On Mon, 29 Apr 2019 18:02:32 -0000 (UTC), Arlen G. Holder wrote:

As for savings, with this "new costco math", the savings, in 5 years, a
o $450 at Costco for 30 tires minus $200 for tools = savings of only $250

If we add the dynamic balance check, the math becomes:
o $250 minus $20 = about $225 (I'm rounding numbers for easy math)

Oooops. The math may be off a bit as it was off the cuff above, but the
math isnt' the main reason you get satisfaction out of being self
sufficient, just as the math in the enjoyment of composting isn't in the
saving you might get from having a smaller garbage pail.

IMHO, if we want to talk savings, I suspect the real savings are that you
can choose any tire you like when you buy the lowest priced best-quality
tires at a reputable outlet such as "SimpleTire", which, alone, saves you a
ton of money where they don't charge sales tax or shipping most of the time
in addition to having great prices, and _then_ you can mount them yourself,
or, you can have Costco mount & balance them for $15, or, you can have
Costco just balance them for $5.

The point is that most people make excuses when the reality always seems to
be that they just don't like getting their hands dirty on this job, where
the main reason for doing a home repair like this is, IMHO, the
satisfaction of being self sufficient and in doing the job right (e.g.,
metal valves, heavy spot properly placed, fewest wheel weights, etc.).

There are other ancillary advantages, e.g., you can fix things when stores
are closed, you can do them in your pajamas without having to wait in lines
at the shop, you can fix things that they might not touch, e.g., nearer to
the shoulder than they might fix or more worn than they might touch, etc.,
all of which are adult decisions YOU can make, and not them (as long as
you're aware of the RMA guidlines which we all presumably are well aware
of).

You can even patch a leak from the outside, if you do it at home, where
nobody here is likely to be insisting they never did that in their life!


In short, most of what I hear from people as to why they don't like doing
their homework is from people who have _never_ done it.

The ones who have never done it always seem to have the mnost excuses.
o When the fact is that it's trivially easy to mount/balance at home.

As far as I know, only Clare has done it, and he is clear that he doesn't
like doing it, particulrly with ****ty equipment, where I don't disagree
and where I applaud his honesty.