OT question regarding car dealer and service

[Kingfisher]

Maybe someone has asked this one before but here goes.
I just had my BMW X3 in for service last week at dealership. We do use them for all service work and have bought quite a few cars there.
After work completed service advisor says my tires will make it thru winter but it is not advisable....said I should replace now. So of course they give me a quote, which is $1500 or so for 4 new tires, mounting, balancing, 4 wheel alighnment.
I go on tire rack...find the exact same tire on special, $594 for four, free shipping. So I order these tires which will arrive today. If the money difference was even close, I'd give the dealer the business, but difference is quite a bit. I can take to an independent garage to install or would you guys advise calling dealership to do install?
Kind of like buying mail order bike parts and then taking to shop to install or is it?
What would you do?

[Cat3roadracer]

Local shop. I just did the exact same thing, four from Tire Rack, mount and balance $95.

[Bentley]

Maybe someone has asked this one before but here goes.
I just had my BMW X3 in for service last week at dealership. We do use them for all service work and have bought quite a few cars there.
After work completed service advisor says my tires will make it thru winter but it is not advisable....said I should replace now. So of course they give me a quote, which is $1500 or so for 4 new tires, mounting, balancing, 4 wheel alighnment.
I go on tire rack...find the exact same tire on special, $594 for four, free shipping. So I order these tires which will arrive today. If the money difference was even close, I'd give the dealer the business, but difference is quite a bit. I can take to an independent garage to install or would you guys advise calling dealership to do install?
Kind of like buying mail order bike parts and then taking to shop to install or is it?
What would you do?

I have not purchased a set of tires for like 3 years, but I always buy from Tire Rack unless its just a partial set (blow out) or something. Not sure if its still a possiblity, but you could buy the install/balance and it was cheaper than even the local big tire shop. Save the money.

I agree on buying local if the cost is within 20% (so if it would have been 720 vs 600) but you were being quoted 2.5x, not even close.

Best

Ray

[avalonracing]

Tire Rack has recommended installers. You could check with them. I've used Tire Rack for a while now I've always been impressed with their professionalism on the phone and their amazingly quick deliveries.

[Ozz]

....
What would you do?
Was the special a Tire Rack special or a manufacturer special? If manufacturer, the dealer may have been able to match the price....your service guy may not have known about.

Yeah, he should know.....but doesn't hurt to ask.

[jtakeda]

I might be the minority here but the mechanics at the dealership are just regular mechanics. There’s good ones and bad ones. The dealership just charges more and uses OEM parts 100% of the time.

I’d find a good tire shop and have them do it if it were me.
But I also do as much work as possible on my car by myself.

[AngryScientist]

Not only does tire rack have recommended installers, they have agreed upon rates/prices for specific services. If you search their site by your location you will find rate sheets for common service items like mounting/balance, etc. from local shops.

i think this is brilliant and win/win for tire rack and the installer who get the business and the rates are black and white.

the internet has made a lot of the smoke and mirrors tactics auto dealers/service shops used to use go away. be informed and know what you're paying for.

[Tickdoc]

Total opposite here. Granted, I've never bought from Tire rack, but my dealer has always had very competitive tire pricing. Would probably price match or close if asked. One thing that used to be a thing when I had BMW was center mounted balance. Not every joe tire place would do that and it was important on some rims.

[zap]

What would you do?

Avoid dealerships......except for recall and warranty work.

[Ralph]

I would have the dealership do the 4 wheel alignment. That's all. In my experience, and this is just my experience, new car dealerships tend to have better alignment equipment, and tend to keep it calibrated better (daily at my Ford/Lincoln dealership).

Drivability is critical to a new car dealership....so they "tend" to have the latest best, most accurate, and most expensive alignment equipment (and road force tire balancing machines). It's gotta drive like a BMW....right?

[jtakeda]

I would have the dealership do the 4 wheel alignment. That's all. In my experience, and this is just my experience, new car dealerships tend to have better alignment equipment, and tend to keep it calibrated better (daily at my Ford/Lincoln dealership).

Drivability is critical to a new car dealership....so they "tend" to have the latest best, most accurate, and most expensive alignment equipment (and road force tire balancing machines). It's gotta drive like a BMW....right?

Without any basis for my conclusion I tend to think a good tire shop/alignment shop will have better equipment.

If they can deal with a 2.5” lifted 1st gen tacoma with aftermarket UCAs and welded on tabs to do a coil over axle and put new tires/rims and align I think swapping the tires on a stock sedan should be a cakewalk not mention a hell of a lot cheaper

[Big Dan]

Some Sears Auto Centers do it too.

[Ken Robb]

How much of the dealer price was for the alignment?

[sitzmark]

Can't speak to BMW but GM will not be underbid on tires/install so long as match is against an authorized (major brand) tire retailer - including TireRack. GM corporate program offered through dealers, but sometimes need to "remind" tech writers that the program exists. Will also refund difference if lower price found within 30 days post install. A couple of times we've received a $100 or $200 rebate (GM MC/Visa debit card) on top of the price match. Can't beat that...

Can confirm Porsche/Porsche dealers have no similar program. GM dealers will match tire prices for any vehicle but I haven't done it with the P-car. Cadi dealer has top-end Hunter equipment but cars with low ground clearance aren't their specialty. Either order P-car tires online and take to specialty shop or if shop can get somewhere in the ballpark just hand them the keys. P dealer is always WAY outta the ballpark for tire work.

For OP - I'd personally move on from dealer since you have purchased tires elsewhere. Save your relationship by not throwing them the crumbs. Find highest rated local installer with best equipment from the TR recommended installers or referral from someone you know and get the new shoes put on there. If you value your wheels and not having them chewed up/scratched - think 2x before using cost as only decision criteria. Also read fine print - installers sometimes charge widely varying prices for low profile tires, Run flat, wheels with tire monitors, disposal, etc.

[redir]

Indy all the way, avoid the Stealers.

[hoonjr]

Take it to a dedicated tire shop for the mounting and alignment. They should be able to give you a printout of the alignment specs.

[zap]

edit


Drivability is critical to a new car dealership....so they "tend" to have the latest best, most accurate, and most expensive alignment equipment (and road force tire balancing machines). It's gotta drive like a BMW....right?

Dealerships do have the equipment but mechanics may not follow manufacturers procedures carefully. Plus there is a range in specifications and I like a certain amount of toe in. My Indy understands me.......the mechanics at dealerships roll their eye's.

Best balancing is not done on Road Force machines. The owner of a VW/Audi performance business in Washington state explained it to me years ago but I no longer remember the explanation.

[godfrey1112000]

Next subject

[stackie]

My MIL works for Jeep dealership. Service advisors making in excess of $250 k on commissions for services sold in a low COL state.

My local BMW dealership wanted $280 to change a battery and reprogram car for it. Said took 2 hours. My Indy BMW mech qouted $50 in 10 minutes and then refused payment saying just keep bringing it to me.

I think that’s enough info right there.

Jon

[Kingfisher]

OP here, I ended up taking it to Tirerack recommended installer 10 minutes away. It was first come first serve...in and out of there in 30 minutes and they did great job for $130.

[benb]

Find out where the BMW race car guys go for alignment in your area. I'm willing to bet it's not the dealership.

All these things (mount, balance, alignment, rotation) are all things that are marked up ridiculously at dealership.

A tire shop likely has a guy who does alignments all day long.. a good one will be very good. Some of the other tasks like rotation are a total joke, super super easy so it's ridiculous they charge $100+ for it. The extra equipment they have should speed the job up and make it cheap, not make it cost 2-3x more. Just having the lift & air wrenches saves a ton of time on a rotation.

At least one of the shops where I lived that was favored by the racers had a lifetime alignment plan that paid for itself vs the dealership in 2 visits. The car I had at the time was really sharp handling and needed at least 2 alignments a year, you could tell if it was going out very quickly. No brainer, probably saved me $1000+ over the 7 years I had that car.

[AngryScientist]

OP here, I ended up taking it to Tirerack recommended installer 10 minutes away. It was first come first serve...in and out of there in 30 minutes and they did great job for $130.

that's great.

the other salient point here, i think - is to decide for yourself when tires are necessary for replacement, as well as when alignment is necessary.

a tire tread depth gauge is cheap and easy to use. at the end of the day it's wasteful to replace tires before they are shot, even if recycled, it costs energy to dispose of the old ones, and that should be put off for as long as safe to do so.

of course the dealer, if he knows he's only going to see you once or twice/year wants you to replace tires when you're in.

with alignment, if you're not wearing tires abnormally and the car tracks straight, etc - you dont need an alignment.