Are there any inexpensive tires these days (Out the door $500 or less)?

[belfert]

I need to get two new steer tires in 11R24.5 size.  Does anyone sell tires anymore for around $500 each out the door mounted and all these days?  I went to Pomp's Tire this week and I was shocked by the prices!  They wanted about $525 for a Firestone FS590 Plus and $466 for a Firestone FS560 Plus.  I didn't think $466 was too bad until I found out that mounting, disposal, and tax added over $100 per tire.  The price out the door came in at $580 per tire!  I asked about other tires and the sales guy said most of them cost more.  I find it hard to believe they don't have anything less expensive.

I find that most truck tire places in the Minneapolis area treat a customer like crap if they don't have a fleet of vehicles needing tires.  The sales guys at Royal Tires acted like they were doing me a favor to look up the prices on some tires.  They sure acted like they had no interest in my business because I only need tires for one vehicle every six or seven years.  I was very nice to them and knew exactly what I was looking for.  It wasn't like I pulled up in my bus and asked them to look at the tires to figure out what size I had or anything like that.

In 2006 I paid $365 each mounted and out the door for Firestone FS590 Plus tires at White Tire in Roanoake, Virginia.  I know tire prices have gone up, but a 60% increase in six years seems pretty steep.

[Mex-Busnut]

Here in Mexico, the Goodyear stores carry a separate line of Chinese-made tires, which are about 40% cheaper than the Goodyear line. My friend who owns the four tour buses uses them. He says they have never given him a problem.

[rv_safetyman]

Brian, I have to face the same thing in the not too distant future.  Since almost all of the materials in a tire are petroleum based, it is obvious why the prices are higher. 

The one thing that I think you should talk to the dealer about is the disposal fee.  If your tires have any tread on them, they have a value - either to the dealer to sell, or to a trucker who will put them on a trailer.  I have heard of folks paying $100 for them.  That said, you need to find a way to market them if you choose to do it yourself.  I put a couple on Craigslist a couple of months ago and did not get a buyer.  We have a gravel pit fairly close, and I may try to put up a sign somehow.  Lots of independent truckers hauling gravel.

Jim

[gus]

Check Toyo prices, I used them for six years on the 4104 with no problems.

[robertglines1]

Takes a little time  but I have made contacts and have sources that let me know when they have good year or two 50% take offs.  Still good for me for the 5 to 7 thousand miles I do a year for several years. last I got were 3yrs old 80% for $200 each.  Also have a friend in recap business and  he has capped tires in past for me on casings not more than 5 yrs old for $100 each. Never had one fail!  Again just sources and Ideas to ck out.  Do not run caps on steer axle! Prob wouldn't bother me but is a industry and legal no no.  Look at a used tire it is tested and you can see how it has preformed. Sometimes $6,000 worth of new tires would make me rethink the whole situation. They would definitely dry rot before I wore them out from use. Check dates seen 10 yr old tires with 80% tread left on them. Run away fast! I stop at 5 yrs myself at purchase time and watch close for signs after that. 10 and they are off no matter how good they look.(never made it that long). Opinion is mine only after study of info and experience in my part of country.  If you live in the desert or Florida whole differant weather deterioration problems.

[belfert]

I have no problem considering other brands of tires, but the tire dealer wasn't too interested in talking about anything but Firestones even after I asked about other tire brands.  There was a discussion on possible casing credit, but the tires being six years are probably not worth much.  There is a tire place about 100 miles away in a small town that was real friendly that I might go to even if they are 200 miles round trip.  The prices were cheap enough that it might pay for the diesel.

The reason I am replacing the steer tires is because one steer tire and one tag tire have some really bad wear issues so they can't be sold as used.  The one steer tire will get moved to the tag axle.  I took the bus to a place that specializes in bus/motorhome steering and suspension issues and they said the issue is the tires themselves, not the bus.

I don't know that I want to consider used tires for the steer axle, but I will inquire.  I know they have some used tires, but 24.5 isn't as common anymore.  I would have no issue with used tires for the tag and perhaps the drive axle.  I considered selling all the tires last summer and replacing them, but I decided against it.  I'm hoping the drives might be good until spring 2014.

[luvrbus]

You think 500 bucks each is bad I picked up the sons H1 at Discount Tire in Scottsdale today for him 4600 for 4 tires sure glad he was paying or it would still be there   

[belfert]

$580 per tire isn't going to kill me with only two tires this year, but the extra $160 would go better in the fuel tank or something.

[babell2]

I don't know much about them but I had to buy a new tire when I found a hole in the side wall of my left front. $250.00 for a Samson tire, cheapest tire I could source. I had a friend with a trucking company help me put the tire on the rim. The bead was so stiff it took three men with tire irons and a hammer to flex the thing on.

Brice

[Uglydog56]

I put Yokohama's in 11r24.5 on the front my mine for 400 ea balanced out the door in September.  I know yok's aren't michelins, but they are quiet and don't wander.  Have tire prices changed that much recently?

[sommersed]

Research Double Coin Tires

I have (if I remember right) the R150 steer tires all around.

Ed

[eddieboy]

I have one of those silly questions. Is a 315/80r22.5 the "same as" some other size tire?
Ed

[Brian Diehl]

Brian, Have you spoken with Royal Tire yet?  I put 2 11x22.5 Toyo M147 tires on my bus last March of 2010 for under $1000 including a steal of a deal on a set of accuride Aluminum rims ($110 each brand new).  I bought my last set of Toyo tires (6 M111Z) from them as well back in 2003 and they were very reasonably priced then.  From my experience the Toyo tires have been holding up really well and have a few years left in them still.  Not that it matters much for out time of service, but they have also been wearing really well.

[belfert]

I talked to Royal Tire a while back.  They pretty much treated me like I was wasting their time because I didn't have a fleet of trucks requiring constant tire service.  I'll talk to them again as there aren't many choices in large truck tire dealers locally.

[Fredward]

Westside Tire in Corcoran has Yokohama. I've always been pleased with their customer service. And as already mentioned, Yokos are good enough. 
YMMV
Fred