Me_irl

2 months ago by VetOfTheSeas to c/me_irl

Rhaedas 93 points 2 months ago

Plug for Discount Tire. I've seen people come in with a flat on a good tire and they offer to patch it for free. Also had them work with me when I couldn't afford all four tires and was just going to get two in the front, they did some discounting and stuff and for a little more than the two tire cost gave me four. Caveat - it could be just the few stores I've been in, management can make or break any place, no matter how good the product or employees are.

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BallShapedMan 52 points 2 months ago

I try to do business with mom and pop shops as much as possible. All the local mom and pop tire shops have been bought out over the years and become trash.

I went back to DT after a 20+ year hiatus and found their service, pricing, and willingness to work with me delightful.

For example my car uses a very specific tire and I got a flat on the side wall. They just happened to keep a set from a previous driver in near new condition to replace that one tire for labor only until the very specific tire could be brought in 3 weeks later!

Then they discounted the original labor off the new tire purchase price.

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aln 34 points 2 months ago

My only beef with discount tire is their anti-weed policy for their employees.

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monketman82 -37 points 2 months ago

Why would you want some dude stoned out of his mind changing your tyres?

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rockSlayer 73 points 2 months ago

That's not what anti-cannabis policies are. It means that you can get fired for using cannabis when you aren't at work. It's normal to get home after work and crack open a beer. Some people want to sit down with a bowl after work instead.

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RampantParanoia2365 -3 points 2 months ago

At a tire shop? Am I missing something? That sounds absurd.

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kn33 55 points 2 months ago

Okay, but that's not the policy. The policy is they're never allowed to smoke, even in the evening after work

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arrow74 10 points 2 months ago

When it's time to replace I usually go with Walmart. I buy whatever tire is on rollback online, ship to atore, and they put it on. Their autocenter has the cheapest rate for putting on tires.

Last time I paid $45 a tire and $11 for installation.

Yes it's Walmart, but I'm broke and this is like $100 cheaper than the next option

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lightnsfw 7 points 2 months ago

I'm not judging you but If you can afford it you should go elsewhere. Walmart tires are absolute shit. I say this having worked in their tire shop and several other places. We had people coming in with defects and broken belts daily where it was a rare occurrence everywhere else I worked. They also didn't do anything to ensure the people working on cars weren't dumbasses. I had to fix A LOT of shit they broke.

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Initech_vs_Initrode 5 points 2 months ago

I bought a set of five Nokian all-weather light truck tires on closeout at Walmart for under $300. A set of more desirable all-terrains would have run me $1k and are probably now around $1500. The tires have been great.

Pay attention to the brand and reviews, not the store.

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arrow74 4 points 2 months ago

Been doing this for 11 years only ever had 1 tire that needed a patch. I usually ride further than the stated mileage before the tires are bald.

However, I do drive a sub-compact car and have the whole 11 years. Lot less weight on the tires than a standard car

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EggInDisguise 9 points 2 months ago

Last time I needed multiple tires, they wanted about $150 note fir the tires, and wanted to charge $35 per tire changed.

I went elsewhere with slightly cheaper tires and the change was included in the service.

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Malyca 3 points 2 months ago

I had a bad experience in Phoenix, the tires fell apart after 8 months. Otherwise though, they've always been great and very accommodating. I go to Costco now but they're the same or better imo.

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Ertain 2 points 2 months ago

I've always had good customer service with Discount Tire Company.

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fartographer 2 points 2 months ago

When I lived in NJ for a couple of years, the nearest Discount was in Ohio. I strongly considered the drive.

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ThisOne 50 points 2 months ago

Juuuunk yard tires are the best. Someone out there totaled their car and the tires that survived are sitting there waiting for you to find. The guy who has em doesnt want em. He wants the shelf for more valuable stuff.

Happy hunting.

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Th3D3k0y 28 points 2 months ago

Junk yards in general are great. Just pick up spares of literally anything you need

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FatVegan 12 points 2 months ago

I really wish junkyards would be more of a thing here.

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boonhet 5 points 2 months ago

Where is "here"?

If it's anywhere in Europe, you can get shit delivered from ovoko/rrr. Have used them to get parts from Latvia and Lithuania that I couldn't find in Estonia (specific color doors so I wouldn't have to paint). It's like Amazon for used car parts, minus the whole taking over the world thing.

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OwOarchist 3 points 2 months ago

Yep. My local junkyard sells tires at $5 each, most of them perfectly good.

Can be hit or miss whether they have the size you need, though.

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Malyca 1 point 2 months ago

Or used tire shop

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ivanafterall 3 points 2 months ago

Yep, if you find a good one, these are great bang for the buck.

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LaunchesKayaks 3 points 2 months ago

My stepfather is buddies with a guy who owns a used tire shop. I get hella friends and family discounts lol

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friend_of_satan 34 points 2 months ago

As a previously poor person, more poor people need to realize where they stand tax-wise, and that they are the beneficiaries of tax increases. But also, tax the fucking rich! The 50's had 91% tax on the highest tax bracket. That's what made the golden days that conservatives want to return to so golden.

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Initech_vs_Initrode 16 points 2 months ago

While I definitely agree that the wealthy should be paying more in taxes, this isn't an especially accurate take.

There were way more deductions available. Basically, nobody ever paid any taxes at such a high rate.
The primary reason for the post-war "golden age" that MAGA waxes nostalgia about is because almost the entire manufacturing sector of most European countries was wiped out. By comparison, the US was almost fully intact, and had a massive new base of workers trained in manufacturing. We went from a nation of farmers to a nation of city-dwelling industrialists almost overnight.

I don't see how we could ever get back to the 50s - 60s era of growth and security again, but overhauling taxation and more union representation could probably at least wind us back a few decades.

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LilB0kChoy 5 points 2 months ago

The wealthiest person in America in the 1950s was JP Getty.

His worth was about $1 billion. Which would equate to $13.86 billion today.

There were way more deductions available. Basically, nobody ever paid any taxes at such a high rate.

Ok, maybe, I’d be interested in seeing a source on this, but what qualified them for those deductions? Dumping huge sums of money back into the country and the community? There was a time the wealthy built libraries and parks and voluntarily gave some back.

The primary reason for the post-war "golden age" that MAGA waxes nostalgia about is because almost the entire manufacturing sector of most European countries was wiped out. By comparison, the US was almost fully intact, and had a massive new base of workers trained in manufacturing. We went from a nation of farmers to a nation of city-dwelling industrialists almost overnight.

Not at all accurate. Yes, much manufacturing has left because it’s cheaper to off shore it to developing nations, but America isn’t less prosperous now. That prosperity has just been consolidated to the top 1% more and more.

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Initech_vs_Initrode 5 points 2 months ago

Ok, maybe, I’d be interested in seeing a source on this

It's really easy to find if you actually wanted to verify, rather than just disingenuously cast doubt. Planet Money has done podcasts episodes on it.

Not at all accurate

Entirely accurate. We were the manufacturing center for much of the world until Europe was able to build back, which was badly hampered by foolish austerity measures. This is literally the reason why America had such a phenomenal post-war boom and an explosion of the middle class.

but America isn’t less prosperous now. That prosperity has just been consolidated to the top 1%

Gee, I wonder if that has anything to do with the loss of manufacturing jobs, disappearing union representation, and subsequent devaluation of labor?

You're identifying symptoms, not causes. Write less and read more.

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LilB0kChoy -4 points 2 months ago

Why is it not surprising a shill for the wealthy gets combative and resorts to insults?

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Appoxo 1 point 2 months ago

The early 2000s were neat

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smeenz 3 points 2 months ago

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

The popular 2002 cover, I mean, not the original 1970s release

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PhoenixDog 6 points 2 months ago

That’s what made the golden days that conservatives want to return to so golden.

Stop it. If those conservatives could read they'd be very upset.

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bitjunkie 32 points 2 months ago

Motherfucker my checking account wears unevenly

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Sabata11792 3 points 2 months ago

Mine has more holes than OOPs tires.

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TIEPilot 27 points 2 months ago

For many AWD cars you have to replace them all as the new tire is bigger as it has all its tread and screws w/ the transmission.

I hate it as an AWD car operator...

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blitzen 14 points 2 months ago

I’ve read that you can often buy a single replacement and they’ll “shave” it down to match the tread of the existing tires.

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DaGeek247 9 points 2 months ago

With the unfortunate result being that your new tire is now just as worn as your other three tires. Not an issue if the flat is relatively new, but it get worse the older your other three tires are.

I don't have awd, so I usually just replace two tires and get em rotated as needed instead. It feels like the best middle ground available to me.

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blitzen 4 points 2 months ago

Yes, but contrast that with replacing three tires with usable life left in them.

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boonhet 2 points 2 months ago

You can sell them though, someone might want at least the two and potentially even the third one.

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TIEPilot 7 points 2 months ago

Never heard about that but it makes total sense. If I cut a single tire I will go that route, thank you!

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Philippe23 2 points 2 months ago

Why wouldn't you be able to just replace the opposite tire and leave the other pair alone?

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TIEPilot 2 points 2 months ago

You don't rotate your tires?

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boonhet 2 points 2 months ago

I never have intentionally rotated them, the only uneven wear I've had is sides vs center, not left vs right.

All I do is check that the better two tires go on the rear axle when changing between winter and summer tires, but that's only when I have four of the exact same tire. When I've had two different pairs, I make sure that the better pair goes on the rear axle, at least in the winter.

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Philippe23 1 point 2 months ago

Yes. They always move in matched pairs.

https://www.familyhandyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AutoTech_Tire_Rotation_Patterns.800_x_1200.svg

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TIEPilot 2 points 2 months ago

So no full sized spare? We do a different rotation than that.

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Saapas 1 point 2 months ago

Why is it all wheel drive and not four wheel drive? Offtopic but I've never thought about it before

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grue 7 points 2 months ago

In addition to the previous answers, AWD and 4WD systems have important technical differences. A 4WD system uses a gearbox to mechanically lock the front and rear driveshafts together, such that they always have to spin at the same speed. AWD systems use a viscous clutch, allowing the driveshafts to turn at different speeds when some tires lose grip, at the cost of some wear on that friction surface.

That's why replacing the tires evenly is important on AWD, but not necessarily 4WD: different diameter tires spin at different speeds forcing the driveshafts to turn at different speeds all the time, wearing out that clutch prematurely.

Edit for completeness: on a 4WD system with differently-sized tires, the wheels would still be forced to turn at the same speed which means the tires themselves would be where the slip and wear occurs. That's why 4WD systems aren't supposed to be used on paved roads: having that slip is no big deal on a loose surface, but doesn't work well when all four tires have grip. (This also applies when all four tires are the same size, when the differential is locked and you're making a turn. The wheel on the outside of the turn has to spin faster the inside wheel, but can't, and so the tires scrub instead.)

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Initech_vs_Initrode 2 points 2 months ago

AWD systems use a viscous clutch

In my experience, that's rare. Most AWD systems that I've seen use an open differential with no viscous coupler or locker of any kind. The '94 - '97 Toyota Land Cruiser (w/ ABS) in the US market used a viscous coupler, and Toyota called it "full-time 4wd". It also locked the transfer case in low range. To my knowledge, this was a really unusual configuration. They discontinued the viscous coupler after that, instead switching to their ATRAC traction management that used individual application of brakes to prevent wheel spin. Most of the Jeep SUVs in the last ~30 years, to my knowledge, used an entirely open center differential in AWD models.

It seems like modern, CUV AWD systems are usually FWD with computer controlled engagement of rear tires.

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boonhet 2 points 2 months ago

AWD and 4WD are also marketing terms rather than regulated in any way. In general you're right, but to be safe, always check what type of transfer case you're actually dealing with. Some "4WD" cars these days are AWD with super clever electronical controls for off road usage.

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grue 2 points 2 months ago

I suppose these days there's also the case where some cars just have electric motors attached to separate [groups of] wheels with no shafts connecting between them at all and don't really even fit in either of the two previous categories.

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Ajen 1 point 2 months ago

The exact meaning of "4WD" seems to depend on manufacturer. Toyota's 4WD works fine on hard surfaces because the differentials are normally open, which makes it a lot more like AWD. The center differential needs to be locked for it to behave like your described.

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TIEPilot 4 points 2 months ago

4 wheel drive is selective meaning you can run in 2wd. AWD is you have no choice its always on.

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wiccan2 1 point 2 months ago

Or in my case off until needed.

Car's a hybrid so runs in FWD until it thinks you need the rear electric motors to keep you on the road then it's AWD.

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boonhet 1 point 2 months ago

Yes but you have no choice other than maybe pulling a fuse. Most AWD systems, at least in budget cars, work like that, though often via a clutch or a viscous coupling or something rather than an electric motor. Premium cars get you torsen and other cool solutions.

Although also AWD vs 4WD are marketing terms and not strictly regulated.

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FatVegan 4 points 2 months ago

4 wheel drive is to drive offroad, AWD is to keep you on the road.

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OwOarchist 2 points 2 months ago

Eh, oversimplification. AWD systems can and do get used offroad pretty often. They're not quite as good as 4WD in some specific situations, but AWD is still better than 2WD in basically every offroad situation, and it's good enough to get the job done most of the time, for mild offroading. If you're doing serious rock crawling or going through very deep soft sand, mud, or snow, 4WD will likely be better than AWD. But for tackling your average trail or poorly maintained dirt road, AWD will do fine.

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Initech_vs_Initrode 1 point 2 months ago

AWD systems can and do get used offroad pretty often. They're not quite as good as 4WD in some specific situations

The moment that you have one wheel spinning with AWD, you are stuck. One wheel in the air due to a heavily rutted fire road? Stuck. One wheel on wet ice on the road? Stuck.

AWD is great for transient traction conditions, like roads that are partially snowy with patches of exposed asphalt.

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Gerblat 3 points 2 months ago

Iirc, all wheel drive means it’s always all 4 wheels, while 4 wheel drive is when an off-road vehicle has the ability to switch between 4 wheel drive and the normal 2 wheel drive

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TrickDacy 18 points 2 months ago

Depending on context that could be good advice. However tires are especially insanely expensive now so I get not taking that advice even if you can technically afford it.

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VitoRobles 6 points 2 months ago

I watched a tech bro crash his sports car, come out, laughed, and then walked into his garage to jump into another sports car.

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TrickDacy 7 points 2 months ago

Yikes what a gross human

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hereiamagain 1 point 2 months ago

Are they? I haven't checked recently, and winter is coming. I need snow tires.

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TrickDacy 5 points 2 months ago

Yeah. I mean I remember buying tires for like $100 each. I think that was closer to $160 last time I bought tires (and these are small car tires, cheaper than many others. I've heard truck tires can be like $250 each)

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homura1650 1 point 2 months ago

I just bought a set of new tires for $115 each (including installation). But that involved shopping around and not using the manufacturer recommended tires. The dealership wanted around $300 per tire.

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TrickDacy 1 point 2 months ago

That's cool. I had a really scary incident with hydroplaning once and after that I always try to get tires that have features that help with that, so my experiences may be a bit skewed

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lordziv 18 points 2 months ago

In New Zealand, it is legally required that you replace the set if you are replacing one. This is so that you always have two matching sets. For example, if the tread is too low on the rear left, you have to get both rear tyres replaced if you want to be able to pass the next warrant.

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UltraMagnus0001 4 points 2 months ago

What if the old tires are 8 and you just want to replace 1 new that's usually 10? Seems silly because the only damage they can do is with a differential, lsd or xfer case and that would have to be 4/32 or more difference with extended use.

In the US, if you have a puncture on the edge you're not allowed to repair it and the legal limit is 2. 4/32 is the recommended tire size difference for awd or on the drive axles to change tires and they have to be the same brand, but not legally required.

2/32 is rediculous for the legal limit though, should be 4.

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ChickenLadyLovesLife 3 points 2 months ago

Lol meanwhile I have a neighbor who's been driving with his spare tire "donut" for almost a year now.

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sem 2 points 2 months ago

This sounds sensible.

Do they have a system of keeping the old tires so if you have a flat and the remaining tire is 50% worn, you can buy a matching tire from someone else who replaced both?

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lordziv 5 points 2 months ago

They typically encourage you to keep the one good one as a spare tyre because you also require a spare at all times to get a warrant of fitness.

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sudoMakeUser 15 points 2 months ago

For an all time AWD system like what Subaru offers, you will need to do this if the replacement tire is worn, or shave it to match.

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moodoovoodoo 8 points 2 months ago

Subarus are actually one of the worst-case vehicles for this. I really don't understand the love for those things.

My partner has one and with the 'need to replace every tire if you replace one' thing, ads showing up in the infotainment center, the battery dying if the key fob is stored too close to the car (real stuff, it's legit written in the manual not to store the key near the car because of this, ask me how we know), she's so fed up with it.

Edit: To clarify the 'one of the worst case', other AWD/4WD vehicles have higher tolerances for size mismatch than Subarus. Like, I think literally every other major manufacturer is better about this.

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FedX 5 points 2 months ago

Yup, having only ever driven Subarus, this is what I have always been told. The ever-so-slightly different diameter of a worn VS new tire can cost you way more money than a three additional tires in the long run.

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OwOarchist 2 points 2 months ago

The ever-so-slightly different diameter of a worn VS new tire can cost you way more money than a three additional tires in the long run.

I dunno... With tire prices the way they are these days, servicing the center diff might actually be cheaper than replacing 3 additional tires. Especially if you're doing it yourself.

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13igTyme 3 points 2 months ago

You just need to replace 2, not all 4.

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sudoMakeUser 7 points 2 months ago

Depends on the AWD system. If there's a center diff or a clutch in the center, the speed differences where the front axle and the rear axle meet can cause excessive wear and heat. Subarus are the most common vehicle for this, but some high end German stuff I know can have issues as well. But generally economy cars and midrange cars disconnect the extra axle or have a loose coupling to it, so only two tires replaced are fine.

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13igTyme 4 points 2 months ago

Every certified Subaru mechanic and mechanics working directly for Subaru have always said I only needed two when one tire needed complete replacement for my Forester.

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moodoovoodoo 4 points 2 months ago

As long as they are within 1/4" diameter variance this is true, otherwise you FUBAR the viscous coupling over time. Which is why most mechanics default to 'just replace all of them'.

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devaly 13 points 2 months ago

All that replacing is a little tiring

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BarneyPiccolo 12 points 2 months ago

My mom lives in a retirement community, and some people have some real money. She was at the pool, and one couple was saying they needed to buy a new car because they had a flat tire, and they were told they needed all four. They didn't know how to buy 4 tires, so they decided to buy a new car instead.

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swelter_spark 15 points 2 months ago

I had a manager who told me that he and his wife both bought new cars every year. He said this while lecturing me for requesting time to take my car to the shop.

When I said I couldn't afford a new car, his response was that he and his wife saved so much in repair bills, they couldn't afford not to.

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Luffy879 6 points 2 months ago

I mean, that's kinda true?

If you drive sub 1000€ shit boxes its literally cheaper to sell them to export once the TÜV runs out than to get them into an acceptable state

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swelter_spark 1 point 2 months ago

Where I live, I don't think there are any cars sold new for a price that low. I don't think we have that kind of export market, either.

Where are your cars exported to that people are willing to pay so much for a car that needs so much work?

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save_the_humans 4 points 2 months ago

I've always managed to save money doing repairs myself...

Since he does this with two cars, you can probably find a good deal on a used car and spend less in 10 years, on both the car and repairs, than this guy loses in 1.

Seems that annual repair/maintenance costs on a car range between $400-$1200, over 10 years, that's $4000-$12000.

Looks like a new car loses about 12.5-20% value in the first year. So for two $35k cars, for him and his wife, dude loses ~$8800-$14000 in one year. Assuming he probably trades it in, I'd bet its on the higher end of that range. And since the average cost of a new car is $48k, he probably loses more (an additional $3200-$5200 per year). Say he does this for 10 years, that's $88,000-$140,000 (+$32,000-$52,000) he wastes. Nobody spends anywhere near that over the lifetime of a car (average being ~16 years) in repairs. Even if he somehow manages to do much better than these estimates, dude is legit an idiot.

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Initech_vs_Initrode 1 point 2 months ago

Alternate take: he could be a really shrewd buyer and good at selling privately.

Probably not, but it's possible. I knew a guy whose hobby was entirely cars. Shopping for them, going through financing details, and sometimes buying them. He'd bolt on some mods and seemed to have a knack for finding buyers. He'd sometimes sell for more than the total amount he'd put into the vehicle.

He had almost no real understanding of cars. At most, he could do an oil change and slap on a K&N filter. But goddamn did that guy ever understand how to manipulate financing to his advantage.

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OwOarchist 2 points 2 months ago

You know ... maybe I'm starting to see the value in ChatGPT. "Hey ChatGPT, how do I buy 4 tires?"

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Flatfire 3 points 2 months ago

Or they could do the normal thing and just go to a mechanic who could refer them. Sounds more like they just wanted an excuse to buy a new car

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Reygle 12 points 2 months ago

AWD car tax

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OwOarchist 3 points 2 months ago

Eh, as long as you're replacing the flat tire with one of the same nominal size, you'll be fine. AWD systems aren't that sensitive, slightly different tire wear won't destroy them.

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Reygle 1 point 2 months ago

It appears to be a blonde woman, so (joke) the other three tires are probably showing belts.

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dual_sport_dork 1 point 2 months ago

"But it'll destroy your differentials!!! Because your wheels will turn at slightly different speeeeds!!!"

Okay. So, uh, remind me again what happens when I go around corners?

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Initech_vs_Initrode 2 points 2 months ago

So, uh, remind me again what happens when I go around corners?

You finish the corner and go back to driving straight, which is how the vast, vast majority of your driving miles are covered.

Mismatched tire diameters significantly increase wear on your differential(s). If you have a limited-slip system of any kind, you're likely to destroy it shockingly quickly.

If you're driving half a mile to work through residential and business districts, it's not that big of a deal. If your commuting on the freeway, you're going to significantly increase wear.

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CADmonkey 11 points 2 months ago

Meanwhile, at my house:

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tigeruppercut 10 points 2 months ago

Japan has a class of light car (you can get them to go 140 kph/85 mph but the engine doesn't appreciate it) and everything about them is cheap. A set of 4 tires (not the rims) is ~¥18000 (currently about $110 USD or $150 before the yen started tanking).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kei_car

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MML 24 points 2 months ago

Fortunately we made this illegal in the US and we're working on banning E-bikes under the guise of protecting kids.

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PhoenixDog 15 points 2 months ago

under the guise of protecting kids.

Looks through the White House window, confusingly

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smeenz 5 points 2 months ago

They don't need e-bikes on a small island

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inlandempire 8 points 2 months ago

Once I was discussing with a friend, and he was telling me when he visited some local sight in Indonesia (where he was working at that time) he couldn't find his way back because there we no bus after a certain time of day, so he had to call a taxi to get back to his appartment and was annoyed that no information was easily available

I kept thinking that I could NEVER get into this kind of situation, I'm not rich enough to afford this kind of lightheaded mistake 'oh oh guess I gotta pay a taxi', if I'm traveling you bet your ass I'm going to plan every single commute

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OwOarchist 1 point 2 months ago

Maybe taxis in Indonesia aren't that expensive?

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inlandempire 1 point 2 months ago

Could be, but mostly I think access to money plays a lot in one's mindset when travelling, they didn't have to worry about how to get back home because they knew they could pay to get home no matter the cost

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tpihkal 7 points 2 months ago

This is something I would justify putting on a credit card. If all four tires are badly worn it can become both a safety issue as well as an increasingly more expensive issue later on.

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HubertManne 5 points 2 months ago

im not sure I would do credit card but I would certainly do this over niceties. like I don't go out or do a lot of things other people do so I can do things like this.

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ZombieCyborgFromOuterSpace 7 points 2 months ago

I get mine plugged and move on.

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Hikermick 2 points 2 months ago

Yeah get a load of Mr Fancy Pants buying a new tire!

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ZombieCyborgFromOuterSpace 2 points 2 months ago

Most of the time it's like a screw or a nail piercing the tire. That can be easily fixed for cheap at a local garage.

If you're broke and can't afford new tires, be careful if you buy used ones.

I bought a used set of summer tires and they were being kept under a backyard balcony and had been there for several years. The rubber turned to plastic. Even though the tires had no wear on them, I couldn't used them because they hadn't been stored properly.

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MyVeryRealName 6 points 2 months ago

My friend buys a new helmet every time his visor gets scratched. On the plus side, I get his old helmet.

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MrScottyTay 5 points 2 months ago

You must have quite the helmet collection

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Zephorah 6 points 2 months ago

If it’s a truck, you can often get stock truck tires on FBM with almost no miles on them, if you live in a pickup truck heavy area. Often, owners will buy bigger tires to replace those that came with their new truck.

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eurodyne 5 points 2 months ago

And who are these billionaire friends of yours that didn’t offer to replace all your tires for you?

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plantfanatic 5 points 2 months ago

I mean if it’s really bad it’s better to cough up $500 now than replace your transmission in a couple months. Non drive tires, who cares, just don’t rotate it to the drive tires.

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Polisheocket 7 points 2 months ago

I’m looking at $1,200 :(. That’s what I get for getting a limited car with “upgraded” wheels. Gave me a weird tire size

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FatVegan 4 points 2 months ago

I had a friend who drove a little fiat panda. He once bought the cheapest weirdly branded tires for it and it cost him 16 dollars per tire. Ge was a mechanic so he probably got them cheaper. Still funny that by bicycle tires are way more expensive

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Polisheocket 2 points 2 months ago

I sold tires as my job in college and geo metro I’m size 13 were like $20 each. The benefits of a small car

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plantfanatic 1 point 2 months ago

Sometimes you can get a steel rim and tire combo for cheaper than just those rubber on the super low profiles.

Common thing in Canada for the winter tires as the rims are easily damaged from a skid on ice against a curb.

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Polisheocket 1 point 2 months ago

Good idea, cars almost 20 years old so maybe swapping to a better rim and tire size can save some money

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ivanafterall 4 points 2 months ago

Near me, one used tire is like $35 and will last me the better part of a year, so decent trade off.

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Klanky 4 points 2 months ago

This is how it feels talking to my sister and brother-in-law.

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Kolanaki 2 points 2 months ago

I remember when I was a kid and my parents would drag me to Sears to fix the car and tires were only $25 each, so only $100 to replace all 4 with another $25 for the installation fees if you had them replace the tires for you.

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CyanideShotInjection 1 point 2 months ago

Why would you do that anyway if the tires are otherwise still in good condition ? Appart from throwing money out the window, it is just so wasteful...

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lime 9 points 2 months ago

having differently worn tires on the same axle is dangerous

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ekky 4 points 2 months ago

Why not just... get the tire patched? No need to change the whole wheel just because you drove over a nail. Shouldn't cost more than $15 anyway.

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fuckwit_mcbumcrumble 7 points 2 months ago

You can’t patch all damage. Presumably if they’re broke they already explored the largely free option.

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ekky 2 points 2 months ago

And you don't have to use always use the most expensive option. Presumably, the rich friend didn't think of the cheaper options.

After all, the post only explores the friends pov (or the OOPs opinion of that friends pov), and not the OOPs.

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lime 2 points 2 months ago

i drove with a rope patch for about a year before i replaced all the tires due to age. it's not fun. it always leaks air but how much depends on the weather, humidity, pressure, how long you drove last time... it's basically a gamble whether you get where you're going.

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OwOarchist 3 points 2 months ago

Skill issue?

I've driven with rope patches for longer than that and had no issues whatsoever. If done right, they won't leak.

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sem 4 points 2 months ago

How dangerous can it be? I am going to research.

This article mostly agrees, except if it is less than 30 percent worn, you can just replace one. https://www.consumerreports.org/...

Why put the new tires on the rear axle though? I thought the front was more important for braking and front wheel drive, which i have.

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lime 4 points 2 months ago

that's why you move the odd tires to the rear, it matters less that they're asymmetrical

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sem 2 points 2 months ago

Ah, OK. But if you are buying a pair of new tires, put them on the front

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queermunist -1 points 2 months ago

I don't have four tires on the same axle.

Do you?

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OwOarchist 2 points 2 months ago

At the risk of being 'too American for you' ... yes, some people do have four tires on the same axle.

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ironpangolin29 -14 points 2 months ago

Hot take, if you can't afford an immediate replacement (or in this case, a set) of an essential part for your vehicle.

You shouldn't own a vehicle. You should own a transit monthly pass.

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pastaq 17 points 2 months ago

Why yes, of course ! 100% of low income people are fully served by public transit everywhere. Why didn't I think of that?

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mirshafie 5 points 2 months ago

Over a quarter (by some accounts almost 60%) of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, spending 90-95% of their money on necessities with no margin for emergency expenses.

It's a country with very limited access to public transport, as evidenced by the fact that >80% commute to work by driving their own car, and <5% commute by public transit, bike or by walking. That's not by choice, it's a consequence of the infrastructure which offers very little in terms of options.

Given these facts, I'd categorize your take as cold.

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southsamurai 3 points 2 months ago

Man, that ain't a hot take, that's a shit take. Don't be classist

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NABDad 2 points 2 months ago

It's not classist, it's stupid. Only an idiot would replace all four tires because of one flat.

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TheOakTree 3 points 2 months ago

The only times it would make sense is if the three other tires are already due for a change (very worn/old) or that the other tires are nearly new and a tire shop is offering to buy them off you (big discount from new set), which is unlikely.

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southsamurai 2 points 2 months ago

It can be both :)

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Zink 1 point 2 months ago

Even if we assume your opinion/conclusion is true, the fault for that lies with the government and society at large, or maybe just capitalism in general. It is not an individual issue when so many people live in areas that have been designed (often for corrupt/malicious reasons) around individual vehicle use.

I'd say that for individuals the risk is real and we should all try to be prepared for emergencies the best we can. Access to a vehicle is a prerequisite for having an income for many folks though. Other options don't exist, and non-ownership vehicle options are typically more expensive (taxi/uber/lyft) or drag another person into the arrangement.

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