While media everywhere were distracted by Goodyear’s move to “next generation” silica, most paid no attention to the official launch of its online tire sales scheme. Chicagoland was chosen for the rollout, which rolled out May 5. So with a worthy Zip code in hand, we set off to see how the system worked….and, more importantly, how much tires and installation would run the Average Joe or Jolene.
We decided to focus on the four vehicles IntelliChek uses to collect tire price data for our monthly Market Pricing feature. The vehicles are quite common, and all fitments were OE sizes.
Those are:
• 2011 Toyota Corolla LE – Size 205/55R16
• 2008 Nissan Altima SE – Size P215/55R17
• 2010 Ford F-150 XL 4×4 – Size P265/70R17
• 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 2WD – Size LT245/75R16
We rang up searches on Goodyear.com, TireBuyer.com, TireRack.com and 1010Tire.com, all using 60623 as our target Zip code.
For the 2011 Toyota, we selected the Assurance ComforTred Touring, which comes with an 80,000-mile warranty. Here’s how the prices compared:
• Goodyear.com: $147 each
• TireBuyer.com: $128.30 each
• TireRack.com: $130 each
• 1010Tire.com: $166.99 each
With the 2008 Nissan, we selected the Assurance TripleTred All-Season.
• Goodyear.com: $155 each
• TireBuyer.com: $143.99 each
• TireRack.com: $133 each
• 1010Tire.com: $166.99 each
On the 2010 Ford F-150, we looked at the Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar.
• Goodyear.com: $209 each
• TireBuyer.com: $249.99 each
• TireRack.com: $227.99 each
• 1010Tire.com: $237.99
And, finally, for the Silverado, we selected the Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar.
• Goodyear.com: $245 each
• TireBuyer.com: $240.99 each
• TireRack.com: $216 each
• 1010Tire.com: $273.99
In most cases, a buyer could receive a $60 rebate on a purchase of 4 tires; the rebate was not calculated into the prices shown here. 1010Tire.com never mentioned the rebate, but as you can see they were pretty hefty with their pricing.
In only one instance did Goodyear.com out-price its online brethren and that was with the F-150.
We made no attempt to shop other independent dealer brick-n-mortar stores or other retailers as we did not have a clear view of which were within the 60623 Zip code.
As far as the much discussed installation price a Goodyear.com purchaser would face (the money that supposedly goes straight to the servicing “authorized dealer”), the recommended installation site was shown as 2.4 miles from our phony location, and the prices shown covered “parts and labor.” On two of the vehicles, the install price was $99.80, and on the other two it was $119.80. And, no, the higher price was not for the pickups; both the Nissan and the F-150 had the higher install price.
Keep in mind, too, that shipping costs were required with most of the other online options, and certainly consumers would face a similar fee for installation at a brick-n-mortar location.
We know this is not a comprehensive comparison, and this is one metro market out of an entire country – and, of course, we do not know individual dealer prices for these tires. But, whether intentional or not, the per-unit prices we ran on Goodyear.com seemed to be middle of the road, not too high, and certainly not too low.