I went through Tire Rack for my tires, now I'm stuck calling around for prices to mount and balance. I've gotten $54, $56, $68, & $72 so far. Is this about right, or do I keep calling?

Some shops break it down differently. The cheapest around here is pep boys. It's $9.99 to mount & balance per wheel. Valve stems aren't standard and run $1.99-2.99 each extra. I wouldn't trust the ones around here though.

I just had my race tires mounted and balanced locally at a half-way decent shop. They were $65 or so. They broke it down like this... $7.50 a wheel to mount and dismount so $30 total then 7.50 a wheel to spin balance so another $30. Then they charged me a $4.XX shop supplies fee.

I thought $65 was high but I was in a hurry to get them mounted.

Look for a shop with a hunter balancer that puts a load on the tire when it is balanced-supposedly more accurate.

I pay 25bux for just the mount, but my car never gets above 70 w/ those tires on it, balancing is about 10-15bux a wheel. Just make some friends that bust tires for a living, it pays off.

I just paid $85 to mount/balance my tires. The chrome stems were 5 bucks extra that I didn't ask. I'd normally go to the Firestone where I used to work, but that place is no more. I called 3 chain stores, all about $20-$22/wheel around here.

Locally I pay $36 to mount. I don't get new stems and I never pay a disposal fee. Balance is an extra ~$7.50/tire.
You could pay them to mount and then go by your own bubble balancer and weights. balance your own tires, it would pay for itself in the long run.
I bought a harborfreight tire mounting setup on sale for ~$40, I never set it up because I don't have a place in my house to bolt it down to the concrete.
I have tires mounted every 3 months or so, its good to know the tire guy and balancing them yourself would help if you run through enough sets.

When I bought mine, there was an option to see local shops/dealers who would take delivery of the tires and mount and balance them. This area on tirerack also showed the prices at those places. You could probably go back in there and take a look, to get another opinion on price and location.

They didn't have anyone very close to me. I'd really be over my head by time I drove to the places they had suggested.

Wal-Mart. (Don't laugh). $52 for mount and balance. And they will re-balance for free. No problems so far.

I just paid $40 to have four 315/35/17's mounted on 17x11 wheels and balanced (no RoadForce). This did not include installation on the car due to no need. This was a Discount Tire. Of course, I think I got a discount by wearing an Evolution School shirt

i used a local discount regularly for $50. one day i go in and was informed of a policy change. it was now $13.50 each to dismount, and $13.50 each to mount plus balanceing for wheels not even on the car. so i told them to get F'ed. i would use another place before i paid over $100 for mounting tires. last month i went back, and they did it for almost nothing.
i use this place alot, and they know my face there. they are always asking why i don't bring the car in.

At my shop, charges vary. Simple one's no need to worry about damaging anything 10 to 15 if we have to take our time so not to screw up a 400 to 800 dollar rim around 20 to 25. Later John

A local guy used to charge $30 for a set of 4. He bumped to $40 recently.

I have become friends with my local Discount Tire store as well. They charge me $50 as well .....for all 4 tires mounted, perfomance balanced, new valve stems and disposal.

Find a shop and make friends with the owner/manager
......it pays

BTW, I purchase my tires from Tire Rack as well.

There are some very good words of wisdom.

If you can find a Mom & Pop shop, you can probably do better in the long run.

It also helps if you buy your tires through these places for your daily drivers.

The hook up I've found has been doing dismounting, mounting and balancing for $10 a tire.
However, I drop off the tires/wheels a week ahead of time, tell the guy I need them by a certain date and work on them as they have time helps. If they have to bump other customers, then the price goes up.

Yep...or a relative of the family.

I get my tires at cost or slightly above cost and I pay NO mounting and balancing fees.

Of course they get a BIG sponsor site on my dirt track car too.

That is exactly what I have done as well. I always get the same guy at this small shop and pay $50 cash without the need for a receipt. That includes dismount, dispopsal, new valve stems, mount and balance. The balance work has always been impecable and never any damage to the rims. What's funny is how bad this shop looks but a friend introduced me to them and it's been great.

I've got a local shop that does it for $10/tire. Of course I use them for a lot of other work, so they take care of me on things.