I've got a great set of freshly refinished 16x6 fuchs and new tires that will go on whitey. I don't want to take them down to the local tire "department store" where the 16 year old kids are working...under poor supervision most times. My fears are scratches, poor balance, weights on the outside, etc...

I've contacted two shops:
One of them is a local race shop that specializes in Mazda and does some Porsche as well for about $100.
The other shop is a high dollar Euro shop that does excellent work, supports our PCA region, participates in races and DEs, but the cost is $166.40.

Which would you choose and why?

Not sure, I'm cheap so I would go with $100 shop. Also check out the Tire rack website. They have a list a recommended tire shops.

This is the age old problem with nice wheels.

I wouldn't base my decision on price, just go there and make sure they will let you stand over the guy while he is doing the work and let him know you give a shit. Sometimes I give the guy a good tip FIRST so he takes his time.

Also, some of the newer mounting machines are much easier on the wheels, look for the machines with the big teflon rollers.

But new machine or old, its still the guy running it that makes the difference.

dr

That's for sure........

I agree, whichever shop would let me stand over the guy working on the tires and wheels would win. And be sure to let the tire tech know what those rims are worth. He'll definitely be moving slow after that!

Find out what the shop will do if they damage a rim -- replace/repair/tell you to get lost/etc.

don't go to discount tire, that's for sure.

nathan (pissed at discount tire)

if you've got the $66, i'd go to the place that is going out of its way to attract Porsche business by being active in the Porsche community. the prices on Porsche 17" and 18" wheels are staggering, and they aren't ruining very many of those if they're still in business. if they're doing DE, they'll understand why you want to have the balance checked at 100 mph.

when i had my Yoko's mounted & balanced by the local shop the guys at the office use, not only did they -not- tape the inside weights, they'd never heard of it being done. and sure enough, my right front has an unpleasant out-of-balance feeling around 70...

MHO - if the shop is backing the Region, you'll get the difference back somehow. maybe it's an event or some door prizes at an event they sponsor. maybe it's just the advertising in the newsletter.

if the $66 is an issue - and believe me there have been many times in my life when it has been - do what you've gotta, but as always you need to balance benefits with consequences. I don't think $40 a wheel is too much to pay for really good service, especially if the tires you're trying to use are a little wider or narrower than 'normal' ...

My favorite question to ask a new vendor is, "What is the maximum weight you add before you rotate the tire on the rim?" If they look at you like you're on another planet just ignore whatever number they throw out and move on.

ANother term to use is Static balance and dynamic balance. The Hunter machines have two modes. Specify the dynamic and wieghts get taped inside and as far as possible to the outside plane as the spokes allow. or just have them on the outside for the best balance. Should be able to get zero's on the machine inside outside. .25 oz is significant at 100 MPH.

Pay the $66.00 and count yourself lucky. I just dropped off one of Marcie's 16's back at the shop that put tires on it last week. They have ONLY one guy they allow to work on our car, because we put the car in occasional shows and want them to be very careful. I guess he wasn't the only one who worked on it this time. Scratched the lip on one of the wheels. It's in a place where it couldn't be gotten to if a tire was on the rim. The owners response when I had him look at it this morning? "Those scratches are older than I am". Think I'll ever go back to him again? NOPE! Think I'll ever send anybody to him again? NOPE. Be a smarta$$ with me, lose business. It's the second chance I've given him (he scratched up the rims on the 914, no biggie, but I spent a lot of time stripping and painting them to make them look good, until he banged them up). YMMV, just my .02.

Ask them if they will replace any that they damage? Then it's their loss if they screw up.

I guess I am lucky - There is a local shop that does mine that is very careful and places the weights on the inside.

Last set I bought had a mark on the tire to match up with the valve stem hole for balancing. Yokohamas. This guy also does 4 wheel alignments within a hair - $39.00 all cars/trucks. Best alignment shop I know of - hes been doing mine for the last 10 years. Have to call and schedule 2 weeks in adavance....

M