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Oct 28, 2024

The Driving Forces Behind Tire Purchases Revealed - Consumer Reports

Consumers share motivations, satisfaction, and insights into the tire buying process in our exclusive survey Tires may all look the same, but just as there can be dramatic differences in their

Consumers share motivations, satisfaction, and insights into the tire buying process in our exclusive survey

Tires may all look the same, but just as there can be dramatic differences in their performance, there can be variations in the tire-buying experience. A recent survey conducted by Consumer Reports on the tire-buying experience shows that CR members tend to be an informed group who place a priority on handling, wet grip, treadwear, and ride comfort. And the survey showed that they experienced a range of satisfaction when it comes to tire retailers, particularly when looking at the various elements of the buying process.

“Tire buying can be complicated,” says Tian Wang, CR’s survey research manager. “But we see that consumers are generally satisfied with the overall experience.” She adds, “We also found that savvy shoppers were able to successfully haggle, often saving money. Furthermore, many shoppers got free extras thrown in with their tire purchase.”

To gain insights into how consumers think about buying tires, CR surveyed thousands of members, who reported on their tire purchase and/or installation experiences at walk-in chains, online retailers, independent tire retailers, and car dealerships. In order to qualify for this survey, members must have purchased one or more new tires for their vehicle between fall 2022 and fall 2023.

Below are some of the key survey highlights.

See Top Pick Tires: The Best Car, SUV, and Truck Tires.

Most buyers (61 percent) replaced their tire sets when their current tires were worn, but a significant 17 percent bought new tire sets because they experienced problems (flat, noise, vibration, tread separation) or the tires had premature/irregular wear (14 percent). Every other potential reason trailed, with just single-digit percentages for other responses. A flat tire led to 8 percent of purchases.

When it came time to buy, 85 percent bought all-season tires.

Among the myriad tire attributes consumers must consider when tire shopping, CR members prioritize handling, wet grip, treadwear, and ride comfort above other factors. Appearance and sustainable materials were the least important.

“There can be a real difference between perception and reality when buying tires, especially with the influence of marketing,” says Ryan Pszczolkowski, tire program manager at Consumer Reports. He says that when it comes to assessing value, it’s important to do your homework. “To get the most for your money, check the CR tire ratings for both performance and estimated tread life in narrowing down your choices,” he adds.

Brand loyalty is not a significant factor among CR members when it comes time to buy replacement tires. In fact, just 22 percent said buying tires from the same brand was a very important consideration.

“It is possible to upgrade performance by choosing a different model than came on the car from the factory,” Pszczolkowski says. “But without doing your research, it is also possible that the replacement may not hold the road as well.” Pszczolkowski adds that sticking with the original equipment tires is simplest, though different replacement tires can often provide longer tread life and better all-weather grip since the automakers typically emphasize fuel economy and ride comfort with their tire choices.

The cost of the replacement tires depended heavily on which type of vehicle they were for. Members paid an estimated price of $223 per tire, up significantly from our 2020 survey, when the median price was $167. Over that period, the cost for installation rose slightly, from $25 to $31, in our latest survey.

At $42, car dealerships charged the most, and at $18, Sam’s Club charged the least for installation.

Tire shoppers have many choices for where they buy their tires; this surveyed group cited 26 retail chains, spread among major tire retailer chains such as Discount Tire, wholesale clubs such as Costco, online retailers such as Tire Rack, and general automotive stores such as Pep Boys. Independent tire shops and car dealerships were rated as two separate groups.

About a fifth of surveyed CR members (22 percent) said they bought or installed their tires from independently owned tire stores, including local mechanics and service stations; 15 percent purchased and/or had their tires installed at car dealerships. Among the retail chains, Discount Tire/Tire Rack took the top spot, capturing 17 percent of tire purchases and/or installations, followed by Costco at 16 percent. No other retailer had a market share of 10 percent or more.

From the survey, we have ranked the retailers based on satisfaction, with insights on many factors such as sales staff, installation quality, waiting area, checkout ease, and costs. Les Schwab Tire Centers, independent retailers, Discount Tire/Tire Rack, and America’s Tire topped our ratings in overall satisfaction.

While no retailer earned our top mark on all the factors in the survey, most of them were rated favorably for overall satisfaction. Collectively, however, the least-satisfying retailers were often dinged for the free perks offered, installation time, and waiting area.

Overall, a significant 16 percent of CR members ordered their tires online and had them shipped to a local store.

From the survey, we have ranked the retailers based on overall satisfaction, with insights on many factors, such as sales staff, installation quality, waiting area, checkout ease, and costs.

See our complete tire retailer ratings.

Start researching replacement tires before you need them, when the tread depth is at 4/32 of an inch. (Think quarter, rather than penny. See the video below.) Have the new set installed before they are worn to 2/32 of an inch, the legal minimum in most states. At that point, traction is significantly compromised, particularly with the ability to resist hydroplaning.

Use our extensive tire ratings based on testing hundreds of tires per year and thorough treadwear evaluations.

Once you’ve selected the replacement tires you want, there are many retailers to choose from. The best ones often have compelling tire prices and high installation quality—although all the retailers in the survey did a decent job of satisfying consumers overall. Our retailer ratings can steer you toward the best national stores.

Watch for rebates from the tire makers. These are shown on the websites for tire companies and tire retailers.

Try negotiating the price from your local store. It may match the price if you find the tires for less elsewhere. The majority of survey respondents (86 percent) did not negotiate, but among those who did, 63 percent were successful at getting a better deal. The average savings for these savvy shoppers was $37 per tire.

Factor free perks. Most members (83 percent) who purchased or installed tires at a retailer received at least one free perk or service. Among all members who received one or more such perks, about half got free tire rotation (46 percent) or free tire balancing (44 percent). Less common were free tire mounting (39 percent), free tire checks (35 percent), and free flat tire repairs (33 percent). Among these offerings, our experts prize free rotation because it can mean significant savings if you return to the store regularly to take advantage of this service. The common recommendation is to have this performed every 5,000 to 7,500 miles.

• Top Pick Tires: The Best Car, SUV, and Truck Tires• Best Tire Brands• Best Tire Values• Best Car Tires• Best SUV/Truck Tires• Best All-Season Tires• Best Winter/Snow Tires• Most and Least Satisfying Tire Retailers

Jeff S. Bartlett

Jeff S. Bartlett is the managing editor for the autos team at Consumer Reports. He has been with CR since 2005. Previously, Jeff served as the online editorial director of Motor Trend for 11 years. Throughout his career, Jeff has driven thousands of cars, many on racetracks around the globe. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSBartlett.