Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 14:26:09 -0700
Reply-To: Geordie Birch <geordie@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Geordie Birch <geordie@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: A RANT : Westy Tires in Canada
In-Reply-To: <f06230901c15d3ee45d46@192.168.1.101>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
That sucks, David.
I was searching for used tires in Vancouver and Burnaby BC the other
week. Ended up going to seven different tire places. They were all
glad to help me and all knew about the vanagon's LT requirement
without me telling them. None of them had used tires for me, all of
them said that it was unlikely any tire place would have some.
But they were all very helpful, and when _I_ wasn't in a hurry the
people I was talking to got on the phone right now trying to find me
the best deal on new tires.
I ended up finding three almost new uniroyals in 195/75R14 LT for
$CDN110 at a small wrecker's (a hot tip from list member Bill - thanks
again). The fourth is missing in action at a tire shop around the
corner from the wrecker's - I hope it turns up so I can have cheap new
name brand tires with the correct load rating on all four wheels.
(running cooper discoverers w/ 50% or so tread on the back right now.)
I just re-read your post and it sounds like you are really not having
fun. Maybe get some oldtimer at a vw dealership to give you some
ideas. Call the big places, drop into the small ones. Don't waste
your time with idiots who think they're cool because you drive a
vehicle with unusual tire requirements. (Let the management of those
places know why you're taking your cash elsewhere too...)
Good luck,
Geordie.
On 10/19/06, David Etter <detter@mail.auracom.com> wrote:
> WARNING:: THIS IS NOT A THREAD ABOUT BRANDS OR SIZES OF TIRES......IT
> IS A RANT ABOUT DEALER SERVICE OR THE LACK THEREOF.
>
> OK! You've all been there... a little nagging feeling every time you
> go past your van... "Gee! I really should get a new set of tires,
> those are starting to look a little scary", or perhaps you've just
> bought an older vehicle and have determined that you are in the
> market for a new set of 185 or 195/75-14 'D' rated tires.
> Well I am there now, and have been for most of the summer and
> I am p_ _ _ed off with the reception I have been getting here.
> As you go up to the order desk and approach a disinterested
> face who couldn't care less; I have heard it all before........
>
> .."Oh! I don't think we sell enough of those to warrant getting them
> in and the fella who knows about those things is out on break and
> will be back after dinner". (so with 4 sales persons standing around
> and a shop full of workers, nobody else knows anything- jeesh?)
>
> or
>
> .."Hey George.. what are we using now for a substitute tire for a
> Van-a - what did you say and how old is it?"...
>
> or
>
> .."Yeh we can get 'um but it'll cost you an arm and a leg and take a
> couple of weeks, so we recommend ya da - ya da - ya da and we can
> have those by tomorrow."
>
> or
>
> .." OK! Let me see now.... Oh Yeh... we have one only in stock in a
> bigger size but can order more if you want to pay a deposit. "
>
> or
>
> lying through his teeth with .." Nah! They aren't making those any
> more (or that size) and everyone is switching to brand X or Y."
>
> Then there is the price. It is consistently much higher and
> sometimes double the price normally found South of the border.
>
> The following is the result of my sporatic research here in Edmonton
> Alberta for 195/75-14 8 ply tires.
>
> Hankook RA08 = $600.00/4 that's if they can get in touch with the
> distributor, maybe...and...
> Continental Vanco = $717.00/ 4
> Michelin Agillis =$800.00/ 4 (185 series)
> Cooper Tires .. so much higher that I threw away the quote when I left the
> shop
> Vredestein Tires.. just try and find a dealer
> and finally...
> Nexon = $525.00/4 sounds good but I have never even heard of them,
> has anyone else.
>
> These prices may or may not include tax, installation and balancing;
> the dealers were so disinterested in helping me that I was not always
> able to determine whether or not those fees were included.
> Now to be fair to Edmonton dealers, there is a booming oil
> industry right now along with all the related business, so they are
> very busy and they really don't have time to fart around with stupid
> requests for a 25 year old VW camper.
> Still in all... it's a task I haven't finished and one that I
> can only face after time has healed the wounds of derision and when
> fortified with a rebuilt sense of self worth.
> What ever happened to those dealers who knew their stuff,
> genuinely cared and weren't in the business of extortion.
> `I can remember my neighbourhood service station where I
> lived as a kid. They had a soda fountain where you could buy a banana
> split for 25 cents and if you couldn't finish it there you could take
> the dish home and bring it back the next day. The owner and his wife
> ran the station and soda fountain and had two swell guys with
> families of their own tending the pumps who would fix your bicycle
> tire for a quarter. When someone came in for gas they got full
> service with a oil check and even a tire check if it looked like it
> needed it.
> They always seemed to have the tires you needed and always
> had a smile and the time to talk. Not only that, the weather was
> always sunny and warm too.. Sigh!!!!
>
>
> Aghhhhhh! David (dsl82westy)
>
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