Michelin Tires from Sams Club. Any different?

Are they all the same whether they are from Sams or A plus tire?

 

If all the numbers on the tires are they same I would say they are the same.

 

When I asked the manager if he could price match Sams he said no because his Michelin tire rep told him there was a difference. He couldn’t tell me what the difference was.
Reckon I’ll just call Michelin.

 

I get mine there or Costco every time. Are they different, probably. Do they ride great and go 70k miles? Yes sir.

 

Probly no difference he just doesn’t want to lose money. That why he wouldn’t tell you the difference.

 

The myth that Walmart and/or Sams sells "different" versions of the same product is asinine.

 

Not as asinine as you may think. It may not be done today, but it most definitely was when I was in retail back in the 70s and 80s. There was a good reason for it back then, not so much now. So not a myth.

 

Nope, don't believe it

 

I'm sure you've been wrong before so you should be used to it.

 

lol

I prefer Costco, as a company the QUALITY of the employees work is well above par.

 

Lol ok bubba

 

How did you know my nickname? lol

 

It wasnt hard to figure out lmao

 

Really? I mean, they only do tires and batteries. Splitting hairs I say. It's not like they're doing engine repair.

 

IMO....They are as about as different as the name brand Laptops and TV's sold at Best Buy and same name brand Laptops and TV's sold at the huge furniture outlet in your area (NFM here in KC). They won't price match because one number in the MFG# is different when every other spec is the exact same. Basically the same thing going on there. The volume that Walmart buys from Michelin is so much more than anyone else, plus they control their own shipping costs by handling their own distribution between locations, that they get better pricing and I'd assume special runs of same exact tires everywhere else. Sure someone could undercut them but at that point they might be making a 5-10% GPM on the tires and it's not worth it. Factor in the labor costs and they might break even depending what they charge for mounting and balancing.

 

Costco does have some "Costco exclusive" Michelin tires. Tires that are made for and sold by only Costco. But Costco also has regular Michelin's.

 

Here's an example. This is the "normal" Michelin tire sold at Costco (and popular with a lot of us).




This is the "club exclusive" tire. Nearly identical to the "normal" version above. I don't know what the difference is.

 

Maybe the club exclusive tire is the same exact tire, but allows Costco more control over pricing?

 

They probably change it by different letter placements or maybe just a millimeter more tread or gap hear and there. One does appear a tad bit more squared off on the edges.

 

I've looked at them both in the store and they're identical in all aspects as far as I can visibly discern (aside from the labeling of names).

 

I honestly don’t think that there is anything different with the tires if they are all made by the same manufacturer. I do know that some big box retailers have contracts with manufacturers to supply them specific products at certain prices where the retailer can be competitive in the marketplace. Such items may come with different model numbers and such, but, that’s only for tracking purposes.

Best Buy for instance, enter into specific contracts with manufacturers of some computer brands. The only difference between Best Buy’s computers and that of some others is the model numbers. Both Best Buy and the manufacturers used the model numbers to track sales. It is especially important to Best Buy, because they use those tracking information in their negotiations with manufacturers in order to get the best deals possible.

 

Because....

 

Because....

 

I think this is a reasonable explanation for “The Difference”
Thanks for actually putting some though into your answer. I applaud you sir.

 

So...Ive decided to go with an independent tire dealer who is $35 more costly for what most of us feel are probably the same tires for seversl reasons.
1) My experiences with Sams in the past when it comes to having simple mechanical jobs done has been less than satisfactory.
2) The independent is more likely to value the quality of their work as their reputation is key to their survival.
3) It pains me to watch a mechanic use an impact to install my 80 lb/ft lug nuts!

I’ll pay a very small percentage more for what I believe to be a little better performance from the mechanic.

And a “thank you for your business” goes a long way with me. I dont get that from from the big box stores very often.

Thanks guys. I appreciate the responses.

 

Agreed. When we can't get a confirmation as to the differences in tires... an additional $35 is insignificant when you're spending $700-900.

 

I've purchased several sets of MS2's and Defenders from Costco because the guys at Costco can never tell me anything about the difference between those tires and the "club exclusives". The price difference is minimal. So I simply buy the "normal" Michelin.

 

$991.60 to be exact out the door price no alignment
However I did get the chance to mail in for $70 rebate which ive found to be a crap shoot as well. I hate wasting my time dealing with this crap!

 

You're welcome...first time for everything right? The cost accountant side of me took over for a brief moment.

 

Yes. Lowes and H.D. do this same thing on appliances. One number or letter difference in the model #. Dont have to price match.