AxleHub:
I am sure that you can buy RimGuard in Western Wiscosin for your $2.50 price.
Problem is; not everybody lives in Western Wisconsin.
I called two Rimguard dealers, and that is how I arrived at the $450+ price
$3.23 per gal. plus 6.25% sales tax, plus $75 per tire to install (dealer quoted numbers) plus my cost to drive 170 miles round trip - to the closer of the two dealers.
It would be 1400+ miles for me to drive to Western Wisconsin to buy RimGuard.
That is a bit too far for me!
Greetings fried,
My post was not about western wi pricing BUT it was an example that rimguard is not a set price and it needs some detail and determination to achieve apples and apples comparison.
1. I contacted a total of 5 rimguard providers. My 4th contact was the highest and my 5th contact was the cheapest. I got 4 of the 5 names/numbers directly from rimguard. Their website encourages you to email them for dealer locations and to answer your questions. I assume you contacted them early on and they gave you the two names you have. My point is more effort may reward you.
2. 2 of the 5 I contacted would sell me the rimguard directly so I could self install at my location (1 of the 2 was my 5th and cheapest contact). Again, buying www from lowes and hauling it home and self installing doesn't fairly compare to rimguard with dealer installation included. Your time and effort has a value and both products would require similar tools and efforts.
All I'm saying is, if rimguard only gave you 2 names to check . . You're being short changed in your efforts. And lets not forget that 30% more weight is like getting 30 % more product too for your calculations.
Your decision doesn't impact me at all and you are certainly welcome to doing whatever you desire . . . but public message boards like this one allow us all to be teachers and examples to those who don't post.
3. Just be aware that in self installing the www to save money . . that option will require a level of safety that rimguard will not require. You can get splashed with rimguard or bathe in it and you'll just get messy. But if the same thing would happen with the www, you could (I didn't say "would") end up going to walk-in at the local clinic/hospital as my friend did when they worked with a similar component found in www.
Lastly, I think it would be great for you to come to WI and see what our area has to offer . . but rimguard pricing probably isn't enough to justify it