Troubleshooter: Tiring of tire installation and storage fees?

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Winter is approaching, and for many of us that means a seasonal trip to our regular shop for the installation of some snow tires. It may seem as inevitable a nuisance as death and taxes, but it’s for our safety and the safety of those we share winter roads with. Fortunately there are some ways to save money on this biannual rite of travel.

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Troubleshooter: Tiring of tire installation and storage fees? Back to video

First, consider a purpose-built set of winter rims. Do the math: swapping a winter tire with a summer unit on the same rim/wheel costs an average of $40 each with balancing, for an annual total of $320 before taxes. If the winter tires were mounted on their own rims, the seasonal changes would equate to about the same charges as a simple tire rotation, or about $40 for the set. This means $80 per year, for a savings of $240 over using the same rims. Over the course of the average four years that we take to wear out our winter tires, the total savings would be $960. This rapidly offsets the initial purchase price of a dedicated set of winter rims.

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For most common mainstream passenger vehicles, new steel winter rims can be obtained for about $100 each, and searching local classifieds can bring even lower prices. This can net you a four-year savings of $560 or more — nothing to sneeze at. This also minimizes the risk of tire-mounting and dismounting damage to your expensive alloy summer wheels and tires. Moreover, it totally eliminates the deterioration of alloy wheels from exposure to winter’s road ravages and inhospitably corrosive environments.

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Adding tire pressure sensors to the equation may slash some of those savings (some retail for up to $100 each); which is why the majority of consumers choose to omit them. Living with a winter-time dash warning icon and learning to use a common tire pressure gauge (pencil type is the best) is a small price to pay.

Seasonal tire storage is another cost you can avoid. It’s a growing business — just count the number of shipping container units parked at your service shop. With typical fees around $50 per set per season, even some smaller businesses can find the space up to a dozen of them.

Car owners living in apartment complexes with limited storage have little choice, but for those with home garages there’s really no excuse. Few drivers like the mess and dirt associated with handling tires and rims, but for the price of just one season of storage you can buy a set of reinforced nylon storage bags with handles. This makes getting them in and out of your vehicle a breeze, with no grime stains on your ride’s interior — or your hands and clothing.