[Remaxmac]

I am newly widowed, and shortly before my husband died he discovered there were 3 nails in our tires. He tried to have them patched/fixed but the back driver side tire needs air ever couple days. This was my husband's car and is something my husband handled as I know absolutely NOTHING about tires (so please talk to me like I'm an idiot, which I am!).

Apparently the BMW dealer told him there were no all-season tires available for our car and that replacing the tires would be in the $3550 range for winter RFTs (Scorpion Winter RFT XLBW 275/40R21 on front and Scorpion Winter RFT XLBW 315/35R21/111V on the back). I live in the SF Bay Area and have a cabin in Tahoe so I would prefer all-season tires. I'd prefer not to deal with two sets of tires either (i.e. winter/summer).

My question is whether I can buy all-season tires somewhere else for the car and have them installed without jeopardizing the warranty? What do I need to know about replacement tires if I don't buy them through BMW?

Does the price for the Scorpion winter tires sound high? Sounds high to me!

Would these tires be safe to drive year round? I should add that I don't drive much, and most of the miles would be to Tahoe (year round). We do get rain in the Bay Area lately.

Any help would be appreciated. I'm lost.

[typedcl]

Yes, you can buy tires elsewhere and have them installed without affecting the warranty. In the Bay Area, I would go with Costco (if you have a membership) or America's Tire if you're looking for a reputable big name.

At those places you can pre-order your tires online and then book an appointment to get them installed. The websites will show you what is available for your car. If you need help picking, you can post here again once you see the options.

Do you drive when it snows (heavily) in Tahoe? If so, all seasons might not work for you. I got a extra set for snow tires this past year; it became useful when local streets were not plowed.

If you ever need to take the highways when Caltrans declares R-2, snow tires will save you from putting on chains.

Though some snow tires are not as good in warmer weather, they are generally safe. The main disadvantage of winter tires is (generally) they tend to wear out faster.