I need to buy tires for my car, but this is the first time I am buying tires. I have offers from Sullivan Tires and Town fair tires. Sullivan tires is offering me YOKOHAMA AVID TRZ for $70.87 (with 13.99 for balancing and $60 for alignment) while The Town fair tire is offering me BRIDGESTONE INSIGNIA SE200 for $72.00/tire (with 12.95 for balancing and front alignment INCLUDED). Which TIRE / DEAL should I go for? I will really appreciate any suggestions since I am completely new with this tire buying thing.
Out of the 2, I would go with the Yokohamas: they have better stats, warranty, and are good all season tires. Look at your driving conditions before deciding, there are other tires that may fit your needs better for the same price. I had some yokos before, a different type though, and they wore well, and lasted quite a while. I have Goodyear Assurance Triple Tred tires now and they are amazing in all conditions, but a bit more expensive $125. Balancing is rarely included in the price. An alignment is not necessary when replacing tires unless there are signs of uneven wear due to the alignment. There is a certain type of wear associated with alignment issues, and another for the tires not being rotated. Google 'tire wear patterns' to see what issue you may have, to ensure you are not being taken advantage of, research is the best way to be well informed. However, if you do need an alignment--because the vehicle is wearing tires non-uniformly, or the vehicle drifts to the side when you let go of the steering wheel, etc., then get one so you do not eat through your tires. If they don't last as long as they should, they may not honor the warranty the tire due to operator error.
I think Yokohamas are better tires. You get what you pay for with alignment. Read the small print. You should get front and rear alignment at the same time. $60 is a bargain if that's front and rear. When they check your alignment you will see that your wheels are nor aligned anymore. Every pothole and speedbump you've hit over the years has messed with the alignment. You will get better tire wear and driveability with the wheels aligned.
I had to buy tires last year and I went through the same thing. Since I don't know anything useful about the different tire brands, I started by looking at the tires in the price range I was limited to. Then from there, I looked at the warranty for each tire I looked at. I also checked my cars' manual to make sure I got the right size. Then, I looked at what was included. If the Bridgestone tires have a warranty you are comfortable with, I woudl go with those since the alignment is included. You woudl think the balancing would be included as well but every place has its' own deals. My car did not need an alignment when I bought the tires, and now that there are 20k miles on them, I still don't need one. To answer your original question, you need an alignment when you drive down a straight road and take your hands off the wheel, and your car does not continue moving straight. OR If you step on the brakes, the car tries to pull either left or right.
