I received my snows from Tire Rack on Wednesday and just installed them on the car last night. What I got was the following:

4 Dunlop Winter Sport M3 - 215/55-17;
4 Sport Edition D2 alloy wheels;
4 centering rings;
20 wheel lugs;
1 22" Valeo wiper;
1 18" Valeo wiper;
2 PIAA wipers (for my buddy's Marauder)

The tires were mounted and Hunter Roadforce balanced, so it was all ready to install. Only problem I had was that one of the centering rings wouldn't fit over the passenger side, rear hub, so I have to go see a tire shop about that. Otherwise everything is great.

Tire Rack shipped last Monday, so to have the whole setup by Wednesday was amazing (South Bend Indiana to Guelph). Keep in mind, I requested their standard shipping, not UPS Express (UPS Express was $500USD more )

So, here is the breakdown:

All in USD
4 alloy wheels - $368
4 215/55-17 Dunlop M3's - $536
4 wipers - $88
Shipping - $143.60

Total = $1135.60 USD

Convert to Canadian = $1345.91 CDN

What UPS charged at the door - $337.23 CDN

Final total - $1683.14 CDN

Remember, the above total includes $100 worth of wipers and associated taxes, so my tire/wheel cost = about $1550 CDN.

All in all, an interesting experience and one that I won't mind repeating in the future.

My 30 minute drive on the M3's leave me with the following impressions:

- very nice ride - not mushy at all;
- quiet - can hear them sucking up the pavement only at very low speed cornering in a parking lot;
- handling that is very similar to the RSA's that came with my sedan - I know there's a bit of a break in required, so I expect that to change slightly;
- no vibration/shake or humming at all

Other than having a round of golf to play tomorrow, I'm ready for the winter. Let's have it ol' man winter!!!

Oh, I'll post some pics once I get the CF adapter back.

Albert

 

Excellent price Albert, I often wondered what it would be like dealing with tire rack and the accociated costs involved. Thanks for the report.

 

Sounds like a great set up. Amazing how one can feel like a kid actually looking forward to snow when you've got some new toys to play with.

That seems to be a good price and excellent service. I'm surprised everything cleared the border so quickly. In my business I receive a lot of goods from the US- Colorado and Detroit and it takes at least 5-6 days using standard, but that's a greater distance of course.

 

Great feedback Albert. A resounding + for Tirerack.

(LOL, I still won't support the rush for winter tho....UGGGG)
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*a quick side note.....please, more info on the big Merc. -- old, new, modded, pictures....
Sorry for the off topic......you'd think I'd know better....

Muchos Gr.
Colin

 

Did you have to pay any fees for customs? I know in the past when I ordered something from the US it's the charges that Canada cutoms wants that doesn't always make it worth it.

 

If you're a fan of the Marauder, I think you'll enjoy this vid.

http://www.wessumner.com/videos/mosportseaofmadness.wmv

Right click, save as...it's a big vid.

 

Great vid man, TNX ......It was music to my ears..... My Dad would have loved one of those......he had many full sized Galaxies, Mercs, & Crown Vics, but nothing quite that performance oriented.

I'd like to see the followup vid with the TT fitted and some mega ponies.
Still it didn't do so badly with its 1000lb weight disadvantage did it?

Thanks again Shane.

Colin

 

I need to get the customs paperwork / UPS bill from UPS as they didn't leave a copy. Sorry that I don't have the breakdown.

I do recall that the place of origin for the various items were:

tires - Germany
rims - Italy
wipers (Valeo) - Japan

So, I think that this was worst case scenario as duty would have been imposed on all items. If I remember correctly, auto parts get assessed 3%, but I might be way off on that. I'll post the bill when I get it (assuming that UPS will fax that to me).

Albert

 

I hear ya' Colin. Winter can bugger off for a couple weeks anyway...

My buddy's Marauder is a 2003. It's in great condition as he hardly ever drives it (it's got about 12,000 kms on it) Big, floaty, loads of room - but my biggest gripe is that it has no dead pedal. Your foot just kinda hunts around for somewhere to go and can't find anything - really annoying, actually.

Fun car when you stand on it, though...

Albert

 

Great vid..
WOW that Merc was doing some serious haulin'

 

Thanks Shane,
Wow, that thing was impressive. It looked very stable and had real nice sound. Akrus, your buddy knows how to drive that thing. On the video he was never out of shape. I've seen one or two of them around here.
What the h... do those have for power??

Deane

 

Deane, I read somewhere that those have the hotted up version of the 4.6...about 300 hp. but I can't remember if they're the cobra (DOHC) engine or not.
Seems to me too, that they only come in black. Anyone know details.???

C.

 

Glad you guys enjoyed the vid. No clue what the specs of the car are though - the driver's just someone I've talked to a couple of times at events.

 

That's about what I thought Colin. I knew it was the 4.6 but I wondered if it was SC. Yes any colour as long as it was black. Old Henry will be resting well hearing that.

My dad has had several Crown Vic police interceptors including a '96 now. They only have the 4.6 with 225 hp but about 270 torque but they may be a bit power under rated. Everything else is heavy duty from the frame, suspension, drive train, cooling. It moves pretty well and get about 28 mph highway.

I actually got my drivers license with a '72 Plymouth Fury 440 Interceptor he had back in '76. That thing had incredible power and torque that I loved as a 16 year old... until I got my 428 CJ Torino a few months later

 

LOL, Coincidentally, someone closeby to me in Cambridge has a visitor from Florida who's driving a Marauder.....Might have to see what they can tell me.

Those big blocks (Fury and C/J) were nice rides too. Pretty fast for first cars..

C.