta get some tires
 

So before I do my typical impulsive purchase, I need some advice.

I'm getting the Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3's.

I checked on tire rack
$136*4+(tax)=$584.80
the warranty is another +$65.48
To get them mounted and balanced at Tires Plus is $20/per tire.
This brings the grand total to $730.28
Plus I have to pay ea. time I want to move the tire off the rims.

If I buy them direct from Tires Plus it will cost me $780 total. Rotation and balance free for life of tire, plus I will be moving the winter tires to a new set of rims which they will do for free as many times as I want.

I always leave the tire store feeling riped off :x , so this time I want others opinions.

Thanks!

$50 for lifetime swaps? That's a pretty good trade-off.. The price difference is not enough to hastle with, I'd just have tire-plus set you up with the whole deal.

Thanks Matt :D
Then on they go.

I've had very poor experiences with Tires Plus. They usually have worthless tire monkeys that don't care about your rims or your car. They have badly scratched one of my rims while repairing a flat, and they chipped the powdercoating on the rims I have now. This is at 2 different locations as well. I would never go there again, nor would I recommend them to anyone. I usually go to Firestone on Grove St., and others on here seem to have good luck with the Big O on Mae Anne.

I have only gone to Big-O-Tire on Mae Anne also. I cannot recommend them more. They have always done the best job with anything I have asked and at a good price too.

Looks like you will be able to use them soon too. We got 6" of the white stuff this morning. What a mess as nobody has their snow tires on yet. I saw a 5 car pile up within one mile of my house and the main road that accesses our area (Northwoods blvd) closed for over an hour to clean up multiple accidents!

Go M3's!

Big-O-Tire on Mae Anne is the shizzzie! :D buy some tire's and get them put on there. When its time for new tire's in the summer just get them put on to what ever winter wheel you chose and be done with it! :?

I was wondering about that. It looked like there might be snow up in them hills. Geez.

Yeah, come to think of it, my one experience with tiresplus was shitty...I don;t think I'd go there again...But?

Can Big O get Dunlops? I think they can. I would check with Big O Mae Anne before deciding,.,

I checked firestone and Big O. Tiresplus is cheaper than firestone (plus they won't change out my tires for free when when I get the new rims.) Big O won't have them in stock in time. So I'm going to give Tires Plus one last chance, they have a new manager maybe they'll do it right. If not I'm going to Big O, but not before I raise some hell first.

Thank you guys for your input. It is greatly appreciated.

Big-O is usually going to be higher than Tire Rack. I'd order the tires then take them down to be mounted.

Bingo. Order from TireRack and bring them to Big-O to get them mounted.

I'm getting the lifetime change out of tires on my rims for free at Tires Plus. It'll be worth it if they don't f*ck up.
Big O was actually a little cheaper, but still M3's are out of stock.

must get tires at tire rack then get them mounted at Big O, who buys thier tires from tire rack :lol: are you not reading what people are saying :lol: 8)

Are you picking on her for not ordering from tire rack, or us for suggesting it? :lol: I have bought all of my tires so far from Tire Rack. If you call Dexter and tell him you're from i-club he hooks you up.

Just FYI...We may all get tires from Tire Rack...But so does Big O and TiresPlus...Anything they do not stock comes directly from the TireRack warehouse in Sparks. I've been there will-calling tires, and had the Big O truck pull up right next to me...then I pretty much followed him to the store to get the tires mounted... :lol: Believe It.

Does the "lifetime" sweap include balancing each time? Bet not...

Why not get a set of cheap rims with the snows so you don't have that hassle?

Also, everyone is talking TireRack, why not discount tire who will often mount and balance for free or close to it with purchase...

I was looking at the MB Motorsports Weapons for a whopping $138 each...

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...=Car%2FMinivan

They are 17X8 ET 46 in gunmetal, or bronze... About 18 pound a piece I think....

Those are sweet wheels, but do they clear STi Brakes? I would agree with Dean, another set of wheels is way convenient, however, not sure what your plan is budget wise...

They were found by putting in 04 STI as the car.... Call and check... Or put the winters on the stockers, and get these with some summer rubber later... 17x8s.....

Do you call the toll free number for TireRack and simply ask for Dexter or is there another way to get hold of him?

Whoops, I forgot it's Luke now. dexter got promoted to some other postion.

Luke handles most of the car club inquiries on message boards.

Great Thanks. I guess this weekend shows it's never too early to have the winter rubber ready. That and hearing that good tires get sold out by as early as October means I'm probably going to order mine soon.

sorry didnt notice I was saying the same thing MattR was, that all tires are bought thou the Tire Rack and that buying them else where you would just have to pay the markup they add to the tires bought at Tire Rack :?

I just checked and I have the M2 sports. They look exactly the same as the M3 in tread pattern etc. Anyone now the difference. I have noticed that I wished the M2 had a softer compound, maybe that is the difference. Either way, they perform really well up here in Truckee. I can only imagine the M3 will be that much better. They also are pretty decent on the highway and not too painfully load.............Oh yeah, I got mine from Tire rack also.

If you can afford it, definately get the extra set of wheels. You can get most sets of Rotas in Wrx size for around $500 - $600. It's well worth it. I've always thought it may be a bad idea to stretch the tires every season. Maybe I'm wrong and it doesn't matter considering the tire life of the tires most of us use.

From what I understand, the M3 has a slightly stiffer sidewall design, and possibly offer a higher speed rating...Thats just what I heard, but if anyone wants to trade their M3's for my M2's, in Down :lol:

So 130 is not fast enough in the snow Matt?

the middle tread pattern has also changed a little from the M2's to the M3's

And I'll bet the M3's got a different rubber compound... you don't get the kind of performance differences that people are noticing on tread design/sidewall alone.

You would think :lol: Sometime you just gotta get to the snow faster...

I agree, It must be a softer compound to get that kind of traction. Sounds like I need to burn through both sets of my tires and replace next year.

I have STi not a WRX so I think that the rims are a tiny bit mpre expensive. I need tires for a trip the first weekend in Oct. I'm still getting rims this month, hopefully in time for the last autocross event, other wise I'm out. :( I'm gonna get Rota Torque's....mikeSTi please don't hate me for being a copy cat.

Just dont get the same color :P

could be hard to burn snow tires :lol:
mine made it all last season (9,000 miles) and show little sign of wear :?

like I said before maybe in 5 years I will get another set of snow tires :? :lol:

Actually, no one's gotten a set of the SDR's for an STi up here yet! I think those are sweet winter rims for the STi... they look good, are easy to clean. the only drawback is that they're pretty heavy, which isn't a big deal on winter rims.

http://www.subydude.com/images/prod/...50048gold1.jpg

http://www.subydude.com/parts/details.php?7171033

I vote SDR's!!!!

Actually, I think a set of gunmetal SDR's on the SVX would RULE... but alas, I don't think they have 'em in 5x114.3 yet. :(

I think the cost is the same. I have 17x8 torques on my wrx (bronze). I got them for $599 from subydude. Besides I got mine before Mike, so Mike you already copied me!

Of course Mike I hadn't met you yet, so I can't claim you copied me.

I don't know about that. I was able to detstroy my transmission in a single track day. Just give me a little time.

I also have the SDR's in Steel Grey so yes someone does have them :P
They are my winter wheels :D

Really!? I don't remember seeing them on your car? Did you run them last winter?

....hmm i like the sdr's too, and I'd be orginal at least for now. :D

Depending on which color you get. :twisted:

http://www.seccs.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=13800&highlight=sdr#13800 8)

they can also be seen where ever this thread is:

:lol: :lol:

no need to be orginal just go with the ones you like. I run the SDR's as winter rims so I dont mind anyone who wishes to do the same, atleast I know if some one says they burned me on the freeway with SDR's on I know its ok because they are my winter tires :lol: now if you get the Torque's dont get the gunmetallic, you will look to much like my car and Torques' should not wear snow tires 8)

Nice work on finding the old thread! I totally forgot about those rims since you went and got the bronze torques so soon after! Those SDRs really do look good on STis. :twisted:

I think Deede should get some black or gold ones... they wouldn't look exactly the same as Mike's, but she'd still be copying him. :P :lol:

hahah! I love that picture.

I'm working on some "creative financing" to get my hands on a pair of SDR's. I've also emailed Subydude a quote for how long it will take for me to get my wheels. I might be able to have them in time for my fricken trip to Fresno :evil: . Then I could for sure autocross one more event.

WTH is in Fresno? haha