ERD50
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I like Costco in general, and started getting tires there. My last visit for tire rotation was not fun and I'm debating calling the manager.
First, I do share some responsibility for this - I skipped getting the tires rotated last year, not sure if we were going to get rid of the vehicle anyway, so they were a bit over due. So I take them in yesterday, because I want the best tread on the front (front wheel drive) for winter driving. The fronts are worn a bit more than the rears by now, but not extreme.
Well, I return after the 1 1/4 hours I was told and the guy tells me they won't rotate them because there is more wear on the front than back, and it is their policy that the rear should have more tread than the front. He quotes some study that Michelin did that says this is best. I'm aggravated, but I decide not to argue too much, the guy's just quoting policy, I'm not likely to get too far, and I got things to do (all day).
I do some googling and find a link on tirerack.com referencing this ( Winter Tech - Where to Install New Pairs of Tires? ) , and it's all about hydroplaning and how bad it is for the back to hydroplane before the front. OK. I also look at the receipt (for non-work) from Costco, and it tells my that my fronts are worn 3/32" more than the rear, and they won't rotate if the delta is more than 2/32". Missed it by 1/32"!
OK, we rarely use this vehicle at highway speeds, it would be even rarer that I would be driving at highway speeds in hydroplane conditions, and if it is wet I would be extra-special cautious as I know the tread is worn a bit (true of any tire that is not brand new). However, I guarantee you that we will be on snow several times this season, and I know the best tread in the front is going to help traction and braking.
Seems to me the customer should have the choice, armed with this knowledge. With Costco's policy, my tires are now useless (unless I DIY or pay someone else to do it - and if what Costco says is so important, no one else should do it either) - because I supposedly can never rotate them, I can never get the wear even again. If I were to rotate them, within a few months that wear pattern would be in the range of what they would call acceptable. Seems ridiculous (other than alerting people to the matter).
It also seems that one would need to be very attentive to this, and get them in before that 2/32" limit is hit - because with FWD the fronts will wear faster, and once you hit this point you are 'stuck' with their policy. You can't get them rotated to even out the wear again. I think this should be emphasized when you buy and each time you come in to rotate. They send me email several times a week - how about a reminder that I might lose my "free lifetime tire rotation" if I delay?
Another thing that bugs me is the sign on the door says "No Appointment Necessary!" What they really mean is "No Appointments Taken - Count on Waiting". It also didn't help that the guy entered the wrong number for my cell phone, so I didn't get the message that they couldn't rotate them (and I gave him the number twice), so I wasted the entire 1:15.
Think it's worth calling the Costco Mgr? Or just DIY or pay someone else and be done with it? I just got a set for my Volvo from Tirerack.com - the only tires that Costco carried for my Volvo were very expensive and rated only slightly higher than the ones I got from TireRack. And they had a link to a local guy that was very happy to mount tires purchased at TireRack - he says they get a lot of business that way.
-ERD50
First, I do share some responsibility for this - I skipped getting the tires rotated last year, not sure if we were going to get rid of the vehicle anyway, so they were a bit over due. So I take them in yesterday, because I want the best tread on the front (front wheel drive) for winter driving. The fronts are worn a bit more than the rears by now, but not extreme.
Well, I return after the 1 1/4 hours I was told and the guy tells me they won't rotate them because there is more wear on the front than back, and it is their policy that the rear should have more tread than the front. He quotes some study that Michelin did that says this is best. I'm aggravated, but I decide not to argue too much, the guy's just quoting policy, I'm not likely to get too far, and I got things to do (all day).
I do some googling and find a link on tirerack.com referencing this ( Winter Tech - Where to Install New Pairs of Tires? ) , and it's all about hydroplaning and how bad it is for the back to hydroplane before the front. OK. I also look at the receipt (for non-work) from Costco, and it tells my that my fronts are worn 3/32" more than the rear, and they won't rotate if the delta is more than 2/32". Missed it by 1/32"!
OK, we rarely use this vehicle at highway speeds, it would be even rarer that I would be driving at highway speeds in hydroplane conditions, and if it is wet I would be extra-special cautious as I know the tread is worn a bit (true of any tire that is not brand new). However, I guarantee you that we will be on snow several times this season, and I know the best tread in the front is going to help traction and braking.
Seems to me the customer should have the choice, armed with this knowledge. With Costco's policy, my tires are now useless (unless I DIY or pay someone else to do it - and if what Costco says is so important, no one else should do it either) - because I supposedly can never rotate them, I can never get the wear even again. If I were to rotate them, within a few months that wear pattern would be in the range of what they would call acceptable. Seems ridiculous (other than alerting people to the matter).
It also seems that one would need to be very attentive to this, and get them in before that 2/32" limit is hit - because with FWD the fronts will wear faster, and once you hit this point you are 'stuck' with their policy. You can't get them rotated to even out the wear again. I think this should be emphasized when you buy and each time you come in to rotate. They send me email several times a week - how about a reminder that I might lose my "free lifetime tire rotation" if I delay?
Another thing that bugs me is the sign on the door says "No Appointment Necessary!" What they really mean is "No Appointments Taken - Count on Waiting". It also didn't help that the guy entered the wrong number for my cell phone, so I didn't get the message that they couldn't rotate them (and I gave him the number twice), so I wasted the entire 1:15.
Think it's worth calling the Costco Mgr? Or just DIY or pay someone else and be done with it? I just got a set for my Volvo from Tirerack.com - the only tires that Costco carried for my Volvo were very expensive and rated only slightly higher than the ones I got from TireRack. And they had a link to a local guy that was very happy to mount tires purchased at TireRack - he says they get a lot of business that way.
-ERD50