Tire shop recommendations

[nxski]

I'm looking at putting some new 31" tires on my Delica and am trying to figure out the best place to go to have it done. I had my previous 275/35/R15's put on at Costco but they won't put anything other than the standard tires on which means they won't touch my Delica now that it has a lift and larger tires. Where do most of you shop when getting tires put on and what would be the best place to have them installed? I'm going to try to see if Costco will just put the tires on the rims and leave the installation up to me but I'm not sure they'll go for that and I don't have spare wheels to sit the vehicle on in the meantime.

I figure this could be a good thread for anyone interested in doing this upgrade, I couldn't find any other thread that answered this question.
Thanks

[Dingus]

That seems odd. I work with Kal Tire, and we do custom/over sized installations all the time. The only time we won't install is if they just won't fit.

[pajerry]

In my experience, except for one location in Kelowna, I couldn't recommend them to anyone I liked. I don t know what location you're at Dingus, but the service where I went for a quote was mind bogglingly bad! 'Sorry sir we dont have that size, your truck will not handle safely with anything but the size of the cracking japanese tires you have on there now" yes some sarcasm, but basicly it. I suggested imperial sizes, and he refused to even go there. I said, its a 15x8 rim, how hard is it to find me 5 tires to fit a common rim diameter? Not to mention the prices were 30% more than pretty much anywhere. Their Ad campaign makes you feel all warm and fuzzy doesn't it?

Its even a joke on BC4x4. They tell you your jeep will flip, or they can't be liable for your losing control with more offset, and crap like that.

Unfortunately this is the classic case of Canadians still getting ripped off by retailers gouging us compared to south of the boarder. Have you looked into TireRack.com? You can have the tires shipped to Blaine and you pick them up while you fill your tank and buy some eggs/milk over an afternoon. Have them mounted, pay your duty (or dont) and you're on your way. When I was looking it was somewhere around 250 or more a tire for a BFG A/Ts here in vancouver, and was 140/tire from TireRack. Buying 5 there is no way its worth paying more than 100 a tire just to stay local!

[psilosin]

My local Kal Tire is one of the only local shops that doesn't piss me off. Whatever I want they order. Whatever I bring in flat they fix free. I always know what tire I want before going in...everyone should in this day and age of immediate information...especially if you are asking about ++ sizes.

Worst place I have been was OK Tire...they couldn't figure out how to unbolt the wheel nuts from my Celsior!! Um hey try a thin wall metric size. Duh. That was followed by ending up ordering tires online and getting them installed at Cdn Tire. Yeah Cdn Tire...I know I know but this was just mounting and installing tires...what could they screw up??? OMG. I had 4 tires, 2 of which were almost twice as fat obviously for the rears...like nowhere close in size that even an amoeba would mix them up. Well guess how they got installed...that right fatties up front buldging around the rims like a cartoon dune buggy and the skinnies on the rear so stretched across the I do not know how they even held air. It was so ridiculous looking I wish I took a picture before flipping out.

[jaggedfish]

I have dealt with Fountain Tire on several occasions now. They were helpful and polite every time and were even willing to test fit the tires when I went up to 31's prior to committing. I told them what my concerns were with respect to the fit and they checked it all out for me.
Unfortunately I was left unimpressed with Kal Tire... they won't even sell Goodyears at Kal Tire here in Calgary (some bad blood there somewhere which they were quite vocal about) and their VIP pricing even with a very large corporation (my wife's) was not much better than the regular consumer price. They were friendly but I left there feeling less important with the 'corporate discount' on a tire that was 2nd best to me than I did as Average Joe at Fountain tire.
No offence to Dingus on this... just my experience with them.

[Pajero]

When I lived in Van I bought all my tires from Tom the tire guy in surrey, they seemed to somehow beat everyones pricing give him a call to check pricing on tires. I a bit of the scary area in surrey but worth it lol.

Tom The Tire Guy 604-581-8550

Good Luck

Joe

[nxski]

Thanks, I'll look into that. Turns out I'm going to Seattle in 2 weeks as well so I might see what prices are like down there too.

[Spearo]

Kal Tire in Edmonton= awesome, honest, fast. Not sure about your stores down there in BC.

[CREGAN]

I have had good relations with the Kal-Tire in Leduc as well. I have never had to buy a tire but I have had installs there and several flats fixed for free.

[Dingus]

Sorry I didn't respond to this post earlier, I work in the Sherwood Park AB location. I have dealt with other Kal Tire shops in Edmonton before being employed by them and enjoying the service I got there. In part reason for me to seek employment with them!