vman4639

I have about 12K miles on the car and the rears look like they need a change.

I have Mich Pilot Sports on them (2008 Carrera Coupe).
I was quoted $1,036 for the job (771 for the tires and 265 to mount, balance, alignment)

I can get the tires for at Tire Rack for $350 each plus about 30 in shipping, so we are in the ballpark there. I can have the tires mounted and balanced almost anywhere for ~ $50-$60.

Question 1: I assume that if I stick to the same brand I can keep the fronts on and just replace the rears.

Question 2: is it worth paying the $265 to have a dealer do it, and do I even need to worry about an alignment?

Thanks!

Edgy01

Routinely, I do an alignment when I switch over all four tires. Not generally when I do the rears, alone. Everyone should judge that for themselves--if you drive over rough roads routinely, or have encountered a curb more than a few times.

The burn rate on tires is roughly 2-3 rears per front, so you're on track.

From what you have said, you are doing everything well. However, I generally go to a preferred tire shop. They have routinely more experience these days at dealing with ultra low profile tires than the dealerships do. To be a really good tire mounter, you need to do it daily. Within a Porsche dealership, the mechanic may wind up mounting and dismounting the tires--and he doesn't routinely do that several times a day in most shops.

Personally, I take my wheels in to be mounted and dismounted--avoids bringing the car in for them to mess with. Obviously, I have a set of jacks to keep the car on when doing this.

Macster

Yes to #1. As long as the fronts are not to the wear bars or showing signs of damage they're good to stay on the car. I generally with Porsches go through 2 sets of rear tires for every set of front tires. That is I get between 12K and 15K (or more for the Boxster) out of the rears, then replace the rears and the next time the rears need replacement I replace the fronts too. Almost always the fronts still have sufficient tread depth but the rubber gets damned hard and the tires get a bit slick/slippery and noisy.

As for #2, I'm very leery of entrusting my Porsches to just any indy alignment shop.

Now, I do know of one indy alignment shop I would use (and have used in the past several times) but that shop is inconvenient to me now where I live so I use one of several (I've used 3, make that 4, no wait 5) different dealers for alignments.

See if you can get a discount on the alignment. Sometimes when I buy tires the dealer/service manager will offer me an alignment at a dicount.

I always get a before and after printout of the alignment settings too.

However, if the tire wear is even across the tread face and the car's steering/handling is ok then the car may not need to be aligned.

I don't always align my Porsches when I replace tires -- though a discount on the alignment almost always has me changing my mind (since I drive so many miles tire life is important to me and I know a Porsche out of alignment almost always goes through tires quicker than Charlie Sheen goes through porno stars) as long as the tire wear and steering and handling doesn't suggest anything is wrong with alignment.

Sincerley,

Macster.

Kuhan

The last alignment I had at my dealer was $180.

Dan, do you use an indi tyre shop or a chain?

Edgy01

For tire work I go to Big Brand. Sometimes America's Tire when in Oregon. But I only bring in the wheels and tires--they never see or touch the car.

For alignments I go to either the dealership or to my brother in law!

racer

imho, given that tires are $350/ea, spending a few bucks to make sure the aligment is spot on would make sense. You also mentioned that the $265 was to Mount, Balance AND align.. Figuring a $50ea mount/balance/discard fee, that means the alignment is only about $165 which seem really reasonable to me.

Edgy01

Alignments are relatively inexpensive in the grand scheme of things!

vman4639

Good points - I'm leaning that way. I don't have jack stands for the car so I can't just bring the wheels in. I trust the Porsche dealer more with my car then the guys at some local tire shop. But that's probably being too ****.

Macster

Not based on my experiences with indy tire shops (save the one alignment shop that also does tires).

Based on my experience the few times I tried to use an indy tire store for just tires, I wouldn't let an indy tire shop tire monkey within 50 feet of my Porsches. They'll want to put a jack under the front trunk sheet metal (God only knows what this would have done to the car had I not caught and stopped the tech in time) or lift the rear of the car using a jack under the engine (can damage the engine mounts).

Even if they manage to get the jack/lift under the proper lift points (hey, it could happen I guess...) the jack/lift pads will not be covered with protective hard rubber and this mars the underbody finish and can allow corrosion to start if the underbody paint/protective coating gets damaged.

Even when I took the wheels off and hauled the wheels/tires to the store to have new tires fitted one damn shop used hammer on tire weights.

Sincerely,

Macster.

rockrich

I would say go with the dealer. I just replaced the rears on my 2008 C4S at 13K. Cost was exactly what you were quoted. Only 100.00 more than tire rack after factoring in shipping and shop costs. The dealer did a perfect job (Sonnen in Marin Co) and I felt very comfortable not to be dealing with an Indy shop. Maybe I paid a little more for piece of mind.