I’m going to need new tires soon as well. I didn’t know they had gone up so much until my brother got new tires as well and I was looking around for some. You think car tires are bad though, try motorcycle tires. Before I had kids I was replacing a set or two every year. I’ve had the same bike for 12 years now and I’ve replaced about 10 sets. They used to cost me just over $200 to have them bought and put on. They will now cost me over $500 for the same tires and I’ll have to take them off myself and take them to the shop as people do not work on 10 year old bikes. The price has more then doubled and I have to do more work myself.
I’ve owned three Hyundais and the only problem I ever had with any of them was tires. The first set of allegedly wonderful Hankooks lasted maybe 15,000 miles.
I wouldn’t buy those tires new or used with anyone’s money.
Very interesting! Thanks.
It’s strange there wasn’t been a pull back in prices in 2008-2009 like in many other commodity related goods.
Bolding mine. I think you meant ‘precedents’ or something like it. ‘Decedents’ is lawyer talk for ‘dead people.’ 
Wow - I’ve never had any tires, of any brand, go bad that fast. And until at least my mid-40s, I was consistently looking for the most inexpensive tire that had a decent warranty. I was not exactly getting high-end tires.
You and I have completely different useage criteria. 10,000 miles a set is EXCELLENT inmy experience. 
Well I can only speak for myself, but…
It’s my fault. I’m very price-insensitive when I shop for winter tires. “Which are the best?” I ask, “I’ll take a set.” I don’t inquire about the price, because if the Hakkapelita R’s will stop me 15’ shorter on the glare ice hiding under the snow at the 4-way at Louise & Arlington, whatever the price difference was has just become insignificant.
I just assumed that he could identify the decedents because they didn’t get ground up well enough before tires were made out of them.
Clear to who? I don’t see it. A shortage of rubber? Seriously? I think you need to provide a cite.
As for the tires that come on your vehicle when purchased being the way to go, I have to disagree big time. I’ve purchased 3 BMW’s in the last 10 years, and they all come with Continental Touring tires. They are average at best. They usually wear out well before 30K miles, and they aren’t great performance tires.
The first BMW I bought had the sports package, which meant lower profile, softer tires… these things came apart before I had 15K miles on them, but they are supposed to… the softer rubber adds to grip, which makes handling unbelievable. Of course, after a couple of weeks of taking on and off ramps on highways at a high rate of speed to enjoy the handling of the car, the novelty wears off and I no longer needed those performance tires.
I too am a tire rack fan, but they are not always the best option any more. They are great to use as a baseline, and I’ve never had a problem with a tire ordered from there. The best thing I did was buy a set of snow tires for my first BMW, because the hipo tires were worthless in snow or a heavy rain. But snow? I couldn’t get up the smallest hill without spinning the tires. Tire Rack sent me 4 steel rims, 4 blizzack snow tires (amazing tires!) all mounted and spun balanced, and 4 hub caps for less than $300. Right to my front door. That was the best $300 I ever spent.
Final anecdotal story… my wife had a new SAAB that came with Goodyear’s. What a POS tire. I talked to the dealer and he admitted that almost everyone complained about the tires (they wouldn’t reimburse me, fuck you very much), but he gave me a suggestion… Sumitomo tires. I believe that’s how you spell it. Anyway, they were 4 of the best tires I can remember owning. Handled well, got close to 50K out of them, and they were less than $100 a tire installed.
Can anyone expand on the used tire market? I’ve never heard of used tires. I guess it makes some sense.. there would certainly be used tires out there, but wouldn’t they have a wear pattern already established? Plus, if the tires didn’t come off the same car, it would be tough to match tread depth and tire pattern. That seems like it could be dangerous, but maybe it’s not. Clearly people are buying them. I’d have no problem buying one for a spare, but for everyday use?
And finally, the additional charges at the tire stores. The $2 stems. The $2 disposal fee. the spin balancing. I would really love to know when the tire stores really began sticking it to the customer? Tire stems RARELY go bad or dry out. It happens, but not enough to replace every time you get new tires. The disposal fee is a joke, since they get paid for the tires they sell to the recycle center. And spin balancing is also a joke. You HAVE to get your tires spin balanced, or you are in for a wobbly ride. Shouldn’t that just be included in the price of the tire? It’s like buying a laptop and charging me extra for the keyboard. I know they break it out so they can advertise the lowest possible price for their tires, but that’s just sad. (How could I forget filling your tire with nitrogen?) Even if this works (and I doubt it), how would you know they actually PUT nitrogen in your tire?
Yeah! There you go, Mister! There’s nitrogen in your back tires, and pure helium in the front. that’s an extra $100 please!
I understand that rubber trees are being planted, but take 10 years to reach maturity.
Notwithstanding my earlier claims, US trade duties on China will probably intensify the effects. Then again, Bridgestone and Firestone have substantial US investment projects planned for 2012-13. Over in Japan tire plants are running at full capacity. I’m wondering whether some of this could involve rebound effects from the March earthquake as well as the reversal of the 2009 collapse of auto sales. The data I reported only extended through 2010, btw.