We spend a lot of time on the road which can be pretty expensive when it comes to maintaining the parts of the vehicle. One of the major things affected by our road warrior nature is the wear and tear on our tires. When it comes to replacing these vital items you might freak out when it comes to the pricing. Tires are pretty expensive and you typically have to buy more than one at once, which makes shopping for the items something to dread. There are a several ways that buying new tires can save you money and ensure that your car is road worthy in the worst of conditions.

1. Wait for Sales
If you’re planning on doing a routine tire change then you might want to wait until there is a seasonal sale. Typically these sales happen at the end of every season, which is about every three months, and generally are based around the tires needed for the upcoming season. If you haven’t had a blow out then waiting for the sale prices might be your best bet if you’re looking to save some money. Of course, you don’t have to purchase the seasonal tires as they will probably still run at a higher price than the standard tires that work with most vehicles. There are also many blowout sales that can give you an amazing price for some of the best tires on the market. The key is not wait until the tires are too worn to use. You should always try to buy tires before you end up losing one on the road, because it is the random replacements that will end up costing you more.

2. Shop for Rebates
Tires are one of the best items when it comes to rebates. You can get a rebate pretty much any time during the year and they aren’t hard to find. Usually you can save anywhere from $60 to $200 on tires if you know how to look for rebates. So, before you go shopping you might want to call around and ask if they have any rebates going. Of course, you should always look online as well in order to find the most lucrative rebate available. It is important not to buy a tire just because of the rebate though. If you pick the wrong tire for your car then you will end up spending more money than you need to. Rebate shopping might mean you have to order tires online, so don’t rule this out as an option right away. Sometimes the rebate might even refund your shipping cost, so take your time when looking and you will certainly be rewarded.

3. Don’t Buy What You Don’t Need
A lot of tire salesmen will try to get you to buy items you don’t actually need. For instance, there are many tires that are designed to fit specific climates and they tend to cost a bit more than you’d expect. If you live in a mild climate then purchasing a tire designed for freezing temperatures isn’t exactly the wisest choice. So, before you go into the tire store you should have a pretty good idea of what you need and what you don’t need. If you tend to change out your tires more frequently then don’t be afraid to tell a salesperson exactly what you need and what you don’t need. People who change their tired frequently can opt for the lesser quality if they are looking to save money, but if you tend to stretch your tire usage as much as possible then make sure you opt for something that is going to last a long longer.

4. Warehouses
When you start looking around for tires one of the first places you should try is a warehouse. Even some of the memberships clubs will actually allow you to buy their tires if you are not a member. You, of course, won’t be given the same price tag as members but you will be able to save a bit more than you will at tire stores. Some warehouses don’t require a membership though, so make sure you do your research here first. Warehouses are also notorious for offering you four tires at a much lower price than you’d get buying the tires separately. If you don’t have a warehouse near you the try to find one on the internet that will ship to your location or to a mechanic shop near you.

5. Know Your Size
It is incredibly important to know the size of tire you need when you go into a shop. If you don’t know the size then you might end up getting a tire that is too large for your vehicle. This can cost you more at checkout due to the size, but there is a whole lot more you will have to worry about when you buy a tire that is too large. Oversized tires are harder on the vehicle and will show how poorly your car is running on the tires after the first fill up. When your tires don’t fit right on the car you won’t get as great of gas mileage as you would with a proper fitting tire. That being said, buying tires that are too small can also be a major problem for the car.

6. Buy Online
There are an abundance of online stores that will provide you with amazing quality products at a fraction of the price that you would pay in a shop. One reason for this is because you are often directly buying from a supplier so you don’t have to pay for another company trying to make a profit on the tire. You might think that buying online could be more expensive because you have to pay to ship the items to your home or a nearby shop. Usually, the cost of shipping, the tires and the price of a mechanic to put the tires on will actually save you up to $50. Of course, you still need to shop around and try to find rebates to help you save as much as you possibly can.

7. Try Used
One of the best ways to save money on tires is to consider buying used goods. A lot of the times people will get new tires when the old ones aren’t exactly worn out. This can be a huge benefit to anyone who is shopping a very tight budget. When you go into a shop you might want to talk to a sales person or mechanic about checking out the used tires. If you are feeling nervous about it then you can always thoroughly inspect the tires and have the mechanic look over them with you. Remember, if you aren’t certain about the tires you can always choose another set or go to another shop to check out what they have to offer. Typically if a store is selling them they should be good to drive on though. You might have a mechanic talk to you about how long the tires should work for you though.

8. Rotate Your Tires
A lot of wear and tear happens when you drive, so the best thing you can do is try to prevent your tires from wearing in certain areas. One way to do this is to rotate your tires. When you have this done a mechanic takes the tires and moves them each to a new area on the car. This will allow the tire to be worn in another area so you won’t lose your tires as quickly. You should get your tires rotated whenever you take your car in for an oil change. In fact, a lot of oil change packages have this included so you won’t have to worry about spending more money to have the job done.

9. Shop Around
You won’t do yourself any favors if you don’t shop around prior to purchasing your tires. There are a lot of places out there that will offer sales, but will still charge you too much for the items you choose. You should always have knowledge of how much an item should be when you go shopping for it. This means you’re going to have to do a whole lot of research both online and off. When you find the best price don’t settle for a number that is higher. Go for the lowest price possible whenever possible, especially if you can get all our tires in one deal.

10. Maintain Car
One of the easiest and most common ways to save money on tires it to do simple maintenance on your car. Everything from monitoring the brakes to checking the pressure in the tires can help cut down on how often you need to swap out your tires. One of the best things about the constant maintenance is you will know there is a problem before it can actually cause a problem with the car. Items stuck in tires can be fixed before the cause real damage, air can be added when needed and so much more. This can help prevent the possibility of a blow out when you’re on the road, so you will feel more at easy when it comes to driving in your car. These simple checks are especially important when it comes to longer trips, so practice safety measures before you go out on the highway.

Keeping your car road worthy can be pretty pricey, but you don’t have to worry about spending a fortune when it comes to purchasing tires. There are many shops and online companies that have amazing deals that can keep you on the road longer without forcing you to lose a lot of money. Now, when it is time to upgrade your car’s tires you can breathe easy and enjoy the idea of having a safer vehicle.

Author: John Terris