In CR’s exclusive survey shoppers share what they paid and how much they saved.
According to a survey by Consumer Reports members, many tire shoppers are open to switching brands. Most get perks and may be able to save money by negotiating prices. These people’s experiences will help you make the right decision when buying your next tire.
Consumer Reports interviewed members who purchased tires within the past 12 months. They were asked about their satisfaction with 23 tire retailers. Independent retailers and car dealerships were also included in the survey. The survey was completed in fall 2020 and more than 15,000 people responded.
Over two-thirds (63%) of the surveyed car owners changed brands when purchasing replacement tires for their vehicles. Another 10% bought the same tire, but chose a different model. Based on the survey, consumers are replacing tires not only out of necessity but also to improve winter grip, handling and ride.
Their brand selection was driven by price; it was motivating in over a third all purchases. Brand trust and tread life were just as important.
14 percent attempted to haggle in order to get the price they desired. 70% of them were able to negotiate a price reduction, with an average savings of $96 for four sets of tires.
Ryan Pszczolkowski is CR’s senior tire tester and auto testing technician. “Tire shoppers need to take into account price and performance when buying a new tire.” “The fact that so many people choose a different type of tire than the one they have is a sign that there are a lot of tire shoppers who want to change the tire’s performance and price. (Check out our tire selector, which matches the tires we tested to your vehicle.
Cost of replacement tires varies greatly depending on the vehicle they are being used for. The average price for replacement tires was $167, which is significantly higher than the $148 median price in our 2018 survey. In our most recent survey, the cost of installation rose from $22 – $24 per tire. Installation costs for tires were $36 at car dealerships, while $14 was charged by Sam’s Club.
Price varies depending on the vehicle type, size, performance, speed rating and retailer. Remember that tire quality is not always a function of price. Our tests repeatedly show this.
Cost Per Tire by Car Type
| CARTYPE | MEDIAN PRICE PAID PER TIRES 1 |
| Sedan/hatchback/wagon | $137 |
| Minivan | $137 |
| SUV | $162 |
| Coupe/convertible | $170 |
| Pickup truck/van | $187 |
- The price of the purchase does not include installation costs.
Michelin is the most popular tire brand among CR members. It’s not surprising that Michelin is the most popular brand in many categories we test. Although Michelin tires are more expensive than other household brands, the extra cost can often be justified when you compare track performance and predicted treadwear. The average price of tires from other brands was higher, according to the survey respondents. In 2018, our survey showed that tires cost $167 on average, which is significantly higher than the $148 median price. This time, the median cost of installation was $24 per tire.
Median Price Paid per Tire
| TIRE BRAND | PRICE PER TIRE 1 |
| Nokian | $215 |
| Pirelli | $206 |
| Michelin | $185 |
| Continental | $178 |
| Bridgestone | $174 |
| BFGoodrich | $174 |
| Toyo | $173 |
| Yokohama | $157 |
| Goodyear | $151 |
| Hankook | $148 |
| Firestone | $145 |
| Cooper | $142 |
| Falken | $131 |
| General | $126 |
| Uniroyal | $125 |
| Kumho | $121 |
- The price estimate is based on the car type, and does not include installation costs.
Customers who bought or installed tires got at least one perk or service for their purchase. Tire buyers received half the cost of balancing and 49% got free rotation. This can help you save a lot over the long-term. Members also mentioned tire mounting and tire disposal as freebies.
Get freebies when you buy or install tires
Another perk is the road-hazard warranty. This protects tires that have been damaged before their original tread life expires. One was free for 27 percent of the tire-buying membership. Only one in five tire-buying members (19%) purchased a roadhazard warranty with their tires.
The percentage of members that received a free warranty varied by retailer. For example, only 2 percent of Amazon customers got one while 53 percent of BJ’s or Les Schwab Tire Centers customers received one. Tire Rack, Sam’s Club and Costco are all good places to shop if you want a free warranty with your purchase of tires. This perk was reported by approximately half of their customers.
Gene Petersen, who runs the Consumer Reports tire testing program, says that you may be able get the coverage you need bundled with tires. It may be worth paying more for protection in some cases, like when tires are very cheap but don’t come with a road-hazard guarantee.
Petersen recommends that buyers carefully read the fine print before claiming too much benefit from these programs. Because the coverage can vary. We have found that the tire cost is usually less than $20 per tire and that the peace of mind is worth it.
Road-Hazard Warranties by Retailer
| RETAILER | CUSTOMERS GETTING A FREE WARRANTY |
| BJ’s | 53 |
| Les Schwab Tire Centers | 53 |
| Costco | 50 |
| Tire Rack | 49 |
| Sam’s Club | 48 |
| Kal Tire | 43 |
| Canadian Tire Corp | 33 |
| Town Fair Tire Centers | 32 |
| Big O Tires | 29 |
| Belle Tire Distributors | 28 |
| America’s Tire | 26 |
| Tire Discounters | 26 |
| Discount Tire Centers | 24 |
| Pep Boys | 24 |
| Auto and Tire Discounts | 23 |
| Car dealerships | 22 |
| Goodyear Auto Service | 22 |
| Tires Plus | 21 |
| Discount Tire (discounttiredirect.com) | 18 |
| NTB Tire & Service Centers | 18 |
| Firestone Complete Auto Care | 17 |
| Independent retailers | 14 |
| Walmart | 13 |
| Mavis Discount Tire | 10 |
| Amazon.com | 2 |
Bottom line
You should start your search for tires by looking at models that offer the safety attributes you value most. These include winter traction, wet brake grip and resistance to hydroplaning (when water is between the tire and road). Next, focus on getting a great deal from a trusted dealer. Many tire retailers and manufacturers offer discounts, often in the form savings on complete sets. It doesn’t hurt to negotiate.
To complement our extensive tire-testing results , the latest tire retailer satisfaction scores allow CR members to optimize tire-buying experiences.