Did I get ripped off by the dealer?

[Xicculus]

The other day the rear passenger tire on my 2004 330i went flat, I think I drove over a nail because all the sudden I hear the dreaded flat tire noise, pull over and see that it's flat.

I call roadside assistance and they tow me to the dealer (BMW Imports of Ft Lauderdale) because the spare tire I had in my trunk was a front, and the busted tire was a rear.

Dealership tells me that my tire can't be fixed, and that my other rear tire is about to blow, and that recently BMW decided to be more competitive on pricing so the cost of a new tire would be 205 bucks... plus 75 bucks to install them both.

Here I am, they have my car and I cant exactly drive it to a local tire shop because of the flat. The dealer told me that 205 is competitive for "BMW Approved tires for the 330i" and that while I could maybe get a better price elsewhere, it wouldn't be for a premium BMW approved tire.


Did I just get taken for a ride???

[G. P. Burdell]

Why wouldn't the spare fit on the rear? :confused

[Mitch]

I wasn't aware of the fact that the front wheels were a different height than the rear wheels :confused

[Xicculus]

The dealer told me that the front tires are a different size than the rear, was he blowing smoke? Is there anything on here or on the internet that would verify that the front and back are the same size?

(I feel like a moron now!)

[mbanks21]

Look at the tires. They say the size right on them.

[nuts930]

The dealer told me that the front tires are a different size than the rear, was he blowing smoke? Is there anything on here or on the internet that would verify that the front and back are the same size?

(I feel like a moron now!)

He was blowing smoke.

[Xicculus]

Basically, my questions are:

1. Are the tires way overpriced at 200 bucks a pop vs what I could have bought at a Tire place other than the dealer?

2. Is the 75 bucks way too much to install them?

3. Are the front and rear tires really identical? If they are, what should I go back and tell the dealership, when they clearly ripped me off when they told me I needed new back tires because the fronts are different?

Thanks a lot for your help in advance:buttrock :redspot

[G. P. Burdell]

If you have the Sport Package or the Performance Package, then yes, the front wheels are narrower than the rear wheels, and the tire sizes are different.

You could have put that spare on the rear and driven to a tire shop yourself instead of being hauled to the dealer.

[Xicculus]

If you have the Sport Package or the Performance Package, then yes, the front wheels are narrower than the rear wheels, and the tire sizes are different.

You could have put that spare on the rear and driven to a tire shop yourself instead of being hauled to the dealer.


I have the performance package, so I guess the fronts are narrower than the rears and sizes are different. Where can I read up on that???

Truth of the matter is that I couldn't get the tire off after it went flat; the tires are locked and the 'key' was missing from the toolkit I got when I purchased the 330i (certified pre-owned) so that I needed to take it to the dealer anyway, to get it 'unlocked'.

I still wonder though if $205 for the tire was way too much... I'm not getting a new wheel with that am I?

[Critter7r]

The rear tires are WIDER than the front, therefore a narrower tire is put as the spare since the wider rear size won't fit on the front, but the narrower front size will fit on the rear (although this is a temorary fix). $205 for a sport size 17 inch tire isn't bad and $75 labor at a dealer isn't bad either. And while you probably would have gotten a slightly lower price at an independent tire dealer, you didn't get a horrible deal, and certainly didn't get 'taken'.

[swollenmember]

If the key is missing for the wheel locks...PLIER TIME!

DONT GET TIRES AT THE DEALER!

Americas Tires is da bomb!

IF your tires go flat and cannot be repaired they replace it for free ($12 Cert. for each tire)

I am about to share the most important piece of Tire Info. with you:

I HAVE NEVER HAD TO PURCHASE MORE THAN 1 SET OF TIRES IN MY LIFE FOR MY BIMMERS.
before the tire gets to the wear mark in the tread (4/32 or so) I put a nail in the side wall and BAMMO! Free replacement. Sidewall damage cannot be repaired...so this is where the 12 dollar free replacement comes in.

Also free balance, rotation, mount, and replacement FOR LIFE! So 75 bucks is WAAAAAAAY too much to mount

Any Questions??? Class Dismissed!

[Xicculus]

How do you explain to them how a nail got into your sidewall?!!

[ClintonM3]

What's the name of the tire and the size? Personally, I've spent way much more than that on a set of tires. My Michelin Pilots PS2's or Bridgestone S03's were in the high 200's, close to $300 per tire. DO NOT cheap out on tires. It is the most single important performance mod you can do to your car.

[swollenmember]

YOU DONT! What do you know about tires?You just claim to be a retard when it comes to that stuff.:clap They Have to fix it. Its Called Road Hazard.

With a nail in the sidewall...Let 10 or so lbs. out of the tire and drive it directly to the store. A low tire is more likey to pick up a nail in the sidewall!!!

Another way is to put a nail in the tread and let all but 5lbs. out and drive it...They call this a "Heat Ring" and also side wall damage.

[swollenmember]

I have been doing this for YEARS and never had a problem. I do have 6 Am. Tires in my area though; so it makes it easier if you go to different stores for a different tire.
You dont understand that THIS IS THEIR POLICY. LEGAL BINDING CONTRACTS are a bitch arent they?
Your Welcome bro

And FYI. we dont call the Dealer the "STEALER" for nothing. They always rip you off...just for future reference...look here first.

[rennfahrer]

I HAVE NEVER HAD TO PURCHASE MORE THAN 1 SET OF TIRES IN MY LIFE FOR MY BIMMERS.
before the tire gets to the wear mark in the tread (4/32 or so) I put a nail in the side wall and BAMMO! Free replacement. Sidewall damage cannot be repaired...so this is where the 12 dollar free replacement comes in.

Also free balance, rotation, mount, and replacement FOR LIFE! So 75 bucks is WAAAAAAAY too much to mount

Any Questions??? Class Dismissed!

HAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA
:buttrock

[Xicculus]

What's the name of the tire and the size? Personally, I've spent way much more than that on a set of tires. My Michelin Pilots PS2's or Bridgestone S03's were in the high 200's, close to $300 per tire. DO NOT cheap out on tires. It is the most single important performance mod you can do to your car.


Do those prices include the rims and tires or just the tire?

[swollenmember]

300 each tire. Americas tire carries all brands...Listen to me...youll never have to pay the 300 again!


And you dont have to feel bad about burnouts!!!:buttrock

[Naumoff328is]

300 each tire. Americas tire carries all brands...Listen to me...youll never have to pay the 300 again!


And you dont have to feel bad about burnouts!!!:buttrock

Well nothing is free in life. Saint Peter will make you pay.:nono





:D

[Ridgeway]

Do those prices include the rims and tires or just the tire?

You seem to have some confusion on how expensive some of this stuff really should be.
If you were getting a wheel & tire for $200 or $300 you would be buying absolute crap.

For your reference the dealer cost for new wheels (style 135) for your car is $538/each for the front & $549/each for the rear.
Then figure $200-$275/each for a decent performance tire. & $275+ for runflats.

[joyfret]

This makes me sick.
$205.00 per tire + $75.00 to install is like robbing a blind man.
If I were you, I would f*cking call a towing car right there before
the freaking stealers or better yet, I'd get a ride from a friend and
buy a tire somewhere and bring back to install myself in the stealer's
parking lot. I hope someone from any dealerships sees this post and
repent for their sin.

[nbirru]

That is a total rip off. I can tell by just looking at the price to install tires $75 wtf that is insane. They don't have anything more specail than any other shop that normally charges 30 to install and balance....i go to wal-mart 10 dollar install and balance on tires that i bring in.

200 for tires depends on the tire but i'm assuming they are ripping you off too because of the previous example

[JohnH]

$200 for a rear tire for a 2004 330i Performance Package is pretty good, actually.

I just looked at Tire Rack, and they list two tires as "original equipment" replacements. The Michelin Pilot Sport 255/35ZR18 are $277 each, and the Bridgestone Pole Position 255/35ZR18 are $259 each. So add shipping to that and you're looking at close to $300.

If you can get one of those tires for around $200 (both of which are high quality performance tires) then do it! Mounting and balancing in my neck of the woods is around $20-30 per wheel at my favorite tire shop, Samaritan Tire.

-John

[Xicculus]

OK, this is completely crazy, half the opinions say its a fair price, the other half say the deal sucks!!

But guess what... when I took it to the dealer I figured once I'm there, I should say something about my tranny, which was giving me some trouble (The SMG).

The Bimmer advisor just called me two minutes ago to tell me that the tires have been installed, and by the way, they're giving me a brand new transmission because my current tranny is losing hydraulic pressure and in his words "BMW doesn't mess around with rebuilding parts, we're just going to put a brand new tranny in there".

WOW!

[nbirru]

I think the overall consensus is that mounting and balancing a tire for $75 is a rip off. The average price is < 30.

The tires may or may not be a rip off. Obviously for some tires $200 is a good deal and for others it isn't. No one here is teleconetic and can tell which tires they put on your car. You can look up the tires on tirerack.com and see if they are ripping you off.

On that tranny, they are usually good about replacing warranty items because they get them for free anyway so why shouldn't they put in the best parts. They also get paid for the labor by BMW.

[berr4880]

My thoughts exactly.

[Halston Pitman]

They blew smoke.

Front and rear are the same rolling diameter, you could have put the spare on to drive to the dealer and tire center. Extended time doing this would be more of an issue. What tires did they price at 200 dollars a piece?

[Charlie]

200 bucks for a 17 inch performance tire on a ZHP car is actually a good price. 75 bucks to mount/balance is probably half or 3/4 of an hour at dealer labor rate.

Doesn't really sound like you're getting taken.

-Charlie

[swollenmember]

Well nothing is free in life. Saint Peter will make you pay.:nono





:D
Im Jewish! HAAAAAA!:alright

[Ben Carufel]

If the key is missing for the wheel locks...PLIER TIME!

DONT GET TIRES AT THE DEALER!

Americas Tires is da bomb!

IF your tires go flat and cannot be repaired they replace it for free ($12 Cert. for each tire)

I am about to share the most important piece of Tire Info. with you:

I HAVE NEVER HAD TO PURCHASE MORE THAN 1 SET OF TIRES IN MY LIFE FOR MY BIMMERS.
before the tire gets to the wear mark in the tread (4/32 or so) I put a nail in the side wall and BAMMO! Free replacement. Sidewall damage cannot be repaired...so this is where the 12 dollar free replacement comes in.

Also free balance, rotation, mount, and replacement FOR LIFE! So 75 bucks is WAAAAAAAY too much to mount

Any Questions??? Class Dismissed!

Wow.

Wow...

Did DTMPower.net close down or something?

Is school out of session?

Someone please get this kid out of here.

[cS]

my hair is turning white

[Jinya1004]

Without even reading your post

Yes, they ripped you off.

[George ZHP]

From what I gathered in this thread you have the performance ZHP package. In which case your spare is not a full size. However, talking from experience here, the spare can be used on front or rear for short distance and for low speeds. 205 for a rear tire is not bad at all, I recently had a blown passanger rear tire and my driver's side was pretty much worn. The dealer quoted something around $350 (maybe even more, don't remember the exect price but it was way too much) for each tire (I still use the OE tires which are Bridgestone Potenza RE040 on my car (and if I am not mistaking on 2004 ZHPs). Tirerack charged me something around $250 or so for each tire, which was better than dealer or any local tire place i called.

$205 for the 18inch ZHP tires if you indeed do havet the ZHP package is a good deal. $75 for installing is pretty high, but reasonable considering the dealer charges $100 or so per hour for labor and mounting and balancing 2tires is about 1/2 an hour to 3/4 of an hour of labor, so I guess 75 makes sence, though if you went to an independent tire place it would have probably been $30-40.

[swollenmember]

Wow.

Wow...

Did dtm power.net close down or something?

Is school out of session?

Someone please get this kid out of here.OLD FART! STFU. I conserve my money -I am Jewish- And what the hell is the warranty useful for? Go blow your wad Im recently poorer. Again STFU! thank you

[felonious monk]

I think the overall consensus is that mounting and balancing a tire for $75 is a rip off. The average price is < 30.

If you made a living mounting and balancing tires, you'd probably say $75 is too little. And if you had read the post, it was $75 to install two tires. What's $75 divided by two?

Plus cost of living where you are, Iowa, is waaaaaay lower than Miami (where the OP is from). Don't tell me that you expect the cost of mounting a tire to be the same in Iowa and Miami.

[bmwe30is]

OLD FART! STFU. I conserve my money -I am Jewish- And what the hell is the warranty useful for? Go blow your wad Im recently poorer. Again STFU! thank you

Conserving money doesn't always mean ripping off an honest company that provides cheaper prices to begin with.

Not to mention, there are thousands of people out there that are actually using their service legitimately.

You are what's causing high prices at these retailers, because they have to pay out of pocket for that tire you just stole from them.

Karma would be a bitch if someone came by and slashed all your car's tires. Then you'd have to fork money over for however many cars you have.

It's gonna get back to you. I guarantee you this much.

[felonious monk]

OLD FART! STFU. I conserve my money -I am Jewish- And what the hell is the warranty useful for? Go blow your wad Im recently poorer. Again STFU! thank you

Okay, you're saying it's OK for you to steal and cheat because you're poor.

In that case, I hope someone poorer than you steals your car tonight. That'd be OK with you right?

Snap-on just called looking for you. They're missing a tool.

[Spetsnaz Op]

Snap-on just called looking for you. They're missing a tool.

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[LinearX]

Snap-on just called looking for you. They're missing a tool.

Oh Schnap.

It's not stealing if I do it.

[nbirru]

If you made a living mounting and balancing tires, you'd probably say $75 is too little. And if you had read the post, it was $75 to install two tires. What's $75 divided by two?

Plus cost of living where you are, Iowa, is waaaaaay lower than Miami (where the OP is from). Don't tell me that you expect the cost of mounting a tire to be the same in Iowa and Miami.

well i can say that when i get my tires mounted and balanced at wal-mart it was only $10 a tire so what's that in florida 15 dollars....so yea he did. Also even at a rate of $100 an hour at a shop it doesn't take 45min to mount and balance and mount two tires...atleast if you know what your doing which they should.

Not to mention that you are pretty stupid thinking that the cost of living in miami is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay higher than that in cities in iowa...considering miami is <3% higher than des moines,iowa...maybe you should think before commenting

"The cost of living in Miami, Florida is 2.7% higher than that of Des Moines, Iowa."

[Dr Anonym0us]

I dont know, i didnt even read your post
So yes you got ripped off.

[felonious monk]

Oh yeah, if it is so in Iowa, then it must be so in the rest of the world. Yeah, you are sooooooo smart.

[Rogozhin]

"Wow.

Wow...

Did dtm power.net close down or something?

Is school out of session?

Someone please get this kid out of here."

I agree! Get this punk out of here!

You're propounding that the reason you're a cheap bastard is because you're 'jewish'????

You're a coward that somehow happens to own a BMW-you're a stain lad.

Best

Rogo

[bmwm3e30]

well i can say that when i get my tires mounted and balanced at wal-mart it was only $10 a tire so what's that in florida 15 dollars....so yea he did. Also even at a rate of $100 an hour at a shop it doesn't take 45min to mount and balance and mount two tires...atleast if you know what your doing which they should.

O man thats where I go get my tires mounted too! :alright

[L3000C]

Well nothing is free in life. Saint Peter will make you pay.:nono





:D


llololol!


and you also have to consider that this is a company were talking about, and they probly keep records of how many nails which magicly found there way to your sidewall........ btw do they replace all 4 tires or just the one with the nail? O and ur destroying the companys supply of profit u faG:nono:nono:shifty:shifty:nono:shifty:nono:(:mad :mad:mad:mad:mad:nono:nono:mad:mad:mad:mad:mad:but trock:buttrock:buttrock:buttrock:buttrock:redspot: redspot:redspot:redspot lol!

[swollenmember]

So I get a message telling me that a whole thread was started beacuse of a comment I made in a section I cant view...Very immature. First off your on the internet...I cant see you anyways...

Second- I cant even get attacked in an area where I can read it. (not to my face, behind my back, and behind a screen!)PUSSY ASS PEOPLE.

Third: IF the car is stolen...GREAT! Homeowners insurance...

Fourth: If my tires are slashed...Even better...CERTS cover that too! Thanks for the new idea on how to get more tires.!

Last - Its my life so go get your own and dont bother me with your opinions. I stated facts that tires can be attained at the same price that the company manufactures them for. 18 dollars is what the tire costs them to make/ship/and stock. Im getting wholesale NOT FREE. Get it in your tiny skulls that I pay nearly 20 dollars for a new piece of paper.

Finally - Persons are angry at my actions. Anger is an emotion. Soooo I am GOD! I decide you state of being just by my words and actions...WHOS THE TOOL HERE?

EDIT: thanks BEN for destroying a thread which you had no business commenting on, except to contribute to the consensus that you are a flamer.

[Naumoff328is]

Im Jewish! HAAAAAA!:alright

So is Saint Peter. HEHEHE;)

[wsmc831]

So I get a message telling me that a whole thread was started beacuse of a comment I made in a section I cant view...Very immature. First off your on the internet...I cant see you anyways...

Second- I cant even get attacked in an area where I can read it. (not to my face, behind my back, and behind a screen!)PUSSY ASS PEOPLE.

Third: IF the car is stolen...GREAT! Homeowners insurance...

Fourth: If my tires are slashed...Even better...CERTS cover that too! Thanks for the new idea on how to get more tires.!

Last - Its my life so go get your own and dont bother me with your opinions. I stated facts that tires can be attained at the same price that the company manufactures them for. 18 dollars is what the tire costs them to make/ship/and stock. Im getting wholesale NOT FREE. Get it in your tiny skulls that I pay nearly 20 dollars for a new piece of paper.

Finally - Persons are angry at my actions. Anger is an emotion. Soooo I am GOD! I decide you state of being just by my words and actions...WHOS THE TOOL HERE?

EDIT: thanks BEN for destroying a thread which you had no business commenting on, except to contribute to the consensus that you are a flamer.

you are pathetic.

[wineskigolf]

If the key is missing for the wheel locks...PLIER TIME!

DONT GET TIRES AT THE DEALER!

Americas Tires is da bomb!

IF your tires go flat and cannot be repaired they replace it for free ($12 Cert. for each tire)

I am about to share the most important piece of Tire Info. with you:

I HAVE NEVER HAD TO PURCHASE MORE THAN 1 SET OF TIRES IN MY LIFE FOR MY BIMMERS.
before the tire gets to the wear mark in the tread (4/32 or so) I put a nail in the side wall and BAMMO! Free replacement. Sidewall damage cannot be repaired...so this is where the 12 dollar free replacement comes in.

Also free balance, rotation, mount, and replacement FOR LIFE! So 75 bucks is WAAAAAAAY too much to mount

Any Questions??? Class Dismissed!

Your integrity is overwhelming.

[Xicculus]

I dont have the tires yet, so I dont know which ones they put on. I suppose I should have asked, but I'm dumb like that. I assume that the tires they're putting on are the same make/model that I already had, to the 330i specs.

[bmw325is]

Swollen you're a deuschbag.