[Johnwon]

I am about due for a new set of tires and am planning to order the replacements from Tire Rack since the dealer quoted me $1600+ for tires today. With that being said how do you find someone to install the tires who you trust to not scratch your rims?

[enzia35]

Do you really need/want to run the stock tires? Is the run-flat capability that necessary for you?

That's about right for stock tires, but there's better tires, or cheaper tires out there too, without the run-flat capability though.

[Lukemo]

Originally Posted by Johnwon

I am about due for a new set of tires and am planning to order the replacements from Tire Rack since the dealer quoted me $1600+ for tires today. With that being said how do you find someone to install the tires who you trust to not scratch your rims?

Tire rack should have a recommended installer / partner near you they will ship the tires too. Look up that shop and read the reviews...?

[DenverTaco07]

someone explain this to me. I've seen this several times shopping for tires at tire rack...same tire, different price. just more $$$ for an OE stamp on the tire?

[DenverTaco07]

Tire Rack seems to like Firestone and Big O dealers in my neck of the woods.

[Ryephile]

You interview various shops, try them out if they pass your interview, analyze their performance, and use them again if they didn't suck.

No it's not instant, no you can't click it online and be done. Good labor is difficult to find because they don't need to advertise, customers seek them out. Lately I've been having a local aftermarket performance shop do my M&B. They have a Hunter Road Force balancer and they're keen on zeroing out the balance weights. Their availability and pricing is also very competitive.

Originally Posted by DenverTaco07

someone explain this to me. I've seen this several times shopping for tires at tire rack...same tire, different price. just more $$$ for an OE stamp on the tire?

It's usually not "just" a stamp. It's a construction and performance specification that deviates from the standard tire. The deviations aren't published but can sometimes be inferred by the measurements.

[DenverTaco07]

Originally Posted by Ryephile

You interview various shops, try them out if they pass your interview, analyze their performance, and use them again if they didn't suck.

No it's not instant, no you can't click it online and be done. Good labor is difficult to find because they don't need to advertise, customers seek them out. Lately I've been having a local aftermarket performance shop do my M&B. They have a Hunter Road Force balancer and they're keen on zeroing out the balance weights. Their availability and pricing is also very competitive.



It's usually not "just" a stamp. It's a construction and performance specification that deviates from the standard tire. The deviations aren't published but can sometimes be inferred by the measurements.

what measurements?

[Ryephile]

Section width, rolling radius, weight, sidewall compliance, tread compound, belt configuration, etc. All those and more can be nuanced versus the standard specification.

[DenverTaco07]

sorry, I trust you, but maybe my post wasn't clear...these are the same size and model of tire...and are brought up as solutions to my input of car when searching on their site, being a 2017 SS 1LE

[Ryephile]

If you want the TL;DR answer for your question, it's "yes".

Additionally, get the Pilot Sport 4S, they've replaced the Super Sport.

[Ryephile]

Longer answer, look at this spec sheet and scroll 2/3rds down.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec....erformance+Pkg

There are three options for the Cup 2 in 305/30-20, Ferrari, Porsche, and Audi. They all have the same measured section width, but they all have different measured tread widths. That means their shoulder profile designs vary between the three, and as such their at-limit feel and breakaway characteristics will be different too. The Porsche spec also weighs in at 1 pound more, which could mean a variety of things like a progressively stiffer sidewall or another belt in the carcass, who knows.

If you're tuning a cars' feel with tires, choosing between different spec tires in the same size is one way to do it. If you don't know what you're doing, definitely step away and stick with what others have blazed the trails with.

[DenverTaco07]

Hey, thanks for the info.

[Johnwon]

Originally Posted by enzia35

Do you really need/want to run the stock tires? Is the run-flat capability that necessary for you?

That's about right for stock tires, but there's better tires, or cheaper tires out there too, without the run-flat capability though.

I am not sold on staying with the run flats and that's why I was thinking about Tire Rack - I would prefer a different summer tire that is quieter on concrete roads. As others suggested, I'll walk through the process on the site and see who they recommend and then do my homework to check them out. It would me much more convenient if the tires went to them .

[ctrlz]

Originally Posted by Johnwon

how do you find someone to install the tires who you trust to not scratch your rims?

Difficult question. I think the key is to find a shop where there is not a revolving door policy on employees. You want one where the manager is the same guy 5 days a week, and hopefully the techs too. Make up some story about your friend who had a shop screw up his wheels. Ask the manager about his mounting equipment and balancer. This stuff has to be maintained and calibrated. If the manager can't speak to those procedures you don't want to use that shop. Some shops may even refuse to mount oversize truck tires because it destroys their equipment (too much weight on the balancer). Take that as a GOOD sign. If they take pride in their work they will worry about your wheels.