Rent-A-Tire

[okaycuckoo]

"I know you have to pay a lot more this way," said Florence Cherry, a 57-year-old nurse who drives the 15-year-old van when her husband, a Vietnam veteran, isn't using it to get to his job as a prison guard. "But we didn't really have a choice."

Socked by soaring tire prices and short on funds, growing numbers of Americans are renting the rubber to keep their cars rolling.

Rent-to-own tire shops are among the newest arrivals to a sprawling alternative financial sector focused on the nation's economic underclass. Like payday lenders, pawn shops and Buy Here Pay Here used-car lots, tire rental businesses provide ready credit to consumers who can't get a loan anywhere else. But that access doesn't come cheap.Customers pay huge premiums for their tires, sometimes four times above retail. Those who miss payments may find their car on cinder blocks, stripped of their tires by dealers who aggressively repossess. Tire rental contracts are so ironclad that even a bankruptcy filing can't make them go away.

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jun/08/business/la-fi-rent-a-tire-20130609

I suppose this is a bit like share-cropping, after the abolition of slavery in the US: the landowner/merchant supplied the tenant with seed at interest rates that made the debt repayments exceed the tenant's income.

And bankruptcy is ruled out.

The Tories should look into it pronto.

[chronyx]

Inflated tyre prices are to blame.

[MartinE]

Got keep the debt ponzi rolling.

[ScrewsNutsandBolts]

2013 sounds hard for them... maybe 2014 will be a goodyear.

[erat_forte]

2013 sounds hard for them... maybe 2014 will be a goodyear.

People who get sucked into this must be complete tubes. The blowhards running these schemes obviously like to tread all over them. People should get a grip and cinch down on their finances.

[Saving For a Space Ship]

DON'T THEY SELL PART WORN TYRES IN US ?

[justthisbloke]

DON'T THEY SELL PART WORN TYRES IN US ?

Don't they have bicycles (or feet) in America?

Actually, I've been there - it's almost as if they don't.

[macbeth79]

2013 sounds hard for them... maybe 2014 will be a goodyear.

LOL, you are so cruel.

[Frank Hovis]

I thought it may have been a spoof but:

The tires on their Chevy Silverado were in terrible shape, too dangerous to be used for the long drive to his new job as an industrial painter. But they were such an odd size that the cheapest replacement set cost $1,340 at a regular tire store, far beyond Collins' budget.

So we're not talking the £40 tyres my Escort used to take. I know somebody who spent £2,500 on four tyres for a BMW M3, they can be pretty pricey.

Don't they have bicycles (or feet) in America?

Actually, I've been there - it's almost as if they don't.

Outside of town centres you don't get pavements, and bikes are usually for bike trails. The latter is the same for me here.

And I doubt my neighbours, admittedly elderly, actually walk on the pavement outside their house once a month if that. They're not disabled but they always take the car.

Edited November 4, 2013 by Frank Hovis

[The Knimbies who say No]

How mych do tyres cost in the States? Can't be any more than here. Tyre costs have to be a pretty small overall cost in motoring.

Edit just seen the odd sizes etc. Change rims for a non odd size? Look at sizes before purchase? Crazy, I know.

Edited November 4, 2013 by The B.L.T.

[Executive Sadman]

Looking at those old retro car reviews on triggers flickr page, tyres seem quite cheap now compared to the 1980s (car magazines were actually useful back then and listed the prices of spares and tyres in every review rather than the pile of shite advertizing features with photos in wild locations that most car mags are now) Admittedly tyres were cheaper 5 or so years back, but still no more than the 80s.

[cashinmattress]

And these are supposed to be the most free people on earth, with a culture and society that the rest of the world aspires to.... or at least that's how they play it on TV and movies.

Fookin' fat stupid lazy yanks! Why buy a car that needs $1000 in tyres?

Yanks deserve every bit of hardship they get because they have abandoned their constitution, traded liberty and justice for all for a big gulp and cheap Chinese crap.

Tread all over you! (Sorry to my buds still in the mob)

[Ah-so]

Tyres cost about £60 each. If you need such expensive tyres, get a new car.

[Frank Hovis]

And these are supposed to be the most free people on earth, with a culture and society that the rest of the world aspires to.... or at least that's how they play it on TV and movies.

Fookin' fat stupid lazy yanks! Why buy a car that needs $1000 in tyres?

Yanks deserve every bit of hardship they get because they have abandoned their constitution, traded liberty and justice for all for a big gulp and cheap Chinese crap.

Tread all over you! (Sorry to my buds still in the mob)

In my limited anecdotal experience:

The older, bigger, thirstier models are those that the US dealers struggle to shift. So when somebody with already-stretched credit comes calling who is desperate for a car these are the ones that get offered cheaply. They may only have a choice of 2-3 cars and usually big and thirsty, so they have to take one.

I knew somebody with a Ford Excursion. 9mpg on a good day, 8mpg on a bad.

It was enormous, Ford had discontinued it because it was too big and thirsty even for the States. Bought because it was very cheap.

Mr Pin knows his American cars, he may even have one.

They'd previously had a Chevy Suburban, same reason - cheap:

Obviously the bad news is the cost of fuel and tires, but if they can go on credit too then what the heck!

[chronyx]

Yes when I think 'Suburban', a vehicle just like that comes to mind. Madness.

[MrPin]

In my limited anecdotal experience:

The older, bigger, thirstier models are those that the US dealers struggle to shift. So when somebody with already-stretched credit comes calling who is desperate for a car these are the ones that get offered cheaply. They may only have a choice of 2-3 cars and usually big and thirsty, so they have to take one.

I knew somebody with a Ford Excursion. 9mpg on a good day, 8mpg on a bad.

It was enormous, Ford had discontinued it because it was too big and thirsty even for the States. Bought because it was very cheap.

Mr Pin knows his American cars, he may even have one.

I am afraid I do not have an Excursion yet Frank! I still have a Cadillac! The tyres are only £70 a piece! I had them all replaced last year, because I like some traction!

I believe the garage still had to find someone "special" to buy it though, as they are not popular! And I am very "special"!

[Saving For a Space Ship]

Mr Pin knows his American cars, he may even have one...

I am afraid I do not have an Excursion yet Frank! I still have a Cadillac! The tyres are only £70 a piece! I had them all replaced last year, because I like some traction!

I believe the garage still had to find someone "special" to buy it though, as they are not popular! And I am very "special"!

In true Hpc prepper spirit.. is it this Caddy ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4QgWRycd7I

Edited November 4, 2013 by Saving For a Space Ship

[MrPin]

In true Hpc prepper spirit.. is it this Caddy ?

Certainly part of a Caddy!

Mine has a roof! This looks like a 5th series Seville! Or some remaining parts of it!

Could be a 4th series one like Pauli "Walnuts" Gaultieri had in the Sopranos! His was "unfortunately" beige, like the rest of his life!

Edited November 4, 2013 by MrPin

[Executive Sadman]

In my limited anecdotal experience:

The older, bigger, thirstier models are those that the US dealers struggle to shift. So when somebody with already-stretched credit comes calling who is desperate for a car these are the ones that get offered cheaply. They may only have a choice of 2-3 cars and usually big and thirsty, so they have to take one.

I knew somebody with a Ford Excursion. 9mpg on a good day, 8mpg on a bad.

It was enormous, Ford had discontinued it because it was too big and thirsty even for the States. Bought because it was very cheap.

Mr Pin knows his American cars, he may even have one.

They'd previously had a Chevy Suburban, same reason - cheap:

Obviously the bad news is the cost of fuel and tires, but if they can go on credit too then what the heck!

Ha, I remember the excursion. The bonnet was the same level as my nose, and im 6 foot. I read once its the only vehicle the base engine, a 5.4v8 could be considered 'underpowered' .

[John The Pessimist]

There's a limousine company here in Essex with a white stretch Ford Excursion for hire, in case you need to get in touch with you 'inner white trash'. It'll go from Romford to Chelmsford, but needs to fuel up for the return leg.....

[motch]

So we're not talking the £40 tyres my Escort used to take. I know somebody who spent £2,500 on four tyres for a BMW M3, they can be pretty pricey.

I had a new tyre put on my wheel the other day and that too was around 40 quid. £2500 for four tyres? surely a set of alloys and tyres? christ a few burnouts with the rear wheel drive BMW M3 must cost a bit in burnt rubber.

Tyre prices are weird, a decent 185/60or50 profile tyre not too bad in price, go for a 225/30 or 235 width and they cost shit loads more.

[cybernoid]

So we're not talking the £40 tyres my Escort used to take. I know somebody who spent £2,500 on four tyres for a BMW M3, they can be pretty pricey.

That would have been optional, he could have probably spend a grand for much the same. Not that a grand is cheap, but its not 2,500. There's pricey stuff out there and you can spend a lot if you want, unless you're doing track days and are very skilled you wouldn't know the difference.

Edited November 4, 2013 by cybernoid

[MarkG]

Tyres cost about £60 each. If you need such expensive tyres, get a new car.

The Silverado isn't a car, it's a pickup truck the size of a tank. The tires probably contain at least twice as much rubber as our Civic's.

That said, I did a quick Internet search, and it would appear you can get a set for about $700.

[MrPin]

It was enormous, Ford had discontinued it because it was too big and thirsty even for the States. Bought because it was very cheap.

They were only made for a few years, Frank!

Mr Pin knows his American cars, he may even have one.

They'd previously had a Chevy Suburban, same reason - cheap:

Obviously the bad news is the cost of fuel and tires, but if they can go on credit too then what the heck!

The Suburban was very popular with the larger families, in Saudi Arabia, when I went there 20 years ago! I did have a ride in one. Of course the fuel was 18p a gallon over there then!

I'm not daft enough to need a monster truck, but if I had something large to tow, I would probably get a Toyota!

[MrPin]

There's a limousine company here in Essex with a white stretch Ford Excursion for hire, in case you need to get in touch with you 'inner white trash'. It'll go from Romford to Chelmsford, but needs to fuel up for the return leg.....

I have seen such things, and I do not believe such an extreme "cut and shut" job will be safe!