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
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