Tires from Ford Dealer or any Tire Dealer?

[SuperB]

So I called my local Ford Dealer, I need tires (really bad).
They want my vin, well I don't have that memorized, so I go look it up.
They plug it into their computer which doesn't like my vin.
So, after 30 minutes on the phone, I get tired and hang up.

My question, any reason to go to the Ford dealer or can I just go to a goodyear dealer. I know it makes more sense to go to the Ford dealer, you'd expect them to take better care of the car and such, but I really doubt it makes a difference, it's just tires.

Any suggestions? I'd really rather take it a mile away and wait than go 15 miles and drop it off for the day.

Of course I'll get Nitrogen fill and super high speed balance and make sure they know how to properly life the car to remove tires. (I never got a gt saver lift thing, I was thinking about just a 2x6 between the frame and lift).

 

[427Aggie]

I actually bought mine at Tirerack.com and had them in about a week. Then found a store that had the proper road force equipment in the area and had them mounted.

 

[S592R]

I actually bought mine at Tirerack.com and had them in about a week. Then found a store that had the proper road force equipment in the area and had them mounted.

+2 on all cars I own. Bought nitrogen bottles and regulator (about a 400.00 investment - AirGas) and fill them myself at shop before road force balanced. Tire Rack is best tire company I have worked with. On Lotus they sent me (free of charge) four Goodyear tires in an attempt to get one that rolled smooth with less than 1.5 oz of weight on it IMHO only company to work with for sports cars. I usually dismount the wheels from the car in my garage and take wheels, new tires and nitrogen to shop to have mounted, balanced etc. Have done it so many times that shop manager tossed me a shop shirt about a year ago as a joke. :lol

 

[Indy GT]

Brian-

Going to a Goodyear outlet is just fine. Seems like your dealer is a bit confused anyway.

You may want to call the Goodyear store prior to you showing up to make sure they have the correct sizes in stock as they may have to pull them from warehouse inventory. Not a lot of us out there so local shops may not stock the tire in their inventory.

If your tires are the original OE tires you will notice the match balance between the rim (black dot) and the Goodyear sidewall (red dot). The replacement tires (rears are P315/40ZR19 Eagle F1, and fronts P235/45ZR18) will not have this red dot. I am told (by Goodyear) Ford had a 3rd party mate the tire/wheel assembly before the combo arrived at Saleen and the bare tires were so marked to minimize dynamic radial force variation. Minimizes tire/wheel dynamics (both lateral and vertical) at high speed.

You can duplicate this procedure by having the new tires and wheels balanced using a Hunter GSP tire balancer. See link below (I do not work for Hunter nor have any financial interest in this company)

http://www.gsp9700.com/pub/features/how.cfm

On this site you can locate a dealer which uses this balancing equipment and you want to have the full force balance balance option. I would try to select a local Goodyear or other tire company from whom you can buy the tires and get them to mount/balance on their machine thus keeping the whole operation in-house. My local Discount Tire outlet has Goodyear's and the GSP balancer.

IMO nitrogen is a big to-do about nothing. Easy way to make more money on a tire transaction with hype that most people know nothing about. And is not necessary. Air works just fine. See other Forum thread on this topic.

Also I would be very hesitant on just using a 2x4 as a lifting prop under our skinned car. The OE ride height of our car is low and many tire shop floor jacks will not fit under the car without somehow lifting the front/rear for floor jack clearance. I use home fabricated wood ramps to give myself 4.5" of additional clearance so I can position my jack under the car. The front/rear jack point locations ("holes" in the underskinning) are about 2"x2" so contact with the subframe can be made. Using a "piece" of 2x4 may load surrounding areas of the underskinning which is unsupported and may lead to cracking.

Good luck and hope this helps.

 

[timcantwell]

I actually bought mine at Tirerack.com and had them in about a week. Then found a store that had the proper road force equipment in the area and had them mounted.

That's exactly what I have done. TWICE. They were relatively cheap too!

 

[PL510*Jeff]

Super B - find another dealer. One with Fastllane quick service center.

I use my Ford dealer and have not had any problems. Last month had the rears replaced. Two days to get the tires in from Goodyear, two hours total to mount tires and I was back on the road. Of course they have done this a "few" times prior and have all the ramps, etc ready for the GT. Price was a bit lower than the Tire Rack, as mounting, balancing was included in the tire pricing.

I would think twice about a dealer that asked for your VIN for buying tires, or anything else for that matter. Year and Model is all they need.

btw the most expensive part in the Ford system is the replacement frame for the GT. Current list is something like $81,000.

 

[Cobrar]

btw the most expensive part in the Ford system is the replacement frame for the GT. Current list is something like $81,000.

I have an extra headlight, taken directly from my low mile car. It should be worth at least $81,999 :lol

 

[PL510*Jeff]

I have an extra headlight, taken directly from my low mile car. It should be worth at least $81,999 :lol

Rex - left or right? Is freight included? Oh yeah, does it work?:rofl

 

[Superfly]

I'd go to a tire dealer for mounting tires that I would buy from Tire Rack (or a dealer that will match, or come close, to TR's pricing). ALL they do is tires, so they SHOULD be a little better at it. But I wouldn't leave them the keys. Why would the dealer need your VIN? Weird. Also, I just use a Hockey Puck (naturally with the Edmonton Oilers Logo) on the lift points of my car.

 

[RALPHIE]

Why would the dealer need your VIN?

He probably thinks it is a Mustang GT and can only put the OEM tires on it. Many Mustang models, therefore many OEM tire sizes. Too many Ford service and parts departments don't understand "Ford GT."

 

[Mullet]

He probably thinks it is a Mustang GT and can only put the OEM tires on it. Many Mustang models, therefore many OEM tire sizes. Too many Ford service and parts departments don't understand "Ford GT."

I always stress when I talk to the dealer..... Ford GT.....NOT a mustang.

 

[Cobrar]

Rex - left or right? Is freight included? Oh yeah, does it work?:rofl

Jeff - Great news! Just came from the garage, both left and right work, and neither has a scratch or crack!! For you, I'll throw in freight free of charge. Let me know if you need any other parts...




<thinking to myself -- man, and some are worried about the current market value of their GT, I can part this baby out for a cool million.......> :banana

 

[Triheart7]

I always stress when I talk to the dealer..... Ford GT.....NOT a mustang.

I have done that too, and sometimes even that does not work. People are often not in the habit of listening.:bs

 

[PL510*Jeff]

Jeff - Great news! Just came from the garage, both left and right work, and neither has a scratch or crack!! For you, I'll throw in freight free of charge. Let me know if you need any other parts...




<thinking to myself -- man, and some are worried about the current market value of their GT, I can part this baby out for a cool million.......> :banana

Thank goodness both of mine still work. Appreciate you checking them for me.

Hey this might be a chance for some off shore mfg in the future.:cheers

 

[MAD IN NC]

I I just use a Hockey Puck (naturally with the Edmonton Oilers Logo) on the lift points of my car.

Pro - I also use Edmonton Oiler Hockey pucks after the Hurricanes kicked oily butt that year and took the Stanley Cup home....:rofl There were more people watching women college softball finals than the cup series when we won...

Brian - Tirerack is where I've been buying from.......

 

[1418]

Mr. FastpriusB

That's not Maroone is it? They know our cars pretty good there. As a matter of fact they did an excellent job mounting my Hoosiers. Not a scratch on my rims and balanced quite well---not that I ever go that fast.

 

[Cobrar]

Thank goodness both of mine still work. Appreciate you checking them for me.

Hey this might be a chance for some off shore mfg in the future.:cheers

Be careful what you ask for (off shoring, that is). I have way too much negative experience with that. <<translated: get one of the first ones, before the quality goes to hell.>> I'd have the entire GT community on my butt for melted/fogged/cracked/wrong color/etc. lenses (that of course, would be delivered late) and no Bony to bail me out!! :thumbsdow

 

[Superfly]

Pro - I also use Edmonton Oiler Hockey pucks after the Hurricanes kicked oily butt that year and took the Stanley Cup home....:rofl There were more people watching women college softball finals than the cup series when we won...

Brian - Tirerack is where I've been buying from.......

Mike, you and I both know that the only reason the Oil lost was because our goalie was run into and injured so couldn't play the last 2 and a half games!!! :lol And I can TOTALLY understand why you wouldn't want anything but an Edmonton Oilers logo to touch your GT! I feel the same way!!! :biggrin

It was a fun night tonight, Skyrex made me an honourary Pens fan for the playoffs, so needless to say our email barrage this evening during the game was nearly as entertaining as the game itself. :banana

Sorry for the major OT. But it did start out about pucks for the jacking points. :thumbsup

 

[skyrex]

It was a fun night tonight, Skyrex made me an honourary Pens fan for the playoffs, so needless to say our email barrage this evening during the game was nearly as entertaining as the game itself. :banana

+1!!!!! WOW.....What a game!!!!! Let's GO PENS!!!! ((hic.....Obviously I had a few adult beverages to celebrate the great series win :lol) [/I]

I lived in Greensboro when the 'Canes first arrived. They are getting better, but it is not quite a hockey area. We got a little payback for you this year with the sweep Pro. No offense to Carolina Hockey intended.....now go watch Nascar or the ACC like a good southerner!! :wink

Now back on topic :biggrin, I have given up trying to convey what my car is to the dealer. I just show up and point to it. I get my point across.

That said I just had a great experience with Tire Rack and our own Kendall with my new Bridgestones. I can understand wanting to keep the GY's, but the Bridgestones ROCK!!! Much better tire and really changes the complexion of the car. Scuderia's all the way for me. :cheers

 

[roketman]

Radial tire is better for 2 reasons ; Better pricing and knowledge of whats hot and not .They are also racers and can hook you up with the right tires for your needs
ask for Paul 301-585-1399 OR 301-8581133
I'd put Hoosiers instead of the Goodyears .Its like getting free H.P. ,traction control and a big brake kit !REALLY !!