New Tires

We were on the last leg of our tires on our car, and our mechanic said as much. It’s sort of embarrassing because we’re always using thing until they literally die out, including our car. That last time we had the tires rotated, he said to be careful because the treads were basically gone. I figured if we could get though summer then in winter we could just replace them snow tires. The one problem we kept running into, however, was that one of the tires kept leaking air. It got to be a pain, and rather than pay to have it repaired, we decided to bite the bullet and get new tires. Not a cheap proposition when you are looking at good quality tires.

We did a bit of research, of course, and finally decided on a brand. I called around and the funny thing is, tire dealers only deal in certain brands. I wanted Yokohamas, and the only place to get them is at Wilson Tire. I’ve used them in the past, and left with a bad taste in my mouth because of their scare tactics in getting you to buy their tires. Plus, it’s clear they work on commission, so the person you talk to wants to get credit for the sale.

Either way, they had the tires we wanted, so I ordered them and got them installed. When the bill came, there was about $25 in mysterious charges, which I asked about. It had something to do with sensors, and I figured they were just ripping me off and left incensed. The guy was nice, and said I wouldn’t be charged next time, but it seemed too little, too late. I was out of there.

Well, when I got home, I did some more research, and even called our mechanic, and it all sort of backed up what this guy said. When you buy a new car, there seems to be a requirement that there be sensors in the tires to detect low air pressure. We have this on both of our cars, I just don’t recall paying to have the sensors put in. In the end, I think I was wrong for being mad, but I’m still not sure if other tire shops charge. The sensors are an additional piece of equipment, so it makes sense they would charge, it just took me by surprise.

Oh well, something more to investigate and worry about, but that’s what makes life fun and interesting, right?

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Danielle Elder for the pic.