Costco and BFG KDW-2

[dflynn5]

I went into my local Costco for pricing on a set of 4 KDW-2 tires. Good pricing. Better than anything close to me but the supervisor balked at the fact that I'd have to go to 255/55 on the back given that the stock KDWS tires were 245/55 pointing out that the diameter will rise from 28.5" to 29" agravating the 5% rake even more. Not huge but a concern anyway given that I have a 2004 with traction control. I'm pretty sure I've seen members here go with this set up
Fr: 235/50
Rr: 255/55
without any problems but this guy being ever wary of lawsuits in the golden state would like some sort of "ok" from Mercury. How the heck to I get that?

Any ideas? I am NOT going to go back to the OEM KDWS tires as I think these are unimpressive to say the least.

Oh and I need tires badly. At 21K, I'm on slicks at the back.

[03SILVERSTREAK]

I know what you mean. Im in the same boat...:( :shake: :depress:

[Petrograde]

...this guy being ever wary of lawsuits in the golden state would like some sort of "ok" from Mercury. How the heck to I get that?...

That's just plain goofy. He wants a 'mother, may I' slip from Elaina Ford? :shake:

...besides, you shouldn't be the one to research it,... they should.

I was thinking about going to similar sized tires, I wonder if the guys down at the Discount Tires would say the same to me?

...hmmm, maybe if you offer to sign a waiver? :confused:

[Smokie]

I went into my local Costco for pricing on a set of 4 KDW-2 tires. Good pricing. Better than anything close to me but the supervisor balked at the fact that I'd have to go to 255/55 on the back given that the stock KDWS tires were 245/55 pointing out that the diameter will rise from 28.5" to 29" agravating the 5% rake even more. Not huge but a concern anyway given that I have a 2004 with traction control. I'm pretty sure I've seen members here go with this set up
Fr: 235/50
Rr: 255/55
without any problems but this guy being ever wary of lawsuits in the golden state would like some sort of "ok" from Mercury. How the heck to I get that?

Any ideas? I am NOT going to go back to the OEM KDWS tires as I think these are unimpressive to say the least.

Oh and I need tires badly. At 21K, I'm on slicks at the back.The 1/2" taller rear tires would raise the total height of the rear a 1/4".

Living in the Golden State reminds me a lot of living in a dictatorship...it seems that every time one of our members living there want to do something to their cars...they can't.

[huot5]

what kind of price did costco have?

Here in Miami it's like $10 per tire for lifetime rotation, blance, flat repair, etc..

I have purchased tires at the local Sams club. they also have really good prices and they do installs on 20 inch rims for the same price. I did my Harley truck tires there.
Unlike tirerack which has a considerable shipping charge and you have to find an installer. but not to knock them, if you find a road force balance place, then you are getting the right stuff.

[dflynn5]

The quotes I got tires mounted and balanced were

Fr: 235/50 $202 ea.
Rr: 255/55 $134 ea.

The cost difference between the front and back was a shocker. Tirerack is cheaper until you add shipping and installation. I can't blame the guy behind the counter. He was actually very helpful but if you read the other thread on the difficulty DeepSea117 had with the California DMV you begin to see how far this state will go to regulate your life.

[MaLo03]

Fr: 235/50
Rr: 255/55
I originally purchased my set from "Sams" for 766.00 after taxes, installed, lifetime balance and lifetime road hazzard.
Sams screwed up my order so I took the invoice to "TiresPlus" and they matched it plus 10% off. my final price was 692.00 with all the above included.

[huot5]

Not a bad price at all then from sammy's club. thanks

[Breadfan]

Was looking for prices on the KDW-2s on TireRack and Discount Tire, seems like Discount tire may have the original KDWS's in stock??? (The REARS too?)

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/searchTiresByVehicleAndSize.do ?mk=&yr=2003&sw=false&cs=245&vid=008370&rd=18&ar=55

I know you weren't talking about the originals, but if they have them I know alot of people would be interested.

[redstripe]

I'll tell you what I did in Texas at a Costco, looking at the same KDW 2 tires, and they do not have the original size for the car:


Hang around until you see the youngest employee at the tire center, and speak like you know what you are doing, and get him to sell then to you or order them for you.

It may just be that you need to do it through someone other than the manager, if you can.

Costco does have pretty good "drive out the door" pricing on these.

[Shora]

I went into my local Costco for pricing on a set of 4 KDW-2 tires. Good pricing. Better than anything close to me but the supervisor balked at the fact that I'd have to go to 255/55 on the back given that the stock KDWS tires were 245/55 pointing out that the diameter will rise from 28.5" to 29" agravating the 5% rake even more. Not huge but a concern anyway given that I have a 2004 with traction control. I'm pretty sure I've seen members here go with this set up
Fr: 235/50
Rr: 255/55
without any problems but this guy being ever wary of lawsuits in the golden state would like some sort of "ok" from Mercury. How the heck to I get that?

Any ideas? I am NOT going to go back to the OEM KDWS tires as I think these are unimpressive to say the least.

Oh and I need tires badly. At 21K, I'm on slicks at the back.I called two local Costcos (Miami) about to weeks ago to get pricing on the BFG KDW-2 and they told me that they cannot order them because they are not being offered by Costco. Could it be that they might have gotten confused and should have looked them up only as BFG KDW?

[JACook]

I called two local Costcos (Miami) about to weeks ago to get pricing on the BFG KDW-2 and they told me that they cannot order them because they are not being offered by Costco. Could it be that they might have gotten confused and should have looked them up only as BFG KDW? Very likely. KDW-2 is a TireRack thing. They call them KDW-2 to differentiate the new tread design from
the older KDW, which is still being produced, though not in all the same sizes. America's Tire calls them
KDW-NT for the same reason.

BFG just calls them both KDW.

[wchain]

Very likely. KDW-2 is a TireRack thing. They call them KDW-2 to differentiate the new tread design from
the older KDW, which is still being produced, though not in all the same sizes. America's Tire calls them
KDW-NT for the same reason.

BFG just calls them both KDW.

KDW2 is available everywhere I go, so its not an exclusive tire rack brand. My wholesaler carries them as well. KDW and KDW2 are 2 different designs. You are correct, though that different retailers sell things under different names, becauyse they are 'made' for them.

I.e. Yokohama has an Avid H4, branded as a Yokohama YK420 to Discount tire. Michelin has a LTX M/S truck tire, sold by Sears called the XC LT4....etc etc.

[Skiordie53]

I had the same problem with costco in NY they would not order them for me.My dealer even told em the 255 int he rear would be fine. my regular mechanic got them for me unfortunetly it cost alot more then costco

[LVMarauder]

Anyone Costco employee who told a MM owner that costco doesnt carry KDW 2's is :rasta: toooo much. I ordered a rear set from my SB costco, got here in 2 days and on the next. Good service, Great prices. I have 255/55 in the back and the rake looks fine, my car is lowered as well. Got me a 1.9 60 foot so they have traction too. Im on my 3rd rear seat btw. Cant go wrong.

[Hotrauder]

The 1/2" taller rear tires would raise the total height of the rear a 1/4".

Living in the Golden State reminds me a lot of living in a dictatorship...it seems that every time one of our members living there want to do something to their cars...they can't.
This is not POLITICAL.. Welcome to the PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CALIFORNIA..First in line but leading a parade of blue states...:lol: :lol:

[snowbird]

The difference between the 245s and the 255s is only 1 and a half percent (1.5%). This is negligible.

Also, the difference between the rears completely bald and brand new fronts (or the way around opposite) is not forbidden and could be done (a customer would do it in the long run since the rears gets bald faster usually). In that worst case scenario, the difference between the front and rears would be about 3%.

So IMO, the point saying 1.5% will turn havoc the computer or other part of the car is hard to digest since it is inside the front and rear worst case scenario.

[wesman]

what kind of price did costco have?

Here in Miami it's like $10 per tire for lifetime rotation, blance, flat repair, etc..

I have purchased tires at the local Sams club. they also have really good prices and they do installs on 20 inch rims for the same price. I did my Harley truck tires there.
Unlike tirerack which has a considerable shipping charge and you have to find an installer. but not to knock them, if you find a road force balance place, then you are getting the right stuff.
Harley's are awesome, I have been checking out the nhtoc.com boards. That and a Marauder you must be one smiling dude. :beer:

[DeepSea117]

The 1/2" taller rear tires would raise the total height of the rear a 1/4".

Living in the Golden State reminds me a lot of living in a dictatorship...it seems that every time one of our members living there want to do something to their cars...they can't.
Haha want another California regulation designed to get money, and serve no other purpose?

My other car (93 civic) is now sent to a Test Only station, as oppose to a Test and Repair station. Reason being, and it says this on the printout, is that I fit a "High Emitter Profile". I have a header and CAI, that's about it, but now I have to pay 30 bucks more for the same "test". Just another tax disguised as smog-testing to get money from people who fix-up their cars.

It does feel a bit Communist, except for the fact that getting a car doesn't take 10 years. Although registration feels like it takes about that long.

[David Morton]

Do what you want but I'd like to make a comment about the KDW2s.

I've had the 14" KVR 4-wheel set up DR sold me last year and have been astounded at the braking power. I had the KDWS tires and I confess I do drive hard from time to time. But recently I replaced my tires with the KDW2s and I have to say I am very unimpressed, no, DISAPPOINTED(!), with the new tires.

Braking has diminished to the point that one time I overshot a turn! The compound in the KDW2 tire is squealy, harder, and much worse in the wet than the KDWS tire. I got them on the recommendation of some guys here on this site but I have to say I guess they just don't drive as hard as I do and don't know what the car is really capable of.

When I wear these out I will be going back to the KDWS tire.

[Architect]

Everybody seems to be happy with the discount stores service....
did anyone have a problem with them scratching up their wheels...
sometimes they change a nice wheel just like it was a truck rim....:mad:
Just curious.....Walt.