head would just end up damaging your tire presure sensors anyway 
Costco help please.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Costco help please.
OK, so I go to costco today to finaly get rid of my run flats, looking forward to a nice smooth riding Michelin not to mention the great discount they have through the weekend and I was told by the Tire Manager that they cannot put on Michelins or any other tire for tha matter if I have on run flats because of some way the run flats fit the rim. He told me I would have to get different rims. I questioned him three times but he said they could not do it. Could someone please help me, Is this true ? and why ?
Last edited by DRIVE AMERICA; Sep 1, 2007 at 02:10 AM. Reason: spelling
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,533
Likes: 1
From: North Aurora IL
Just go to a different one....I think the manager is mad he is driving a Geo.....Never heard of that.....I heard of Wally world...aka WalMart gave my little sister about putting larger tires than what came stock on her pony...They said it had to be what size is recommended in the door.....Maybe each chain has some idiot rules out there......
If it was me....Id buy them, and go down the street and have another tire shop install them
If it was me....Id buy them, and go down the street and have another tire shop install them
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Yea, I thought it was strange for him to say that but I couldn't convince him that they were just regular stock rims. He kept going on about some PDS or something in the rim set up that wouldn't let him do it. I think Im going back in the morning and try again.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,592
Likes: 3
From: St Louis MO
From what I understand, about a year ago, Michelin held a training session for tire mechanics and during it, they introduced a different kind of run-flat (the name of which escapes me now) that came as a unit with the wheel and a rigid internal support. When I went to get tires for my '98 at the St Peters MO store, the tire manager told me I would have to go to a GM dealer to get my tire/wheel exchange as a unit. After a little discussion and he checking back with Michelin, he advised that he misunderstood and the "unit exchange" applied only to a few select new cars, at the time. This was also at a time when I think a few of the Costco tire guys were unsure/apprehensive about how to handle the TPS but since, have come to grips. The manager you spoke to may have this same misconception. Check with a different Costco because they can/will do Vettes and their price is very competitive.
Cheers
Cheers
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Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,743
Likes: 0
From: Omaha Nebraska
St. Jude Donor '06
Yea, I thought it was strange for him to say that but I couldn't convince him that they were just regular stock rims. He kept going on about some PDS or something in the rim set up that wouldn't let him do it. I think Im going back in the morning and try again.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Chances are he DID have someone screw up a TPS once... (Tire Pressure Sensor) and he figures he's not about to take the risk of screwing up another one... ($100ish for a new one, right?) He just doesn't know how to handle them... I know I don't... My Vette doesn't have them with the NON-factory wheels it runs these days... I don't know the first thing about them... Maybe he's smarter than you think...
I'd say all three of us needs and education about TPS in the wheels before we have someone change tires on our Vette! 
I've never worried about them so I usually skip those threads about TPS
Good luck... I'm gonna go do a search now...
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 13,587
Likes: 1,352
From: Home of the VOLS ! Knoxville, TN. Tennessee
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '15, '16-'17-'18-'19
if he is not sure that it can be done , then chances are you don't want him to work on your car anyway .
I usually only get a certified tire shop to work on my tires because of the TPS , and still have to remind them every time .
most won't mind installing tires you bought somewhere else . that's what keeps Tire Rack in business .
I usually only get a certified tire shop to work on my tires because of the TPS , and still have to remind them every time .
most won't mind installing tires you bought somewhere else . that's what keeps Tire Rack in business .
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,092
Likes: 0
From: Deerfield VA
St. Jude Donor '07
I've run into that at Costco, they will not mix tire sizes/types of tires on your car in the shop, they will only install the TYPE of tire that came with the car. Do as mentioned, buy the tires and have them installed elsewhere.
John
John
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,924
Likes: 2
From: Follansbee West Va
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,997
Likes: 1
From: Life is a game/Golf is serious. IA
if he is not sure that it can be done , then chances are you don't want him to work on your car anyway .
I usually only get a certified tire shop to work on my tires because of the TPS , and still have to remind them every time .
most won't mind installing tires you bought somewhere else . that's what keeps Tire Rack in business .
I usually only get a certified tire shop to work on my tires because of the TPS , and still have to remind them every time .
most won't mind installing tires you bought somewhere else . that's what keeps Tire Rack in business .
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 9,369
Likes: 4
From: Zephyrhills, Florida
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Man, you are trying to make sense with a real Lunkhead..........this is not a complex setup.............I live near Goodyear World Headquarters and doing runflats darn near anywhere around here is a genuine no-brainer