Rent-A-Tire

Rent-A-Tire? Heavens, why would someone rent the tires you drive on? I have a feeling it could be expensive to do this, especially with winter tires.

Curiosity got the best of me. Apparently Rent-A-Wheel was bought out by Rent-A-Tire.

http://www.rentawheel.com/

And that is exactly what they do, rent to own tires.

http://www.rtoonline.com/content/Article/Jan08/Rent-A-Tire-Acquires-Rent-A-Wheel-Florida_5378013108.asp


Makes me wonder if maybe all those tires being slashed in the various areas of the country including here locally, was a marketing ploy for a company like this. As many as 50 cars at a time had all their tires slashed and many folks could not afford to repair or replace them all at once.

Jeez, all these "Rent to Own" joints are financila ripoffs. Just for grins I stopped at one with a request to just buy outright and they had all their stuff marked up by huge amounts. The concept appeals to thoe who have no cash to afford to buy tires so they "rent" them at what appear to be easy weekly or monthly payment schedules, with a huuge cash payment at the end if they wish to buy.

Its a losing deal except for the business who gets to rape the poor.

True about those rent to own places.

It one of the many components that keep the poor, poor.


I will have to say, that occassionally those places (not this tire example) have their uses.

Years back, my bf and I were looking for a roommate, and this guy moved in that we knew would only be with us 6 months. He went down and rented a bed and dresser for just a few dollars a week, and it was totally worth it. When he was getting ready to leave, my sister decided to come down and spend a couple months with us, so we just kept up the payments.

Another scam is the "payday check loans" and the "check cashing services" in poor neighborhoods. They are guilty of usery and fraud by deception.

The poor get automatically charged more than anybody else, and are often desperate enough to have to pay it. If they could afford to boycot businesses until they get fair treatment, a lot it would stop. Never happen.

My car is a 2006 Ford fusion. I barely have 25,000 miles on it, but one tire had a nail in the sidewall and the other three were already badly worn.

I had been checking and adding air to the nailed tire for a month. Yesterday I decided I needed to go ahead and bite the bullet and replace the tires.

The first place quoted me $730 for 4 tires mounted and balanced.

I ended up paying $404 at another place.

I had expected to spend something in the neighborhood of $250. Obviously, I have not purchased tires for a while.

A LOT of people couldn't be out of pocket $400 and still feed their kids that week. They could easily be out $30 and still get the school supplies they need on the way home. Unfortunately, too many have to make that choice and pay the price while knowing safe tires are more than just regular maintenance.

My brother owned a check cashing business for a few years. IMO, there's enough competition in a decent-sized city that the rates are not exorbitant.

The folks who frequent these businesses do so for their own reasons. Some don't trust banks. Some don't stay in one place long enough to keep an account open. Some don't have transportation to/from a bank.

I don't know about "payday check loans"; I suspect they're on a par with pawn shops.

You let Bear drive, don't you?

Now that you mention it...

Hey, the brakes are rubbing, too. I've been telling him for some time not to pump the brakes... You don't do that anymore with the new brake systems.

Several people have mentioned to me that new cars have cheap ass tires, you don't know how old the tires really are, how long it sat on the lot, etc. Daughters car is a 2007 with barely 20,000 miles and she needs new tires already. I didn't even know they made 25,000 mile tires!

I'm a cautious driver and you can both kiss my ass.....ask squinney who took her to the place that put on tires half price?

And why would you be so aware of tire prices, hmmm?

(shakes head in agreement with Drewdad.)

same reason I know how much tampons cost....you have to know things when you shop for your wife as well as yourself....

Now that just undermines your credibility. Everyone knows that when you're sent to the store for tampons, you buy exactly what you're told.

and memorize the cost eventually.

OK. You're wasting space in your brain by remembering unnecessary details, though, since the cost doesn't matter....

sure it does...after years of comparison shopping I know the cheapest place to go. Usually I rent a carpet cleaner when I shop for tampons as well. I figure as long as my weekend is to **** I may as well clean the carpets.

Is that happening a lot? I took notice of this post particularly, because we had a similiar rash of tire slashing in my area last Saturday night or early Sunday morning. Our neighbourhood watch reported at least 50 cases in my small area, two of which were on my street. It was such a miserable night I was surprised anybody would be out in it. Evidently there were a few other acts of vandalism, too. A few downed stop signs, etc.

Nasty Creeps.