Wal-Mart tires service great again!

I know, what would really change since last night's wonderful experience? Pretty much nothing. I got up this morning at 6:30AM and pulled the rear tires off Friday. The driver's side rear was in fact separated and badly bulged. It's probably a miracle I didn't blow it at speed and really do some damage. In my defense, after the vibration started I probably didn't put another 15 miles on it and half of that was taking it home that day and from then on at reduced speeds. Of course I knew it was coming and had been seriously researching VW Bus and Vanagon tires. When kiddo was helping me with the CV joints she told me she could see steel belts.After taking a look myself I knew the old BF Goodrich's on it were not long for the reclamation pile and had been rationing the driving since then. But all that's history now, I drove with the new unmounted tires and the old tires on the rims to Wal-Mart and awaited the 7AM opening of the lube & tire express. Within 20 minutes I was walking the store while waiting for the work to be done. Cost today $28.75, perfectly matching Gary's note of $57.50 for a set of four (from a few days ago). And that's lifetime balance too folks, a big selling point when a tire retailer wants $17.50 per tire or some other high price for the same effort. It could be me living life on the edge, but I've never had a tire set rotated or rebalanced, it's pretty much a one shot deal for me. Of course in talking, the attendant at the counter asked if I just wanted one time balancing, I should have said yes just to find out what the cost was. Oh well, opportunity missed.

-Rob 'I got wheels' D.