Date:         Sun, 10 Aug 2008 21:56:34 -0700
Reply-To:     David Kao <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Kao <dtkao0205@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Michelin Tire Sale at Costco - $60-$80 discount per set
In-Reply-To:  <64F547BC-2035-421C-8C38-C5982E40F052@mts.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

I have been unable to purchase tires for Vanagons at Costco for years.
I checked with them so often that the people there all know my face. When
they saw me checking out tires they would tell me no Vanagon tires
before I ask.

What is interesting is that they have all kinds of tires for trucks
and SUVs, they simply do not have tires with reinforced sidewalls. They
all know Vanagon tires need to have reinforced sidewalls. I have given
up hope finding tires for Vanagon at Costco.

Things may have changed. But I doubt it has Vanagons tires again.

David


--- Jeff Palmer <jpalmer@MTS.NET> wrote:

> I've had good luck at Costco if for no other reason than they offer a
> warranty on all tires - I could never find another retailer to
> warranty light truck tires.
>
> Jeff
>
> On 10-Aug-08, at 8:52 AM, Bill Glenn wrote:
>
> > Tires at Costco:
> > The statements in this thread about certain tires not being
> > available at
> > Costco has struck a cord (bad pun).
> >
> > Two weeks ago I was in Costco in Twin Falls, Idaho, and inquired
> > about BFG
> > T/A Ko's, 215/75R15, and was told they had been discontued;
> > Michelins were
> > offered as a substitute.  Having been reading up on the various tire
> > options lately, I did not believe that the BFG's were no longer
> > available,
> > so the conversation went no further.  Upon returning home, I
> > checked the
> > BFG website for this tire and found it listed, and further
> > confirmed with a
> > phone call to BFG that it has not been discontinued.
> >
> > My own experience at Costco, when combined with what I'm reading in
> > this
> > thread of others' experience, leads me to wonder if Costco perhaps
> > tries to
> > sell the tires they have in the warehouse (possibly purchased with
> > a volume
> > discount), as opposed to getting the tires the customer wants (most
> > likely
> > purchased without a volume discount, and thus a lower-margin sale for
> > Costco?).  A few anecdotal experiences are insufficient to reach a
> > conclusion about Costco practice, but maybe there are more of you
> > out there
> > who have had a similar experience at Costco?
> >
> > I have yet to buy tires at Costco, since the nearest store is
> > eighty miles
> > away from me, so even a $15-20 savings per tire would not be worth the
> > trip, without multiple other reasons for making the drive.
> >
> > Bill
>