R e z i n

Many owners of the Ford Transit Connect have run into the same issue when they go to try to get tires. Although the vehicle calls for XL load range tires, all the tire shops will tell you that they will not install them and will only put LT range tires on the van. This has happened to me at multiple tire chains, including Town Fair, Firestone, and Discount Tire. Some shops have gone on so far as to tell me that my vehicle will not pass inspection with XL load range tires. This is absolutely false. I don’t believe it’s an intentional upsell, but rather a misunderstanding by a lot of the retail employees.

If you own one of these vans, and a tire shop tries to pull this on you, the first place to check is the sticker inside the door. If the sticker calls for XL load range, no tire shop can really argue against that. Many tire shops have argued this point, and it has cost me a lot more for tires because I didn’t just think to point to the proof right on my van.

If they still try to tell you it’s their company policy or some such BS, they need to be reported for trying to rip people off. LT range tires are severe overkill for this van.

How excessive are LT tires for this van, you may ask? Every vehicle has a weight limit by law.

This vehicle is rated for a total of 5270lbs. The XL range tires I bought are rated at 1609lbs each. Exceeding the XL tire load range would mean the van was ridiculously overloaded. The LT tires I once had forced on me by Firestone are rated for 3195lbs each. That would mean the van would only need one tire for each axle fully loaded! The van physically cannot even use the extra load capacity. The LT Tires also way more which is gonna have a negative effect on fuel economy, and wear and tear on the vehicle.

So let’s say you’ve been through all this with the person at the tire shop and they still won’t install your tires. There’s always one more option, and that’s to bring your wheels and loose. Unfortunately, they charge you the same amount of money for the mount and balance, except for you have to do a significant amount of labor. It’s still better than paying over twice as much as you need to for tires that don’t work for your vehicle. I hope this information helps somebody so they don’t have to go through that process and can get through the gatekeepers at the tire shop. I was recently able to put a brand new set of tires on my van with 3yr road hazard for $105/tire out the door. You shouldn’t have to spend $700-$800 for a set of tires for this van, but they will try to get you every single time! Being an informed, consumer makes a huge difference! For more tips on how to save and make money check out http://rezin.party!