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PSA: Avoid buying wheel & Tire Combos

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240vPlug

Active Member
Feb 3, 2021
1,510
1,139
Maryland
I speak from experience on this and don't wish for anyone else to go through the same frustration and expense that I went through for about a month.

I'm not going to name the vendor but will say that one should avoid ordering wheel and tire combo packages. I say this because problems with tires or balancing will leave you frustrated and out of pocket for the resolution. In my case about $300 and numerous hours of time and frustration.

The best way is to buy the wheels only and possibly the TPMS. Then utilize a trusted local tire shop to mount and balance the tires of your choice. This way any issues with defective tires, warranty replacement, or problems with balancing can be addressed locally. The tire shop will be more willing to help if you purchase the tires from them.

Many vendors will not accept returns either on wheel and tire packages which is another reason to avoid them.
 
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I speak from experience on this and don't wish for anyone else to go through the same frustration and expense that I went through for about a month.

I'm not going to name the vendor but will say that one should avoid ordering wheel and tire combo packages. I say this because problems with tires or balancing will leave you frustrated and out of pocket for the resolution. In my case about $300 and numerous hours of time and frustration.

The best way is to buy the wheels only and possibly the TPMS. Then utilize a trusted local tire shop to mount and balance the tires of your choice. This way any issues with defective tires, warranty replacement, or problems with balancing can be addressed locally. The tire shop will be more willing to help if you purchase the tires from them.

Many vendors will not accept returns either on wheel and tire packages which is another reason to avoid them.
What you are saying does make sense, but I'm curious why you can't name the vendor? Seems like they frustrated you with their wheel/tire package quite a bit, wouldn't it be helpful for the rest of us to learn who it is and maybe avoid them?

Also, I think it would be helpful if you could post details about the issues you've experienced. I would certainly like to learn about it. I bought a winter wheel/tire combo from TSportline last year. I didn't experience any issues with my set that I was aware of, but perhaps I missed something?
 
What you are saying does make sense, but I'm curious why you can't name the vendor? Seems like they frustrated you with their wheel/tire package quite a bit, wouldn't it be helpful for the rest of us to learn who it is and maybe avoid them?

Also, I think it would be helpful if you could post details about the issues you've experienced. I would certainly like to learn about it. I bought a winter wheel/tire combo from TSportline last year. I didn't experience any issues with my set that I was aware of, but perhaps I missed something?
I'm curious about the vendor as well. If it's TSportline, I'd have to add my input. My 19" wheel tire package has been performing flawlessly since I purchased it. Having a track only car that I work on myself, as well as just having a lot of performance driving experience, I absolutely know what improperly balanced wheels/tires feel like, and these are not that.

The benefit of having the TPMS already included and installed and tires already mounted provides a very strong convenience package. Just unpackaged, jack the car up, and unmount and then mount.

Just went and checked my wheels, and they all have balancing weights, and not in the same spots. They were clearly mounted and balanced properly.

I'm sure TSportline uses a solid tire shop to mount and balance their packages, assuming they outsource, considering they're relying on the wheels to not be damaged during mounting before shipping off the the customer.
 
I don't want to call out anyone because I don't think it matters which vendor. Unless that vendor has a local presence or a customer friendly return policy the issues will remain the same regardless of vendor.

Wheels had balance issues and at least one defective tire (possibly two). Wheel weights were on lopsided (likely a tech rushing through balancing). I wound up replacing all four tires through the tire warranty. I was lucky the local shop was willing to help me. The manufacturer customer service advised that may be a problem since I didn't buy the tires from them and the warranty replacement would be a loss to the shop.

It took nearly a month to get it right. The vendor tried to blame the car, reimbursed for one balancing (bad set of tires) and ghosted me when asking for reimbursement for mounting and balancing the replacements. Thankfully the tire maker reimbursed 100% for the tires so I'm only out of pocket about $300.

It may be more expensive but only marginally so and if you have problems like I did totally worth a little extra expense.

Your basically assuming all the risk if there is a problem when you buy a combo. Some of the combos can be upwards of $4,000 or more. Hence my recommendation to not buy a combo and buy wheel only.
 
I've bought multiple combos from Tirerack without any drama re: balancing, wrong or missing TPMS, any other issues really. The trade off you're making is a far wider array of options and potentially some cost savings vs. dealing with a local. People that don't live in a major metro area have drastically fewer options to locally source, including tires. While your advice is no doubt well intended, it simply isn't realistic for some people...
 
Tire rack might be an exception or discount tire direct because TR has partnership with local installers and discount tire has BM.

Local tire shops can order the tires if they don't stock them. Maybe order the tires online and pay the local folks to mount and balance at least. That way it's easier to get any issues resolved.
 
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Wheels had balance issues and at least one defective tire (possibly two). Wheel weights were on lopsided (likely a tech rushing through balancing). I wound up replacing all four tires through the tire warranty. I was lucky the local shop was willing to help me. The manufacturer customer service advised that may be a problem since I didn't buy the tires from them and the warranty replacement would be a loss to the shop.

It took nearly a month to get it right. The vendor tried to blame the car, reimbursed for one balancing (bad set of tires) and ghosted me when asking for reimbursement for mounting and balancing the replacements. Thankfully the tire maker reimbursed 100% for the tires so I'm only out of pocket about $300.

Wheels get balanced per wheel, they don't balance them to the car. So, what you mentioned makes no sense. Furthermore if the vendor is stating it's the car and you went to a tire shop, had them balance the wheels and give you the specs of what weights they added/remove to each wheel to make them balanced. You would then take that to the vendor and they should reimburse you without question.

Techs not knowing how the balance a wheel can happen anywhere, which brings me to "It took nearly a month to get it right". What took a month? You going back and fourth with the vendor? As I hope you didn't drive drive the car for a month with bad balancing. If you took it to a local tire shop and had them re-balance the wheels, that should have fixed it. Now, I could totally see a vendor being a dick about this and drawing out the reimbursement process (which could take a month).

As someone that has bought tires/wheel combos more than a few times, you're going to run into issues like that, but likewise the same can happen at any tire shop. Technicians some times don't clean the wheel properly when adding weights, which can fall off. In shipping the weights can come off as well due to improper handling or if they're doing the clip weights, it's possibly they didn't secure them.

tl;dr don't like one bad experience with one vendor ruin how your purchase something, it's no worse than going to a local tire shop.
 
Wheels get balanced per wheel, they don't balance them to the car. So, what you mentioned makes no sense. Furthermore if the vendor is stating it's the car and you went to a tire shop, had them balance the wheels and give you the specs of what weights they added/remove to each wheel to make them balanced. You would then take that to the vendor and they should reimburse you without question.

Techs not knowing how the balance a wheel can happen anywhere, which brings me to "It took nearly a month to get it right". What took a month? You going back and fourth with the vendor? As I hope you didn't drive drive the car for a month with bad balancing. If you took it to a local tire shop and had them re-balance the wheels, that should have fixed it. Now, I could totally see a vendor being a dick about this and drawing out the reimbursement process (which could take a month).

As someone that has bought tires/wheel combos more than a few times, you're going to run into issues like that, but likewise the same can happen at any tire shop. Technicians some times don't clean the wheel properly when adding weights, which can fall off. In shipping the weights can come off as well due to improper handling or if they're doing the clip weights, it's possibly they didn't secure them.

tl;dr don't like one bad experience with one vendor ruin how your purchase something, it's no worse than going to a local tire shop.
If the vendor says it's the car and Tesla says it's the wheels/tires then your caught in the middle. If you take it to a local tire place and something isn't right it's much easier.

It sounds like you have never had an issue with the balancing, warranty, or the tire.

I'm not saying don't do business with an online vendor. I'm saying don't buy the combo package.

If you still want to buy the combos that's certainly your choice. I'm just making others aware of the possible complications.

PS I still had the OE set which I was able to swap on/off until the issue was resolved.
 
I can say that Tire Rack has reimbursed me in the past with absolutely no hassle when issues have come up with defective tires or road force issues. But issues with their mounted products are rare. They have great equipment, never damage wheels, and they always come perfectly balanced. They're the only company I trust to balance wheels, other than myself. 😁

Sounds like the culprit is already known here, who may not have the same level of customer service as Tire Rack. I wouldn't tell people to write off mounted combos just because one company screwed up.
 
I can say that Tire Rack has reimbursed me in the past with absolutely no hassle when issues have come up with defective tires or road force issues. But issues with their mounted products are rare. They have great equipment, never damage wheels, and they always come perfectly balanced. They're the only company I trust to balance wheels, other than myself. 😁

Sounds like the culprit is already known here, who may not have the same level of customer service as Tire Rack. I wouldn't tell people to write off mounted combos just because one company screwed up.
Agree I am not saying to write it off. I am saying be aware of what might happen if you run into issues with balancing or the tires. I am sure this doesn't happen all the time with this or any other vendor. I am simply saying be aware that when you order you could have a problem. Point being extra time and extra money might have to be spent to get things right.

I personally would just buy the wheels from vendors in the future. That way if there is a balance problem or tire issue I turn around and go right back to the tire shop and tell them to fix it. No hassle going back and forth with the vendor trying to get refunded or prove that its a tire issue vs a vehicle issue.

Tire rack or discount tire I don't think there are any issues. Again, I don't want to call out the vendor here or try to drag their name through the mud. It could happen with any vendor that sells combos and doesn't have installers or BM locations. I ordered the combo because I wanted easy (mount wheels and go) but it was anything but.

I do LOVE the wheels though now that I got things sorted :cool:

GX010362.00_00_47_04.Still002.jpg
 
Sorry to hear about your issues. Things like this happen all the time. You never know because you dont know who did the mounting and balancing of the tire. Often times, just balancing it to the machine will not guarantee zero vibrations since you are mating a rubberband with imbedded steel cords (tires) onto a aluminum support structure(wheels)and often times what happens is the high spot and low spot of wheels and tires are causing this even though it balances on the machine. At that point it requires repositioning the tire on the wheel to eradicate the issue. Its the 180 procedure... Often wheel and tire combos can be good but there is that remote risk which may require tire repositioning from a tire shop if you run into such issues... I would rather have wheels and tires purchased separately and installed at a tire shop onto my car so in case if there is a problem, I can always go back to the shop to fix it.
 
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This is yet another reason I prefer to do business locally whenever I can. There are many good local shops from which you can buy tires. If there's a problem they are far more likely to help their own customer than someone who went online and now wants the shop to bail them out. Not to mention the fact that the local shop is employing local service techs and contributing to the local economy.
 
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