Posted on 06/08/2013 10:48:09 PM PDT by Jyotishi
Chains such as Rent-a-Wheel and Rimco are seeing business boom. Many consumers pay double or triple the cost of buying and face aggressive repossession policies.
When the tires on their Dodge Caravan had worn so thin that the steel belts were showing through, Don and Florence Cherry couldn't afford to buy a new set.
So they decided to rent instead.
The Rich Square, N.C., couple last September agreed to pay Rent-N-Roll $54.60 a month for 18 months in exchange for four basic Hankook tires. Over the life of the deal, that works out to $982, almost triple what the radials would have cost at Wal-Mart.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Back in the early 1960s when I was in college and working part-time, I had to have my car to get to my employment. So, when I had a tire problem I did indeed go to the junkyard. Tires there were $5.00 and were jocularly known as the "Maypop" brand.
The ones I’m currently running are “Jetzens” or something like that. Never heard of ‘em, but are locally available. They’re 6 ply. I have run 10 ply Hankooks before. The tire shop guy is complaining that I don’t get enough flats.
Just to be more accurate, I don’t get a year out of a set. 15 to 18 thousand miles usually. The heavier tires cost more, but last longer, but the lighter tires save enough, but need more repairs. In the end, the cost is a wash, but I have nearly no flat tires with the heavier ply. I once finished my drive with two screws, a nail, and a sharp rock penetrating the tire. I drove for an hour and a half after I noticed the tire was low. Cheaper tires would have gone flat immediately. I got the holes patched and ran that set out. Pretty cool.
When I bought my “new” jeep, it came with standard street tires and I had two flats in the same day on ice. I just figure the cost of heavy tires into the price of a vehicle.
Obama added a 25% tarif to every tire made in China.
this is after most tire companies were drivin out of the USA by the greenies.......
I have a total of 28 tires on this ranch...
Want to guess how much it costs me when I need tires for a vehicle???
Cry me a river if you ONLY NEED 4 of them!!!!
I could get that kind of mileage out of what I run if I didn’t start and stop constantly. Just driving is not nearly as hard on a tire as what I do. Plus, I have to make sure I have really good tread going into winter, so I have to time my tire purchase to land in, say November, and this year I’m way out of sync. I’m going to need tires by Sept.
For years, I put slightly used “take-off” tires on my Ford vans. People would buy a vehicle and immediately take it in to have fancy wheels and tires put on it. These days, however, the shop where I have always dealt tells me they cannot even get use 15” tires anymore because few, if any, vehicles come with them. I used to be able to put a nearly new set of tires on an E-150 Ford for about $100.
Sorry, that't not my life experience. A willingness to live within ones means and budget, coupled with even a mild amount of enthusiasm prevents this type of nonsense.
Except for poor health, I see people who are poor through their own bad decisions.
Thanks, FRiends! This is an issue (a problem?) that interests me greatly: I am thinking of doing a major gravel road ride next year, the “James Bay Road.”
The Goodyear Wrangler with Kevlar sidewalls might be your best choice for what you are going to do.
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