Cheapest Place To Buy Tires: Our Top 10 Picks

Car tires come in different brands, and one brand can last longer or be more expensive than another. However, a lower-priced tire doesn’t always mean it has a lower quality, especially since there are already various places to buy car tires. Some of them offer even the best brands at a lower cost, so knowing the cheapest place to buy tires in your area before they need replacing is important.

So, where is the cheapest place to buy tires in the US? Considering all factors when it comes to cost-effectiveness, the 10 places you can opt for depending on what you’re looking for are:

1. Amazon
2. Big O Tires
3. BJ’s Tire Center
4. Costco
5. Discount Tire
6. Priority Tires
7. Sam’s Club Tires
8. TireBuyer
9. Tire Rack
10. Walmart

It goes without saying that besides car dealerships and specific brand’s websites, you can now purchase tires at tire stores, retail stores, auto-mechanic shops, and e-commerce platforms. This convenience of getting a replacement tire quickly and easily comes with a disadvantage, though, because every seller claims they offer the best deals. So, let’s look at exactly what each seller offers and why they’re included in the best list.

Who Has the Best Deal on New Tires?

When it comes to the best deal on tires, we don’t only consider the price of the tire itself. We should also look at other factors to make sure you are really getting great value for your money.

Factors Considered When Choosing the Cheapest Tire Sellers

The list of the best places to find affordable tires discussed later was narrowed down based on the following:

Average Cost of Tires

Undoubtedly, the first thing you’ll look at when searching for the best tire deals in your area is the price tag. Since a tire’s price will usually depend on the size and brand, the list was narrowed down by looking at the average cost of tires for sale in each store.

Installation Cost

Unless you prefer to install the new tires yourself, installation is an overhead cost you must keep in mind. You might have bought the most affordable tires, but you’ll realize you paid more than what you can get from other stores or shops when you add up the installation fee. You’ll find that some stores already include the installation cost in the tire’s price. Still, there are places wherein the installation cost is as affordable as their tires.

Shipping

Shipping is another overhead cost that can affect the actual cost of the tire you plan to purchase. Like installation, some sellers already include shipping fees in their prices, while others have affordable fees that they just add up to the tire’s price.

Variety of Tires

Car tires are available in different types, brands, and sizes, so your needs would be different from another person’s. As such, when choosing the cheapest place to buy new tires to include on our list, we considered the number of tire options available.

Warranty, Returns, and Other Perks

No manufacturer is perfect even though each of their products undergoes rigorous quality control and checks. Thus, warranty and return guarantee policies are important to ensure you won’t waste your money on a useless item. The perks that come with your tire purchase, such as maintenance, also add to the product’s cost-efficiency.

10 Sellers Worth Considering

Apart from the factors mentioned above, customer satisfaction was also considered by checking Consumer Reports survey or rating. With that said, here are 10 sellers that made it to our list, in no particular order:

1. Walmart

Walmart has retail stores almost everywhere, as well as an online shopping option. Not only that, you’ll find approximately 32 brands of tires to choose from, so you definitely will find the best deals.

Installation-wise, each tire bought at Walmart will cost you around $25. However, this cost also includes a road hazard protection warranty, specifically for flat tire repair and replacement. You can also get a lifetime lug re-torque for every 50 miles and rotation and balance for every 7,500 miles for an additional cost.

2. Discount Tire

Discount Tire is another company that sells tires online and offline at an affordable cost, but not as cheap as Costco and Walmart. Plus, the installation fee isn’t included in the price. Also, you only get a 30-day return policy for unused tires. After the 30-day period, you only get the tire brand’s standard warranty offer.

Nonetheless, they’re known for their rebates, top-rated customer service, and quick shipping. Keep in mind, though, that you won’t get any free deals when purchasing online. It also has approximately 28 tire brands available, as well as an online tire size guide.

3. Costco

Like Walmart, Costco is also a place where you can find almost everything at a wholesale price. It’s also one of the stores that you can find almost everywhere in the USA and has an online shop. Costco is a bit more expensive in terms of individual tire prices than Walmart, but the price is already inclusive of the installation fee.

The price also includes lifetime maintenance measures like balancing, pressure checking, and rotation. You’ll also get a five-year road hazard warranty covering flat tire repairs and replacements. The store is also known for its regular warehouse club promos wherein you get up to an $80 per tire discount for selected tire brands and a one-dollar installation fee.

The problem with Costco is that, as of writing, they only have a short list of tire brands available, namely BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, and Michelin. Another is that you have to be a member to be able to buy tires from them.

4. Sam’s Club

Sam’s Club is another top option when it comes to where is the cheapest place to buy tires if you’re a member. You can purchase up to 12 different brands of tires online and have them installed in any Sam’s Club near you or directly buy the tires in their stores.

Like Costco and Discount Tire, they also offer lots of discounts and promotions and give rebates all year round for certain tire brands. What’s more is that the installation fee includes a four-year road hazard protection, emergency roadside assistance, and tire rotating, balancing, and flat repairs throughout the tire’s lifespan. Some other perks include battery checking and installing and wiper blade installing.

5. BJ’s Tire Center

BJ’s is another member-only center where you can find affordable deals that offer 14 different brands of tires. You have to pay for the installation fee separately, but the good thing is it’s automatically added upon checkout. Thus, you already have an idea of the total cost.

The installation cost includes lifetime maintenance services such as tire rotating, inflation checking, wheel re-balancing, flat tire repairing. You will also enjoy a three-year road hazard warranty.

6. Tire Rack

If visiting a retail or dealership store is too much for you, Tire Rack is the cheapest place to buy tires online, considering all the perks you can get. They have a wide selection of tires for almost all types of cars and a Tire Decision Guide to assist you in finding the right tire size that’ll fit your vehicle. Nonetheless, each purchase comes with a 30-day return perk as long as you call their customer service first.

Another inclusion in your purchase is their road hazard warranty for two years, which is on top of the specific tire manufacturer’s warranty. Unfortunately, the flat tire repair and replacement services come with limitations.

Installation-wise, you have to pay it separately. They have local installers where you can have the tires drop-shipped, as well as mobile installers who can install the tires at your home. The shipping fee is free, though, if your order costs at least fifty dollars.

7. Amazon

Amazon is among the largest and most user-friendly e-commerce sites where you can find the highest number of tire brands, retailers, and official stores, so you can easily compare prices. Plus, you also get a chance to purchase a quality used tire (view on Amazon), especially if you’re on a tight budget and only need to replace one. If you’re a Prime member, the shipping fee is free, and at times, your purchase comes with free returns.

The installation of the tires you purchased could be done through their partner tire shops in your locality or at home through their platform known as Amazon Home Services. This, of course, must be paid separately. In terms of the warranty, it is dependent on the tire manufacturer and installer’s warranty package.

8. TireBuyer

TireBuyer is also claimed to be the cheapest place to buy tires online because the price already includes the shipping fee. You can have the tires sent to any of their authorized installers in the country, but you would need to pay the installation fee. That said, if the tire doesn’t fit your car, the installer will take care of return and handling fees.

Alternatively, you can have the tires shipped to your home, but if you need to have the size changed, you will shoulder the corresponding fees. When it comes to TireBuyer’s 45-day return policy, they have a better one than the sellers on our list since they accept used tires. Of course, that still depends on the tire’s condition. For instance, there should be no signs of wear and tear and signs that it has been used on an off-road trail.

9. Priority Tires

Compared to other online retail stores, Priority Tires exclusively sells tires. As such, if you also need to replace your Grand Cherokee’s rim (view on Amazon), you would need to look elsewhere. Another disadvantage is that you can only have the tires shipped to your home, so you would need to find a mobile installer or bring the tires to a local installer. If you live in an area near their three warehouses, you can also opt to pick up your purchased tires.

Priority Tires offers the longest return guarantee, which is 90 days, for wrong tire sizes. In terms of the warranty, it will depend on the specific tire manufacturer’s policy.

10. Big O Tires

If you don’t have enough budget but need to replace your tires immediately, Big O Tires is the cheapest place to buy new tires in this situation. Cheapest not only because of the affordable tire prices but also because they offer payment plans for their customers. That is, even if you only have a fair credit score. Do keep in mind, though, that they have a high-interest rate and late payment fee.

Cheapest Place To Buy Tires: The Verdict

Undoubtedly, the 10 places discussed above have some of the best offers for tire purchases. That is not only for the tire’s actual cost but also for every other thing that comes with your purchase. Although you have the freedom to go with any of them depending on your specific needs and wants, we have our top three recommendations.

Sam’s Club is the best for members-only purchases because the cost includes a long warranty offer, several maintenance services, a good number of tire brands, and plenty of perks. On the other hand, Walmart is the best place to find the cheapest tire selections for people who love to do offline shopping.

Although they also have an online shop, Amazon is still a good option for tire brand variety and price ranges. You also no longer have to worry when you need to purchase other accessories such as an off-road recovery kit, which you would need in case of emergencies.