Why does everyone take the TPMS sensors out of their take-off wheels?

[Flot]

I'm trying to buy a set of new take-off wheels.

About 80% of the sets I see (we're talking brand new tires and wheels, some allegedly removed with less than 50 miles) have had the tpms sensors removed. Which also means the set is no longer balanced.

I don't get it. This reduces the value of the wheels to me by $150 or more - since now I have to buy sensors, have the tires dismounted, sensors installed, tires re-mounted (let's hope they don't scratch a rim) re-balanced, etc. But as far as I can tell, a new set of OEM sensors is like $60-70, and they could be installed in a minute when putting your new wheels and tires together. Which should be a $$ labor savings to you as well. In fact, once the factory tire has been unseated - I may as well just go buy rims, sensors, and tires separately.

Is it just that tire shops would rather charge the labor to scavenge the old sensors vs buying a new set? Is it that nobody can figure out which sensors to buy?

TL;DR: If you're taking off your brand new wheels and tires, please leave the sensors in them, they're worth more that way.

 

[djevox]

Something I learned a long time ago is worrying about others’ actions is a futile effort.

 

[Flot]

Something I learned a long time ago is worrying about others’ actions is a futile effort.

LOL, well my real point is: Hey, if you want to sell your wheels for top dollar to another Ram owner, leave the sensors in.

 

[Idahoktm]

Discount Tire quoted me $40 per wheel for sensors. Based on that, I bet most people don't realize that you can buy a set for $45 on eBay.

 

[SD Rebel]

I'm trying to buy a set of new take-off wheels.

About 80% of the sets I see (we're talking brand new tires and wheels, some allegedly removed with less than 50 miles) have had the tpms sensors removed. Which also means the set is no longer balanced.

I don't get it. This reduces the value of the wheels to me by $150 or more - since now I have to buy sensors, have the tires dismounted, sensors installed, tires re-mounted (let's hope they don't scratch a rim) re-balanced, etc. But as far as I can tell, a new set of OEM sensors is like $60-70, and they could be installed in a minute when putting your new wheels and tires together. Which should be a $$ labor savings to you as well. In fact, once the factory tire has been unseated - I may as well just go buy rims, sensors, and tires separately.

Is it just that tire shops would rather charge the labor to scavenge the old sensors vs buying a new set? Is it that nobody can figure out which sensors to buy?

TL;DR: If you're taking off your brand new wheels and tires, please leave the sensors in them, they're worth more that way.

Probably because the original owner is more concerned about getting their new wheels/tires put on, they find it easier to just have their original sensors swapped out during the purchase and installation of their new wheels/tires.

Their old stuff is an afterthought, though usually anyone buying a takeoff set of wheels and tires that require sensors already have their existing wheels/tires that have sensors they are going to swap in anyways. The buyer of the take-offs will now have to pay to switch out the sensors, but that's why you usually get a discount price vs ones with sensors.

I've been on the mid-level trim wanting higher level OEM wheels many times, and each time my base wheels already had the sensors I needed, and I would pay Discount Tire for their Lifetime Rotate & Balance and Roadside Warranty package, they usually throw in the sensor swap for free. The base-model wheels/tires I had weren't worth that much, most people who bought those from me only wanted the tires. The idea of me needing to buy additional sensors made zero sense, either as the seller or buyer.

 

[PurpleRT]

Oversight probably look past buying new sensors for cheap off either ebay or amazon and just want their new setup mounted. Or they get priced gouged locally and just pay to have them swapped. Me personally I always leave my stock sensors in the original wheels in case i swap them back on the truck in the future and buy a new oem set of sensors to install in the replacement wheels


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[scottmoyer]

I bought TRX wheels and had Discount Tire move my tires and TPMS from my factory wheels to the TRX wheels. They charged me $80 to dismount tires, move TPMS to new wheels, install tires on new wheels, and balance. Whoever got my wheels had to provide their own TPMS as I never even thought about what they needed to do. It was more of what I needed to do, and what I didn't need to purchase.