[HAMSTA]

Howdy.

So I went to Sam's Club and found some nice 215/55/16 tires to go
on stock 16" rims...the tire dude says, "won't mount them".

Seems his policy is 'same size only' as came on the car.

This happened to anyone?

Bummed.....

 

[Marc]

Yup, Costco does the same thing here in Canada. They can only mount tires that is listed on the car doors. They are covering their asses because probably some dufus had them place a different sized tire in the past, got in an accident and sued them.

I don't blame them.

You can purchase the tires from them and have them mounted somewhere else. It's simple.

 

[fernando]

Yup, Costco does the same thing here in Canada. They can only mount tires that is listed on the car doors. They are covering their asses because probably some dufus had them place a different sized tire in the past, got in an accident and sued them.

I don't blame them.

You can purchase the tires from them and have them mounted somewhere else. It's simple.

? ? ? Why just the tire seller. Would not any installer be similarly put at risk ?

 

[QLENFG]

The tire shop would be knowingly selling and mounting the wrong sized tire -- and could be held liable. The fix-it shop would just be doing what the customer asked -- and could plead ignorance if it came down to it.

Most places are getting really gun-shy about selling the wrong tires, shocks, etc... There was a case here in Texas where the fat-arse family overloaded a custom van and had an accident because the driver lost control (flat tire, I think). A number of people were injured / killed and I don't think seat belts were being used. At any rate, they sued everyone, from the tire manufacturer to the tire seller, shock manufacturer, van customizer, etc... Don't know if the cases went anywhere, but it still cost the tire, shock and van people a lot of money to defend themselves from a van-load of idiots.

 

[fernando]

The tire shop would be knowingly selling and mounting the wrong sized tire -- and could be held liable. The fix-it shop would just be doing what the customer asked -- and could plead ignorance if it came down to it.

Supposedly the info on the door is what makes the tire shop liable regarding the wrong size tire - this being the case the only way the fix-it shop could plead ignorance would be if you brought the car in without the door - if this is obvious to us then any dirt-bag lawyer could just as easily file suit on the same basis -

 

[QLENFG]

You obviously don't have many fly-by-night Mexican tire shops in your area. Around here, if they can squeeze it on the rim, they'll mount it. Lots of folks buy tires off Tire Rack or FleaBay and take 'em to the Mexican tire shops because they'll mount and balance for $5-10 a wheel on the car.

 

[Soul Rush]

You obviously don't have many fly-by-night Mexican tire shops in your area. Around here, if they can squeeze it on the rim, they'll mount it. Lots of folks buy tires off Tire Rack or FleaBay and take 'em to the Mexican tire shops because they'll mount and balance for $5-10 a wheel on the car.

Lot of these shop's around here too, ( Phoenix )

*************************

I didn't know this about refusing to mount next up (or) down size's @ certian "tire" shops

But I guess you can't get milk @ Discount tire

Discount tire listed optional size's they would mount, three for the factory 16" on the Soul.
I finally went with Yokahama 1 size up ( 215/55-16 ) about 2 month's ago
Ride's much better than the Nexen 205's

 

[QLENFG]

I've had good luck with the Riken Raptors on the wife's old PT Cruiser. They seem to go 40k or so and have reasonable traction. I'd prefer Michelin LTXs as I get over 100k out of them on the van, but sadly they don't make them small enough.

 

[Katmandoitall]

Since wider tires do not have same traction per sq. in. of
footprint it does reduce handling, I prefer thinner tires;
especially in winter. They get much better traction. Don't
look as appealing; but, I prefer handling over squealling.

Costco offers nitrogen for the tires they sell and mount. This
is fine; but, in winter tires they would ride harder and might
not get warmed up enough for good traction. This is where
a high quality tire like Blizzaks would work. These wear fast
when above 45° F. Probably good to have an extra set of
wheels for winter tires anyway.

 

[QLENFG]

What is this snow you speak of?

Winter around here means you finally switch off the AC and throw a light jacket in the car. And if it snows, we watch all the Yankees crash their cars thinking the snow / ice / roads down here is like back home.

 

[DixonL2]

Since wider tires do not have same traction per sq. in. of
footprint...

False, a common misconception. If the tires are inflated equally, the footprint is exactly the same area (square inches or square cm). Think of the meaning of PSI as "pounds per square inch" and you'll get it. Roughly 3000 pounds with driver and gear, divided by 4 is 750 pounds per tire, divided by 33 psi is 22.7 square inches per tire. Consider weight distribution and perhaps the front tires have more like 27 square inches and the rears 18 square inches, but you get the point.

It's the SHAPE of the contact patch that matters.

A short and wide contac tpatch, as a wider tire would provide, typically gives better lateral traction to a point, the similar fore-and-aft traction, a greater tendency to hydroplane, and more "instantaneous" steering feel, and perhaps a tendency to tramline on uneven pavement.

A long-and-narrow contact patch gives less lateral traction (the tire rolls onto its sidewalls more), better on-center steering feel, a more progressive breakaway (hence less precise steering feel), better traction in wet/slush/snow, and less tramlining.

Your point, however, is valid, depending on how you define "better handling". Relatively narrow tires are more comfortable handling tires, and wider/low profile tires have their drawbacks in the "comfort" department, but can provide better lateral grip (in general) due to a wider contact patch, and a more immediate steering feel.

 

[tempest]

i see VW golfs round here with way too narrow tyres stretched accross a dead wide rim.... so its certainly possible to have tyres fitted other than standard size.