Tire Disaster and Catch 22 at Costco (1 Viewer)

[MH_Stevens]

For my last set of tires I went to Costco. I let them recommend the tires, I just said I wanted for off-road with tough sidewall. They put on four Michelin Latitudes.

These tires proved to be terrible off-road and wore fast. But Costco has paid the price for their choice because up till last week they had already replaced two of them under warranty. Then this past weekend in Death Valley a third one goes down. I took it in again to Costco yesterday for a third replacement. This time, they say "these tires not very good for a big truck - in fact we wont even sell them to you anymore". But they have to have a matching pair for me for safety, so now I get offered TWO new tires. Great I say, let's have some serious all-terrine tires this time. No they say. The only tire we have for your truck is the Michelin Defender - it's them or nothing. So I get two new Defenders but don't know what to expect. Costco did say "they are better than what you got before!".

Incidentally, the remaining two Latitudes are about to blow with only 15K miles on them so I guess I'll be going through this again.

ANY COMMENTS OR OBSERVATIONS WELCOME>

 

[Kabanstva]

I think the problem is you let them throw on some random tires and have not done your own research. Pretty sure they could care less what they sell you as long as they make a sale on you. I have my stock 18's with Latitudes and they are nowhere near an offroad tire. They're just a regular high performance all season. You should have seen that the moment you went to pick up your car from them and not risked getting stranded in the middle of nowhere.

 

[jLB]

If I requested "off road" and "tough sidewall" tires, and was sold Michelin Latitude tires, I'd be buying tires somewhere else.

In addition Costco has a reputation of being cantankerous about fitting anything other than what is on the door placard.

 

[OB-1]

ANY COMMENTS OR OBSERVATIONS WELCOME>

Do your research on this forum. The search button is your friend. There are countless tire threads for you to choose from with plenty of info and opinions. Sell your current tires on craigslist or elsewhere and buy whatever brand AT tires you have decided on.

 

[1HaytchZed]

It's the Costco employee that's defective. The Costco I go to, they bend over backwards at my requests. I even bring tire/rim packages for them to swap over and they dont charge me.

 

[05JLX470]

If they gave you two Defenders, those are great tires. I would stick with those on your next two you need to replace. They are not an ideal all-terrain, but they are a great tire.

 

[KraziAzn]

Airing down helps a lot. I had stock Michelin LTX, aired down to 22psi, never had a problem with punctures. But they struggle to grip sometimes.

 

[Slashzero]

Yikes! My truck came with Latitude Tour HP. They are all season street tires... I just replaced them with Continental TerrainContact AT, and couldn't be happier.

I have a set of 4 Latitude Tour HP with 7-8mm (about 9/32) tread left if you want them.

Update on those Latitudes: they have been sold to another local LC owner. When we arranged to meet, I said: “I’ll be in a green Land Cruiser” to which he responded “I’ll be in a gold Land Cruiser”.

 

[Spike555]

If they gave you two Defenders, those are great tires. I would stick with those on your next two you need to replace. They are not an ideal all-terrain, but they are a great tire.

This, the Defender tire is a new version of the tried and true LTX M/S tire, excellent tire for all around heavy truck use, great in the snow, surpurb in the rain, perfectly fine for two tracking, not good for mud, fine in sand when aired down of course, they last forever and are quiet at speed and sure footed with a stiff sidewall.

But here is what you need to know about tire shops, they get kickbacks from the manufacture to push a certain tire, Best Buy is the same way in selling tv's, and drug companies with Dr's to prescribe meds.

 

[Ohthetrees]

I got my BFG KO2 from Costco. Good price, no problems. If you don’t care to do much research those would be a very safe choice. I went one size up to 33”, no truck mods necessary, but you could also stay stock.

 

[flintknapper]

This, the Defender tire is a new version of the tried and true LTX M/S tire, excellent tire for all around heavy truck use, great in the snow, surpurb in the rain, perfectly fine for two tracking, not good for mud, fine in sand when aired down of course, they last forever and are quiet at speed and sure footed with a stiff sidewall.

But here is what you need to know about tire shops, they get kickbacks from the manufacture to push a certain tire, Best Buy is the same way in selling tv's, and drug companies with Dr's to prescribe meds.

 

[krice118]

OP has been on mud for 10 years but never did heard about an All Terrain Tire????

 

[suprarx7nut]

Costco carries BFG and last I checked, they had most the sizes of BFG KO2 you would want on a land cruiser. That should be the default for your type of request. See if they carry those (they do) and in what sizes (probably not the one or two sizes they checked).

 

[blatant]

I just want to post in an Epic thread!

 

[MH_Stevens]

Thanks all. Glad to know the Defenders are OK while not ideal.

 

[Sangthing]

This, the Defender tire is a new version of the tried and true LTX M/S tire, excellent tire for all around heavy truck use, great in the snow, surpurb in the rain, perfectly fine for two tracking, not good for mud, fine in sand when aired down of course, they last forever and are quiet at speed and sure footed with a stiff sidewall.

But here is what you need to know about tire shops, they get kickbacks from the manufacture to push a certain tire, Best Buy is the same way in selling tv's, and drug companies with Dr's to prescribe meds.

Not true about getting kickbacks from drug companies to prescribe meds. That's actually illegal. I would have paid off my student loans long time ago if I got $$ from the pharma each time I prescribed one of their drugs. I agree kickbacks from Best Buy and tire companies are happening.

 

[krice118]

pharma

 

[97 AZ LC]

Here's my story, for what it's worth. A few years ago I have a Wrangler JK, for some reason I put Michelin LTX M/S on it, not sure why, must have been a deal. So I'm in Ouray, planning to do Cinnamon Pass and Engineer Pass. I decide my tires are inadequate, go into the service station on the north side of Ouray and announce that I need a new set of off road tires. He comes out and looks at my Michelins and says "Nah, you're fine." And I was, went all over the place and didn't have a problem. I wouldn't say traction was great but they stood up to some serious rocks.

That service station apparently does off road tires for most of the rental Jeeps in the area, which is of course the self proclaimed "Jeep Capital of the World". I was ready to spend a thousand dollars but he wouldn't take the money. I was very impressed. With the tires too - I got around 50k miles on those tires and they still looked pretty good when I sold it - even wear and balanced.

 

[gatormark91]

Not true about getting kickbacks from drug companies to prescribe meds. That's actually illegal. I would have paid off my student loans long time ago if I got $$ from the pharma each time I prescribed one of their drugs. I agree kickbacks from Best Buy and tire companies are happening.

Some call it conferences (read "vacations") paid for by phama companies... others call it kickbacks. Pharma companies throw tons of swag towards doctors to get them to prescribe their stuff.

If there wasn't any money in getting doctors to prescribe drug X over drug Y, there wouldn't be a need for pharmacy reps. Lots of things are illegal, but lots of folks still figure out a way to skirt the intention of the law and stay "legal".

Sorry, don't want to hijack the thread for the OPs topic about how he didn't pay attention to what he was buying or do his due diligence and wants to blame the place he bought it from...

 

[Rolocado]

If I requested "off road" and "tough sidewall" tires, and was sold Michelin Latitude tires, I'd be buying tires somewhere else.

In addition Costco has a reputation of being cantankerous about fitting anything other than what is on the door placard.

Can I just say I've never heard the word "cantankerous" and I love it now? That is all.