Tirerack now using FedEx Ground. Hoping for the best.

I ordered tires for the Celica after work yesterday, been a couple years.  They confirmed the order by text this morning because I ordered slightly off-OEM sizes, which I appreciate.  They said excellent, we'll process the order.

A few hours ago I got a text and email saying the order shipped, here's your receipt.  It included two tracking numbers for FedEx Ground (versus UPS).

I always have them ship to work and take home, versus sitting on my front lawn all day.  Our UPS driver knows us well and jokes about my car habits.  Last time he asked if I wanted to just throw in my car from his truck, saving us a trip.  Our FedEx ground people are terrible.  We get new people routinely, it looks like FedEx says "here's a scanner thingy and truck keys, get busy" for training.

Recently we've had them not even come here to pick up shipments.  They've not brought stuff, they brought someone else's package recently.  Try to pick up regular FedEx (sep from Ground).  And our semi-current guy wants to do anything in the world EXCEPT actually come pick up packages (he calls hours early every day because he wants to go home at 1pm).

So our UPS driver just warned me the two shipments listed will likely show up different days.  I'm just hoping all 4 tires show up by EOD Thursday so I can hit Tire Discounters for our favorite SCCA member to mount for me.

I always have them shipped directly to the place that is going to mount them. 

The ones I ordered a couple weeks back were delivered just fine.  Guy even helped my sister put them in her shed out back till I could get up there

I worry about the item when it's shipped by UPS, when it's shipped by FedEx I worry about what that's going to do to my wallet.

Also be aware that since Tire Rack and Discount Tire are now the same company, you can have your tires delivered to any of their locations.

Tire Rack loyalist here, but recently...

Tire Rack sez:  backordered until May 10.  3 events in April, so off to Discount Tire. 

"We might not get them until tomorrow afternoon", they say.  Then they mount and balance 4 tires for well under a Benjamin.

It felt like cheating on a girlfriend.  

In reply to bludroptop :

Cheating on a girlfriend?

At most, your sleeping with her sister, but they might be Siamese twins?

https://www.discounttire.com/customer-service/tire-rack-always-full

I just got 4 tires, next day (!) from Tire Rack via UPS last week.

If it goes via FedEx next go round, I heartily share your concerns and will be tempted to shop elsewhere. FedEx is absolutely atrocious in my area. Fake delivery attempts, prefer to use my yard to turn around vs the driveway, universally a day later than tracking shows. Just bad.

Well, they showed up. :)

Ordered wheels/tires for the WRX last week, said delivery on Friday.  Cool, another weekend project.  Then of course FedEx brought three, while the missing wheel hung out in IL for some reason.

Tirerack asked for a survey, I let them know FedEx was a terrible idea.  They did give me a $50 refund, which I didn't expect, so there's that.  I didn't want a credit, I wanted them to go back to UPS that has a much better track record (at least it seems).  The missing wheel did show up yesterday.

I've bought probably $15k worth of tires and parts from Tire Rack in the last 10 years, but a switch to FedEx takes them off my list of vendors. FedEx around here is absolutely terrible. They can not deliver to my office during business hours with enough reliability for me to buy from any company that uses them exclusively. I will pay more from somewhere that uses UPS. 

Bad move Tire Rack. 

After fedex got dumped by the usps for air mail they've been scrambling for revenue.  I'm sure they're out there dropping prices across the board. 

In reply to Toyman! :

I'll need snow tires this winter for the WRX (& maybe rallycross), I really don't know if I'll continue with Tirerack.

I just let Discount tire order what I want and show up when they call.  The only trouble I ever had with them was when I wanted to put some 205/50-15's on 8" wheels for my Miata.  They refused to do it because the Continental catalog said 7.5" max.    So I went down the street to National Tire and Battery and they ordered the tires for me and mounted them no problem.

When I was leaving Discount Tire the guy says "I'll still sell you the tires and you can get somewhere else to mount them".   ( I laughed at him and walked away)

bludroptop said:

Tire Rack loyalist here, but recently...

Tire Rack sez:  backordered until May 10.  3 events in April, so off to Discount Tire. 

"We might not get them until tomorrow afternoon", they say.  Then they mount and balance 4 tires for well under a Benjamin.

It felt like cheating on a girlfriend.  

We went to Discount Tire recently to replace my wife's tires. They said they couldn't get the tires for 3 days. I ordered off TireRack to be delivered to Discount Tire the next morning. Felt more like doing self checkout where you are doing their job for them. 

I had a package being delivered by fedex that (unexpectedly) required a signature. I'm not home during the day and tried to get it re-routed (to a hold center), which seems like a reasonable thing someone should be able to do. Tried using my fedex account, the website chat, and a handful of phone calls, no dice. They've made it impossible (as far as I can tell) to talk to a person. None of the standard tricks (using "get a human", pressing various numbers, requesting a representative, swearing, yelling, etc.) got me anywhere. Want to try and not provide a tracking number? it just hangs up on you. Once you provide a tracking number, it gives you an update then hangs up. Worthless. It's a new level of berkeley you to the customer.

One way to avoid this is to use the mobile installation service. They deliver the tires to your house and install them on your car, in your driveway, on your schedule. It's marginally more expensive than a normal tire shop but without the hassle of driving to and waiting on a tire shop. I've done it a few times now and it's awesome. And they used an actual torque wrench.

Fupdiggity said:

I had a package being delivered by fedex that (unexpectedly) required a signature. I'm not home during the day and tried to get it re-routed (to a hold center), which seems like a reasonable thing someone should be able to do. Tried using my fedex account, the website chat, and a handful of phone calls, no dice. They've made it impossible (as far as I can tell) to talk to a person. None of the standard tricks (using "get a human", pressing various numbers, requesting a representative, swearing, yelling, etc.) got me anywhere. Want to try and not provide a tracking number? it just hangs up on you. Once you provide a tracking number, it gives you an update then hangs up. Worthless. It's a new level of berkeley you to the customer.

I recently had that issue with a business package I was trying to ship out.  It was 52 lbs, the max weight for the local drop offs was 50 so they wouldn't accept it.  Fair enough.  I tried to call the number to find out I could drop it off at the local distribution center, but I couldn't figure out how to talk to a human.  I don't think they have support anymore?  

This is why I use UPS.

Toyman! said:

I've bought probably $15k worth of tires and parts from Tire Rack in the last 10 years, but a switch to FedEx takes them off my list of vendors. FedEx around here is absolutely terrible. They can not deliver to my office during business hours with enough reliability for me to buy from any company that uses them exclusively. I will pay more from somewhere that uses UPS. 

Bad move Tire Rack. 

 

I haven't bought that many tires, but on your second point, wholeheartedly agree. I pay the upcharge for any shipping method other than FedEx, and if a seller (rare) only offers FedEx, I purchase elsewhere. They're that bad in my area. 

It's really a luxury to be a racer who lives 20 minutes from the Tirerack distribution center and can do local pickup.

Our RE just posted this minutes ago...

maschinenbau said:

One way to avoid this is to use the mobile installation service. They deliver the tires to your house and install them on your car, in your driveway, on your schedule. It's marginally more expensive than a normal tire shop but without the hassle of driving to and waiting on a tire shop. I've done it a few times now and it's awesome. And they used an actual torque wrench.

Sadly the mobile installation crews in my area were shuttered after the TR/DT merger.  I agree it was worth the small cost differential.

jharry3 said:

I just let Discount tire order what I want and show up when they call.  The only trouble I ever had with them was when I wanted to put some 205/50-15's on 8" wheels for my Miata.  They refused to do it because the Continental catalog said 7.5" max.  

I've had good luck with my local Discount mounting 205's on 8's by giving them loose wheels...no car.

In reply to Andy Hollis :

I couldn't get my local tire store to mount Hoosiers on anything. Their statement was that's not the stock tire size and they have no tread. 

I mentioned race tires for track use only and that was it. Hard no. 

That's why I have tire machines. 

The good news is, I don't care where my tires come from. I just need a decent price and great service. Tire Rack used to be the go-to place for both of those. 

I'm kind of sad that will no longer be the case solely due to the shipping company they have chosen to represent them. 

The good news is, that I can still use their outstanding website to pick sizes and manufacturers. I'll just order elsewhere. 

Our business gets deliveries by FedEx and UPS, and we've not really had issues receiving things from FedEx. As a shipper though, berk FedEx. Multiple times they have taken the shipment and priced it based on the size and weight of the package only to chagre me a considerable amount more a week later. I've disputed charges both times it happened.

Ordered some wheels and tires yesterday, they were on my driveway mounted and balanced today before noon...

Delaware to Maryland shipping.