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Replacing your car’s tires is an unavoidable but necessary expense. Where you buy your tires can make a big difference in price, quality and service.
In this article, I’ll take a close look at Walmart’s Tire Center: an affordable and convenient option for buying tires. I researched the process and pricing at Walmart’s Tire Center to get an idea of what you can expect as well as how it compares to other popular tire stores.
Walmart Tire Center: What You Need to Know
walmart is a handy place to find great prices on almost anything, including tires. If your local Walmart has an auto service center, you’ll likely find great prices there on tires and installation as well as other auto services. In addition, you can order your tires online.
In addition to great prices, you will also find a variety of brands. When I checked the selection online at Walmart, I found tires from Goodyear, Cooper, Douglass, Pirelli, Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin and more.
Before ordering your next set of tires, consider these five things about Walmart’s Tire Center:
Below, you’ll find detailed information about Walmart’s Auto Service Center, including how to buy tires, how prices compare to other tire centers, how to plan your installation, and how to maximize your savings.
How to Buy Tires at Walmart
Customers can purchase tires from Walmart two ways: in-store or online.
If you are looking to shop in-store, you can Use the online store search to locate the nearest Walmart with an auto service center. From there, an associate can help you find the right tires for your vehicle.
You can also shop at Walmart.com. By shopping online, you’ll be able to browse the company’s full selection of tires whether you’re near an auto service center or not. If you buy your tires online, you can order them for same day pickup (where available). You can also have them shipped directly to your door or Walmart store of your choice for free.
During your first visit Walmart’s Online Tire Centeryou will see the option to use the “Tire Finder” at the top of the page. For most of us, the tire finder will be the easiest way to find a selection of suitable tires for your car. To get started, click “Enter your car information now”.
From there, you can search by size or by clicking “Add Vehicle”. You should be able to find the intended tire size for your vehicle in the owner’s manual, but when you click on “Add a vehicle”, you just need to know the year, the make and the model of your car.
Once you have entered your vehicle information, you will be able to browse the selection of tires suitable for your car. You can use the filters on the left side of the screen to narrow your search results by brand, price, tire season, rating, special offers and more. You can also sort your results by price, popularity, ranking, and other factors using the “Sort by” feature at the top of the screen.
Once you have found a selection of suitable tires, you can click on specific tires for additional information including pickup/shipping times, installation availability and product details.
Once you have made your selection, you can add the tires to your online shopping cart and enter your billing and shipping information. If you plan to have your tires installed at a Walmart auto service center, you can have them sent instead. You will need to call the center to schedule your installation.
How much do tires cost at Walmart?
Compared to other stores, Walmart offers the lowest average prices on tires with a median price per tire of $102. For my 2017 Toyota Camry, tire prices ranged from $50.22 to $180.90 each plus a premium option for $210.56.
consumer reports surveyed nearly 50,000 of its subscribers to ask about the cost, selection, sales service and benefits of buying new tires. Below, you’ll see how Walmart’s average prices and ratings compare to other popular tire stores:
| Store | Median tire price | Installation price (per tire) | Consumer Reports Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| walmart | $103 | $15 | 80 |
| sam’s club | $143 | $20 | 85 |
| BJ Tire Center | $144 | $20 | 86 |
| Town Fair Tire Centers | $148 | $23 | 83 |
| Completed Firestone | $159 | $27 | 87 |
| Direct Tire Discount | $161 | $22 | 90 |
| Happy new year | $161 | $26 | 88 |
| Tire carriers | $163 | $24 | 91 |
| Costco | $168 | $17 | 91 |
As you can see, Walmart has the lowest average price per tire compared to sam’s club, Direct Tire Discount, BJ Tire Center and Costco.
In addition to great prices, Walmart says it offers price matching if you find a better deal on an identical item from an eligible retailer. To see all the details and limitations, check out Walmart.com Online Price Match Policy. To submit a price match request, contact Walmart Customer Service before placing your order.
To finish, be sure to check out the “Special Offers” section on the left side of the Walmart.com Tire Center Webpage. You will find discounts, clearance items. gift card bundles and other ways to save money on tires.
How much does Walmart charge to install tires?
If you buy your tires from Walmart or walmart.com, you can have your tires installed at a Walmart auto service center for $15 per tire. This means that you will have a total of $60 for a basic installation on four tires.
If you need to have tires installed elsewhere, you can still get the same basic install for an extra $10 per tire. That brings the total to $100 for four tires. And Walmart’s “basic installation” includes more than just installing the new tires.
Basic Tire Installation Kit
$15 per tire if purchased at Walmart ($10 additional per tire if purchased elsewhere)
- Tire mounting
- Valve Stem/TPMS Service Kit
- Lifetime balance and rotation every 7,500 miles
- 50 mile pod re-torque
Economy Tire Installation Kit
$25 per tire (only available for tires purchased from Walmart)
- Tire mounting
- Valve Stem/TPMS Service Kit
- Lifetime balance and rotation every 7,500 miles
- 50 mile pod re-torque
- Road hazard protection guarantee
Additional tire services:
These services are only available for tires purchased from Walmart.
- Lifetime balance and rotation: $12 per tire
- Installation of valve stem/TPMS service pack: $3 per tire
- Puncture repair (tubeless): $15 per tire
- Tire fitting (workshop): $10 per tire
- Tire fitting (specialty): $5 per tire
- Rotation: $2.50 per tire
- Lug nut replacement: $2 per lug nut
- Reset tire pressure monitoring system sensors: free if needed
Remember, if you plan to purchase your tires online and have them delivered to a Walmart auto service center for installation, you will need to call the center separately and schedule a time to bring your car.
For more information on installation and tires, battery, oil and lube or additional services, visit Walmart Car Care Center Online.
Walmart Tires: Return Policy and Warranty Information
According Walmart website, most tires that have never been installed or used can be returned to the customer service counter at any Walmart store with a tire center.
Unfortunately, Walmart stores that do not have tire centers cannot accept returns and you cannot return tires by mail. Walmart will also not accept returns of snow tires or tires that have been used.
Walmart offers Road Hazard Warranty for $10 per tire. This price is included in the Value Tire Installation Package total, and the warranty is only available for tires purchased in-store or online at Walmart. The warranty covers unforeseen road hazards, flat repairs and free replacement of non-repairable tires within the first 25% of tread wear.
Note that the standard manufacturer’s warranty should be sufficient to cover your tires. In reality, consumer reports argues that tread life guarantees are next to useless and money expert Clark Howard never buy extended warranties.
“My position on extended warranties still remains the same,” Clark says. “I don’t like them and I don’t buy them in any store.”
If you are not completely satisfied with the tires you ordered, you will have 90 days from the date of purchase to return them.. Of course, if you had the tires shipped directly to your home, you’ll need to arrange to have them delivered to an eligible Walmart location.
You can find more information at Walmart Tire Return Policy on line.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Walmart is a great place to buy tires online and in-store. You’ll find a great selection of popular tire brands and some of the lowest average prices per tire compared to other popular tire stores. And installation is cheaper at Walmart than almost anywhere else.
If you decide to purchase your next set of tires from Walmart, follow these tips to maximize your savings:
- Check special offers tab on the left side of the webpage if you are shopping online. Here you will find exclusive tire discounts, gift card sets, discounts, rebates and clearance prices.
- Take advantage of price matching if you see a lower advertised price. It’s important to take the time to compare prices across multiple stores to ensure you’re getting the best deal. Also, you can only claim the price match at Walmart if you submit it before making your purchase.
- Let Walmart install your tires. You can get free same-day delivery to select locations as well as free delivery to any Walmart store. Since it offers one of the lowest prices for installation, consider having your tires sent directly to the store for free and call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Of course, you can also buy tires in store with the help of a Walmart Auto Care Center associate. Be sure to call your nearest store before visiting for specific hours and availability.
Have you ever bought tires from Walmart? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
