Thought others might be able to use this too, but anyone have recommendations on where to buy snow tires?

I have looked at the venerable Tire Rack, the local Discount Tire Direct, and Costco. Here is a summary of what they have available and at what price:

Dunlop Graspic DS-2 (TR $122ea + $10 ship +$10 roadh +mount ~$155)

Continental ContiWinterContact TS810 (TR $145 +$10s +$15rh+mount~$185)

(DTD $180--inclu shi/rh + Mt ~$200)

Michelin ArcticAlpin (TR $163 + $10s +$15rh + mount ~$ 203)

(DTD $190 + mount ~$210)

(Costco $173+tax ~$190--no rh added)

The most convenient for me is DTD since they are local and do free balancing for the life of the car which simplifies life and makes it cheaper for the future, but the high buy in is killing me. Does anyone have any better recommendations?

They definitely won't be cheap.

The Graspic's are probably the cheapest - Hankook offers two models in that same price range.

Pirelli, Yokohama, Michelin, Toyo, Goodyear, and Bridgestone are all $190+ / tire.

This is where I love 155/80R13.

I am leaning towards these as they are local and seemingly reasonable.

Hankook W300 $500 installed + tax

Dunlop Graspic DS-2 $560 installed + tax

Baitey Tire Service out of NC has awesome pricing

i got an 800 number around ehre somewhere

Car and driver did a tire test.

Goodyear came in 1st and they were average priced.

Check out ebay as well.

Also, think I found a set of barley used (and local) Nokian Hakkapilita 2's. Supposed to be killer snows according to a couple rally sites. My only reservation on these is they are used, they are only 225/45/17 going onto an 8.5" rim and they were run on an M3 one season. Guess I will have to go and look at 'em.

Stupid Hakka's were worn out, went with the cheap ass Hankook's for two reasons: V speed rating and 97 load (my car is heavy) which should make them handle okay and hopefully last a while. I would like them to be the last tires that I mount on the 17" throwing stars. Now I get to look for a rim/tire combo for spring!