Good Trade?

[Will733]

Someone has a set of 4 used BFG A/T 265/70/17's with 50% tread remaining and will install, align and balance them in exchange for my stock Bridgestone Duellers with 1,000 miles on them and $100 cash.

He says they have 50% tread remaining, but how can I verify that? Does anyone know how to determine how much "life" is remaining in the tread of a BFG AT 265/70/17 tire?

If they do still have 50% tread left, it sounds like a great deal. Just not sure the balancing and alignment done at a cheap used tire place would be all that great either.

 

[sandcrawler]

you mean you give him the stockers + $100? that doesn't sound like a good deal to me...

 

[Will733]

I may see if he'll just do it straight up, but then there is nothing in it for them and they are installing,balancing,etc...

I figure the BFG's are about $900 new, so worth $450 now...
The Duellers are $576 new, but people are getting at most $400 for them.

If we traded straight up then they would have lost $50 on the deal and installed them for free. I'm sure they need something to make it worthwhile for them.

Does $50 seem more fair?

 

[philsey]

All I can say is you sure must want A/T's pretty bad to trade brand new tires for used ones with 50% left. PLUS $100??? Crazy if you ask me.

You don't know anything about these tires, how they've been used/abused, how they'll balance... and -- how old are they?

You have a new 4R. Surely then, you can afford new A/T's if you want them so badly.

I'd run away from your "deal" -- sounds like an opportunity for serious headaches.

EDIT: Many forum members have gotten acceptable trades from tire stores on new tires. I was offered $75 each for my Dunlops against new Revos but decided against it.

 

[sandcrawler]

I may see if he'll just do it straight up, but then there is nothing in it for them and they are installing,balancing,etc...

I figure the BFG's are about $900 new, so worth $450 now...
The Duellers are $576 new, but people are getting at most $400 for them.

If we traded straight up then they would have lost $50 on the deal and installed them for free. I'm sure they need something to make it worthwhile for them.

Does $50 seem more fair?

honestly Will, even if you did an even swap the other party would be getting the better end of the deal...

i think you're better off arranging for a credit for the takeoffs at a shop and biting the bullet on the cost of the new tires. if he says "50% tread remains" it's probably optimistic, and you have a brand new truck: why go half-a$$?

 

[sandcrawler]

I figure the BFG's are about $900 new, so worth $450 now...?

it's illogical to depreciate tires in a linear relationship... $900 @ 100% tread does not equate to $450 @ 50% tread...

 

[Snowfox]

it's illogical to depreciate tires in a linear relationship... $900 @ 100% tread does not equate to $450 @ 50% tread...

I totally agree with you.

 

[Snooperstyle]

I almost did something like this and I even went and looked at them. IMHO you should also find out how OLD they are. You could have a tire with 50% treadwear, but then realize that it is TEN YEARS OLD, or that it has been left out in the hot dry sun and weather or sitting in the dirt in a backyard, or whatever...I realized that if I get a good enough deal on the rubber (DISCOUNT TIRE!), then you can justify the up front cost and piece of mind. Also, if you are a person who drives 50k a year, then it might make more sense, than if you were a person who wanted to put used tires onto a 10k/year car.