Buying Tires at Costco

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tomd37
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Buying Tires at Costco

Post by tomd37 »

I need new tires for our 2001 Lexus ES300. For those of you who have purchased tires through Costco, what are your experiences with their comparable pricing, installation including balancing, rotation and rebalancing every 5,000 miles, road hazard waranty honoring, and alignment if they do that? How about appointment making and adherence to the time schedule?
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fishnskiguy
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by fishnskiguy »

My experience has been totally positive.

Our local Costco does not do tires by appointment, so I can't comment on that.

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sport
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by sport »

In my experience, Costco is very busy on weekends. I believe they do not take appointments (I could be wrong on this), so it is better to go on a weekday. Their installation, balancing, rebalancing and rotation are very good. They do not do alignmnets. For warranty I can give a good example. My daughter bought a pair of tires at Costco. One failed under warranty, and they no longer carried that brand. For the cost of the normal warranty replacement (prorated) they gave her a second tire at no cost so they would match. They only carry higher end tires and the prices are good.

Jeff
bigirish
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by bigirish »

I have been very pleased with my service from Costco's tire department. In all the searching I could do they were VERY comparable in price. I ordered my tires online and they were shipped to the store. They don't take appointments, it is first come, first served. I have gotten the rotation and balance once for each vehicle and they did it in about an hour while we shopped. They don't do alignments. And I haven't had a warranty issue (knock on wood) so I can't comment on that. However prior to getting tires from Costco, I had another tire shop fail to patch my tire TWICE! I swung by Costco to see if they could be any help and the guy there said normally they wouldn't fix a tire that wasn't purchased there. They didn't have any cars in at the time so he helped me out anyway. The tire lasted until I replaced it with the set I purchased from them.
texasdiver
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by texasdiver »

They are the best.

When my subdivision was under construction I had a nail go through the sidewall, ruining a tire that was about half worn out. They replaced it with no issues or charge. Yes, the wait can be long as the secret is out. If you have to go on a weekend, drop the car off early when they open and pick it up in the afternoon.

That said, I've also found Discount Tire to be excellent and have essentially the same level of customer service and support as Costco. Now that we no longer live near a Costco I use Discount Tire because it is a big headache to have to drive an hour to Costco to fix a flat when I have a Discount Tire 10 blocks away.
wingnutty
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by wingnutty »

I've found them to be a bit over priced. What I do is get quotes from our local ford dealership, then get prices off of Tirerack.com, which are always quite a bit lower (not counting shipping) and then go have my ford dealership match the price. Usually there is a rebate to boot, so I save quite a bit. I priced tires at costco and it was cheaper going through the dealership after the price match and rebates.

Most tire places will price match and you can save quite a bit.
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bottlecap
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by bottlecap »

Costco is great to buy tires from. The price is usually pretty close to the best and "free" rotation is decent. their techs arent terribly sophisticated, but they do the job.

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LifeIsGood
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by LifeIsGood »

My only complaint regarding tires at Costco is rebalancing. If I get there when they first open, it still takes at least 50-60 minutes for a rotate and balance. If I'm a little later, it's 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Otherwise no complaints. I purchased a set of tires from them a couple of years ago and they developed a serious "roar" noise. After a year, I had finally had enough. I bought another brand and they gave me a prorated credit on the old tires. Very fair.
SamB
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by SamB »

I have been buying tires from Costco for years, but the last time they striped the stud bolts on one wheel. This is a dangerous nuisance, and I may just start buying my tires from my local repair shop. They don't strip stud bolts.

If you ever watch the tire guy mount a wheel he always uses the torque wrench after he has tightened the bolts with a pneumatic driver. If the driver is broken or set too high, the torque wrench is just for show. Chances are good your stud bolts are way over spec, and will be next to impossible to remove if you have a flat.
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dm200
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by dm200 »

Yes, I love buying tires from COSTCO. In several cases, they honored the warranty - no questions asked. They also don't nickel and dime you on multiple things when you buy tires.

And, while waiting for the installation, I can get the bargain food (pizza and hot dogs)!
Leesbro63
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by Leesbro63 »

SamB wrote:I have been buying tires from Costco for years, but the last time they striped the stud bolts on one wheel. This is a dangerous nuisance, and I may just start buying my tires from my local repair shop. They don't strip stud bolts.

If you ever watch the tire guy mount a wheel he always uses the torque wrench after he has tightened the bolts with a pneumatic driver. If the driver is broken or set too high, the torque wrench is just for show. Chances are good your stud bolts are way over spec, and will be next to impossible to remove if you have a flat.
Can and does happen anywhere
snowman
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by snowman »

I use both Costco and Discount Tire. They are both excellent. I would not use any other shop.

With Costco I cannot make an appointment, so I just get there 10-15 minutes before they open on a weekday, and am out pretty quickly. Customer service level is excellent.

I like Discount Tire slightly better than Costco. Selection is huge, prices are great, they will match Costco prices including rebates if you ask them, you can make appointments, and you can watch them do the job. For a car guy like me, that's better experience. For an average person, Costco is probably better - you drop the car off and go shopping.
MachAF
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by MachAF »

The problem with Costco is they carry a very limited selection of tires. Every time I've gone in there looking for a tire they have to order it.

You can get better deals at Discount Tire and a better selection.
lwfitzge
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by lwfitzge »

I've not done Costco but have done Discount tires, Tire Rack and had wonderful experiences w each. I then go to one of local approved vendor in my town that has the vendors seal of approval for cost transparency and customer experience. I'd do some comparison w cost of other vendors if you haven't already.
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Kuckie
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by Kuckie »

I purchased a set of tires at Costco. Two months later I hit a spike on the side of the road which punctured the sidewall on one tire. Costco replaced all four tires at no charge. They also offer lifetime rotation and wheel balancing.
THY4373
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by THY4373 »

Leesbro63 wrote:
SamB wrote:I have been buying tires from Costco for years, but the last time they striped the stud bolts on one wheel. This is a dangerous nuisance, and I may just start buying my tires from my local repair shop. They don't strip stud bolts.

If you ever watch the tire guy mount a wheel he always uses the torque wrench after he has tightened the bolts with a pneumatic driver. If the driver is broken or set too high, the torque wrench is just for show. Chances are good your stud bolts are way over spec, and will be next to impossible to remove if you have a flat.
Can and does happen anywhere
Agreed that is why all my cars have a breaker bar with the right sized socket in the trunk in case i need to change a tire that has been done this way. I try to check them when I get the car back from the garage but I dont' always remember.
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6miths
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by 6miths »

I like Costco for tires. Sure selection is limited but I'm not picky and usually mount Michelins which they always seem to have. Price is usually quite good. Just got a new set of summer tires for the Odyssey without incident. I usually wait for the additional rebate to be available. Never had a problem with changing a flat on a tire put on there nor with scrapes on alloy rims (which I have had at the dealer) or banged up lug nuts. I don't go there if I am in a hurry, for a single tire or for alignment. Our local Costco takes afternoon appointments but in the morning it is first come, first served. The second closest store has no appointments. Road hazard coverage is good and no questions (Costco's general return policies border on ridiculously lax but makes for happy customers so I guess that is good for business!)
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zebrafish
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by zebrafish »

I've bought at least 3 or 4 sets of tires at Costco. Never had a problem. Prices are very good.
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yukonjack
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by yukonjack »

I've purchased 5 sets of tires from Costco and have been pleased with each purchase. The price is quite good and Costco is almost always running a sale price of usually $70 off a set of four. While they don't take appointments getting in is easy during the week.
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Go Blue 99
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by Go Blue 99 »

I typically use Discount Tire, but recently joined Costco. I have to admit it's discouraging to hear they don't take appointments. Can you at least call to see what tires they have in stock? I like that Discount Tire lets you choose the exact tires when you book an appt online. It gives me time to research them before making a decision.
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HueyLD
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by HueyLD »

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texasdiver
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by texasdiver »

Another thing. Costco seems to frequently run coupon specials of $70 off a set of 4 tires, either Michelin or Bridgestone (they rotate the coupons between the 2 brands) so I'd call ahead and see if they are running a coupon special at the moment. They don't generally need to see the actual coupon, they will give you the coupon price if you ask, but they need to be running a special at that moment. So if you don't need the tires instantly you can usually save $70 by waiting until one of the coupons kicks in.
Yipee-Ki-O
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by Yipee-Ki-O »

I've purchased two sets of tires from Costco but will never repeat that mistake again. The last time I waited in line for well over a half hour for my turn with the single person behind the counter. And at least at my Costco you do the same routine whether you want to get your tires rotated or a flat repaired. Or to buy a battery for that matter. Discount Tire offers prices which are equivalent or nearly so and they take appointments. Costco does many things very well but selling tires is not among them, at least in my experience.
snowman
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by snowman »

Go Blue 99 wrote:I typically use Discount Tire, but recently joined Costco. I have to admit it's discouraging to hear they don't take appointments. Can you at least call to see what tires they have in stock? I like that Discount Tire lets you choose the exact tires when you book an appt online. It gives me time to research them before making a decision.
As I said in my previous post, I have been using both. The only reason I ended up at Costco with one of our cars is because they swap winter/summer tires for $40 (it used to be $26) if you buy at least one set of tires from them. DT charges $80. Other than that, there is no reason to get tires at Costco if you have DT nearby. If you want the same Michelin tire that Costco carries, wait for the $70 off promo (Costco seems to run it very often), and ask DT to match it. Once you have them installed, periodic rotation and balancing is much better experience at DT, IMO.
david99
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by david99 »

Yipee-Ki-O wrote:I've purchased two sets of tires from Costco but will never repeat that mistake again. The last time I waited in line for well over a half hour for my turn with the single person behind the counter. And at least at my Costco you do the same routine whether you want to get your tires rotated or a flat repaired. Or to buy a battery for that matter. Discount Tire offers prices which are equivalent or nearly so and they take appointments. Costco does many things very well but selling tires is not among them, at least in my experience.
If you go to Costco on a Sat. or a Sun. you are going to have a long wait to buy tires.
WatchinU
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by WatchinU »

I've purchased tires from Costco and Discount Tires. Costco is very busy and if you have a flat you might be in for a long wait. That is what happened to me. There were so many folks ahead of me that had purchased tires that Costco had no time to help me and suggested that I purchase a new tire. I went to Discount Tires and they fixed my tire it right away. After fixing the tire, Discount Tires suggested that I may want to replace the tire -- not a hard sell but I appreciated them giving me the option.

I currently price match Costco to Discount Tires. If you don't get the price match right away, call back and talk to someone else. I've had guys at Discount Tires tell me they want to be competitive. I've also had Discount Tires setup a time for me to have new tires installed -- they suggested a time of day where things slow down so there is less of a wait.

Discount Tires has better service for me and they replace the tires when there is a road hazard. I've had 3 of the last 4 tires replaced at no charge -- that is a very good deal for me at $23 per tire for road hazard warranty (Tires are $200+ each). Discount Tires team stays late until the job is done. The last time I had a tire looking flat, I drove in there and it was right after XMAS at about 5:45pm. They were so busy and it took a while for them to even write up the ticket. They closed at 6pm officially but continued working. Once they locked the doors the asst manager rolled up his sleeves and began helping to get tires rotated and fixed. Great team work and we were done by 7pm.

Costco generally only has a 2-3 folks working to install and rotate tires. If I had gone there I would likely be turned away again. Don't get me wrong -- I love Costco but its not where I purchase my tires anymore.
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by noyopacific »

The nearest Costco is two hours from my home so I seldom shop there. I usually get tires at WalMart which is 30 minutes closer to home. I've been satisfied with WalMart. I stopped buying tires closer to home because the local tire shops no longer offer any warranty for sidewall / road hazard damage. The roads leading here (Mendocino Coast of CA) are very tough on tires!
Anyone know why it is that out of six times (yes, 6) I have had a tire failures and no road hazard coverage, it's always been sidewall damage and I've been stuck buying a new tire while tires with road hazard coverage have never failed me? :?
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by jccasey »

I bought some new Michelins for my Acura at Costco and thought the entire experience was excellent. Their price was right in line with the cheapest negotiated pricing (after citing Tire Rack prices) at other places but without the hassle of negotiation. I would return to Costco in a nanosecond. My biggest warning is this: avoid Sears Tire like the Bubonic plague. They are horrible. Their so-called "techs" could not balance a tire if their lives depended on it.
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by rallycobra »

I purchase tires from tirerack.com and use a recommended installer that has a Hunter wheel balance machine that can do a road force balance. Actually I call the shop and tell them what tires I'm going to order and how much it will cost if they order them. If they match the price I let them order them. Otherwise, I let tirerack drop ship them.

A nurse I work with used our local Costco. She paid for four new tires and got three new ones that were incorrect for her vehicle. She found out when the old tire burst driving late at night. Fortunately it happened shortly before her destination and was able to limp in. She took her Acura back to a different Costco and they gave her four new correct tires. I would rather take my chances with a real tire shop and use Costco for paper towels and toilet paper...
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jda
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by jda »

Costco pricing is "ok" when compare to most of the big chain tire stores. What you get from Costco is a really good warranty if tires fail pre-maturely. They tend to replace faulty tires for free or pro-rated towards new set of tires. However, I have never purchase tires from Costco because it's always busy and the brands are limited.
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by Gnirk »

We usually buy our Michelin tires from Costco, usually when they have a coupon sale. And we did make an appointment at one of the larger city Costcos. Good service, good warranty.

We also found that our local Discount Tire (America's Tire in other geographic areas) will match their prices (make sure the tires are identical to the ones at Costco), and is sometimes more convenient for us, and they provide very good service.
nwrolla
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by nwrolla »

I have purchased a few sets of tires through Costco. While they are excellent the lack of making appointments can be an inconvenience. Most of the time if I need my tires rotated I just leave the car there a few hours and come back for it. On average its at least an hour sometimes up to 3 depending on how busy they are. That aside everything else has been great.
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by Alex Frakt »

There's a time versus money tradeoff for nearly all types of retail goods, including tires. At one end may be your dealer's service department, you can schedule a time and relax in front of a big screen TV while reading a free paper and drinking a free cappuccino. Of course, you'll pay through the nose for all those freebies. For those of a general boglehead approach to expensive frills, Costco is a good fit. You get a good product at a reasonable price without a lot of hassle. FWIW, I use Tire Rack and a local installer when I need new tires. It's cheaper, but is a little less convenient and you have to be willing to take the time to sort through the many available options. I actually enjoy this sort of thing, so the tradeoff works for me.
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by tfb »

Gnirk wrote:We also found that our local Discount Tire (America's Tire in other geographic areas) will match their prices (make sure the tires are identical to the ones at Costco), and is sometimes more convenient for us, and they provide very good service.
Agree that Discount Tire offers price just as good, more convenience (appointment, locations) and arguably better service.
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billjohnson
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by billjohnson »

Both Costco and discount tire give first class service along with excellent prices. I have been equally very happy with both...
DTSC
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by DTSC »

Leesbro63 wrote:
SamB wrote:I have been buying tires from Costco for years, but the last time they striped the stud bolts on one wheel. This is a dangerous nuisance, and I may just start buying my tires from my local repair shop. They don't strip stud bolts.

If you ever watch the tire guy mount a wheel he always uses the torque wrench after he has tightened the bolts with a pneumatic driver. If the driver is broken or set too high, the torque wrench is just for show. Chances are good your stud bolts are way over spec, and will be next to impossible to remove if you have a flat.
Can and does happen anywhere
Agree. That's why I always carry a 3 foot long steel pipe in my trunk to use as a cheater bar
Postmon
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by Postmon »

I usually order online from Tire Rack and have them shipped directly to my local mechanic. He balances/installs for $100. Total price usually works out to be about the same as Costco. Advantages of Tire Rack: huge selection compared to only a few choices at Costco, confidence of having my local mechanic do the installation, don't have to drive out to Costco and wait. I do like the Costco warranty BUT you need to go back to Costco if there's a problem. When you have a flat or issue, it can be a hassle to get to there. I once had a defect with some tires from tire rack. I went to a local authorized tire dealer and they replaced them for free (less a pro-rated mileage charge based on the current price of the tire).
THY4373
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by THY4373 »

Leesbro63 wrote:
SamB wrote:I have been buying tires from Costco for years, but the last time they striped the stud bolts on one wheel. This is a dangerous nuisance, and I may just start buying my tires from my local repair shop. They don't strip stud bolts.

If you ever watch the tire guy mount a wheel he always uses the torque wrench after he has tightened the bolts with a pneumatic driver. If the driver is broken or set too high, the torque wrench is just for show. Chances are good your stud bolts are way over spec, and will be next to impossible to remove if you have a flat.
Can and does happen anywhere
True and for this reason I keep a larger breaker bar with correctly sized socket in each of my cars in case I forget to check the torque (I have a torque wrench) when I get the car back from being worked on. My breaker bars have never failed me yet no matter how "over torqued" the lug nuts are.
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LowER
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Re: Buying Tires at Costco

Post by LowER »

Discount has been more willing to stand behind their products than Costco - which is odd because their in-store return policy is so generous by reputation.
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