I’d have no problem getting the tires through tire rack, I’ve done it several time when I was in Anchorage. You can ask them about the guarantee, you should be fully covered.
I’ve bought tires from Tire Rack and Discount Tire Direct over the internet. My dealer installs them for $50 a set (of four) and includes new valve stems and road force balancing. I have never had an issue. To make it even easier I have the tires shipped directly to the dealer so I don’t have to bring them with me.
If I find the tires I want at a local trusted tire dealer, I buy them there. Three times I could not, and bought from tirerack. Once it was winter tires mounted on steel rims. That was 15 years ago and I still use those rims for my second set of winter tires. I have had only good experience with tirerack, by telephone and on line.
One thing to consider is a local tire shop may offer free or added-cost lifetime balancing and rotation and flat repair. It’s a traffic builder for them and it may be worthwhile to you.
Thank you all for your advice! Thanks, @texases for the clarification, and thanks, @“VOLVO V70” for your opinion. I think you are correct! I think I will just order the Pirelli P7 Cinturatos and have them shipped to the tire center so I can have them installed on Fri. Jan. 29.
I just e-mailed a place that does carry Nokian tires just to see whether this is a viable option. I asked if they can store the winter tires for me and then swap them out for all-season tires in April, and then store the all-seasons again next winter. Thanks, @UncleTurbo! While I think winter tires would be unnecessary, if I can find a way to store them during the warmer months, I can see where they could be worthwhile in the long run.
However, this raises another question:
If/b>I get winter tires, do I need to get new rims as well? Do I also need to buy new Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors?
I read a post from @Docnick from another thread (“Mazda 2 sucks in snow: will snow tires really help?”), in which he writes “The extra cost is only the cost of four rims, about $170…”.
Any clarification/advice would be appreciated. As you can see, I know next to nothing about tires! FYI: My tire size is 185/55R15.
Thanks!
@jazzhands Buying and extra set of rims is highly recommended. You don’t want to incur the extra cost and wear of demounting and reinstalling the tires on the rims twice each year. Both our cars have steel rims for the winter tires, which are Michelin X-ICE, and perform very well. On our 2007 Toyota, we still are on the ORIGINAL tires and the Michelin snows. Tires last twice as long when you only use them 6 months of the year; a fact lost on a lot of first time buyers.
The rims are a one time expense. Keep in mind that using standard aftermarket steel rims with a Mazda, the original wheel covers may not fit. In our case I bought a set of fancy aftermarket plastic ones for a whole $45.
Hope this explains the economics of winter tires. An added benefit is you don’t have to pay for regular tire rotation since spring and fall you do the “rotation” when switching wheels. We pay $48 for this, but I have a 2 ton jack and often do it myself. Make sure you mark the tires as to their location on the car so that you can rotate their position when reinstalling them.
Good luck!
And you do have to buy and install 4 new TPMS sensors, if your car uses them. Some sense a differential rotation rate to calculate pressure differences, which doesn’t need pressure sensors.
A lot of newer Mazdas don’t use sensors inside the tire. If the factory wheels had TPMS sensors in them then, if you don’t want to see the TPMS light on all winter, you will have to buy a set of sensors in the wheels for your winter tires. Some states may require the TPMS light to be off to pass an annual safety inspection but I know in my state (New York) it is not required.
You can time the inspection (in some states) so that it’s done with the summer tires on, and therefore skip buying extra sensors. MA inspection does not seem to care about a TPMS light, but there is no definitive statement about that on their web page.
Edit, I checked, and you are OK in MA with the light on.
You can buy after market wheels from any auto parts store, so you can shop for an good deal. In 2003 I got 4 America Racing brand wheels for winter tires for then new Civic. I still have the Civic and those wheels now have Michelin X-ice winter tires mounted on them.
Thank you all for your guidance; it was especially helpful to have this input for what turned out to be a more time-consuming process than I had predicted. @Docnick: I appreciate your prompt reply to my most recent inquiry!
Partly because I needed to move forward and make a decision as opposed to over-thinking and researching until the cows come home, I ordered the Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Seasons from tirerack for delivery to an installer near where I work. I had them installed (plus a four-wheel aligment) on Friday. The Pirellis were more expensive than most of the other selections, but if they end up performing better and/or lasting longer, I think it is a worthwhile investment.
The main reason I did not buy winter tires is that the two tire I contacted (one large chain and one small chain) would not store winter tires even if I bought my all-seasons from them.Neither knew of any place that offers storage. One suggested renting a small self-storage space to store whichever tires are not currently in use, which is a good idea, but I don’t think I’d find a storage space for under $50/month in the Boston area.
I’ll see how the Pirellis work out and re-evaluate in October. We’ve been lucky enough in Boston to have had a pretty mild winter so far, and we dodged last weekend’s blizzard;about 5 inches and even less to the north and west. Compared to what happened elsewhere (e.g. NYC area, NJ, Philly, Baltimore, DC, VA…), in Boston it was (wait for it…)…“snow big deal”!
Seriously, though: to all who were hit hard by the blizzard, I hope you and your loved ones emerged unscathed and hopefully even managed to enjoy the snow. My sympathies to all who were negatively affected by the blizzard, especially those who lost loved ones to storm-related deaths.
You can probably get away with all season tires if you can avoid deep snow which they very seldom get and it’s usually gone by noon. Our kids live in the area and have never used snow tires for many years. Consider them only if you travel back roads that don’t get plowed and treated quickly. It’s a Mazda. They are so low, it the snow gets very deep, you are going no where regardless.
One case for winter tires. The good ones will handle and stop better in all cold conditions, even cold dry pavement. The soft rubber does help always in cold weather. Life is a balance.
Thanks again to everyone for your advice! So far, the Pirellis are working out just fine, though I’ve only had one “snow event” in which to test them out. The latest prediction is for snow to start early Monday morning and last about 24 hours, accumulating 4-8" total. Probably not a big deal, although the total accumulation is not as important in terms of driving conditions as such variables as: timing and intensity of the precipitation (which affects visibility among other things, and whether it will be “pure snow” or start as rain/sleet and then turn to slushy, heavy, wet snow.
Even though we got so much snow between late Jan. 2015 and mid-February 2015, if I recall correctly it was cold enough that almost all the snow was of the relatively light and fluffy variety as opposed the heavy, slushy snow that we often get as the temp. often hovers close to 32 during a storm. Last year, with inexpensive all-seasons (Primewells) I had installed at Firestone, my 2002 Saturn SL2 (may she rest in peace) performed just fine. Then again, I was not generally driving while it was snowing and they clear the main roads pretty quickly.
Thanks again and stay safe!
You are lucky you haven’t killed or severely injured yourself and/or someone else with bald tires in bad weather (someone with bald tires nearly killed a family member when they spun into his car last year, so I’ve earned the right to get testy). Where is a policeperson when you need one (and a ticket could have helped you and others live longer)?
Consumer Reports had a recent report on snow tires. When it’s cold they do much better than all-season tires but not when the roads are good. Supposedly, one of the Finnish tires did very well as a true all-season tire, if you can find the right size. Maybe you can work out a deal with your tire dealer to store your tires in the off-season.