Tire swap time!
July 2, 2011 4:23 PM Subscribe
How much should a tire shop charge to dismount four tires from a car, mount four new tires (purchased from tirerack.com and provided by the customer), balance the wheels and verify alignment/camber?
The car in question uses 225/45/18 tires in front and 245/45/18 tires in rear. New W-rated all season tires have been purchased from tirerack and are on their way via UPS.
In the US, how much should a normal labor rate be to:
a) remove old tires and set aside for a few hours (I will pick them up, no disposal fees involved).
b) Install new tires on wheels, balance wheels.
c) Verify car's alignment. It does not drift or have any alignment problem at present.
d) Do the "camber" alignment on the car to verify that the wheels are not toed in, toed out and are aligned flat for even side-to-side tire wear.
The car in question uses 225/45/18 tires in front and 245/45/18 tires in rear. New W-rated all season tires have been purchased from tirerack and are on their way via UPS.
In the US, how much should a normal labor rate be to:
a) remove old tires and set aside for a few hours (I will pick them up, no disposal fees involved).
b) Install new tires on wheels, balance wheels.
c) Verify car's alignment. It does not drift or have any alignment problem at present.
d) Do the "camber" alignment on the car to verify that the wheels are not toed in, toed out and are aligned flat for even side-to-side tire wear.
My tire place (a small-ish local chain in NJ) charges $18/tire for everything you said, but that's if you buy the tires through them. I don't know if it'd be more if you don't buy the tires through them. I imagine so.
In any case, if I was ballparking, I'd just budget for the price of a single tire.
posted by InsanePenguin at 4:40 PM on July 2, 2011
In any case, if I was ballparking, I'd just budget for the price of a single tire.
posted by InsanePenguin at 4:40 PM on July 2, 2011
Sorry, somehow forgot the camber and alignment. That cost another $100 altogether, IIRC.
posted by InsanePenguin at 4:42 PM on July 2, 2011
posted by InsanePenguin at 4:42 PM on July 2, 2011
The tire shop I went to most recently charges $12.50/tire for mounting and balancing. The last time I paid for an alignment it was around $50 or $60, I think. Honestly, the smart thing to do would be to pick up the phone and call some local shops, rather than asking random internet people who may not even live in the same country as you do.
posted by Forktine at 4:47 PM on July 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Forktine at 4:47 PM on July 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
My local place charges $10 to balance each tire and $80 for an alignment.
posted by twblalock at 4:56 PM on July 2, 2011
posted by twblalock at 4:56 PM on July 2, 2011
Tirerack.com quoted me as follows when I purchased through them, prices were for my local installer, recommended by tr.com:
Mounting and Balancing (per tire):
35 Series and lower: $25.00
40-45 Series: $25.00
50-55 Series: $20.00
60 Series and higher: $20.00
Additional Services (per tire):
Rubber Valve Stems: N/C
Disposal Fee: $2.00
Run-Flat Tires Service: N/C
Light Truck Tires Service: N/C
TPMS Service: N/C
posted by Exchequer at 4:59 PM on July 2, 2011
Mounting and Balancing (per tire):
35 Series and lower: $25.00
40-45 Series: $25.00
50-55 Series: $20.00
60 Series and higher: $20.00
Additional Services (per tire):
Rubber Valve Stems: N/C
Disposal Fee: $2.00
Run-Flat Tires Service: N/C
Light Truck Tires Service: N/C
TPMS Service: N/C
posted by Exchequer at 4:59 PM on July 2, 2011
For tires that size you'll be looking at about $95-$110 for the services you mentioned.
posted by zephyr_words at 6:15 PM on July 2, 2011
posted by zephyr_words at 6:15 PM on July 2, 2011
I would expect to pay about $60 for the tire mounting and balancing, and about $90 for the alignment. (These are two completely different and unrelated services.)
posted by gjc at 7:48 PM on July 2, 2011
posted by gjc at 7:48 PM on July 2, 2011
You need to shop around. We can tell you how much we paid/expect to pay, but that means nothing if the shops near you have their own ideas.
In fact, it would have been better to have done this before you ordered the tyres. This way they have to make all their money from fitting, if they make something from the tyres themselves they may charge less for the services of fitting, balancing, etc etc. By finding out beforehand, and also finding how much they would charge for the tyres, you are in a better position to make a sound purchase decision.
posted by GeeEmm at 8:48 PM on July 2, 2011
In fact, it would have been better to have done this before you ordered the tyres. This way they have to make all their money from fitting, if they make something from the tyres themselves they may charge less for the services of fitting, balancing, etc etc. By finding out beforehand, and also finding how much they would charge for the tyres, you are in a better position to make a sound purchase decision.
posted by GeeEmm at 8:48 PM on July 2, 2011
Tirerack.com has a recommended installer section on their site where you can find mount & balance prices for installers near you.
An alignment where caster/camber/toe in/toe out is checked and adjusted if needed generally runs around $75-$100 (or, at least, it does in the San Francisco, California area)
posted by zombiedance at 10:46 PM on July 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
An alignment where caster/camber/toe in/toe out is checked and adjusted if needed generally runs around $75-$100 (or, at least, it does in the San Francisco, California area)
posted by zombiedance at 10:46 PM on July 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
a: Keeping the old tyres is no problem, and is fairly usual (especially anywhere that uses Winter tyres), so they'll only charge you for fitting and balancing - maybe $15-20 a tyre is usual.
Of course, unless people are actually in your exact area, why on earth aren't you calling people and getting prices to compare for yourself? That's by far the best way of getting accurate answers. Is your google broken?
posted by Brockles at 4:38 PM on July 2, 2011