Just as Walmart and Target have changed shopping for clothes and household items, discount tire stores have changed forever how America buys tires and has their vehicles serviced. A number of chains have popped up over the past 20 years and they have carved out a big share of the market. Discount tire stores have taken a lot of the business away from the manufacturer's stores by offering better prices and quick service.
The typical discount tire store has a wide variety of tires in stock that make perfect replacements for the most popular cars on the road. They specialize in providing good value and market themselves by offering no or low installation costs. You have probably heard the ads promising "no mounting fees" or "balancing included." Some of the discounters will even provide free alignment with a purchase of four tires.
When buying from a discount tire store it is important to understand how tires are sold to make sure that you are getting good value for your money. Even though you may be offered a low price that does not mean it is a good deal if the tire you are buying is going to wear out after 25,000 miles. Ask about the treadlife rating. If the $40 tire is going to last for 40,000 miles and the $30 tire only 25,000 miles, the more expensive one is actually a better deal.
There are other factors to consider in buying tires as well, like the speed rating and traction rating. Both of these should be at least as high as the tires that were on your car when it came out of the factory. Don't overlook the size of the tire either; it is crucial that it matches your vehicle for the best performance on the road.
Making it very convenient to shop for tires, many of the discount tire stores have their own web sites where you can enter your vehicle and the site will automatically make recommendations on the type of tire to purchase. Once you have the selected the tire that fits your car and your budget, you can schedule an appointment to have the tires installed at the location which is most convenient to your home or office.