Need Advice! Where to get Tires near Bullhead City Az?

[Jeansxbond]

I recently moved to Bullhead City from So Cal... My 2000 NSX needs some new shoes. I'd appreciate any advice as to where to go, maybe Vegas or Phoenix or ?, if not nearer to Bullhead, to get some Bridgestone OEM tires, mounting, balancing, etc., from a shop/dealer who knows how to treat an NSX with the TLC they deserve. Any suggestions will be MUCH appreciated!

 

[nsxtasy]

There are really only two factors in getting wheels mounted and balanced: the proper equipment, and the people operating it. You need to go to a shop with "touchless" tire mounting equipment (not older machines), and you need to make sure that the person operating it takes extreme care (if you see the youngest person in the shop doing the tire mounting, it may be cause for concern). It doesn't even need to be a tire shop; my nearby independent mechanic does most of my tire mounting/balancing. Discuss your concerns with them and ask them about their people and equipment.

If you locate a shop that you would like to use, ask them whether you should order the tires through them or can bring in tires that you have shipped from a mail order dealer like the Tire Rack. If you order from them, they may be willing to match Tire Rack prices. (They may even get all their tires from the Tire Rack themselves!)

The only NSX-specific thing that a tire shop needs to know is where the lift mounting tabs are along the frame rails of the NSX (three on each side). You can point this out to them.

I found this website of a tire shop in Bullhead City but I have no idea what kind of equipment they have or the level of care they take: http://www.ronstirepros.com/ The fact that they sell a lot of different brands of wheels may be a sign that they are more experienced than the average tire shop on the corner (but there is no guarantee of that).

Good luck.

 

[Jeansxbond]

Thanks, Nsxtacy, for the comments... I have spoken with Rons, but was unimpressed with their level of knowledge about the tires required for an NSX, (he tried to convince me that the "Fusion" model rather than the Potenza Re010, was an equivilent tire). Not confidence - inspiring. That's why I am thinking that travel to an Acura dealer in Vegas or Phoenix that "specialized" in the NSX, like Niello where the car was originally leased from, or South Coast Acura in Costa Mesa from where I purchased and became the second retail owner, would be a better bet.

If there's a similarly knowledgable dealer in Vegas or Phoenix, (both a bit larger metro areas than Bullhead/Laughlin, where no one has even heard of the NSX), I was hoping a "Prime" member might know of it, or alternatively could recommend an independant, or tire shop, where they've had good experience.

Two hours to Vegas or three hours to Phoenix would beat the five hours it would take togo back to OC, and of course there's always the need for periodic future service. My NSX is pristine, and I'd sure like to keep it that way!

I do really appreciate the knowledge and advice the "Prime" members so graciously share... and hope someone out this way can steer me in the right direction.

Thanks again, Nsxtacy...

 

[Briank]

Tire Rack has recommended installers all over the country that they will drop ship to and do the mount, balance and install. Go to Tirerack.com and see if there are any in your area.

 

[nsxtasy]

Thanks, Nsxtacy, for the comments... I have spoken with Rons, but was unimpressed with their level of knowledge about the tires required for an NSX, (he tried to convince me that the "Fusion" model rather than the Potenza Re010, was an equivilent tire). Not confidence - inspiring.

Perhaps I didn't make myself clear.

In most cases - unless you're going to someplace that services a whole lot of NSXs (and often not even then) - you're not going to get good advice on what tires to buy from a tire dealer or Acura dealer or mechanic. Sometimes they will recommend whatever crappy tires they have in stock (which it sounds like what Ron's was doing). If they're honest, they just won't know anything about tires specifically for the NSX, and they'll admit that to you. But THAT'S OKAY! You can get advice here on NSXprime on what tires to buy. If you walk in and say you want such-and-such tires in such-and-such size, and you make it clear that you know more about tires for the NSX than they do, most reputable tire dealers will be happy to order those tires for you, or to let you order them yourself and will mount and balance them for you. You may have to be insistent, but they should be willing to do that, especially if you make it clear that that is what you want from them, NOT their advice.

Incidentally, if you decide to do this with Ron's (or anywhere else) and you are getting the OEM tires (Bridgestone RE010 or Yokohama A022H), make sure you tell them to order a left tire and a right tire, because they are different part numbers. Then, when you get them installed, make sure they mount them with the proper side on the outside and on the proper side of the car (both the inside vs outside and the direction of rotation are marked on the sidewall of the tire).

I do this all the time. My mechanic gets their tires from the Tire Rack at Tire Rack's published prices, but I tell them which tires and what sizes (or I order the tires myself) and they're fine with that. My dealer doesn't get their tires from the Tire Rack but they can order whatever I want or they're happy to mount/balance tires purchased elsewhere.

If I were you, I would have a discussion with the manager at Ron's, and explain to him that you know what tires work best on the NSX, but you are looking for a local shop to mount/balance the tires, and maybe even order tires for you - as long as they're willing to order the tires that YOU decide you want.

Unfortunately, even if you went to the Acura dealer in Las Vegas or elsewhere - maybe even Niello, I don't know - you're not going to get advice as good as you will receive here. So driving a long distance for tire advice really isn't necessarily going to help you at all.

If you decide to order the tires yourself and bring them with you for installation, here's how to fit four tires inside your car (put them in large lawn/leaf bags so they don't get the car dirty or get rubber marks on the seats): one rear tire in the trunk, slide the passenger seat full forward, one front tire behind the passenger seat, and the other two tires on top of the passenger seat, standing up, rear tire next to the gearshift and front tire next to the door.

Tire Rack has recommended installers all over the country that they will drop ship to and do the mount, balance and install. Go to Tirerack.com and see if there are any in your area.

I did this before my first post. Unfortunately, there weren't any installers closer than Lake Havasu City, which is 40 miles away. But if you want to order tires from the Tire Rack, you can have them mounted and balanced at one of the two tire installers there, if that works for you. (When you use their installers, you can either have the tires shipped to you, or shipped directly to the installer.)

 

[Jeansxbond]

Again, thanks, both to Nsxtacy and to Briank, for the response and for the great info. I've been researching the site about the tires, also other stuff... Unless anyone else has some first hand experience to impart, or recommendations as to shops or dealers, I'll be the "Bullhead" ed pioneer for all the NSX owners that will surely be moving here in droves :smile: