New tires can be a real inconvenience to a persons budget. If you take some time to be an educated and informed consumer, you can save yourself some money on your next tire purchase.
While there is no exact consensus as to how often you should replace the tires on your vehicle, in most cases, the average set of tires lasts between 5 – 7 years. Your tires may need to be replaced sooner or later depending on how often you drive, weather conditions in your area, and whether or not you use winter tires.
Here are 7 things that will help you save money on tires this year:
Do Your Homework
Whether you are purchasing a new vehicle or it is time to replace your current tires, you need to do your research. Look into what tires and tire brands are known for their durability. Also, you need to think about the weather conditions where you live and determine which type of tire is best suited for your area.
Compare Prices
Comparing prices should be a no brainer, but it is still amazing to see how many consumers simply walk into the first tire place they see and buy new tires. Go online and compare prices. Once you target a specific brand, you should have no problem seeing who has the best deals in town.
Wait for Deals if You Can
Holding out for deals on tires is ideal. It is important to be proactive and start looking for tires when you still have some time before the tread has completely worn down. You can also look for tire deals during the offseason or at wholesalers to save even more money.
Consider Buying Used
Buying used is an effective option. For a reasonable price you can get tires that will do the job. You don’t have to only buy from major chains. A lot of people will sell their unneeded tires online on website such as Craigslist and eBay.
Use Winter Tires
Purchasing a set of winter tires will not only benefit you during the winter months, but prolong the life of your regular tires. Consequently, helping you save money on tires in the long run.
Adjust Your Driving Habits
Adjusting your driving habits can help you save money on your tires. Doing things like driving less, avoiding potholes, frequently changing your speeds will place less stress on your tires. This can also prevent you from getting in an accident, which will also save you money on car insurance.
Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated
Part of proper tire maintenance is keep them properly inflated. This will ensure that you place less stress on them while driving and also help to increase your gas milage.
Saving money on tires is just as much about proper maintenance and driving as it is taking the time to look for a good deal. Follow these tips and you will be well on your way to saving money on your tires this year.
Author Bio:
InsuranceHunter.ca is an online car insurance brokerage that caters to residents in Alberta and Ontario.
Tires are so so so expensive. UGH!
I agree and to make it worse if you get a flat in one you always have to by a pair so they are even.
I put winter tires on my vehicle every year and take good care of my vehicles. The tires are about 5 years old and still in great shape. Tires do cost a fortune that’s for sure but worth every penny. Can’t put $$ on your life!
I have to change my all-seasons this year. The tread on them has worn sooner than I thought it would have. Not looking forward to that purchase, but have set aside money for it like a good pf blogger would. 🙂
I haven’t used them myself, but I’ve heard that tirerack.com has some pretty good deals on tires! I do believe in doing research before you buy tires, so I think I got a pretty good set when we bought them a few months ago. You should also rotate them fairly often and definitely keep them inflated as you said.
I use michelin energy savers. They’re not quite as sporty as any of the tyres I used to buy, but they certainly last well. I’m an enthusiastic driver (to say the least), and my current set have lasted 21,000 miles now with about 3mm tread left. Am seriously impressed, (it’s about 6,000 more than I used to get out of a set).
As for used tyres, you really do need to be careful with the age. I had a blowout recently, and talking to the tyre guy he showed me the slightly crazing (see pic) on the outside of the tyre which indicated they were well past their best, and that you shouldn’t really use tyres more than 6 yrs old for this reason.
If you want to shop around, a lot of retailers (even some major ones) now use ebay as well, which is really handy for price comparisons.
Our van is just over 7 years old, the mileage is very low, but we put new tires on it in October anyways because we knew we would need them to get us through this winter. We shopped online and found 4 good ones on sale at Canadian Tire. Even though they were on sale, with installation and everything it still came to $700.