LexFather

So, I've been going to Butler tire for 2 years now. I've ALWAYS ordered my tires from the Tire Rack and let them High-speed balance to 130mph and align. The customer service is great, and they always get the job done right. I've recommended them countless times.

So it's $30 for a 18" wheel to Highspeed balance. I just got my 2 new Yokohoma EVS 100s for the front (rear tires are fine) so I take it there to mount etc.

I pick my car up 2 hours later, the bill is $175 !?!?!

I am like, ya'll are on crack. It costs me $140 to balance and mount ALL FOUR TIRES. How can it be $175 for 2?????

So my rep goes into the spill of buying the tires elsewhere instead of from them etc etc and the owner does not like that. I tell him take some off. So he takes off $30. Bill is $145. I pay and I am really DISGUSTED.

For example, a Kumho tire at tire rack would be $128, at Butler the SAME TIRE is like $196. WTF.

Well, now what? Do I buy everything from them or to hell with them and find another shop. Thing is, I am a happy customer up to this point. Hell ain't Lexus cheaper

2Lexos

wait a sec, you normally pay $30 for each so your bill should have been around $60 right. where did they get $175 from? damn for them to tell you up front like that is wrong. we are charging you more for install cause you didn't buy them from us....that's just not right. they don't deserve your business anymore....my .02

maybe you can get the BBB involved to see if you can get some of that money back......just a thought

Mr Johnson

While I agree it's not right it seems that more and more shops are heading in that direction. Don't buy the tires from us then the mounting and balancing is gonna cost an arm and a leg.

What ultimately ticks me off is how fricken easy it is to do if you have the right tools. I mean with the problems with my valve stems @ discount tire I had moments where I caught the installer skipping a step in the process. He even said, "Wow you know enough to do installs." The $60 is reasonable given the amount of work that needs to be done for two wheels. The $175 is just a rip. They want to rip you on the tires and the install.

fireballs gs400

...you all are dumb as a brick...go find another palce..they obviously do not like loyal customers

GS400_PUSHER

My Dealer won't even charge that much

LexFather

Yeah. I mean, I left the car, spoke to my rep, and said I'll pick it up in a couple of hours. I did not ask the price cause I figured it would run me no more than $60-$80, I go there all the time (and recommend people), I THOUGHT we had a relationship...

So now I gotta find another shop...it's not like High Performance tire shops are all over here though.

Thanks ya'll.

theanimala

Doesn't Tirerack list installers with pricing on their website? Might want to go that route in the future.

///MDex

T/R will always have tires at a lower cost. Their volume is HUGE, even compared to a retail chain tire shop.

Also, its customary for a shop to charge you a higher rate if you don't purchase the parts from them. Shops will attempt to recoup some of their costs that way sicne their margins are made off of labor and inventory. Next time, ask.

GS4Will

it is time like this i am thankful for the ultra competitive market here in LA...few shops that i know will match tirerack price+shipping and charge you reasonable price for mounting and balanciing..~$12-15 each

but then again..the housing cost is just too much..relatively speaking

KayGee

I bought my Kumho's from Butler Tire for about $190 and paid $100 for the high speed balance. I was told that Butler Tire was the only place in town that has the high speed balance. I even paid $100 for them to high speed balance my old 16's. I considered buying my tires from Tire Rack but was concerned about getting a bad tire and having to return it. Did you talk the the Manager?

LexFather

That is the thing. They have my records, they KNOW what I payed before. I've been dealing with Thomas for OVER 2 years now. With 2 sets of rims on the GS. All my friends with wheels go to him, as well as recommending them on other boards. Why ask? I thought (key word) we had a relationship.

Hell I ordered the TRD sways and underbrace from Steve. I've been ordering from him for over a year now. He hit me with the price at the LAST e-mail confirming it was sent. I was cool with that, I know he was not gonna screw me like Thomas did at Butler Tire.

///MDex

I would have refused payment; and grabbed the manager and reminded him of the realtionship, and asked him if it is worth loosing the relationship as well as all teh referrals ytou sent him; their prices should be posted

garnet92

The guy THINKS he’s losing business to Tire Rack – that’s only true if you would have bought tires from him in the first place – he’s being very short-sighted.

Most businesses recognize that SOMETHING (a mount and balance priced to make a reasonable profit) is better than NOTHING (what he’d be getting from me, from now on). Any local tire shop knows that they can’t compete with TR on the same brand/size – they’ve got to sell tires to folks who need them NOW or are wary of ordering via mail. Assuming that he’s got the manpower/equipment available, why not make a fair profit on a mount and balance?

And, for what it’s worth as a comparison, I recently had my 19” Bridgestone S-03’s mounted and Hunter-balanced at Sewell Lexus in Dallas for $66.00 (all 4 wheels). Now that was discounted some (don’t know what they charge for “retail”) since I’ve been a customer of theirs for 12 years now – that’s what Butler should have done for Sick – treated him like a valued customer.