Shipping tyres

beeza

Silver
Nov 2, 2006
3,479
731
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I didn't want to hijack Chico Bill's thread about shipping in shock absorbers, but I give him credit for doing so and avoiding being ripped off by the majority of local mechanics here. Even those with any sort of mechanical knowledge get ripped off. I've learned the hard way, several times.

Anyway, my trusty Highlander is going to be needing a ship set of tyres soon. I've been balancing up the options. Do I buy cheap Chinese ones here at marked up prices? Do I buy second hand? Or do I opt for the premium branded ones? Many will have expired the shelf life and are sent here to be sold on at their over inflated prices.

Doing some online research, the OEM Bridgestone tyres still get a very good reviews, but I'm looking at around $850 for a set online from a retailer like Tire Rack. The next best reviews are by Firestone and score very high with the exception of ice and snow traction. Well that's obviously not going to be a deal breaker for me here is it! A full set of Firestones can be had for around $600 including shipping to any US address.

So my question is shipping them here. I see people like WW use a mudanza company. I've never used these services before. How do they work? I have accounts with CPS, EPS and Encargopaq, all of which use maritime freight for heavy and bulky items. Some of them charge a percentage of the invoice amount for the shipping, such as Encargopaq. Their tariff is likely to be 45 percent.

What's a consensus on buying tyres? FYI they are 245/55R19
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
I've stated before that all four sets of HyFly tires we have purchased the last four years have performed to top satisfaction in every category.

I am especially happy with the HiFly Vigorous AT601's. They are a rugged all-terrain tire equally at home on tarmac and gravel. Thick tread. The tread design does a fantastic job channeling water. I'm on my third set on two explorers and an E350. I have the LT version on our 15-passenger E350. We put the HT601 highway version on our last Explorer, put 25000mi on them and went with the all-terrain. The old tires still had a lot of tread left, and I sold them used for RD$7500.

The recent AT601 set for our Explorer were RD$23,000. Excellent bang for the buck.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,069
6,216
113
South Coast
I didn't want to hijack Chico Bill's thread about shipping in shock absorbers, but I give him credit for doing so and avoiding being ripped off by the majority of local mechanics here. Even those with any sort of mechanical knowledge get ripped off. I've learned the hard way, several times.

Anyway, my trusty Highlander is going to be needing a ship set of tyres soon. I've been balancing up the options. Do I buy cheap Chinese ones here at marked up prices? Do I buy second hand? Or do I opt for the premium branded ones? Many will have expired the shelf life and are sent here to be sold on at their over inflated prices.

Doing some online research, the OEM Bridgestone tyres still get a very good reviews, but I'm looking at around $850 for a set online from a retailer like Tire Rack. The next best reviews are by Firestone and score very high with the exception of ice and snow traction. Well that's obviously not going to be a deal breaker for me here is it! A full set of Firestones can be had for around $600 including shipping to any US address.

So my question is shipping them here. I see people like WW use a mudanza company. I've never used these services before. How do they work? I have accounts with CPS, EPS and Encargopaq, all of which use maritime freight for heavy and bulky items. Some of them charge a percentage of the invoice amount for the shipping, such as Encargopaq. Their tariff is likely to be 45 percent.

What's a consensus on buying tyres? FYI they are 245/55R19

Buy them in US, no question.

We’re making a shipment to DR in about a month, lots of baseball equipment and personal stuff. Mr AE just called our guy, and if you want to ship them in with our stuff it will cost $45 per tire. Would be a lot more if shipped separately.

The downside is that we’re on the south coast, but if that’s not an issue, drop me a message.
 

melphis

Living my Dream
Apr 18, 2013
3,486
1,675
113
I spent most of my life in the tire biz and never thought I would ever buy the Chinese stuff. The only thing I could find here were a set on Nam Kams and they have lasted a very long time so far (9 years and counting). They have some minimal weather checking but are still working great.
I would take the gamble and try what Cobraboy suggested.
Most tire manufactures these days make pretty decent stuff as in a global market with everyone quick on their keyboards it's hard to stay in business if you make junk
 

beeza

Silver
Nov 2, 2006
3,479
731
113
I've stated before that all four sets of HyFly tires we have purchased the last four years have performed to top satisfaction in every category.

I am especially happy with the HiFly Vigorous AT601's. They are a rugged all-terrain tire equally at home on tarmac and gravel. Thick tread. The tread design does a fantastic job channeling water. I'm on my third set on two explorers and an E350. I have the LT version on our 15-passenger E350. We put the HT601 highway version on our last Explorer, put 25000mi on them and went with the all-terrain. The old tires still had a lot of tread left, and I sold them used for RD$7500.

The recent AT601 set for our Explorer were RD$23,000. Excellent bang for the buck.

Where did you buy them from?
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
Where did you buy them from?
Large, old local tire store that's a pillar of the Jarabacoa community called Casa de las Gomas.

They have specialized in truck tires, and got into car tires about 5 years ago. Good people.
 

Adrian

Member
Oct 22, 2003
190
9
18
Has anyone shipped tires from the US recently? Like Beeza I don't fully understand how it works using a mudanza company.

I did ask EPS how much they would charge and they quoted 20 to 25 thousand pesos plus 38% tax on the value. Just the tax would not make it worthwhile.

Adrian
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,328
113
The mudanza will charge +/- $40 / tire.... no duty / tax involved

Pay COD or in advance

Buy the tires - ship to mudanza - they deliver to your door

Simple Tire - Tire Rack -- they're are many out there
 

Olly

Bronze
Mar 12, 2007
1,914
104
63
Beeza - I have a Nissan X -trail (2004) and have fitted tyres from Davids in Sosua for all its life. It uses 215/65R16 and the make I have on at present is Champir VP1 made in Korea I think. They were 4000 RD$ each fitted, balanced etc. So for 16, 000 RD4 I have a new set. They have lasted 2 to 2.5 years but failed mainly due to nails ripping them rather than wear. One tyre did do about 3 years before it wore down too far for my likeing ! Davids are also good a repairing tyres and if you are a regular get really good service. I don't do tyre rotation but front New, move front to back - this allows you to buy only two at a time.
Buy locally and save a lot of hassle.

Olly
 
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beeza

Silver
Nov 2, 2006
3,479
731
113
I ended up buying new Bridgestones from the US and getting them shipped over with CPS maritime. Worked out cheaper than buying here and I have tyres that were manufactured in 2019.

I'm a firm believer of things like tyres; if you buy cheap, you buy twice......
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,087
5,914
113
I ended up buying new Bridgestones from the US and getting them shipped over with CPS maritime. Worked out cheaper than buying here and I have tyres that were manufactured in 2019.

I'm a firm believer of things like tyres; if you buy cheap, you buy twice......

I purchased Bridgestones at PriceSmart in Santiago. They were not nearly as good as I had hoped they would be. No where close to the OEM Hankook tires on my Santa Fe.

At this time, I am using David Tire Shop to get new tires.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,450
3,590
113
Hankook are really good tires. There is a dealer in Higuey for those in the East.
 
Jan 9, 2004
10,890
2,215
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I purchased Bridgestones at PriceSmart in Santiago. They were not nearly as good as I had hoped they would be. No where close to the OEM Hankook tires on my Santa Fe.

At this time, I am using David Tire Shop to get new tires.

Tire performance and prices can vary even among tires with the same manufacturer, make and model #, and size.

Identical tires (manufacturer/make/model/size) can and are manufactured for various price points and specifications, meaning the equivalent tire sold in the DR, may not actually be the equal of its US counterpart.

Breaking it down even further, some auto manufacturers desire specific performance attributes and the tire manufacturer makes them to those specs. Another auto manufacturer may require different specific performance attributes, thus you could have two tires made by the same company with the same model number and size and get totally different performance results.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,450
3,590
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If I wanted to buy tires or anything else I would only have to ask Bob S, he would have a relative in the business for sure. LOL
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
32,471
5,902
113
dr1.com
If I wanted to buy tires or anything else I would only have to ask Bob S, he would have a relative in the business for sure. LOL

Nah, I get my tires same place as CB, CHEAP AND GOOD SERVICE. There are however several very good tire stores in Santiago, one that specializes in Falkens, another in Goodyear.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,450
3,590
113
Nah, I get my tires same place as CB, CHEAP AND GOOD SERVICE. There are however several very good tire stores in Santiago, one that specializes in Falkens, another in Goodyear.

Could you give me the info on the Goodyear one? I think I bought some there a long time ago. Good tires.