I will take you at your word that those are your two options. I would pay $600 local. Sometimes if you offer to pay cash as opposed to using a credit card they will give you a 5% discount so no harm in asking - assuming you can pay cash. But get a written invoice so you have a record of the purchase for warranty purposes.

The quickest way

try tire rack . com. i saved over 150 dollars on two tires for my cts

Now you have another option, buy the tires on eBay for $472.76 free ship to you and no tax. Have someone mount and balance and it still cheaper.

Buy locally and get the free aftercare. Well worth the few extra bucks.

How much fuel for 2 hr. trip? Each time? Stay local, guy in town sounds like a reasonable dude.

I'm looking at Firestone Destination LE2 for my truck, it's size 245/75/R16....

I can travel out of town, for about a 2 hour round trip and get them for 560$. However, that means if I want the free rotations, I have to go there, or if anything goes wrong, I go there.

A guy in town, like 3 mins. up the road, said he can order them and do them for 600$ even out the door. And on top of that, he said he'd rotate them for free as long as I get an oil change which I do anyways, as long as I have THOSE tires he put on......

So really, there's a 40$ difference....I can spend 40$ and save 2 hours of my time....and get free rotations, a 15$ value. Which will add up and pay for itself after the first 3 rotations.

Or, save 40$, and get no rotations at all.