Tire prices-not boding well

[TWrenn]

Just for the heck of it, thought I'd start looking around for prices on white tires, as come 2025 Clara, my '13 touring will be needing another complete set of shoes. Sadly these tires only last two seasons if I'm lucky, as I pile on easily 2200 miles on her a year. So there's a certain company, name withheld to protect the innocent, who apparently thinks their tires are something "special", good grief $619 for 30x3 Firestone Non-skid!! Okay, lets go to the bargain shelf! How about a plain Firestone white clincher for a mere $414!! Couldn't find any "brand X" with them either. Didn't see any white ribbed at all, which is what I really like. They roll smooth and quiet!

Next vendor...barely any white tires...similar prices, did find only one straight rib white tire but only the 30x3.5 unless I missed the other size. I looked twice. And IT was $100 bucks higher than what I bought last year!! Another vendor didn't offer white tires at all.

So I guess the moral of this story is, we're slowly being priced out of white tires for one thing, let alone even FINDING any. And the black tires were noticeably much higher price also. Getting real hard to stay in this hobby and keep the wheels rollling. Sorry for the rant..thanks for reading!!

[signsup]

And the tube situation is not much better. Posted on my other thread about looking at motorcycle tubes. Set of 21" metal valve stem and covers with tubes is $750 plus shipping plus tax. And, I've got brand new tires, so I don't envy your position.

[Norman Kling]

The black tires will last much longer. Even black tread with white sidewalls will last much longer. I realize you want the white tires for the looks, but black ones are more of a bargain. Everything is priced by supply and demand. And there are getting less people interested in antique cars these days.
Norm

[TWrenn]

Yes you're right Norm about the longer wear. I started out with black tires..then white...in a year or two back to black. Like I said..maybe try painting them! We better pray Vietnam keeps producing or were all screwed!

[havnfun]

I have on order 4 30X3 1/2 UNIVERSAL ALL WHITE TIRE RIBBED $364 each for Buffalo wheels. Corker stated no guarantee, but if enough folks order, they will hopefully be able to have them made.

[TRDxB2]

Would be worthwhile to ask what they mean by blemished. If something that affects wear, maybe caused your wear. In any case if its cosmetic and your not picky the price could make it a buy. How clean do you keep gray tires? The extended warranty is only for road hazard damage, even with that its a deal

[signsup]

Yes, ask what they mean by that term. I have purchased military tires from them blemished and in my case it meant the molds did not line up the the tread lugs did not match each other. Pretty stupid looking tires. Used them as spares on jeeps. And, it is interesting to note that the natural rubber tire color is the white and they need to add carbon to the tires to make them black, so that explains the longer wear on black tires. But, it should be cheaper to manufacture the "white" tires which are just left natural.

[TWrenn]

I have on order 4 30X3 1/2 UNIVERSAL ALL WHITE TIRE RIBBED $364 each for Buffalo wheels. Corker stated no guarantee, but if enough folks order, they will hopefully be able to have them made.

And last year I paid $264 with free shipping!
I will need both the 3 as well as the 3.5 when the time comes.

[Tbird]

I bought blemished gray smooth tires. It’s only an appearance issue. Most notably some brown stains. The stains can be cleaned off with orange hand cleaner.

[John kuehn]

Wow ! you would think they could clean off the brown stains at the factory!

[TWrenn]

Wow ! you would think they could clean off the brown stains at the factory!

Well John it's a good thing they DIDN'T!! Or the price would be back up to the ridiculous level like the rest. That's what I don't worry about, cause the stupid white tires after half a season of driving like I do end up looking like blems anyway...sure in pics they "lie like a rug" and look nice 'n white while in reality they're half pigged up with road dirt, usually some oil stains especially on the inside from the oilers, etc. Ha ha. I may just order a set after I get my income tax back this winter. My luck the stock will be gone by then...

[John kuehn]

You’ve got that right! You all may remember when white wall tires came with the blue coating on them and the tire house you bought them from would clean off the bluish coating on them. And you didn’t get the cut rate price on them either.
That’s what made me think why the T tire company couldn’t wash off the bluish coating. When Tbird mentioned it that was a surprise to me. Times have definitely changed! Tbird got a deal!