I've learned that the only cars I should take to Discount, Merchant's, etc, are ones I don't care too much about. That means the Saturn since it's a daily beater and wifey already curb-rashed those wheels, and the 4runner since the OEM steelies need a repaint anyway. They actually haven't damaged my wheels (yet) but they have done some iffy balance jobs, and their alignment techs don't seem to have a clue. And they once raised the Satty without verifying that their lift pads were under the pinch welds, which is pretty important on a car with plastic body panels. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

My new blingin Miata wheels get mounted & balanced at a racer/ricer shop with a Corghi Artiglio Master "touchless" tire changer machine. Supposedly it's the machine Ferrari dealers use, although that shop doesn't charge me what Ferrari probably would. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> $30/tire for mounting and balancing, and they do a precision balance with another Corghi machine. In the grand scheme of things, it's not too much more than the cheaper tire places ($50 more for the set?) when you consider what a set of good wheels & tires costs, and their work is meticulous.

Reuben, I've probably asked you before, but what size are those Volks of yours, 13"? I imagine it would be difficult to make a 15" that light with any reasonable amount of structural integrity. [/threadjack]