Costco for tyres
Discussion
I wonder as to others experiences with Costco tyre fitting service?
Why? Well... I’ve used the Reading and Farnborough branches and found them helpful and very careful and conscientious in everything they do. Not massively competitive but in looking for certain sizes in Michelin’s it was worth the price of membership to get them fitted apart from the fact nobody else had the ones I wanted, It had to be Costco going by google
But then we moved north and we find Costco Milton Keynes our nearest. Oh dear. First visit they find fault in that the car has non standard wheels. Maybe by their system but Vauxhall sold Irmscher kit for the omega and that’s what’s on the car. Oh says the officious woman behind the counter and abruptly orders me up the road to the Vx dealer to get a letter stating so and then they might fit them. You can’t be serious? Reading and Farnborough have already worked on the car!
No she is serious so up the toad I go, 2 hours later and 4 hours since arriving at Costco I arrive with a letter. ( I will spare you the story of vx insisting they send the letter to my home address and charging £20 for the honour, having told them I need tyres today and them trying to sell me their own in the wrong size)
3 further hours later I get“my” car Back with new front tyres And £20 in Costco vouchers. That was July last year which they denied today....
..., where they took the car in, took payment, I signed the paperwork at a glance and went shopping having double checked they were happy to bless me with the privilege of fitting tyres to my ( I think it’s mine, they seem to think it’s theirs) car due to the alleged non standard wheel size. Yep all good sir see you shortly.
Get to the other end of the store, answer phone message says, front tyre inner edge showing cords they must replace it. Here we go.
On examination yes the cords are showing to my surprise but even more surprised they haven’t fitted the rears I had Paid for... we can’t fit them. The cars not legal. That’s ok says I. I have a spare part worn at home I’ll get that fitted When I get back. We can’t fit that. Not asking you to. And here’s the gobsmacker... ok sir. Drive home get that fitted then we can fit the rears!
What?
Why? Well... I’ve used the Reading and Farnborough branches and found them helpful and very careful and conscientious in everything they do. Not massively competitive but in looking for certain sizes in Michelin’s it was worth the price of membership to get them fitted apart from the fact nobody else had the ones I wanted, It had to be Costco going by google
But then we moved north and we find Costco Milton Keynes our nearest. Oh dear. First visit they find fault in that the car has non standard wheels. Maybe by their system but Vauxhall sold Irmscher kit for the omega and that’s what’s on the car. Oh says the officious woman behind the counter and abruptly orders me up the road to the Vx dealer to get a letter stating so and then they might fit them. You can’t be serious? Reading and Farnborough have already worked on the car!
No she is serious so up the toad I go, 2 hours later and 4 hours since arriving at Costco I arrive with a letter. ( I will spare you the story of vx insisting they send the letter to my home address and charging £20 for the honour, having told them I need tyres today and them trying to sell me their own in the wrong size)
3 further hours later I get“my” car Back with new front tyres And £20 in Costco vouchers. That was July last year which they denied today....
..., where they took the car in, took payment, I signed the paperwork at a glance and went shopping having double checked they were happy to bless me with the privilege of fitting tyres to my ( I think it’s mine, they seem to think it’s theirs) car due to the alleged non standard wheel size. Yep all good sir see you shortly.
Get to the other end of the store, answer phone message says, front tyre inner edge showing cords they must replace it. Here we go.
On examination yes the cords are showing to my surprise but even more surprised they haven’t fitted the rears I had Paid for... we can’t fit them. The cars not legal. That’s ok says I. I have a spare part worn at home I’ll get that fitted When I get back. We can’t fit that. Not asking you to. And here’s the gobsmacker... ok sir. Drive home get that fitted then we can fit the rears!
What?
Edited by chrisgixer on Wednesday 8th April 18:20
Edited by chrisgixer on Wednesday 8th April 18:24
Sounds like you've encountered a bunch of jobsworths at the new branch. It's have been ok, but insisted that new tyres be rotated into the rear of the car for safety.
Fine as they're not staggered, on the way it they were trying to tell the same to a guy having a set of PS4's fitted to an M4!
Fine as they're not staggered, on the way it they were trying to tell the same to a guy having a set of PS4's fitted to an M4!
I’ve found them to be good, always careful with the wheels and sensibly priced.
What they won’t do is fit new tyres to the front of the car if it only needs new front tyres, they have to put them on the back. Wonderful for safety but as mentioned above I have staggered wheels on the BMW and would need 4 new tyres.
I got round this seemingly impassible problem by going home (I live fairly close), taking the two wheels that I wanted new tyres for off the car and getting them fitted loose.
What they won’t do is fit new tyres to the front of the car if it only needs new front tyres, they have to put them on the back. Wonderful for safety but as mentioned above I have staggered wheels on the BMW and would need 4 new tyres.
I got round this seemingly impassible problem by going home (I live fairly close), taking the two wheels that I wanted new tyres for off the car and getting them fitted loose.
Krikkit said:
Sounds like you've encountered a bunch of jobsworths at the new branch. It's have been ok, but insisted that new tyres be rotated into the rear of the car for safety.
Fine as they're not staggered, on the way it they were trying to tell the same to a guy having a set of PS4's fitted to an M4!
Chester are like that - when I bought a pair of narrow fronts they tried to fit the wider rears onto the front of my Merc and freaked out when I stopped them. Fine as they're not staggered, on the way it they were trying to tell the same to a guy having a set of PS4's fitted to an M4!
I know it's standard practice but the handbook for my car says the ESP is so good (ie nannyish) that if fitting a pair of tyres they'd be better on the front anyway. They didn't care and it took the intervention of the store general manager and me signing a waiver to get them to do it.
The weird thing is that at Costco in the US it's standard practice to get tyres rotated every few K miles and they even do it free if you bought the tyres there. They won't do it here and they won't do things like summer to winter wheel swaps either, yet they'll cheerfully repair punctures.
I distinctly remember when buying new front tyres for my S2000, a new recruit at Costco insisting that the new tyres be fitted to the rear axle, and how the current rear wheels would be moved to the front. I tried for about 5 minutes to explain that they were different widths front and back, but they she said it was a manufacturer recommendation and showed me a video from Michelin. Gave up trying to explain and handed the keys over. Fitting bay guys just laughed when They looked at the job sheet. Never had a bad experience apart from someone who clearly was eager to show off their newly acquired knowledge.
I find the tyre fitting chaps good and prices competitive so always get tyres from them. Just wish they had a fuel station to near me.
I find the tyre fitting chaps good and prices competitive so always get tyres from them. Just wish they had a fuel station to near me.
Sheepshanks said:
Krikkit said:
Sounds like you've encountered a bunch of jobsworths at the new branch. It's have been ok, but insisted that new tyres be rotated into the rear of the car for safety.
Fine as they're not staggered, on the way it they were trying to tell the same to a guy having a set of PS4's fitted to an M4!
Chester are like that - when I bought a pair of narrow fronts they tried to fit the wider rears onto the front of my Merc and freaked out when I stopped them. Fine as they're not staggered, on the way it they were trying to tell the same to a guy having a set of PS4's fitted to an M4!
This going back a few years. Had a set of four Michelin tyres fitted to my wife's car at Costco Trafford Park, no issues usual good service.
When the car needed the tyres replacing, I went to the Oldham depot that had not long opened. The fitter, think he was the supervisor/manager, drove the car in and I went back later.
The fitter called me over, tells me that the tyres that they had taken off had a too lower speed rating, that who ever had fitted them didn't know what they were doing and had put my family at risk!
He got me to sign for the work, handed me the work sheet, then I went to the glovebox and got out the work sheet for the previous tyres.
As you can imagine the fitter was full of excuses when I pointed out that it was him who fitted the "Wrong" tyres and from his own admission had put my family at risk.
When the car needed the tyres replacing, I went to the Oldham depot that had not long opened. The fitter, think he was the supervisor/manager, drove the car in and I went back later.
The fitter called me over, tells me that the tyres that they had taken off had a too lower speed rating, that who ever had fitted them didn't know what they were doing and had put my family at risk!
He got me to sign for the work, handed me the work sheet, then I went to the glovebox and got out the work sheet for the previous tyres.
As you can imagine the fitter was full of excuses when I pointed out that it was him who fitted the "Wrong" tyres and from his own admission had put my family at risk.
They refused to replace a tyre on my wifes car that had suffered a puncture, bearing in mind it was a recent new tyre, they only replace tyres in pairs (how convenient) , told them no thanks went up the road to the nearest independent fitter, who sorted it in 45 mins by replacing the one tyre that needed replacing.
Yes both our cars have wider rears. Her Lexus is300 old shape and mine has 265 rears. When they wanted to rotate them I was so tempted to let the try. But they seem so bamboozled by a staggered Set up. Why?
There’s so many policies that say they can’t, and so few that say they can, you would think they would evaluate the car first, then take the money.
I haven’t gone into the pathetic rigmarole of getting a refund. Oh we can’t refund you here we can’t refund the membership fee. Well go to customer services.
Customer services. We can’t refund the membership fee as it’s not your account. It’s In the Mrs name. 🤷🏻♂️ Oh but you can take the money? Right? We have to get the store manager.
Right bring it on. Is there anything you CAN do in this place?
Eventually I get the worn front at half price. After 3 hours I am aloud to leave. Let’s hope I don’t catch a virus
There’s so many policies that say they can’t, and so few that say they can, you would think they would evaluate the car first, then take the money.
I haven’t gone into the pathetic rigmarole of getting a refund. Oh we can’t refund you here we can’t refund the membership fee. Well go to customer services.
Customer services. We can’t refund the membership fee as it’s not your account. It’s In the Mrs name. 🤷🏻♂️ Oh but you can take the money? Right? We have to get the store manager.
Right bring it on. Is there anything you CAN do in this place?
Eventually I get the worn front at half price. After 3 hours I am aloud to leave. Let’s hope I don’t catch a virus
wibble cb said:
They refused to replace a tyre on my wifes car that had suffered a puncture, bearing in mind it was a recent new tyre, they only replace tyres in pairs (how convenient) , told them no thanks went up the road to the nearest independent fitter, who sorted it in 45 mins by replacing the one tyre that needed replacing.
They just want to sell more tyres. I was surprised they allowed me to leave with only one new front. I was half expecting it. Although I will get that one replaced it won’t be at bloody Costco if I can possibly avoid it 😡
No Uk tyre bay I ever encountered has any of these policies. American influence surely ?
Or should that be American’t
I used them once, will not use them again. I usually like Costco but....
Aside from being forced to fit the new tyres on the rear instead of the fronts....
I couldn’t book a slot to have them fitted. You have to go there and wait whilst they get around to it. In my case I had to sit for a few hours waiting for them to fit them. From a price perspective they were only about £10 cheaper for a pair.
Next time, I just used BlackCircles, booked a slot, pitched up, they fitted them as arranged.
Just wasn’t worth the hassle for £10.
Aside from being forced to fit the new tyres on the rear instead of the fronts....
I couldn’t book a slot to have them fitted. You have to go there and wait whilst they get around to it. In my case I had to sit for a few hours waiting for them to fit them. From a price perspective they were only about £10 cheaper for a pair.
Next time, I just used BlackCircles, booked a slot, pitched up, they fitted them as arranged.
Just wasn’t worth the hassle for £10.
I've had no bad experiences of their fitting centre.
My only comment would be that their excellent prices on Michelin tyres seem to have disappeared once they started offering Bridgestone and Goodyear tyres too.
Also, the cash-back promotions from Michelin direct don't seem to ever get paid when I send them in with a Costco receipt.
My only comment would be that their excellent prices on Michelin tyres seem to have disappeared once they started offering Bridgestone and Goodyear tyres too.
Also, the cash-back promotions from Michelin direct don't seem to ever get paid when I send them in with a Costco receipt.
I'm having trouble working out the rationale behind the policy of only fitting new tyres to the rear if buying a pair.
I was always told that the driven wheels should have the freshest rubber. If (like many people), your car is front wheel drive, what's the point of having the newest tyres on the rear?
Genuinely struggling to get my head round that one.
I was always told that the driven wheels should have the freshest rubber. If (like many people), your car is front wheel drive, what's the point of having the newest tyres on the rear?
Genuinely struggling to get my head round that one.
MorganP104 said:
I'm having trouble working out the rationale behind the policy of only fitting new tyres to the rear if buying a pair.
Irrespective of driven wheels it is better to have the best tyres on the rear as your average driver is more likely to safetly control understeer rather than oversteer.It's been debated on here ad infinitum.
mmm-five said:
My only comment would be that their excellent prices on Michelin tyres seem to have disappeared once they started offering Bridgestone and Goodyear tyres too.
Something must have happened between Costco and Michelin - they used to be competitive all the time and then the 20% off offers would make them way cheaper. They bumped up the fitting charge too - not an issue on dearer tyres but makes a difference on cheaper ones.I'm never one to play the "green" card but they always tended to be geared up to change all 4 tyres, even if two still had plenty of life left.
cuprabob said:
MorganP104 said:
I'm having trouble working out the rationale behind the policy of only fitting new tyres to the rear if buying a pair.
Irrespective of driven wheels it is better to have the best tyres on the rear as your average driver is more likely to safetly control understeer rather than oversteer.It's been debated on here ad infinitum.
Sheepshanks said:
Something must have happened between Costco and Michelin - they used to be competitive all the time and then the 20% off offers would make them way cheaper. They bumped up the fitting charge too - not an issue on dearer tyres but makes a difference on cheaper ones.
I'm never one to play the "green" card but they always tended to be geared up to change all 4 tyres, even if two still had plenty of life left.
I was in there at least once every 6 months (lots of miles and track days, for 2 Supersport rear tyres, then all 4 Supersports, and repeat), so they got to know me & my car - and it had staggered tyres sizes anyway, so they wouldn't have been able to rotate the wheels/tyres.I'm never one to play the "green" card but they always tended to be geared up to change all 4 tyres, even if two still had plenty of life left.
The savings were well worth it, and they never damaged a wheel.
it was a bit of a pain before they had a diary system, as you just had to turn up on the day and see if you'd turned up when there was a bay free, but at least now you can book the slots to coordinate with a shopping visit.
Now I just buy them from the cheapest online place I can find and get the same local tyre place to fit & balance them for £7.50/corner.
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