I may have to bite the bullet and get new tires to sell the VX: advice welcome...

[Osteomata]

OK so my plan to sell my proton on here without replacing the existing very bad tires, with the idea that a serious forum member would be pretty specific about what tires they would want, has simply not panned out. Selling locally it turns out that the visible thread is a show stopper for some people, even when I go through the logic with them that I kept the price low specifically because of the tires etc. Add to this that I still need to drive the VX, even if it is just for preventive maintenance, cleaning, and test drives, and these tires are to the point that they are not safe. So... I am considering just biting the bullet, gettinf four new ones, and upping my price to partially compensate. I need to keep the price low, the tires generically useful. I am thinking low priced street tire. Maybe Hankook.

Discout Tire gave me a cheapest out the door option (245 60 R18) of $620 for Falcons. Price includes tires, balance and install, disposal fee, and tax.

Tire Kingdom was $716 out the door (also for Falcons)

Alternatively, Tire Rack has options (Hankooks and Yokohamas) as low as $135/tire, $540 total. Shipping will run me at least another $63, so I am already up over $600 and they arent even installed and balanced.

My questions for you:
1. What tires do I get that are ok and allow me to spend the fewest bucks?
2. From where would I get them? Local or order from a place like Tire Rack?
3. Any tips on shopping for a low install and balance price locally?

[atilla_the_fun]

The yokohama on discounttiredirect.com are 123.00, no tax and free shipping. (You can get them mounted at walmart cheaply)

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/findTireDetail.do?pc=44419&counter=1&ar=60&rd=18&sw=false&cs=245

What about four used tires off craigslist?

Edit: Essentially, discount tire runs a "direct" or wholesale branch, where the prices are cheaper and they deliver to your door instead of the stores. I just bought 4 nitto terra-grapplers for 185 with free shipping and not tax. They are actually arriving today!

[Osteomata]

Thanks atilla that sounds like what I am looking for.

[VX KAT]

One tip, always print out the TireRack or other online price, as most of the chain stores (and prob the privates too) will price match them or come really close to it. It used to be kinda hard to do, now I find Big O, NTB, Discount TIre, Firestone, they just almost automatically agree to match it. Can call them on phone first and find out who will match etc. Recently got my Mom some Cooper tires from PepBoys...."worked" with the manager for about 2 days haggling over price...finally got a flat fee, out the door price, including tax, etc...

BTW...TireRack and prob the other online sellers, will have the tires delivered to a shop, so you don't have to schlep them anywhere. Just ask your chosen shop ahead of time.

The difference you have to factor in is that with online tires, you have to pay a shop for mounting/balancing, sales tax....and environmental disposal fee, and a few more little fees, "shop fee"...

Try Costco....often have $50 off 4 tires. Can order many tires, but not all...but always excellent prices. No negotiation there however.
Anybody know if Costco offers lifetime balancing....or is it just free rotation? Could use that as a selling point with potential buyer.


Of the people that have shown interest, do they seem to be "stock" type people? Then stock or equivalent type tires will probably be good idea.

Maybe the Bridgestone Duelers (can't remember which 2 letters follow it) that came on them would be a "good" choice in this scenario.

One thing about Costco and the other big box sellers, the tires are going to be "fresh", which in South Florida may be a good selling point as well since you get so much sun exposure.

I agree, putting brand spankin' new rubber on is a huge selling point, rather than the buyer knowing they HAVE to go and get some, no matter how much discount you give them on price...having the new rubber on is a better marketing strategy IMHO.

[Mile High VX]

Excellent ponts KAT...keep in mind that most of the shops that match price will want to include the shipping in their match so call and see what the policy is like KAT said...:yesb::yesy:

[Osteomata]

Thanks Sue, great info. I will look into costco as well.

I just called a used tire place, they are offering me 2 continentals and to Forenzas, both sets at something like 82% remaining tread, for $340 out the door. Not sure how I feel about 2 diff tires, but saving $300 is looking tempting.

[Mile High VX]

Thanks Sue, great info. I will look into costco as well.

I just called a used tire place, they are offering me 2 continentals and to Forenzas, both sets at something like 82% remaining tread, for $340 out the door. Not sure how I feel about 2 diff tires, but saving $300 is looking tempting.

Lots of threads about the importance of having the same size and same brand of tires due to TOD issues. If you go with different ones make sure that you measure the circumfrence of the tires and make sure that they are exactly the same, otherwise you could be trading newer tires for TOD issues. Even if you find 4 of the same used you will need to make sure that they are worn evenly and measure them IMHO.

[atilla_the_fun]

Buyers do love new tires... You would turn a deficit in your sale into a strength with new rubber (for not that much more than the used, apparently)

[etlsport]

Sue is right about price matching. Most places will do it once you factor in shipping cost. Buying tires through my shop saves you 40-50 in mounting fees too

Which Falken tire are you looking at? IIRC the only 245/60/18 tire they make is the Zeix912 which is available Buy 3 get 1 free through Sears. They are notorious for wearing out quickly on larger vehicles or on vehicles frequently on the highway. However Falken is very good with their warranties in these situations. If you are just selling it, that may not be a huge deal for you, but if you sell to someone you know, make sure they know to only expect about 40k out of them.

[Osteomata]

etlsport they were indeed the zeix912s. I will check with Sears for that deal. I also need to contact Discout Tire Direct to see how bad the back order time is for the Yokohama YK520s that they are offering at $123.77 each. Any comments on that tire?

[Osteomata]

Update from Discount Tire: the yokohama yk520 is being discontinued, and they are not sure I would get the tires at all if I ordered them. That seems a bit.. odd, that they would still have them on their website. the next closest option was $147 per, and I am not intersted in paying that. Back to the drawing board.

[VX KAT]

Falken Ziex ZE-912 - $117.96 at onlinetires.com $91 shipping to 33071 (Coral SPrings)
https://www.onlinetires.com/products/vehicle/tires/falken/245%252F60-18+falken+ziex+ze912+105h+bsw.html

Hankook DynaPro HP RA23 - $120.26 at onlinetires.com - shipping $91
https://www.onlinetires.com/products/vehicle/tires/hankook/245%252F60-18+hankook+ra23+104t.html

Falken Ziex ZE-912 - $129.20 at tire-easy.com $59 shipping to 33071 (Coral SPrings)
http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&cart_id=36613038.135.1371&Cookie=nextag&typ=R-189287&ranzahl=4&Breite=245&Quer=60&Felge=18&weiter=0&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=15&Transport=P&dsco=135&sowigan=GAN


Hankook DynaPro HP RA23 - $132.70 at tire-easy.com
http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&cart_id=36613038.135.1371&Cookie=nextag&typ=R-151957&ranzahl=4&Breite=245&Quer=60&Felge=18&weiter=0&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=15&Transport=P&dsco=135&sowigan=GAN


Goodyear Fortera H/L - $134.60 at tire-easy.com
http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&cart_id=36613038.135.1371&Cookie=nextag&typ=R-161171&ranzahl=4&Breite=245&Quer=60&Felge=18&weiter=0&kategorie=6&Ang_pro_Seite=15&Transport=P&dsco=135&sowigan=GAN

[etlsport]

careful with the Hankook. I know we got a notice saying the RH03 was recalled, not sure about any of the other dynapros, i would look into it before purchasing. Goodyear fortera H/L is a very nice tire..

[Osteomata]

Thanks Sue, I am close to pulling the trigger on those Falkens at your link. I actually like the look of them better than the other two. Shipping to Miami is only $53. So I am waiting on only two things:
1. I want to check on installation options, PepBoys might be my cheapest bet.
2. I want to hear RiffRaff's thoughts. I am shocked that a tire thread has not pulled him into the debate yet, it has been almost 6 hours!

[vt_maverick]

Channeling RiffRaff...

Buy the General Grabber AT2's, they are simply the only tire that will do on the VX. I am confident that any buyer seeing these tires will immediately feel compelled to pay you more than your asking price, as they will no doubt feel guilty over the blessing you were prepared to bestow upon them.

:laughy: J/k, I'm sure Riff has far more to say than that.

[Osteomata]

Yeah I have not done an online search for how cheaply I can get the Generals. Might do that next.

[VX KAT]

Thanks Sue, I am close to pulling the trigger on those Falkens at your link. I actually like the look of them better than the other two. Shipping to Miami is only $53. So I am waiting on only two things:
1. I want to check on installation options, PepBoys might be my cheapest bet.
2. I want to hear RiffRaff's thoughts. I am shocked that a tire thread has not pulled him into the debate yet, it has been almost 6 hours!

Remember his comments are always geared toward an owner that's keeping the VX, so your needs are a bit diff here.

[circmand]

Thanks Sue, I am close to pulling the trigger on those Falkens at your link. I actually like the look of them better than the other two. Shipping to Miami is only $53. So I am waiting on only two things:
1. I want to check on installation options, PepBoys might be my cheapest bet.
2. I want to hear RiffRaff's thoughts. I am shocked that a tire thread has not pulled him into the debate yet, it has been almost 6 hours!

I bought4 on a buy 3 get one free but had them reduce their cost per tire on a match any offer. So I got 4 80,000 ,\mile tires with M&B plus allignment and valve stems for $640

[Mile High VX]

Big O Tires here is offering a buy 2 get 2 free on Sat and Sun between 7 AM and 10 AM. Limited to tires on hand and you have to buy their warranty and have an alignment...but perhaps you have something spectacular in your area as well.

[SlowPro48]

Too bad we don't live closer together! I'd sell you my almost new Terra Grapplers so I could buy some bigger ones. Not an off-roader so don't really NEED big tires but have to admit - they do LOOK better. I don't know why I waited until the VX got to 111,000+ miles to notice this. Wish that little discovery had kicked in BEFORE I bought the 255s... :confused: Oh well...

So anyway there's a tip in there for you - if you go with those Falkens see if there's a step up from the 245s - bigger looks better and better looks sell quicker.

[tom4bren]

Lots of threads about the importance of having the same size and same brand of tires due to TOD issues. If you go with different ones make sure that you measure the circumfrence of the tires and make sure that they are exactly the same, otherwise you could be trading newer tires for TOD issues. Even if you find 4 of the same used you will need to make sure that they are worn evenly and measure them IMHO.

Even checking the circumfrence may not be enough. Different brands have different sidewall stiffness so your rolling radius may be different when loaded (weight of vehicle squishing them down). Also may even be different due to dynamics of cornering & such.

BLUF: don't put mismatched tires on any 4X4 especially a VX.

[fotomaker]

I just put Pirelli SCORPIONS on my 4 Runner and drove a 600 mile trip in the past 3 days.

Best tire I've ever experienced on a 4x4! Tremendous steering and cornering response. Not for serious off road.

They are available with either white or black "advertising" on the side walls.

I was surprised to discover that white raised letters was $ 40.00 a tire more.

I paid $ 132.00 each at NTB for the black lettering.

[RickOKC]

I wish you were closer, too. I have a set of Yokohama YK520s that I need to sell. They came on my VX but I didn't keep them long because I wanted A/Ts. They seemed to be a nice, comfortable tire and I had no complaints other than wanting something more rugged.

[SilverBullet75]

Hi,
I'd go used if I were selling. Why spend a bunch just to give it away?
I've bought some from Craigslist ads before (and sold some too).
WAY cheap. Sometimes people are installing off-road tires and need to get rid of their old ones for cheap.

Just a thought.
:)
---JIM---

[Riff Raff]

2. I want to hear RiffRaff's thoughts. I am shocked that a tire thread has not pulled him into the debate yet, it has been almost 6 hours!

Damn, I musta' been asleep at the wheel by not seeing this thread earlier. LOL

Okay, here's my thought process and criteria concerning this matter:

o Focus on a price point near or at the $100 mark per tire.
o Choose a size tire that will visually make the VX more stout with a wide aggressive look while making a distinct impact upon the perspective buyer. Don't just stick with the OEM size of 245/60R18; instead, use the wider and more stout size of 285/60R18 that will give the VX a wide mean aggressive stance while still fitting onto the OEM 18x7 rims.
o Choose a radical tread pattern (preferably a V-tread) that makes a distinct impact upon the perspective buyer.
o Bottom Line-- The tires should be cheap, wide, and with a wicked tread pattern for that "WOW" factor. By meeting this criteria, the new tires will actually help sell the VX at a higher price point, thereby covering the cost of the cheaply acquired tires.


My #1 Pick: Fuzion - ZRi (radical V-tread pattern) in 285/60R18 @ $107.25 each from www.OnLineTires.com. These tires are a bargain at this price and normally sell for $150 each at other websites.

My #2 Pick: Cooper - Discoverer H/T (a highway version multi-role tread pattern) in 285/60R18 @ $103.00 each from www.Treadepot.com

Don't forget about many local tire shops in your hometown that have a "Price Match" guarantee!!! Oftentimes; if you take in a valid computer print-out advertisement from an on-line internet dealer, your local tire shop Manager will gladly Price Match the advertisement just to win over your business. By convincing a local tire shop Manager to Price Match your on-line price, will save you the "shipping costs" by not buying from the on-line tire dealer. In addition, you won't have to wait a week for the on-line tires to finally arrive from the UPS man.

Stick with the wider 285/60R18 size tire at a much cheaper cost. Forget about the OEM size of 245/60R18 that will just make to VX look too meek & mousy with no pizazz.

BTW, another website for cheap tire prices is www.Tires-Easy.com. Keep us posted on what you finally decide.

:bgwb:

[etlsport]

If youre going to change the size, might I suggest a 265 60 18.. They are easier to find and not quite so extreme for a buyer who doesn't necessarily want a very wide tire because remember that the wider you go the lower your acceleration performance and gas mileage.u

"V shaped" (directional) tires also tend to be noisier/rougher on the road so they will accentuate any rattles you may have. But increase wet traction.. Not quite as important for test drives. They do give a sporty look if your buyer is a street only/tuner type

That said the vx looks much better with larger than factory tires, and there are more options in 255/55/18 (wider), 265/60/18(wider and taller), 265/65/18 (wider and tallest) and 285/60/18 (widest and tallest)

When/if you go to have your tires price matched, keep in mind in order to match online pricing, many places will require you to factor shipping cost into the price per tire. If its a huge price difference, some places won't match because as much as they want your business, its not worth it to them if they are losing money on the tires.

[VXdoc]

I Have Bought And Sold Now Near 100 Vehicles And Tires Are Not Something You Want To Replace When Selling A Vehicle, Any Vehicle! So My Recommendation Is To Go With Some Used Tires And If You Must Go With New. Try To Find Some On Ebay Through Discount Tires. My Personal Recommendation For Tire Would Be A Cooper Discover A/t. They're Relatively Inexpensive And Look Good Too. This All Depends On Your Demographics Of Course. And Maybe You Sell It To This Guy. His Name Is Richard Payne. He's On This Forum And Last I Spoke With Him He Mentioned He'd Like A Yellow One

Anthony

[Osteomata]

I want to thank everyone for you ongoing advice, and feel free to continue to weigh in, perhaps others will benefit from the conversation. BUT: I bought tires already. I went with the Falkens, and got Tire Kingdom to price match the best online deal I could find, including shipping, and they reduced their mount and balance price as well. I was forced to do a $70 alignment though, it was pretty obviously out of tolerance, and the ride is now drastically improved. Again, thanks everyone, I really benfited from this discussion.

[etlsport]

do you have photos? i'm pretty curious as i have never seen the ZE912 in a size so large.. my inner tire nerd is curious, i think this is the largest they make that tire ;Db;

[Riff Raff]

do you have photos? i'm pretty curious as i have never seen the ZE912 in a size so large.. my inner tire nerd is curious, i think this is the largest they make that tire ;Db;

My curiousty peeked as well. After some research on www.1010Tires.com which shows all available sizes by brand and model, I discovered the following statistics:

Falken - Ziex S/TZ01, Largest 18" Size = 265/60R18 (OEM 245/60R18 is not available).

Falken - Ziex S/TZ04, Largest 18" Size = 285/60R18 (OEM 245/60R18 is not available).

Falken - Ziex Z/E-912, Largest 18" Size = 265/60R18 (OEM 245/60R18 is also available).

On-line prices for the above Falken tires hover in the $135 -- $145 price range per each tire. Nowhere near the ideal $100 price mark per tire as with the wider 285 series Fuzion or Cooper brands.

Anyway, I hope the new Falken tires help with the sale and gives good vibes to perspective buyers.

:bgwb:

[etlsport]

hm the 265/60 ZE912 must be a new one within the past year, def was not available when i bought my tires last august. Hopefully they improved their rubber compound though. i have seen many 236/60/16s and larger come back for premature wear (about 40k when they have a 65k warranty) but never had any ride or traction complaints so you made a good choice for a tire on a vehicle for sale. if you dont mind me asking, what was your out the door price with mount and balance?

the stz04 is available in a few sizes larger than 285/60/18 (31.5) which is what im running. they are also available in

265/65/18 (31.6")
275/65/18 (32.1")
265/70/18 (32.7")
275/70/18 (33.1")

[Ala5ka]

BFG's ftw

[Ala5ka]

what is the biggest tire we can fit without rubbing, I want some meats, but don't want to lift/regear/or suffer from throttle lag

[circmand]

what is the biggest tire we can fit without rubbing, I want some meats, but don't want to lift/regear/or suffer from throttle lag

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=18760&highlight=biggest+tires

[Riff Raff]

what is the biggest tire we can fit without rubbing, I want some meats, but don't want to lift/regear/or suffer from throttle lag

Typically, any 32" O.D. tire is the biggest that can be fitted onto a non-lifted 100% Stock VX. To help minimize any rubbing, it's best to mount the tires only on OEM rims which have the correct offset/backspacing to help keep the tires neatly tucked inside the tightly cramped front wheel-wells of the VX.

For 1999 OEM 16x7 rims; use 285/70R16 (32" O.D.) M/T's from TOYO or NITTO brands (the only two manufacturers that make this unique rare M/T size). Or use 265/75R16 (31.7" O.D.) from any tire manufacturer for a variety of tread patterns (very common size).

For 2000/2001 OEM 18x7 rims; use 275/65R18 (32" O.D.) for maximum ground clearance without lifting. Or use 285/60R18 (31.4") for a wide stout appearance.

Generally speaking, the use of wider aftermarket rims that have non-OEM spec's will cause rubbing issues to appear.

:bgwb:

[VX KAT]

And Maybe You Sell It To This Guy. His Name Is Richard Payne. He's On This Forum And Last I Spoke With Him He Mentioned He'd Like A Yellow One

Anthony
Richard's been quite active on the forum over the past few months and was aware of Osteo's Proton for sale.

[Osteomata]

Richard and I have spoken. Keep in mind Richard, who short of this site may be doing more to keep VX's alive than anyone, is trying to flip them and thus needs to buy low and sell high to recoup the cost of both investment and improvements/refurbishment. For my VX he would also have about $1000 in shipping costs to add on, so we are unlikely to come to an agreement.