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  #1  
Old 06-17-2002, 11:54 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 171
Any Costco Tire buyers out there?

Guys,

I was just about to purchase some Michelin tires for my car from Costco, when my friend told me that Costco carries tires that are "second" quality rated tires. Is this true? All of Costco's products seem to be great, for I have been shopping there for many years.



I heard that companies such as Michelin produce special tires for Costco alone, giving them so-so tires, and that is why Costco tires are much cheaper than other independent tire stores. Or is it the fact that Costco purchases tires in massive bulks that they can pass the discount on to their customers?


Can anyone talk some sense into me or at least give me their insight? Thanks a bunch!

vu

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  #2  
Old 06-18-2002, 12:35 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 713
I don't know about costco, but I bought some bfgoodrich touring T/As for $55 a tire installed from Sam's, and they have been running strong for a while now, I actually like them better then the michelin pilots my dad had put on....
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  #3  
Old 06-18-2002, 02:53 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,473
My aunt just bought some MXV4 tires at Cosco in San diego, and she showed them to me and they looked pretty good. I think that all michelins are michelins and not seconds. My aunt's tires rode very well. They have good deals on the road hazard warantee. I would get lifetime balance and road hazard coverage if you get them from cosco, or any other place, then you wont have to worry about it.

Austin
__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.
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  #4  
Old 06-18-2002, 03:46 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 171
Fellas,

I've bought tires from Costco before, especially Michelins MXV4's. They ride awesome and look great. But I just wonder how Costco got them so cheap, compared to other independent tire stores. I guess I just need to compare Costco Michelins with independent store's tires to really tell.


Oh, by the way, Costco is having a sale on all Michelins and Bridgestones. $60 off on a purchase of 4 tires. Not a bad deal, but try to get there early to avoid the long lines. I went there on Monday, which was their first day of the sale, and was told that the waiting period was anywhere between 3-5 hours.


vu
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  #5  
Old 06-18-2002, 03:51 AM
renok7's Avatar
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Location: Montréal
Posts: 95
That's nonsense. Michelin would not take the risk of putting sub-standard tires on the market. Worst case scenario is that Costco may, from time to time, be able to get tires with minor cosmetic blemishes having no impact on their performance, durability or safety. Check the tires that you buy at Costco and save the bucks.
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  #6  
Old 06-18-2002, 03:58 AM
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 105
One thing with costco though is, you have to get the speed rated tires for the car, mounted on the car. So if it comes standard with V rated, they will only mount V rated or higher.....I tried the other day to get the kirkland specials on my 300e (the 75,000 mile warranty) and they said they will not install them, then can only install what the factory calls for.
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  #7  
Old 06-18-2002, 04:04 AM
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Ouch. Actually, that's what happened to me too. I brought my aunt's Volvo in for some new tires, and they said that they had to special order the tires due to the fact that the car was V-rated, and they only had H-rated tires.

Then I called up another Costco, and they are willing to still put H-rated tires on a V-rated car. They said as long as you're not going from Z-rated to H-rated. Maybe a jump from V-rated to H-rated is ok.

So try calling around to different Costcos to see if one of them will budge. I don't know how the Kirklands are rated.

Another thing that you can try is to buy the tires, and get them mounted elsewhere. If you do this, Costco will charge you $9 less for every tire that is not mounted. Be very cautious because this can void the Costco warrantee and the place that mounts your tires may not have the special "Euro" wheel balances/mounters.
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  #8  
Old 06-18-2002, 05:47 AM
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Just tell them that you have a turbo diesel. Tell them it wont go over H rated 130mph anyway. V rated is 149 mph.

Austin
__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.
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  #9  
Old 06-18-2002, 06:36 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 2,911
I haven't been to Costco for tires, but at Sears they specify tires based on what their computer database tells them is appropriate for the car. You tell them its a 300D, and they'll tell you that the H-rated tire is required and that's all they will install.

My solution is to take only the loose wheels to any tire store - two at a time if I have to. This prevents a wide range of horrors that you can read about right here:

- kids breaking off lug bolts in the hubs
- kids getting in your car with greasy coveralls
- salesmen requiring you to buy a tire that is twice as expensive and lasts half as long (i.e. H-rated tire)

etc. etc.

Its an individual choice, but I don't need H-rated tires on a 300D. So I take them loose wheels and I buy what I want (and refuse to tell them what the wheels go onto). So I get a tire with a treadwear rating of 560 or 620 which I drive conservatively.

Sears will mount new tires for free. It is the balancing they charge for. Does anyone know if Costco will mount tires for free if you don't get balancing?

Ken300D
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  #10  
Old 06-18-2002, 07:06 AM
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Posts: 3,473
Why would you want tires mounted but not balanced? It doesnt make sense to me.

I won't put anything less than H rated on any car except if I had the need for snow tires or truck tires.

I ordered some rims, but one lug bolt was short and it stripped out the hub because the guy at the tire store didnt check. That costed me $200. So you are right about that.

My aunt got costco to mount and balance (lifetime) road hazard, etc all for about 550. I will ask her tomorrow how much it was for 215/55/16 mxv4s.

I am looking to buy tires for my car now too because my MXV4s on my 300CD are worn out now. I am looking for 235/45/17. Any recomendations? I was thinking about Michelin Pilot XGT H4s.

Austin
__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.
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  #11  
Old 06-18-2002, 08:00 AM
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Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: New York City Burbs
Posts: 177
Prices look great

this is a timely thread as just yesterday I checked out the tire center at my local Costco . I was impressed at the cleanliness and the 'service' oriented staff. These guys werent 'arm twistin' to sell you more than you need like many of the commission driven counter personnel at the big tire shops.

I am curious as to who actually manufactures the 'Kirkland' brand tires (not that I'm buying)? I see that Kirl;and name on everything from rubber to yogurt to tools. I hope its not all the same assembly line!
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  #12  
Old 06-18-2002, 08:08 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 2,911
I should have mentioned that I have my own personal spin balancer.

So now I always get tires mounted but not balanced. I get a kick out of the reaction from the tire people....... because $10/tire for balancing is a big ripoff (just about complete profit for the store).

Ken300D
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  #13  
Old 06-18-2002, 08:20 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: At Sea
Posts: 1,729
you can get good deals with with costco tire packages, what with their free lifetime rotate and balance plus flat fix service. a word of caution, don't be impressed with the big torque wrenches they use to torque down your lug bolts. the mechs use air wrenches to spin them on. when i picked up a set for the family van they cross threaded one stud. i managed to chase the thread on that but when i came back for a rotate and balance they completely stripped another one. i had to do a lot of complaining before they coughed up the paperwork to get me reimbursed for the repair. turns out they routinely do this and they'll try to tell you that it was that way beforehand...
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  #14  
Old 06-18-2002, 08:45 AM
LarryBible
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I'm with Ken on this. I got frustrated trying to get the tire store kids to balance the wheels dynamically. I got a used Coats 1001 balancer and I can now run any vehicle in my stable as fast as it will go and the tires run silk smooth.

It amazes me how many of these jocks insist on increasing tire vibration by statically balancing with weights ONLY on the inboard lip. This almost always aggravates the dynamic balance making the wheel wobble.

I expect that the Michelins are fine at Costco. Their good pricing is most likely due to volume purchasing. They probably buy in such volume that there are people with Michelin distribution that call them when they overstocked with particular tire sizes/models.

I got a set of Continentals at a dirt cheap price from tire rack and when I asked why they were so cheap they told me it was a truck load purchase. The tire companies as do any manufacturer have to keep the plant running. So, occasionally they have to cut their margins to cover for a particular situation.

Has anyone ever read "The Goal?" If you read it you will understand how this sometimes happens in manufacturing.

Have a great day,
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  #15  
Old 06-18-2002, 11:16 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Posts: 200
The Michelins I have on my 300SD were purchased at Costco. I'm very happy with the tires and the store. I bought the 80,000 mile tires and have over 60,000 miles on them with LOTS of tread left. No seconds here! I did have one of the tires blow out on me on a trip. I had to buy another tire there, but Costco gave me a new tire in its place when I presented the tire back to them. I will definitely go back to them for my next set of tires.

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