My last pair of tires were worn out so I decided to go to Walmart to buy a new set and get it installed there also. The cashier asked me for what size tires I wanted and I’m 100% sure I specifically told her for 235/55R18, which is what the car manual calls for and what I had on last. When i got home, I noticed that they actually put on 235/65R18. I did some research online and the only thing I could find was that apparently using different size tires that what is oem can lead to discrepancies on the speedometer which I can deal with, but I’m more concerned about any negative effects that could affect my cars condition and any problems that can occur?
It’s about a 3% difference. It won’t do any harm unless it means you think you are doing 10 over when the cop actually clocks you at 11 over, or whatever their tolerance is. If you track your gas mileage, you may perceive a drop but if it is less than 3%, then it is not a real drop.
On the good side, you will be less likely to damage your wheels.
Do run your hand over the top of the tire just under the ball joint, if you have an upper ball joint. You don’t want the top of the tire to hit the upper ball joint. BTW, they both move together so the tire will not bounce up into it.
I did it by hand, I see my error.
Open the driver’s door and you’ll probably see a sticker near the door latch that specifies the tire size(s) Toyota’s design engineers say should be used on your car. If you have a tire size not appearing on that list you might have some clearance, suspension, tracking, or stability during sharp turning problems. I’d prefer the 65R to the 55R, if both are on the “ok to use” list.
One bit of advice when buying car parts, hand the parts counter staff a piece of paper w/ the make/model/year/engine/transmission for the vehicle, and the list of parts you intend to purchase. That reduces confusion at the parts (tire) counter. I didn’t do that a couple of months ago when buying a part for my truck.
Parts staff: How can I help you
Me: I need a set of ignition points
Parts staff: What vehicle?
Me. Ford truck, etc etc … 302 V8
Parts staff: Full size?
Me. The truck only came in one size.
Parts staff: The computer says it came w/ a 6 cylinder or V8.
Me: Like I said before, 302 V8
Parts staff? v8? Would that be the 302?
Me: Yes
Parts staff? What part do you need?
Me: Ignition points
Parts staff: Attrition points?
Me: Ignition points
Parts staff? The only part w/the name “points” is called “breaker points”
Me: Yes, that’s it
Parts staff? Does the part you want look like this? (shows picture on computer)
Me: Yes
Parts staff: We don’t have it … lol
… well, you get the idea …
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If it’s AWD you have a real problem
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This isn’t complicated . . .
The customer was asked what size tires they want installed
The customer indicated 235/55R18
Yet Walmart installed 235/65R18
An error on the store’s part
Go back to Walmart and tell them they made a mistake, and you expect them to fix it, at no charge to you whatsoever
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@texases makes an excellent point above. If an AWD version, all four tires must be the same diameter. Otherwise the AWD’s differential mechanism will meet an early demise. If AWD, the advice is usually to replace all four tires at once, rather than 1 or 2 at a time.
I will say it again . . .
go back to walmart
Tell them they asked what tire size you wanted, at which point you told them 235/55R18, yet they installed 235/65R18, and now you want them to fix their mistake at no cost to you
why make it more complicated than that . . . ?
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I agree, but contrast the OP’s experience at Wally World with what one encounters when buying tires at Costco. Even if you tell the the folks at Costco the specific size tires you want, they will only install tires of the same size as specified by the vehicle manufacturer. This protects both the vehicle owner and the company from errors.
Its also my experience that the Costco tire shop staff are very tire-knowledgeable, and go out of their way to help customers choose a good tire for their particular vehicle.
Costco has its tire replacement policy but a tire buster is a tire buster no matter where you go.
In 2002 I brought a set of new 15" wheels to my local Costco tire center to replace the 14" wheels that came on my car. I asked for P195/65R15 tires, the tire specified on upper trim levels of my vehicle, the counter man told me that they couldn’t install that size but they could install P205/65R15. I accepted, I din’t mind the wider tires. They charged me a tire disposal fee on that invoice, I dropped the new wheels off in the boxes that they came in.
Two years ago I ordered a set of tires at Costco online. I went to pick them up, paced the floor for 20 minutes, inspected the tires that I had ordered and finally there was a counter man available. I handed him my membership card, all of the information should be on the computer, he told me that I would need the “order number” for me to to receive my tires. I returned one week later for those tires.
Last year I ordered a set of tires for another car that were one aspect ratio larger than the original tires, they didn’t check to see if that was the correct size.
I had 265/75/16’s installed on my 97 F-150 years ago at Costco. The OEM size was 255/70/16. I had called and asked if they had the particular model of tire (BFG A/T) in a 255/70/R16 and they said that I was in luck because they had one set in that size on hand. So I went down there and turned out they had one BFG M/T on hand in that size. But they had alot of BFG A/T’s on hand in the 265/75/16 size. I told them that those would do. They checked in their computer and proclaimed the 265/75/16 to be an acceptable alternate size and sold them to me for the price of the same tire in the 255/70/16 size.
Costco will install a tire that is not the size listed for your vehicle IF you sign a waiver.
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Quite a few times I just bring in the loose wheels and they do the swap no questions asked. This also eliminates the plethora of add on services questions I will be declining. Apparently, they do not get many people doing that as they referred to me as the guy with the loose wheels is here to pick them up!
Why are you and Texases assuming they only replaced 2?
If replacing 2 tires then yes there’s a problem. But from what I read the OP replaced all 4 tires…No problem.
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Not really clear if the OP got a set or a pair.
Exactly. That talks about a pair. So that’s why I said what I said.
I find this to be the better way to go, most of these tire shops dont know what a torque wrench is they just have the air guns cranked all the up. I had to many broken studs in the past.
Last week I had to take my truck back to the shop where I got my new tires last. Broke a Craftsman 1/2" drive 3" extension trying to loosen a lug nut with a 24" breaker bar and 2’ extension pipe. Had them loosen the lug nuts while I came behind with the torque wrench. BTW, my 1/2" impact wrench would not budge them either.
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