BOSTON TIRES
Tires can be expensive, especially if you need to replace a whole set. They are a very important investment, of course, for your own safety. The best prices on new tires, from Mr. C’s research, are at the large chains (no pun intended there); you’ll have to shop around and see who’s best for the size and grade of tire you want. Again, check the newspapers (usually in the sports section) for current sales.
Some of the likely places to try for good rates are:
Cambridge Tire Centers Dedham Wholesale Tires
290 Albany St, Cambridge; (617)
5218 Washington St, West 864-7575 Roxbury; (617) 325-6600
And other suburban locations
Liner Tire
144 Boylston St, Brookline; (617)
232-4869
Merchants Tire Company
1299 Boylston St, Boston; (617) 267-9200
And other suburban locations
National Tire Warehouse
201 Cambridge St, Allston; (617) 783-8212
21 Needham St, Newton; (617) 244-1313
1675 V.F.W. Pkwy. West Roxbury; (617)469-2600
And other suburban locations
Sullivan Tire
950 Commonwealth Ave. Boston; (617)731-2200
And other suburban locations
RETREADS
Another money-saver on tires, by the way, is retreads. This process puts a brand-new layer of grooves onto a worn-out tire. Many places keep retreads in stock, offering a fairly large selection of tires which cost about half the price of new; they can cost as little as $15 or $25 apiece. Of course, they won’t take you as far; they are good for twenty thousand miles or so, about half the life expectancy of new economy-level tires. But, if you’re short of cash at the moment, or plan to sell your car soon, this can be a good interim move.
Along with smaller selections at local gas stations, the major retread dealer in Boston is:
Dorchester Tire Service
1160 Dorchester Ave. Dorchester; (617) 436-0900 Very good service, friendly guys (We kill you with kindness), and tires mounted while-you-wait from their large stock. DTS retreads are guaranteed against defects for the life of the tire, a pledge you won’t always findeven on new tires. Open weekdays from 7 A.M. to 5 p.m. Saturdays from 7-12 noon.