[arbys]

Within the last 2 years I've purchased 3 sets of tires. 1 for the 4runner, 1 for the Camry and 1 for the Lemans. Maybe it's just me but it seems like the prices have doubled or more from about 5 years ago. Does anyone know the answer to this?

[Cammer-6]

oil
rubber
have gone up

and because they can

[66Post]

Both natural rubber and oil are controlled by cartels and do what ever they want to do, then you have the United Steel Workers Union who bought out the defunct Rubber Workers Union of America, those boys are only making about $30.00/hour plus bennies.

[twooldgoats]

Just bought a brand new set of four tires for my GMC crew cab 4-wheel drive for about $750, installed, including tax from the local GMC dealer. I expected to pay about $1K and was very pleased. They are Goodyears identical to the ones that originally came on the truck. We had gone 56,000 miles on the original tires and they still had some tread left, but since I pull a car trailer and do a lot of back-road driving in the mountains, I decided to go ahead and get a new set.

Jim

[arbys]

Originally Posted by 66Post

then you have the United Steel Workers Union who bought out the defunct Rubber Workers Union of America, those boys are only making about $30.00/hour plus bennies.

I didn't know that.

[PMD1969]

A set of four Michelin's cost $775 for my SUV in 07' and this year they were $997 for the exact same tire.

Of course the cost of money has risen dramatically during this administration.

[geeteeohguy]

Yes, the prices on tires have doubled and then some in the past two years. Something has been left out of a lot of the rubber being used these days, too. Rubber falls apart and cracks....just deteriorates in months now. Used to last years. A pal bought new boots for his tie rod ends and ball joints, and the things rotted and fell off the car while we were still restoring it...took six months. Ended up putting used, 40 year old GM rubber back on without issues. Same with reproduction tires for my Model T: the 40 year old New Zealand manufactured tires I'm running are crack free and fine. The 6 month old, extremely expensive but Vietnamese made tires for these same cars that other T'er's are running are cracking like a dried up lakebed. High prices, low quality. A Lose-Lose for the consumer and a big Win for the companies that sell this crap.

[twooldgoats]

Originally Posted by geeteeohguy

Yes, the prices on tires have doubled and then some in the past two years. .....

Source?

[mechanickeith]

3 years ago the "Cheap" tires I got at Discount for my car were $26 each. This year, the exact same size & brand ar $79 each. I about choked!!! Still running my worn out ones.

[sleepy]

Originally Posted by twooldgoats

Source?

My checkbook. Steer tires I used too pay $160 each for are now well over $300. Recap trailer tires were less than $100(after core) are now almost $300. $1,200 for a full set of new drive tires are now $2,800.
Tire and rim combo that used to cost $50 for boat/utillity/car dolly are now $70-$120 just for the tire.

[69Goat1]

Aset of tires I could buy in 2008 for $800 for my Dodge 2500 now cost me $1200... I just bought a set Monday so I know!

[66Post]

Originally Posted by sleepy

My checkbook. Steer tires I used too pay $160 each for are now well over $300. Recap trailer tires were less than $100(after core) are now almost $300. $1,200 for a full set of new drive tires are now $2,800.
Tire and rim combo that used to cost $50 for boat/utillity/car dolly are now $70-$120 just for the tire.

How many miles out of a tread? 150K?

[sleepy]

Steers are around 100K and drives abour 150-200K rotateing and rebalancing (ON ROAD)
off road is maybe 50-60k(constuction/off road is hard on tires) IN town is hard on tires as well.(all the turns and cloverliefs)

[SRR]

Originally Posted by twooldgoats

Just bought a brand new set of four tires for my GMC crew cab 4-wheel drive for about $750, installed, including tax from the local GMC dealer. I expected to pay about $1K and was very pleased. They are Goodyears identical to the ones that originally came on the truck. We had gone 56,000 miles on the original tires and they still had some tread left, but since I pull a car trailer and do a lot of back-road driving in the mountains, I decided to go ahead and get a new set.

Jim

I bought a set of USA made Firestones for my Dakota for just over $800. I always get the road hazard warranty also. I won't buy R.O.C tires unless I have too.

[74gto]

I Own a commercial mower dealership in Detroit. Two new rear tires for a commercial ZTR are up to $220.00 a pair retail for a 24x12x12 4 ply Carlisle tire. About three years ago, you could retail the same set at $145.00. Our markup is not as high either, as we have absorbed some of the increase. Don't even get me started on commercial mower BELTS!

[arbys]

Thanks for the examples. That should satisfy Jim's request.

[twooldgoats]

Originally Posted by arbys

Thanks for the examples. That should satisfy Jim's request.

Actually, no. Examples are OK, but survey data would be better.

Jim

[arbys]

Sorry, Jim, I don't have that. In my original post I said it seemed that the price....... I just wanted to see if others felt that way or saw the same thing. No graphs or statistics.

[KS circutguy]

Manufacturers reacted to the recession by cutting back on production, which meant shuttering production lines or, worst case, whole factories. Then they had to rewrite contracts on raw materials to adjust for the smaller volume of tires being built.
A Chinese Tariff, enacted in 2009, left some manufacturers a choice of selling tires at prices consumers would shun or delaying production and moving to another low-cost country.
European manufacturers have had to rethink production of many tires to meet compliance of REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemical substances) by making tires more environmentally friendly.
Demand for replacement tires is creeping up as consumers hold onto their cars longer.
And finally, given the variety of sizes and model variations, it’s nearly impossible for dealers to stock the right product in anticipation of consumer demands.
In other words thank a Liberal.lol

http://news.consumerreports.org/cars...expensive.html

[The Champ]

Another point that may be contributing to the rising costs...

Since the 2008 ABC expose' on outdated tires ( http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4822250&page=1 ) many states have passed legislation about retailers selling "old" new tires ( http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=7327783&page=1 ).

If the retailers and the manufacturers are now "eating the cost" of these outdated tires, it only makes sense that that would increase the cost of current new tires.

This is one case of government intervention that I can understand and agree with. I've had the experience of a steel belt letting go due to age on a tire that still looked "almost good as new".