Tire speed rating?

[Bonnewagon]

My daughter went to get some tires on sale at Costco. They told her they could not sell them to her because her car (2010 Subaru Legacy) was considered "high performance" and required better tires with a higher speed rating (not on sale). Is this something new or just salesperson BS?

 

[69hurstolds]

If they're 16", those are standard sizes, and they're TOTALLY BS'ing you.

If they're 17 or 18" with 225/50 or 225/45 sizes, they may not. What's the model? GT? Premium? It may make a difference if they're speed rated or not. Might be a liability thing with Costco. I dunno.

Otherwise, you could just bring in the rims....they'll have NO idea what car they belong to.

 

[Bonnewagon]

A friend thinks it is just a Costco policy. He says they won't put on anything that is not spec'd by the car maker. If that is so then I told her to just go elsewhere.

 

[KCP]

What's the speed limit in NY again? Asking for a friend............

 

[MechMan]

I worked at Wal-mart's tire and lube department for 5.5 years. It is a "cover your rear policy". If something happens to the car after the tires are changed a case could be made if the tires aren't what the manufacturer specified. I don't know how Costco works but at Walmart there was no incentive to up sell tires.

 

[ck80]

Too many retailers use the non-discretion route... if you added custom rims then good luck doing anything with those box checkers.

I once brought by 70s c20 in for tires at costco, special ordered online with the instant rebate plus penny installation deal. When I got it there they tried the old "that's not the size" routine... problem is, door sticker called for bias ply in the old sizing numbers on a 16.5" rim - both of which are basically phased out.

Ultimately, the fact the truck was older than the computer could pull, and the fact the truck was still running chevy poverty caps, just a newer 16" size, guy just went with it. (I think mostly to avoid having to deal with returning the tires and refunding me)

 

[Clarmo]

Find a good local garage to do ALL the work on the car. For the few extra bucks you might spend on a tire, it'll save you thousands if you have a relationship with a reputable shop.

 

[TURNA]

Dont waste your time with Costco

They dont know how to seal the tires and they will constantly leak.

They did you a favor not selling them to you

 

[TURNA]

What's the speed limit in NY again? Asking for a friend............

50 to 55 depending on where you are in the state

 

[pagrunt]

They told her they could not sell them to her because her car (2010 Subaru Legacy) was considered "high performance" and required better tires with a higher speed rating (not on sale).

Is it blue? I thought that was the basic model that people bought to go from point A to point B.
Most "tire" places are not tire places & don't hire people who know any about tires other than they are black & round. So many use the wrong size excuse & won't look up the plus one size. When I was selling tires at Pep Boys in the early '90's we had a book at the tire counter that listed plus on sizes & converted letter sizes to P-metric. We rarely turned down a customer size request. If they wanted a size that was not listed to fit either by overall diameter ot width & insisted it would fit we maked it on the final invoice print informing them they were on their own with damage to the tire or car & they had to sign it before the tires went on.