So..My '01 A 1.8T is my first car..and though Im comfy having a full size spare in the trunk..I def need new tires.

Ive never had to put new tires on a car...So this is my question:

It seems like I can buy 4 new tires from vendors online for WAY cheaper than the two local tire places wanna charge me. So....what's keeping me from doing that?

Well..my dumb question of course!! Im too embaresed to go ask for help in person....
Can i put the tires on myself?! If they're the same size....and I have all the tools that I would need to put on a spare.......whats stopping me? Alignment? Balancing? Does all that need to be done? And....is there some kind of trick to get my wheels on?

I need help...obviously. So...once yer all done LAUGHING.........maybe you can shoot me over some advice


Thanks!!!!!!!

 

its ok, the fact that ur attempting this puts u a step above my girlfriend, she made me leave work to change her flat...anywho, are u buying rims and tires or just the tires and putting them on the stock rims?

 

Well I have done my fair share of changing tires. The machines specially made for changing tires are unbelievably better than the old fashioned multiple prybar method. I would suggest taking your car to a shop because your wheels have to be balanced after the new wheels are put on anyway and it only takes about an hour for a competent shop to do. I used to have special rims that had a flare on them that no tire machine in town could work with and it took me about 2 hours to change 4 tires and by the time i got done i was exhausted.

 

Do you mean putting the new tires on the rims, or just putting already mounted tires onto your car?

 

Oo sorry. Yeah..it would be jsut the tires....I love my rims. I guess I ddnt think about that..my spare's already on therim.

Ok..well.....loosk like im just gonna pay a bunch for the stupid tire guy to do it. Thats so lame. I gues he wouldnt be too happy wit hme if I rolled up and handed him the tires iwanted put on my car huh?

 

Buying tires online for cheap is great, but you still have to get them mounted on the rims and balanced. This is where a tire shop, or local garage,comes into play. Honestly, i've researched tires online and the price difference between some sites and what, say, NTSB, Mr. Tire, etc. charge, isn't all that much. It really depends on the tire(s).

Your best bet is to just have a shop do it for you and be done with it.

 

Have a shop do it... as everyone said. Also, if you get a flat or a nail in your tireor need to get them rotated or looked at - is that online vendor going to do it for you? nope

 

HAHAHA that is the funniest name I've ever seen! CantA4Dit hahaha someone should put that on a license plate!

 

Buying online is the way to go, cost me like 70$ to get all 4 tires mounted and balanced

 

Look to places online like discount tire or tire america that allows you to order there, but has brick and mortar locations that will recieve them, mount them, balance etc. then, for a few bucks more, you can insure them for free repair or replacement. Came in handy three weeks ago when I had a blow out from a pothole. the extre 20 bucks saved me $290...T