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High prices are driving more motorists to rent tires


               
2013 Jun 11, 2:51am   2,189 views  5 comments

by varmint   follow (0)  

When the tires on their Dodge Caravan had worn so thin that the steel belts were showing through, Don and Florence Cherry couldn't afford to buy a new set.

So they decided to rent instead.

The Rich Square, N.C., couple last September agreed to pay Rent-N-Roll $54.60 a month for 18 months in exchange for four basic Hankook tires. Over the life of the deal, that works out to $982, almost triple what the radials would have cost at Wal-Mart.

http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-rent-a-tire-20130609,0,2490443,full.story

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1   varmint   2013 Jun 11, 3:00am  

donjumpsuit says

I could find a set of 4 new tires for a dodge caravan for about $220 installed.

These people are wackos.

They can't afford $220, only the $50. I know usury is a relative term, but I don't see how this practice wouldn't qualify.

2   FuckTheMainstreamMedia   2013 Jun 11, 3:24am  

donjumpsuit says

More or less what i am say is this.

It takes about $50 a week to fill your car with gas.

Maybe take the bus for 3 weeks, and afford new tires.

This is a darwin conversation.

Yeah I agree. People are insanely attached to their cars..so much so that they'll drive on suspended licenses rather than get a ride, walk, bike, or take a bus

3   varmint   2013 Jun 11, 3:45am  

Yeah I agree. People are insanely attached to their cars..so much so that they'll drive on suspended licenses rather than get a ride, walk, bike, or take a bus

I don't disagree, but for some people public transportation is not a viable option. If you aren't centrally located home or job (one or the other) it can be a nightmare depending on the city. Commuting on mass transit from inland empire for example would be hell.

4   zzyzzx   2013 Jun 11, 5:21am  

donjumpsuit says

I could find a set of 4 new tires for a dodge caravan for about $220 installed.

Not everybody is willing to put Chinese tires on their vehicles.

5   swebb   2013 Jun 11, 7:01am  

zzyzzx says

Not everybody is willing to put Chinese tires on their vehicles.

They are a Korean company, though they do manufacturer some of their tires in China. They make some pretty good tires -- definitely not junk like you might assume.

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