Four new tires for our Transit Connect plus mounting, new valve stems, sales tax, old tire disposal, balancing, etc.................

Goodyear.......................................................................$1060

Ford Dealership................................................................$760

Tire Rack...Tires & shipping...$435...add Tires Plus mounting...$80...Total....$515

Now I know less than nothing about the automotive business but I'm guessing that the Tire Rack made a liveable profit from me, as did Tires Plus, so why the huge discrepancy?

My point is, if there can be such a difference in four lousy tires, how much more difference can there be in the prices that we ADC guys charge?

P.S. My tip for the day: Do not sneeze four times while chewing a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. ( You're welcome )

Maybe, but I do wish the guy who is exactly half my price would quit giving out my number for the second quote.

Paul I'm going to throw a fly in your ointment of bargain hunting. When you have a problem the tire seller will blame the tire mounter and vice versa. Been there and done that in the olden days back in Indiana, buy Dick Cepek tires out of Caliphony and have mounted in 'ol Indy. Now what I scored on is after 30years of buying Goodrich I went with Hankooks, $200 less per set for my Tacoma at the dealer. They act like suction cups and we've had a ton of ice and snow.

The tire industry as a whole confuses me.
Needing new tires for the RTV. Wanting a specific brand and tread pattern.
Best price I've been quoted anywhere in the state is right at $200.00 each, plus shipping, plus when I get them I have to pay to have them mounted.
Did some checking online. Can order them from out of state for $142.00 each, including shipping AND they will come already mounted on new rims.

It's called "Capitalism" Paul. What a product or service is worth really has very little to do with the price you pay or charge.

A few years ago, I was looking for a Remington 870 Express combo. The local gun shop had it for $575. Another gun shop had it for $525 and Walmart had it for $400. After examining the guns in all three places I could find no difference.

Where would you have made the purchase?

We've talked here quite a bit about ADC pricing over the years and a 300% difference in price doesn't seem unusual.

Dave, you're right of course, just not in this case. The manager at Tires Plus told me that they have those tires in stock, but that I wouldn't have saved any money. They are identically priced.

sqs, we have a couple of Walmarts in our area and I fail to see the problem. They employ local people, mostly kids that need the jobs, and you get what you pay for. If I want to watch excellent employees, working their butts off, I go to Costco. If Gander Mountain and Cabelas can't buy shotguns cheaper than Walmart, something's wrong.

Just put six new tires on the sprinter after 80K. First time I've seen why the 6 wheeled 3500 is different than the 2500s which have 4 tires. Though we occasionally haul a 35 ft. towable lift behind, other than that the extra capacity of this vehicle hasn't been necessary.

To your point Paul, I did due diligence, my dealer (mercedes) offered me a full set at their price $1600.00 (for 6), I was able to buy them from discount tire up the street (1/2 mile from home) for about $1,000.00 with free checkups and rotations on them, same tires.

Now when I went looking I of course saw all kinds of yelp reviews and others slamming everyone from pep boys to discount tire and big o and others, so in the end service wise I think you get lucky or you don't, but ultimately I agree that the tire thing is a wide range of pricing out there.

***

My disclaimer is when I buy anything I look online to compare any price I'm getting locally, I will never stop doing that, even if the online folks have to start taxing people. As Mtncat found, cheaper price online and even with shipping (which is often free) you often can't beat going online for most goods.

I'd also put in a disclaimer that while folks always say it is good to buy local, I've seen a lack of interest in selling me product often, or basically a lack of customer service or pleasantness in selling product from many local supply chains and such, so why bother.

Case in point, I just bought a cement mixer for our new venture that I happened to notice Home Depot was testing as a new product line. I tried to get them to special order me the 12 cubic foot size with electric motor from the company so I could use my HD account with deferred interest for 24 months.

Two different pro desks got all my info said they'd call me back no matter what they ran into and I got nothing.

So I ordered it from Toolfetch.com in NY state, it is shipping freight to me in NM (free freight) and they had a $100.00 coupon code for these mixers for the month so I paid $600.00 less than I would have paid from any other vendor including my local Home Depot.

***

For me money is too tight to not shop around, look for coupons or discounts and be wise with it. Love what I do, but do intend to have the option someday to retire!



Justin

What problem?

I ended up buying the shot gun at Walmart and I didn't feel there was any problem. I did my due diligence and saved enough money to buy plenty of ammo.

I work hard for my money and try not to waste it, which I would have done buying at the local shop. They had nothing to offer me for the high price.

Capitalism can work for either party in any transaction.

The same goes when hiring tradesmen, in our case WCO's. Look around and find out what the going rate is. Hiring the first guy you talk to is not what due diligence is about.

Yep, I feel the same way. I have no problem buying from Walmart either. And you are right on target about due diligence. Just ask my wife. She married the first guy that asked her and now she's stuck with me.

HAHAHA!!!!

I buy all my vehicle tires at WalMart. I travel thru out MN and WI as does my family. If I have a tire problem, there is a WalMart within 50 miles. I bought tires from a local dealer in Rice Lake WI. A year later I had a problem, every shop told me to go back to them for repair, that's 90 miles away. I also learned to always get the Road Hazard Warranty. Pick up a nail, or get a rock bruise, bring it to WalMart and drive away at no extra cost.

Lundy that's the reason I bought my tires at the dealer, Yota dealers all over. I also bought the lifetime oil change, I walk in toss 'em the keys say lube her up and rotate the tires, it doesn't cost me a dime now. that's Winkelmann economics 101.

Lundy first, I didn't know that about Walmart and we have at least three or four that our guys could use. That information may come in handy in the future.

Salys, this is one of those cases where the student is way smarter than the teacher. Lifetime oil changes sound like the best deal in the world, except for us terminally old folk. I do have a one year old grandson whose dad drives a Yota; I'll betcha he would just love lifetime oil changes!

Paul it's lifetime of you owning the vehicle so besides your name put someone much younger, that would be anybody under 60,on the title. I paid $399 and it includes 4 oil changes per year. Do the math and you can see it pays itself back very quickly. As long as you don't wreck it. Or sell it, I usually keep a vehicle 10 years with the exception of my '77 C20 Chevy which I've owned since new.

Hey, Dave, is that the Fred Flintstone model? (acceleration and braking done with the feet)
As regards Wallyworld, they're a textbook example of raw, runaway capitalism. You can buy the Remington shotgun for $400 there 'cuz they buy 'em by the (railroad) carload! Soon, the other outfits HAVE to sell it at that price...then, in order to make a profit, the manufacturer starts making his product in China (for related story, check the country of origin of your favorite traps...bet it ain't China!).
Not to get all soap-boxy here, but Walmart does to communities what heartworm does to your dog. Check out why you can't buy a Snapper mower at Walmart...

Don't know about the St. Louis area Dave but our Cabelas and Gander Mountain probably sell more guns in a day than our Walmart sells in a year. And it's been my experience that the best made guns come from Belgium. ( Germany ain't bad either. I have a Sauer drilling that is a work of art )

Sure is and I just recently upgraded the 8-track to a cassette.