Cost of mounting snow tires

[onegoofywar]

I bought two new snow tires from tirerack.com (225/60/16). They wouldn't stud them unless I bought four, so I have to have it done locally. By the way, tire rack charges $12.50 per tire for studding.
The local tire installer recommeded by tirereack charges $15.00 per tire and I dropped them off today. I have to pick them up in a few days. I know that labor costs vary in different parts of the country (I'm in CT), but here is my question: The tire shop wants another $17.50 for mounting and balancing for each tire. I called around and another local garage charges only $10.00. Do you think I'm a cheapskate for having the studding done at one shop and them taking them to another to be mounted? To me, $15.00 savings is alot. Yes, you could make the point that buying tires online already shows me as rather frugal, but the prices are hard to beat and you don't have to deal with high pressure tire salesmen. What's your opinion?

[curtis73]

You didn't really ask for this opinion, but studs are technology from the 50s. You're taking the technological marvel of your snow tires and replacing the street contact with steel nubs. Trust me; don't stud them. Good new snow tires will do better on ice that studs will, and you don't have to put up with the noise and dry traction loss.

I've never met anyone who did the switch that didn't completely agree that tires like Blizzaks are far superior to anything with studs

[nialusa]

Originally Posted by curtis73

You didn't really ask for this opinion, but studs are technology from the 50s. You're taking the technological marvel of your snow tires and replacing the street contact with steel nubs. Trust me; don't stud them. Good new snow tires will do better on ice that studs will, and you don't have to put up with the noise and dry traction loss.

I've never met anyone who did the switch that didn't completely agree that tires like Blizzaks are far superior to anything with studs

I agree, I spent seven months driving around Russia on snow tires, it was only a Ford Mondeo diesel, but the tires never let me down once, sometimes in snow a foot deep overlaying black Ice. To answer your question, I would do the same as you if I wasnt so lazy, in reality I`d just cough up the dosh and get it all done at one place.

[MagicRat]

Just my 2 cents....studding the tires is for a very specialised purpose. Unless you are driving the VAST MAJORITY of your time on packed snow, studs are not worth it.

As for mounting.....is the $15 bucks you save worth the extra time and effort to go to another shop.
Also, I have mounted and balanced lots of tires.
That extra money can buy you that extra few seonds required to properly clean the rim and add bead sealer, as well as extra care to make sure the tires are balanced properly. It's easy to take shortcuts on mounting a tire, which will just cause you extra frustration and work in the future.

[onegoofywar]

Yeah, If I didn't literally live on top of a mountain, the studs would be a waste. Some years I have gotten by without snow tires, but when it does snow, I may not make it up the hill. I'm lazy too (nialusa), and cheap. Probably will have it done at the same place and pay the extra dinero. Maybe they will do a better job puttng them on.