4 Things You Need to Know About Costco's Tire Center

Costco membership isn't just about buying things in its warehouse clubs. There are several other perks of memberships, such as the gas stations and travel deals, just to name a couple.

One other benefit to membership is the Costco Tire Centers, which allow you to have new tires installed on your vehicle while shopping. If you haven't used Costco's Tire Center yet, here's a quick rundown of some of the important things to know.

1. Costco isn't always the cheapest

To be sure, there are some Costco membership perks that you can be quite sure are cheaper than the alternatives. Gas prices are a great example. But with tires, it's not always the case. In fact, analysis by Clark.com found that Costco isn't even in the top three when it comes to the cheapest regular-price tires on average. Those are Walmart, Discount Tire, and Sam's Club, respectively.

Having said that, Costco certainly has competitive pricing on tires, and in some cases, Costco can be the best choice.

There's also value to be had in getting your tires changed while shopping. If you take your car to a discount tire retailer, you'll need to sit there for hours or arrange transportation to and from the shop. At Costco, it's easy to schedule a tire appointment online or in the store, and you can plan a shopping trip around it.

2. There are often promotions and rebates available

Costco offers certain promotional discounts and rebates throughout the year, and these can certainly have an impact on your checking account. As an example, Costco offered a $150 discount on a set of four Michelin tires earlier this year.

In fact, the same Clark.com analysis mentioned in the previous section found that in March 2023, four tires for a 2017 Toyota Camry were about $40 cheaper at Costco than anywhere else, thanks to discounts that were available at the time.

3. Costco doesn't use regular air in your tires

One of the more unique aspects of getting your tires changed at Costco is that service technicians inflate your tires with nitrogen instead of compressed air. According to the company, this helps your tires retain their pressure longer and can result in more mileage out of a set of tires, not to mention better fuel economy.

Some Costco competitors will fill your tires with nitrogen, but charge an additional fee to do so.

4. Best road hazard warranty and lifetime maintenance

Costco offers a five-year road hazard warranty on tires. If your tires are damaged during the course of normal driving, and you've kept up with standard maintenance, Costco will repair or replace them for five years or until their tread depth is worn down to 1/16 of an inch, whichever comes first. If a tire cannot be repaired, Costco provides a credit determined by the remaining usable tread at the time of failure. This is a big difference between Costco and its competitors.

And if you purchase tires at a Costco Tire Center, you can come back anytime for several free services. This includes pressure checks, tire balancing, tire rotations, and flat repairs.

Is Costco the best place to buy tires?

The short answer is "it depends." Costco has competitive prices on tires, offers promotional discounts frequently, and has one of the best road hazard warranty and maintenance programs in the industry. Just like any other major purchasing decision, there's no harm in shopping around, but Costco Tire Centers can be a great place for your tire needs.