When you’re looking for the best place to buy tires, there’s certainly no shortage of options. But between warehouse clubs, online tire merchants and independent tire retailers, the prices and quality of service can vary quite a bit.
In this article, I’ll cover where to find affordable tires, highlight which retailers do it best and cheapest, and I’ll take a close look at the top six places to buy tires.
I’ve researched the prices and process of buying new tires at a variety of popular tire retailers to see where you’ll get the best deal and the best customer experience.
If you’re looking for a quick answer on where you should shop for your next set of tires, I recommend checking out Costco, Sam’s Club or BJ’s Tire Center first. Even if you factor in these warehouse clubs’ annual membership fees, you may still get the best value.
For a great selection online, check out Tire Rack or Discount Tire Direct. Finally, for a balance of low prices and a huge selection in-store or online, Walmart Tire Center is another great option.
If you plan on purchasing tires soon, you’ll want to consider the price of tires that fit your vehicle as well as a few other factors such as the cost of installation and additional services.
“Buying tires has never been so cost competitive, so it’s very important to comparison shop,” money expert Clark Howard says. “Service after the sale is really important, especially if you live in a city with lots of potholes.”
Based on our research, Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s Tire Center offer some of the best overall tire-buying experiences including low prices, free services after the sale and convenience.
I’ve found these six tire retailers to be the best places to shop.
| Store | Installation Price Per Tire | Key Features & Services | Selection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walmart | $17 | - Cheapest tires on average - Biggest selection of brands - Road hazard warranty available for $10 per tire | Firestone, Michelin, Cooper Tires and 69 other brands |
| Costco | $19. 99 | - Installation charge is included in the quoted price - Best road hazard warranty (5 years) - Free lifetime maintenance | BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Michelin, Firestone |
| Sam's Club | $20 | - Third-cheapest tires on average - Second-best road hazard warranty (4 years) - Flat repairs on members’ tires even if purchased elsewhere | GoodYear, Pirelli, BFGoodrich and 8 other brands |
| BJ's Tire Center | $20 | - Free lifetime maintenance - 3-year road hazard warranty - Installation is automatically added during checkout | Michelin, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone and 12 other brands |
| Tire Rack | $25 | - Biggest overall selection of tire sizes and models - Online-only with fast and free shipping to you or an installer - Get a discount if you pick up your tires from a distribution center | BFGoodrich, Kumho, Michelin and 27 other brands |
| Discount Tire Direct | $22 | - Second-cheapest tires on average - Online-only tire store - Second-biggest selection of brands - Fast and free shipping to you or an installer | Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin and 58 other brands |
Below, you’ll find additional information on each tire retailer and head-to-head comparisons of tire prices, selection of brands, cost of installation, free services and warranty information.
To find the best places to buy tires, I considered various popular online and in-store tire retailers and then weighed several factors in my own research. These factors included tire price, cost of installation, selection, free services and warranty information.
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In 2019, Consumer Reports (subscription required) surveyed nearly 50,000 of its subscribers to ask about cost, selection, sales service and free perks when it came to purchasing tires. The magazine collected data on 31 tire stores.
I compared those 31 tire stores to the retailers where our team at ClarkDeals.com has found the best deals. Then I narrowed the selection down to 10 retailers that were all highly ranked by Consumer Reports. Here’s the list of 10: Walmart, Sam’s Club, Discount Tire Direct, BJ’s Tire Center, Town Fair Tire Centers, Firestone Complete, Amazon.com, Tire Rack, Goodyear and Costco.
From there, I researched the prices and process of buying tires at each store. In my experience, you can find some of the best prices and overall buying experiences at Walmart, Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s Tire Center, Tire Rack and Discount Tire Direct.
To determine which place is ultimately the best choice for purchasing your next set of tires, I took a closer look at the following factors:
Additionally, I entered information about my own car on each retailer’s website to see where I’d end up getting the best deal.
While there are many factors to take into account when you’re deciding where to buy tires, cost is certainly a big one. Of course, prices vary and change all the time. You should shop for the best price on tires that fit your vehicle specifically.
Then, once you’ve found the best price, make your final decision based on the factors I’ve outlined below.
To get an idea of how to accurately price compare across top tire retailers, I looked at the current prices of two specific popular tires at each store. Then, I checked out the range of prices and availability for tires for two popular vehicles.
In the table below, you’ll see prices for a Bridgestone Turanza Quiettrack 215/55R17 tire that fits my 2017 Toyota Camry and for a Michelin Defender LTX M/S 20″ tire that fits the popular Ford-F150. Prices are accurate as of September 2022.
| Cost of Bridgestone Turanza 215/55R17 Tires | Cost of Michelin Defender LTX M/S 20” Tires | Price Range for Tires That Fit a 2017 Toyota Camry | Price Range for 20” Tires That Fit a 2020 Ford-F150 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costco | $212.99 | $244.99 | $135.99 to $245.99 (18 options) | $225.99 to $263. 99. (9 options) |
| BJ’s Tire Center | $212.99 | $261.99 | $130.99 to $285.99 (34 options) | $175.99 to $339.99 (24 options) |
| Tire Rack | $212.99 | $263.99 | $108.08 to $239.27 (104 options) | $183.81 to $381.01 (91 options) |
| Sam’s Club | $253.47 | $263.99 | $99.13 to $253.47 (52 options) | $175.47 to $302.49 (46 options) |
| Discount Tire Direct | $213.00 | $264.00 | $85.69 to $239.27 (86 options) | $153.42 to $454.00 (84 options) |
| Walmart | $212.99 | $263.99 | $80.09 to $305.99 (215 options) | $123.56 to $341.06 (184 options) |
In addition to the prices above, it’s worth noting that when I searched for the Bridgestone Turanza tires, there were promotions available at Discount Tire Direct and Tire Rack. Discount Tire Direct offered a $70 mail-in rebate on a set of four tires with installation, while Tire Rack also offered a $70 mail-in rebate plus an additional $30 discount if you use a Tire Rack credit card.
In the past, I’ve also seen savings of $110-$150 on a set of four tires with installation on the same tires at Costco and BJ’s Tire Center. With sales and rebates available throughout the year, you’ll likely be able to grab a great deal.
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After adding the purchase of all four tires, adding the cost of installation (which we’ll look at next) and subtracting the discounts available in September 2022, here’s what my subtotals would be at each tire store for a set of Bridgestone Turanza tires to fit my 2017 Toyota Camry:
As you can see, promotions and rebates can make a huge difference in the total cost of your purchase. This is why it’s important to comparison shop.
Of course, prices vary greatly and change often.
For these reasons, I recommend that you follow these steps to find the cheapest tires for your vehicle:
Once you know where you can get the best prices on tires for your vehicles, it’s time to consider the following additional factors.
In addition to purchasing your tires, you’ll likely also need professional installation.
That usually means you’ll be looking at an additional charge, so take that into account before you make your purchase.
As of September 2022, here’s how much you can expect to pay for tire installation:
| Store | Cost Per Tire | Total Cost |
| Walmart | $17 | $68 |
| Costco | $19.99 | $79.96 |
| Discount Tire Direct | $22 | $88 |
| BJ’s Tire Center | $20 | $80 |
| Sam’s Club | $20 | $80 |
| Tire Rack | $25 | $100 |
If you plan on having your tires installed at Walmart, know that installation will cost an additional $11 per tire if you bring in tires that you purchased elsewhere. And if you want the road hazard protection warranty, the cost of installation for tires purchased at Walmart is $25 each.
At Costco, the cost of installation is included in the quoted price of the tires. This may be one reason that the initial prices seem higher than competitors on some tires, but after factoring in installation, Costco could be one of your cheapest options.
Since Discount Tire Direct and Tire Rack are online tire stores, you’ll need to choose a place to get your tires installed. The price in the table above is the average cost of installation at the companies’ partnering installers, but you can take the tires anywhere.
At BJ’s Tire Center, the cost of installation is automatically added when you check out. Whether you’re shopping online or in-store, you can expect this payment to be required upfront with the purchase of new tires.
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Based on this information, Walmart offers the cheapest installation, but if the total cost of your tires is cheaper at Costco than the total cost of tires and installation at Walmart, Costco may be your best bet.
Whether you’re loyal to a certain brand or you know exactly which tire you’re looking for, selection may be another important factor to consider when shopping for tires.
Generally speaking, you’ll find the biggest selection of tires at Walmart which carries 72 tire brands. Discount Tire Direct offers the next-biggest selection with 61 brands followed by Tire Rack which offers 30. BJ’s Tire Center carries 15 different tire brands, while Sam’s Club carries 11 and Costco carries only four.
Below, you’ll find a full list of tire brands (listed alphabetically) carried by each retailer:
Perhaps one of the most important factors to consider before buying new tires is the maintenance and aftercare that you’ll be paying for.
Based on my research, Costco offers some of the best free services, lifetime maintenance and road hazard warranty available. With a tire purchase at Costco, you’ll also get free lifetime inflation pressure checks, tire balancing, tire rotations and flat repairs. Plus, the road hazard warranty covers tire repairs and replacements for up to five years.
Sam’s Club also offers great services and aftercare with the purchase of tires. No-charge services include balance and rotations, air pressure and tread depth checks, 50-mile re-torques and other services for your vehicle such as wiper blade installation, battery installation and battery checks. The warranty lasts up to four years and covers repairs and replacements. However, flat tire repair is a Sam’s Club membership benefit no matter where you bought the tires.
At BJ’s Tire Center, tire purchases come with free lifetime tire rotation, wheel rebalancing, flat repairs and inflation checks. The full road hazard warranty lasts up to three years and covers repairs as well as replacements.
Walmart includes lifetime balance and rotation every 7,500 miles and 50-mile lug re-torques with the installation. For $10 more per tire ($25 per tire total), you can also get the road hazard protection warranty that covers flat repairs and eligible replacements.
Coming in last for services and aftercare, Discount Tire Direct and Tire Rack each offer a 30-day return policy on unused tires that you aren’t satisfied with. Beyond the return policy, tires are covered by the standard manufacturer’s warranty which includes workmanship and material defects. Warranty lengths vary by manufacturer.
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Based on my research including the selection of tires and cost of installation as well as included services, here are more details on the top six places to consider making your purchase.
Walmart TiresScreenshot from WalmartIf you’re strictly looking for a good price, Walmart may be worth considering early in your search for tires.
The tire center offers a huge selection of tires with some of the lowest available starting prices. Plus, Walmart offers the cheapest installation at $17 per tire.
You can choose from a huge selection of brands including Firestone, Michelin, Cooper, Goodyear, and BFGoodrich. Plus, you can shop online or in-store.
According to a 2019 study by Consumer Reports, Walmart’s sales, service and installation quality earned average ratings, though customers agree that the installation time is longer than average and there’s a substantial lack of free perks. Still, it can be a great place to purchase cheap tires.
Walmart also offers its Lifetime Balance and Rotation Plan for $14 per tire. For that price, Walmart will rotate and rebalance your tires at no charge for the life of the tires.
Compared to the other retailers on this list, here are a few of the biggest benefits and drawbacks to keep in mind if you’re thinking about buying tires from Walmart.
Pros:
To learn more about Walmart Tires, including what you can expect while making your first purchase, check out these five things to know.
While Costco may not be cheapest option on the list, it is one of the highest rated. Plus, several times a year, the warehouse club will discount select brands of tires by $40 to $80 and offer installation for just a penny per tire (regularly $19.99 per tire).
Costco’s selection may not be the largest, but there’s a big emphasis on staple brands like Michelin, Bridgestone and B.F. Goodrich. Plus, with every installation, you’ll receive free inflation pressure checks, tire balancing, tire rotations, flat repairs and a five-year road hazard warranty.
“I buy my tires at Costco when they offer the double discount of penny installation and an additional incentive for using my Costco Visa card,” Clark notes. “That works out to be a savings of $130!”
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Here are a few of the biggest advantages and disadvantages to be aware of when it comes to buying tires from Costco.
For more information, check out these five things you should know before getting new tires at Costco.
Sam’s Club also offers very competitive prices on popular tire brands including Michelin, BFGoodrich, Goodyear and Pirelli. Installation averages around $20 per tire depending on your vehicle and location.
Members can order tires online and get them installed at a nearby Sam’s Club, or you can buy the tires in-store.
Customers who participated in the Consumer Reports survey said that the installation quality was very good and rated the free perks as excellent.
Tire installation at Sam’s Club includes 24-hour emergency roadside assistance, road hazard protection, rotation, balancing and flat repair for the lifetime of the tires.
You’ll also find promotions, discounts and rebates available year-round on select tire brands. For these reasons, it’s definitely worth paying the difference compared to cheaper tires at Walmart.
Here are a few of the biggest pros and cons when it comes to buying tires from Sam’s Club.
Pros:For more information about buying tires at Sam’s Club, check out these five things to know.
BJ’s Tire Center is another great option for buying cheap tires. You’ll find mail-in rebates and discounts available throughout the year, and installation costs $20 per tire.
Customers agreed that the product selection and installation time at BJ’s are good and gave sales services and installation even better marks.
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What makes BJ’s one of the best options are all the free perks you get with tire installation. You’ll receive tire rotation, wheel rebalancing, flat repairs, inflation checks and a full road hazard warranty all at no charge.
BJ’s also offers a three-point tire promise, including an incredible value with a $20 installation, top-brand quality and premium service.
Based on my research, here are the biggest pros and cons for buying tires at BJ’s Tire Center.
Pros:
If you’re a BJ’s Wholesale Club member, be sure to check out these five things to know before buying BJ’s tires.
If you’re comfortable shopping for tires online, you’ll most likely find what you’re looking for at Tire Rack. This online tire retailer offers the biggest selection of tire models. When I checked out the selection that fit my Toyota Camry, there were 104 tires to choose from.
Additionally, you can find a pretty good deal compared to traditional brick-and-mortar tire stores. On average, Tire Rack’s prices are on par with Goodyear and Costco. You can also check out the tire sales and deals page for current promotions and rebates.
When you order tires from Tire Rack, you can have them shipped to your door or straight to a recommended local installer.
You’ll also have the option to pick up the tires yourself from the nearest distribution center for additional savings.
Here are the biggest pros and cons that I found with Tire Rack.
Pros:Discount Tire Direct is another great tire retailer that offers affordable tires online. You’ll find mail-in rebates and discounts available on popular tires throughout the year and installation averages around $22 per store. Additionally, you’ll nearly always find deals and rebates available, which is a great way to get the best price.
Customers agree that everything from the selection to the sales service to shipping is excellent. Discount Tire Direct carries more than 60 tire brands including Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear and Michelin.
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As with any online tire retailer, the installation price and services can vary depending on where you choose to get the tires installed, and you won’t be getting many free perks with an online retailer.
Compared to the other tire stores on this list, here are a few of the biggest pros and cons that I found with Discount Tire Direct.
Pros:If you’re thinking about buying tires online, here are five things to know before shopping at Discount Tire Direct.
You’ll most likely find great prices on tires at Walmart, Tire Rack or Discount Tire Direct, but be sure to find out what’s included with that price. For a more inclusive purchase, consider shopping at Sam’s Club, BJ’s Tire Center or Costco.
Also, be sure to keep an eye out for deals, promotions and rebates online. In my experience, these can lead to a major difference in the total price. You’ll most likely find the best deals at warehouse clubs like Costco, BJ’s Tire Center and Sam’s Club.
However, online stores like Tire Rack or Discount Tire Direct (as well as Walmart Tire Center) offer the largest selection of tires. Plus, I’ve seen great deals and rebates at Tire Rack and Discount Tire Direct in the past.
If cheap tires and installation are your priorities, Walmart may be the best place to shop. However, prices vary greatly and change frequently. Plus, every vehicle requires specific tire sizes and types.
For these reasons, it’s important to comparison shop yourself to determine where you’ll find the best price.
In addition to price, you should also consider free services, lifetime maintenance and general aftercare. In these categories, Costco and Sam’s Club come out on top. Depending on what kind of conditions you drive in, these may be the most important factors to consider before buying new tires.
Each of these retailers allows you to purchase online and have the tires shipped and installed at your nearest location, and that’s a great way to get the best price.
Of course, it’s important to keep up with regular tire maintenance. Know when your tires will need to be changed and plan ahead. You’ll likely find more deals just before the seasons change around April and October. Either way, you’ll have more time to compare prices if you know the purchase is coming up!
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Where do you go for the best price on tires for your vehicle? Share your thoughts in our Clark.
com Community!
Our recommendations for the best online tire retailers in 2022 can be broken into three clear categories:
Most people shop for tires the same way they did in 1959: They arrive at either a big box retailer or a local tire shop, read the 30-year-old copy of Road and Driver and drink the 5W50-weight coffee burning on the bottom of the coffee pot and drive out hours later with a fresh set of rubber mounted to their car. You can still do it that way, and there are still some good reasons to -- we’ll get into that later -- but you’re really missing out on some of the best tire deals available and some fantastic advice if you’re not shopping for your next set of tires online.
SimpleTire is pretty new to the game, but they are rapidly making a name for themselves.
This company was created as a one-stop-shop for tires, in an effort to make the process as easy and hassle free as possible for their customers. On the SimpleTire site, you can get everything done, all at one time. Choose the tires you want, compare and contrast, schedule installation, have the tires sent to your chosen location and pay. The only thing left to do is arrive at your installation appointment. Very simple, as the name suggests. We like this company because they have a very intuitive website, which helps you make the best decision for your car. We also like SimpleTire because they have maintained a rare concept in online sales. They do not have an AI. When you contact SimpleTire online, or by phone, you will always be talking to a person. Always.
Great prices, wide selection and unmatched convenience
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2. Tire RackTire Rack is simply the king of online tire retailers.
The Indianapolis, Indiana-based company got its start mail ordering tires through multi-page ads in all the enthusiast magazines. When the internet really began to take off, Tire Rack was the first retailer to capitalize on the fact that we were all goofing off online when we were supposed to be working. We bought our first set of winter tires through Tire Rack back in 2000 for a 1988 Volkswagen Jetta and they seemed to arrive before we’d even ordered them. Their site is an amazing resource of everything you could possibly want to know about tires.
For more in-depth information, read our full Tire Rack review »
3. Discount TireIf Tire Rack is Coca-Cola, you could think of Discount Tire as maybe not Pepsi, but definitely RC Cola. It got its start the same way Tire Rack did, selling tires out of multi-page ads in popular magazines. It was slower to capitalize on the internet, but still offers a ton of information through its website.
It also offers a wider range of brands, from household names all the way down to brands you’ve never heard of before, and probably wouldn’t want to mount on a car you intended to keep. Discount Tire’s advantage over Tire Rack is that while it does ship directly to your house, it also manages a number of stores in convenient locations around the country that can handle the mounting and balancing duties.
For more in-depth information, read our full Discount Tire review »
4. GoodyearGoodyear is unique from almost all of the other tire brands we researched in that it will allow you to purchase tires via its own website, and ship them to your door, or to a local Goodyear retailer. In all honesty, we haven’t heard a lot of feedback with Goodyear’s direct tire retailing, but this is a company with a legendary brand to protect. A search of some popular tire sizes indicates that they’ll ship out a set of tires and have them mounted in two days.
The downside with Goodyear is the absolute lack of anything other than Goodyear tires. Goodyears are generally great, but if you’re interested in other brands, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
For more in-depth information, read our full Goodyear review »
5. AmazonAmazon.com is relatively new to the tire business, but it’s quickly making some headway against the more recognized brands. On the plus side, if you have an Amazon Prime membership you get free shipping, which is kind of a big deal with tires. Shipping at some of the other sites can be costly, but most have eaten the cost of shipping themselves and built that into the price of the tire. Selection is sort of a plus for Amazon, too, although we say that with a caveat. Amazon will sell you a quality tire from a brand you recognize, but it will also sell you off-brand garbage that you could only call round in the most generous sense of the word.
Like everything else on Amazon, it’s a caveat to the emptor.
For more in-depth information, read about our Amazon deals here »
6. WalmartThe retailing giant has been in the business of selling tires for years, mostly through its larger stores with garage facilities that can mount and balance your new tires, and dispose of your old ones. More recently, though, Walmart will sell you a set of tires through its website and ship them to your door for free. If you’d rather, you can have them shipped directly to a Walmart store where you can have them mounted, though not every Walmart store has a garage. The other thing to keep in mind with Walmart is that along with all of the nationally recognized brands, they also supply a startling number of questionable brands lacking anything to recommend other than the bottom-dollar price.
For more in-depth information, read our full Walmart tires review »
7.
NTBNTB stands for “National Tire and Battery” -- the “B” added in 1997 when Sears consolidated Tire America and National Tire Warehouse and began selling its DieHard brand of batteries through the new chain. In one of a series of wrong decisions, Sears sold off the chain of 226 stores in 2003, leaving it to prosper ever since. NTB offers a wide range of popular brands and unlike some of its competitors, there aren’t any weirdo off-brands in its stable. You can buy online via its website and have the tires shipped to you, or you can ship to any one of its service centers to have the tires mounted and balanced, and your old tires disposed of.
There are at least five great reasons to choose an online tire retailer:
A lot of your purchase decision is probably going to come down to price.
If there’s a $50 difference between an online retailer and your local tire shop, that’s probably going to be reason enough to select the online site. But it’s usually not that easy. Recently, we were looking for an odd-sized 13-inch radial tire for a 1965 Corvair and managed to beat one of the major online retailers on price when you factored in the cost of mount and balance.
In reality, pricing on the most popular, brand name tires are going to be very similar from one place to another.
Here’s where an online retailer can often beat the pants off of a local shop, even some of the larger regional chain stores. Say you’ve been reading reviews on winter tires. The Michelin and Pirelli offerings seem good, but the reviews for the Nokian Hakkapeliitta IIs seem like they’re right up your studdable alley. The only problem is that you live in Jackman, Maine, and the closest Nokian dealer is 85 miles away. An online retailer will typically offer a wider selection than Joe Bob’s Tire Emporium in town.
We’re not knocking local tire shops at all, but a lot of online tire retailers have gotten customer service down to a science. FAQs can generally answer most of the simple questions, online chat functions allow you to ask questions and get answers instantly, and if you’re more of a telephone person, you can ring up a customer support specialist during business hours and early on a Saturday.
A few years back, my wife bought a 2003 BMW 5 Series over the Christmas/New Year break. By the time we got it home and registered, I was two days away from boarding an aircraft with the Car Talk team to fly to Havana for a week (yes, work related). Hours after our flight was due to leave, a major winter storm was headed to Our Fair City, which would’ve left my wife stranded on the performance “all-season” tires the BMW is equipped with.
Tire Rack really came to our rescue. They shipped out a set of Michelin X-Ice winter tires, mounted on a set of aluminum wheels, and they arrived at our house in ONE DAY.
It felt like all I did was think about ordering them and BAM, there they were in front of the garage. I put the new wheels and tires on in an hour and left for my flight knowing that while I was on my 10th Cuba Libre in a cafe in Havana, Lisa was home shoveling out a car that could get her to work safely and confidently.
The least appreciated aspect of a lot of online retailers is the volume of information they provide on available tires. Knowing nothing other than the year, make and model of your car, you can research the original equipment tire, suggested replacements, winter tires, and reviews from people who have paid their own hard-earned money for them. Even if you decide to purchase from a conventional brick-and-mortar retailer, there’s no substitute for the information you can glean from an online retailer’s site.
Collectively, we’ve got more than a century of experience buying tires for everything from the cheapest high-school beater to relatively expensive sports cars.
We’ve purchased tires from just about everyone you can imagine, including the local gas station, and even once a towing company. We have also used these specific tire retailers ourselves, and many others.
We examined how each of these tire retailers stack up in terms of price, customer service, easy of use, online ratings and our own personal experiences. Car Talk researches referenced review sites and the Better Business Bureau to determine the validity and worth of these online tire retailers.
We also surveyed price, user experience, delivery and installation offerings and all the pertinent information available to us to help you made a good decision on which retailer will best fit your needs while staying within your budget.
Our methodology is based on over 30 data points. Car Talk researchers took an in-depth look into the tire industry.
Consumer Satisfaction: Consumers provided data about what their experience was using tire models within each of these brands.
Industry Professionals: Car Talk researchers performed a nation-wide survey of over 800 mechanics and industry professionals for their opinions.
Government Reporting: Statistics reported for safety and durability.
Tire Quality and Engineering: A tire brand’s overall quality and engineering or innovation influenced a consumer’s decision to purchase.
Performance: Car Talk looked at how tires from these particular brands performed in a variety of weather conditions.
Online tire prices are usually less than in store
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That can fluctuate from week to week. You need to not only be aware of the price per tire, but also the price for mounting and balancing, and any shipping costs associated with getting the tires to you. Also, be aware of any rebates or incentives that a tire manufacturer is offering.
We’ve seen “Buy Two, Get Two Free” deals that can really impact the overall cost of tire replacement.
That entirely depends on where you’re shipping it to and from. If you’re shipping it from California to Boston, look for prices in the $1,200 range. Shipping from Florida to Boston is a lot cheaper, because the miles are cut in half.
The gold standard should be about 36 hours. Seriously. If you live in a major metropolitan area, chances are good that the tire retailer has a distribution center nearby. As long as you’ve purchased a fairly popular type and size of a tire, those tires should be at your door before two days is up.
Online tire retailers like Tire Rack have relationships with a wide range of shops in your area that will install at an agreed-upon rate. Tire retailers like Walmart or NTB will install at their shops for a competitive fee.
Typical mount and balance fees -- and you should never mount a tire without balancing it -- runs in the $40 range PER TIRE. Sometimes shops charge a steeper rate to mount 40 or 35 aspect ratio tires because their narrow sidewalls make mounting a challenge. Disposal usually costs about $5 per tire, and valve stems are around $1 per tire.
No. As long as your TPMS sensors are working properly, they don’t need to be replaced. If they’re malfunctioning, a tire retailer can’t install new tires without servicing the TPMS sensors. Now that the aftermarket is supplying TPMS sensors, it’s a lot less costly to replace them than it used to be.
Absolutely. It’s one of the things they do best. Pay close attention to the reviews from people who have actually purchased those tires..jpg)
Those reviews can make the difference between confidently attacking winter and timidly setting out on tires that don’t really do the job.
Yes. When researching winter tires, or if you’ve decided you just need a change in the aesthetics of your car, do yourself a favor and look at tire and wheel packages. You can often get a package of tires mounted and balanced on a spare set of wheels for what it would cost you to just have the summer tires removed and the winter tires installed. The investment in wheels will definitely pay for itself within two seasons, and if you’re handy at all, you can just mount the wheels and tires in your own garage when they arrive.
Absolutely. That’s why it’s good to shop around to a few different sites to be sure that you’re getting the latest rebates, though. You can also visit the websites of the tire manufacturers, or see the rebates at CarTalk.
com for the very latest rebates.
Editor's note and disclaimer: Car Talk is supported by our fans, readers and listeners. When you click on some of the links on our website, we may receive referral compensation. However, you should know that the recommendations we make are based on our independent editorial review and analyses.
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Assessing the condition of tires
Before the start of the season, it is important to decide whether you will buy a new set of winter tires or use the ones you already have from previous seasons. Take a close look at your tires - storage position, humidity, temperature and other factors may have affected their performance and appearance.
Tires not stored on rims are particularly susceptible to deformation. Then measure the residual tread depth: the maximum permissible value for a passenger car in winter is 4 mm (and in summer - 1.6 mm). Evaluate the uniformity of tire wear, examine them for swelling or cuts in the sidewalls - tires with these defects cannot be used.
If you decide to use existing tires rather than purchase new ones, it is best to swap front and rear axle tires when changing tires - this approach promotes even wear (therefore, when preparing tires for storage, they should be labeled - "front / rear axle, left / right tire").
Remember that worn tires should only be replaced in pairs, as it is dangerous to install tires with different tread patterns or significantly different levels of wear on the same axle. If necessary, after installation, adjust the wheel alignment in the service.
Spiked or Velcro?
The choice of winter tires largely depends on how you plan to operate the car during the winter period and in what climatic conditions you live.
If you are planning off-road trips in the winter, and it is severely cold outside your window, it is better to opt for studded tires - they cope better with icy roads.
And for trips inside a big city, where regular road treatment, snow removal and high speed is set, it is better to consider friction tires, the so-called "Velcro" - on flat and dry roads at temperatures below 15℃ (but above 0- 3℃) they show better grip. In addition, on loose snow, friction tires perform better than studded ones. The use of "studs" in the city increases the risk of an accident, since this type of rubber significantly lengthens the braking distance on asphalt.
Learning from someone else's experience
At the stage of choosing a manufacturer and a model of interest, you should read the reviews about it from other motorists - network users often share their experience of using certain tires on a particular model.
It is best to consider buying tires from a well-known brand that has a representative office in our country - then in case of damage to one tire, you are guaranteed to be able to replace it.
Choosing a tread pattern
Another important factor to consider when choosing winter tires is the type of tread pattern. It affects both driving characteristics, and how rubber will be protected from damage in certain operating conditions, and the efficiency of water removal from under the tire (which affects grip on wet surfaces).
Symmetrical non-directional pattern - versatile. A car on rubber with such a pattern is comfortable to drive and has good grip on unpaved surfaces. In addition, rubber with this type of tread pattern is the best in self-cleaning from dirt and moisture and wicks water, so it is a great option for winter trips in the countryside.
Directional symmetrical pattern - budget and versatile for any surface, with good handling at high speeds. Such a pattern effectively removes water, dirt and snow, provides a confident ride on the city track.
However, tires with this pattern are most susceptible to rapid wear, and on some car models they can make a lot of noise while driving. Non-directional asymmetric pattern - the most expensive and innovative tread pattern, which guarantees excellent grip, good handling and high-quality lateral stability of the car.
This rubber is able to withstand high loads, which makes it suitable for high-performance premium cars (Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, etc.) and luxury (Lamborghini, Maserati, etc.) segments.
We select shoes by size
Next, it is important to determine the key tire parameters. They are individual for each car - information on the optimal tire width, profile height and landing diameter can be found in the instruction manual, on the official website of the automaker, or by looking at the side of the tires already installed on the car.
This code is easy to understand: for example, the marking 255/30 R20 means that the tire width is 255 mm, the percentage of tire height to its width is 30%, and the inner diameter of the tire is 20 inches.
In addition to the basic parameters, the tire marking also includes the speed and load index - the maximum allowable values for this type of rubber (knowledge of this indicator is especially important for owners of premium sports cars). Some motorists choose to install tires that do not meet the recommended parameters in order to affect the comfort, handling or appearance of the car. Experts recommend doing this only after consulting a technical specialist.
Is the savings worth it?
Choosing winter tires, you should proceed from the optimal ratio of price to quality. For cars of a high price segment, one should not focus on the very bottom of the market and save on rubber - this approach can lead to poor speed performance, rapid suspension wear or increased fuel consumption.
For cars of medium and low price segments, you can choose any tires according to the cost - usually the price category of a car corresponds to the price category of tires purchased for it. However, it is worth remembering that the cheapest options can cope with braking worse and complicate movement on snow and ice. Some car enthusiasts prefer to buy winter tires in the secondary market in order to save money.
When purchasing both new and used winter tires, you should make sure that their age does not exceed a year and a half, otherwise there is a high risk of getting tires with unsatisfactory performance properties. Experts recommend making a choice in favor of new tires - this is the only way to be sure of their quality, because it directly affects the safety of driving a car in the winter season.
Experts told when it is better to buy car tires - Gazeta.Ru | News
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In September 2021, car tire prices increased by 28% compared to January, according to a report by Avto.
ru analysts, which was received by Gazeta.Ru. Experts advised not to wait for new tires to become noticeably more affordable by the end of the summer or winter season, as the constant price increase offsets small discounts.
Summer tires have risen the most since the beginning of the year — by 40%, winter tires — by 31%, and all-season tires — by 14%. A sharp increase in prices for summer tires was recorded on the eve of the warm season, and in September they increased by a record 6.2% for the year (relative to August). Winter tires became cheaper by 1.5% in February, but then they gradually became more expensive, and in September the price tags immediately increased by 8% (relative to August).
The prices of summer and all-weather tires in the secondary market remained almost unchanged, experts noted, but winter tires fell sharply in mid-summer. The number of offers for the sale of new tires has increased by one and a half times in nine months. Offers with winter used tires became less and less since February, but in August there were more sales ads.
Since January, the number of advertisements for the sale of summer tires has increased and peaked in April (one and a half times more than at the beginning of the year).
“It turns out that it is best to look for tires on the “secondary” either in the corresponding season (summer - in summer, winter - in winter), or in the “off-season”, when there are the most offers. During such periods, you can find the most profitable options. But the demand is also maximum in the "off-season". Peak user activity occurs in the middle of spring and autumn, and directly in summer and winter, the number of ad views drops by 3-4 times relative to the maximum indicators,” the experts noted.
Also, according to the survey results, two-thirds of Russians have two sets of wheels ready, so they do not have to use the service or tire service to "change shoes". Only 10% of respondents are ready to give tires for storage for money. At home or in the country, 2.5 times more motorists store rubber, and 5.
5 times more in the garage.
This is 2.5 times less than those who store rubber at home or in the country, and 5.5 times less than those who leave it in the garage. Less than 20% of drivers change their wheels in advance depending on the time of year, and most often respondents put winter wheels on after the first frost.
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