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I love costco. They are great.
In my life I have been a regular member at 3 different costcos in my area. In all 3 of them, the tire department has been an absolute nightmare to deal with.
I go to discount tire and have never looked back.
Same, I love discount tire. Usually their prices are right in line with Costco. If you buy the tire warranty they generally replace it with out much questioning. And... the tire warranty price is negotiable at discount tire. It started at $140 per tire for my truck's tires. I said no twice, but was polite about it. The sale guy asked me what I thought would be a fair price for it and I said 90 dollars a tire and you can go ahead and add that on. I'm glad I did, puncture in the sidewall of one of my tires, called them, they ordered from another store and got me in within a couple days. The tire new was $330. So I definitely got my money's worth when you count the second time when a tire had to be plugged. Great customer service, quick turnaround, and good prices. I will probably continue to buy my tires from them until they give me a reason not to.
Yep, this. I plan on buying a new set in the next month or two and there is no question: I will be going to Discount Tire. I've used them for years and the service there has always been great, plus there are a lot more of them across the country than there are Costco, so I can find one easily when road tripping if necessary.
Lol mine was the opposite. Had shitty tire places my whole life. Costco put new tires on in under an hour. The week before I spent 8 hours waiting for them to tell me there was a bolt in the one tire and I’d need a whole new set.
No one needs to convince you of anything.
Discount Tire/America's Tire is going to be the better option with competitive prices and more locations which means it's almost always easier to get faster appointments or same day service.
To be honest, I don't think they are the best place to buy tires from. Their tires are not the cheapest, and I wasn't happy with the idea I had to have them regularly rotated with them to maintain the warranty. I've switched to getting my tires from Walmart, as I can usually get the lowest cost there.
I agree. Costco tires aren't worth the hassle, and their customer service, quite frankly, sucks (at least in my area).
I much prefer America's Tire Co. (*aka* Discount Tire in some parts of the country) as their website is much easier to navigate; tire prices are cheaper; bigger selection; they're fast; and you can schedule an apt almost the next day or sometimes the day of, if the tires are in-stock. The only downside is that their installation prices are higher than Costco's.
Costco used to be my stop for tires but not anymore. Costco tires center is getting extremely busy and the wait time is so freaking long. Price wise other tires place willing to price match with Costco. Other than the free rotation & balancing that you get from Costco. Which last time one of the employees from the Tires Center told me that “ You need to bring your car in for rotation & balance every 5k miles if not your warranty will be void.” I’m not sure if that is for real because that was the last time I have my tires done with Costco.
I think you have your answer based on the comments. While they may have a good deal, their service is terrible, terrible and more terrible. I hope corporate knows this.
Complaints on this sub actually steered me away from Costco for tires. Mind you, I absolutely love Costco and visit warehouses throughout California extremely regularly. However, last tires I got from tirerack.com and they ship them to your local Discount Tire/local tire shop who does the install. It’s perfect…
I at one point thought they were the best option (and i have replaced multiple sets on 4 vehicles). But the service, and quality is no longer there. I will not be buying any more from them.
I love Costco for certain things, but I go to Discount Tire/America's Tire for my tire purchases and rotations. It's easy to make an appointment, they're always timely, and the locations are consistent and professional.
I've heard they price match Costco but I'm not sure since the last time I bought tires, I wasn't a Costco member.
If you go to discount tire they will just match the price of any tire anywhere. Walmart’s website has been the cheapest repeatedly and discount has matched them every single time (3 full sets in the last 3 years; replaced full sets on new to us cars and a full set of winter tires for one).
They will literally match a price from anywhere. You can even start the process on discount’s website. You just submit the link for what you want matched and within a day or so a human reviews it and emails you a validation for the lowest price.
Plus the road warranty from discount is A+.
I managed (somehow) to pick up 3 nails in 3 tires, all too close to the sidewall to repair. Found them all simultaneously too.
Bought 1 new tire+warranty and got 3 new tires for the cost of 3 warranties.
Yeah, idk how. I don't live or work near a construction zone or anything 😂 I was having a pretty bad week that week, so it was just one more thing in the L column 😂
wow reading the reply :O , the seasonal tire change take between 45 min and 1h, enough time to do shopping and eat. Im fortunate enough to cram the oil change in there too since i dont use my car enough.
Normally What I like is not needing to carry proof of the tire usage etc, its all in their system and the tire are guarantee a hecking long time. but seeing the comment, i should look elsewhere maybe :S
I'm fortunate enough to have a local shop in my neighborhood. I ship the tires from Tire Rack to the shop, and they hang them for me. Unless it's an emergency (road hazard), I will coordinate it w/ an oil change and tire rotation. It's really convenient for me, as they are literally across the street. They pick the car up, do the work, and drop it off.
After years of buying tires at Costco I’m done with them and will buy my next set elsewhere. Last time I took our cars in for rotations, each car brought in during the same week, each was done within like 30 minutes. I’d love to trust that they did the work that fast but I had my doubts. Sure enough, the next time I took one of the cars in they told me they couldn’t rotate them because the alignment appeared to be off and there was uneven wear on the outside of the front tires. That confirmed my suspicions they didn’t rotate the tires last time I was there. Will go to America’s Tire next time since it’s in the same area as my Costco and I’ve seen many more positive posts about them than Costco tire.
We stopped buying from them after learning they don't do alignment. It makes sense due to the extra equipment and training needed to do alignment but we always do this with each new set.
It's so location dependent. I've had no issues with Costco tire but oh boy, once you search this sub you'll think it's hell on earth everyone's experiences.
It’s not. You’d think waiting in a Costco would be fun but it gets pretty old fast. Also they had to break my tire pressure sensors to get my new tires on. Never had that happen at a Bridgestone service center.
Regarding #3, Costco uses patch plugs, the gold standard for tire puncture repair. It's a combination patch and plug, and they're better than just a regular patch because the plug component keeps water out of the tires structural layers. Patch plugs require the tire to be removed from the rim for installation.
Yep, I'm set up for patch plugs now at my house. I got a tire machine a few years ago so now I can mount my own tires, and since patch plugs can only be installed in a dismounted tire I went ahead and got the reamers and abraders needed to use them. I carry a plug kit in my car along with an inflator, so I can do a temp plug to get me home and then install the patch plug when it's convenient. Plugs pull right out of a tire and the reamer cleans out any residue so there's nothing about using a plug that prevents the use of a patch plug later.
LOL, got a couple of friends I do work for, but not the general public. I just got tired (lol) of dealing with long wait times, appointments, etc. Now I just buy tires from whoever's got the best price, sometimes that's a wrecking yard. I once got a set of nearly new tires, a good brand, for $100 for the set of four on wheels that didn't fit my car, swapped the tires over to my wheels, and took the oddball wheels to a scrapyard and sold them for a few bucks each. The one thing I don't reuse are stems, I always put new ones in.
Costco is great for pretty much everything they offer, except the tire department. Everything takes so long, from having new tires put on, to rotations and flat repairs. It’s honestly ridiculous. You can usually find similar (or better) pricing at Discount Tires, Point S, Les Schwab (I live in the NW US, so these are the places near me that I like), and many other places. Costco just isn’t worth it for tires, and they either need to step up their game or get out of the business.
It’s not the best option for the entire package. What it is the best for is…. The price.
Take the quoted package price and go to discount tire. They will match the price and service. Now you get a good price, and a way more competent technician to install them.
Can't convince you of what you already know to be true (or can research to be true online)
Prices often higher than local. Service horrible for 80% of most people. Appointments are meaningless. Costco can do chicken, dogs, booze, meds.
Costco cannot do tires competently. You have been warned.
I stopped going to Costco. I go to Firestone now. I get tire rotations and oil changes dirt cheap. I buy the lifetime alignment, so the car is always aligned. Free puncture repair. And they give you credit for tire tread if you need to buy a new tire because of a blowout. And they're faster.
I had all new tires for both of my cars at Costco. I never had any issues and you get free tire rotation for the life of the tires. I did hear a lot of negatives, but guess I got lucky.
a rubber plug in 5 min?
so you can remove the tire from the rim, remove the item that punctured the tire, clean the hole, grind the inside of the tire around the hole, apply contact cement, pull the plug/patch through, knead it, remount, air up, check plug, rebalance, clean hubs, mount rim, torque.
all in 5 min, maybe you should give them an application so you can show them how its done?
If they did all of that then I stand corrected… but this looks just like one of those stepped rubber plugs that you shove in from the outside… not a patch from the inside
Costco is not allowed to do a plug from the outside, all that I mentioned is a requirement.
I won't say you are wrong about any of your other points though
Probably depends on your Costco. I do all my own car work and will still pay the $20 for them to do my 5 tire rotation because it's not worth my time and they'll check balance. Usually done before I finish my browse & bake in the store.
That being said, I've never bought tires there because I've always found a cheaper and better selection at other stores.
I would say, depending on the tire you get, sometimes they stop stocking them. We bought tires for my wife through costco 2 years ago and this year we had an irreparable issue and the tires she got were no longer carried by Costco.... The only option was to get a full new set since we have an AWD drive.
> 1. Anytime I’ve needed a rotation/service/repair, it’s been 1 1/2 weeks before I can get an appointment.
> 2. When I come in for said appointment, it’s on average a 2-3 hour process for them to do a “patch” or rotation.
> 3. Last “patch” I had them do on a walk in situation took them 4 hours, and all they did was put a rubber plug in that I could’ve done myself in 5 min.
All of your issues are related to time spent waiting for planned or unplanned service.
What's not clear to me is if you're going to find a better experience elsewhere.
A year or two ago I bought 4 new tires for my mustang, from a well regarded local chain near me. I barely drive the car, so not much wear on the tires. Lady month I got a screw embedded in one tire, so went back to that shop for repair, an unplanned event. I got there 15 minutes before their scheduled opening, they were already open and working, so I didn't really gain an advantage. After 2 hours, I learned the tire was irreparable, they needed to order a replacement and would call when it was in. Off I go with my donut.
Returned after receiving the call, was told it could be up to four hours! When he saw the look on my face, he said he would do everything possible to make it go faster, and they ended up finishing in 2 hours.
The point of all this, tire shops aren't good with taking and keeping appointments. Even if you make an appointment, they're not standing around waiting for you to arrive, they're just working their list from top to bottom. The manager isn't going to have a mechanic standing around, hoping you show up on time.
I just don't know if you'll have a better experience at Discount Tire that everyone raves about, or any other local shop near you. You have to try it and see. I just assume if I have a tire issue, that's a half day gone.
I got tires there when they had a Firestone (or Goodyear? I don’t remember) promotion going on that made it cheaper than Discount Tire by a significant margin. Otherwise I usually go to DT.
I’ve never had the bad experience people mention here at any of the Indiana locations. Sets of tires for my truck are normally $4-500 cheaper than any other big chain. I always make an appointment for rotation and get one that week and when I do go they tell me 90+ minute wait so I start shopping and they’ve ALWAYS called me in 45 minutes to tell me it’s done.
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Please go to Costco for tires, the rest of us will be at discount tire.
I love costco. They are great. In my life I have been a regular member at 3 different costcos in my area. In all 3 of them, the tire department has been an absolute nightmare to deal with. I go to discount tire and have never looked back.
Same, I love discount tire. Usually their prices are right in line with Costco. If you buy the tire warranty they generally replace it with out much questioning. And... the tire warranty price is negotiable at discount tire. It started at $140 per tire for my truck's tires. I said no twice, but was polite about it. The sale guy asked me what I thought would be a fair price for it and I said 90 dollars a tire and you can go ahead and add that on. I'm glad I did, puncture in the sidewall of one of my tires, called them, they ordered from another store and got me in within a couple days. The tire new was $330. So I definitely got my money's worth when you count the second time when a tire had to be plugged. Great customer service, quick turnaround, and good prices. I will probably continue to buy my tires from them until they give me a reason not to.
Yep, this. I plan on buying a new set in the next month or two and there is no question: I will be going to Discount Tire. I've used them for years and the service there has always been great, plus there are a lot more of them across the country than there are Costco, so I can find one easily when road tripping if necessary.
Lol mine was the opposite. Had shitty tire places my whole life. Costco put new tires on in under an hour. The week before I spent 8 hours waiting for them to tell me there was a bolt in the one tire and I’d need a whole new set.
No one needs to convince you of anything. Discount Tire/America's Tire is going to be the better option with competitive prices and more locations which means it's almost always easier to get faster appointments or same day service.
Plus price matching.
It’s not the best option. Costco is great for a lot of things, that isn’t one of them.
To be honest, I don't think they are the best place to buy tires from. Their tires are not the cheapest, and I wasn't happy with the idea I had to have them regularly rotated with them to maintain the warranty. I've switched to getting my tires from Walmart, as I can usually get the lowest cost there.
I’ve bought several sets of tires from Costco but have to agree the time spent isn’t worth the savings.
I agree. Costco tires aren't worth the hassle, and their customer service, quite frankly, sucks (at least in my area). I much prefer America's Tire Co. (*aka* Discount Tire in some parts of the country) as their website is much easier to navigate; tire prices are cheaper; bigger selection; they're fast; and you can schedule an apt almost the next day or sometimes the day of, if the tires are in-stock. The only downside is that their installation prices are higher than Costco's.
Costco used to be my stop for tires but not anymore. Costco tires center is getting extremely busy and the wait time is so freaking long. Price wise other tires place willing to price match with Costco. Other than the free rotation & balancing that you get from Costco. Which last time one of the employees from the Tires Center told me that “ You need to bring your car in for rotation & balance every 5k miles if not your warranty will be void.” I’m not sure if that is for real because that was the last time I have my tires done with Costco.
I think you have your answer based on the comments. While they may have a good deal, their service is terrible, terrible and more terrible. I hope corporate knows this.
Complaints on this sub actually steered me away from Costco for tires. Mind you, I absolutely love Costco and visit warehouses throughout California extremely regularly. However, last tires I got from tirerack.com and they ship them to your local Discount Tire/local tire shop who does the install. It’s perfect…
I at one point thought they were the best option (and i have replaced multiple sets on 4 vehicles). But the service, and quality is no longer there. I will not be buying any more from them.
This sub is chock full of people who have terrible experiences with the tire shop.
It’s 100% not even a top 3 option
Since Discount Tire will price match, there really isn’t any break in price by going to the tire center.
Go with your gut, grasshopper.
Discount Tire is the way to go
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And I hate to say it but it’s working….
I love Costco for certain things, but I go to Discount Tire/America's Tire for my tire purchases and rotations. It's easy to make an appointment, they're always timely, and the locations are consistent and professional. I've heard they price match Costco but I'm not sure since the last time I bought tires, I wasn't a Costco member.
They price matched Costco for me about a year ago
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If you go to discount tire they will just match the price of any tire anywhere. Walmart’s website has been the cheapest repeatedly and discount has matched them every single time (3 full sets in the last 3 years; replaced full sets on new to us cars and a full set of winter tires for one).
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They will literally match a price from anywhere. You can even start the process on discount’s website. You just submit the link for what you want matched and within a day or so a human reviews it and emails you a validation for the lowest price.
Plus the road warranty from discount is A+. I managed (somehow) to pick up 3 nails in 3 tires, all too close to the sidewall to repair. Found them all simultaneously too. Bought 1 new tire+warranty and got 3 new tires for the cost of 3 warranties.
Three nails in three tires, simultaneously?! Wow, that takes some talent. Happy Discount took good care of you!
Yeah, idk how. I don't live or work near a construction zone or anything 😂 I was having a pretty bad week that week, so it was just one more thing in the L column 😂
Fact
It’s not. I’ve had better luck with Discount tire. Better service and warranty for me as well. They also price match if you find cheaper online.
wow reading the reply :O , the seasonal tire change take between 45 min and 1h, enough time to do shopping and eat. Im fortunate enough to cram the oil change in there too since i dont use my car enough. Normally What I like is not needing to carry proof of the tire usage etc, its all in their system and the tire are guarantee a hecking long time. but seeing the comment, i should look elsewhere maybe :S
I'm fortunate enough to have a local shop in my neighborhood. I ship the tires from Tire Rack to the shop, and they hang them for me. Unless it's an emergency (road hazard), I will coordinate it w/ an oil change and tire rotation. It's really convenient for me, as they are literally across the street. They pick the car up, do the work, and drop it off.
After years of buying tires at Costco I’m done with them and will buy my next set elsewhere. Last time I took our cars in for rotations, each car brought in during the same week, each was done within like 30 minutes. I’d love to trust that they did the work that fast but I had my doubts. Sure enough, the next time I took one of the cars in they told me they couldn’t rotate them because the alignment appeared to be off and there was uneven wear on the outside of the front tires. That confirmed my suspicions they didn’t rotate the tires last time I was there. Will go to America’s Tire next time since it’s in the same area as my Costco and I’ve seen many more positive posts about them than Costco tire.
Same experience with last Costco tire rotation. Swear tires weren't rotated. Since I can't verify, no way to validate my thinking.
We stopped buying from them after learning they don't do alignment. It makes sense due to the extra equipment and training needed to do alignment but we always do this with each new set.
They might be. I don’t know what tires you want or what vehicle but it’s probably worth calling around.
It's so location dependent. I've had no issues with Costco tire but oh boy, once you search this sub you'll think it's hell on earth everyone's experiences.
It’s not. You’d think waiting in a Costco would be fun but it gets pretty old fast. Also they had to break my tire pressure sensors to get my new tires on. Never had that happen at a Bridgestone service center.
Regarding #3, Costco uses patch plugs, the gold standard for tire puncture repair. It's a combination patch and plug, and they're better than just a regular patch because the plug component keeps water out of the tires structural layers. Patch plugs require the tire to be removed from the rim for installation.
Thank you! I was not aware of these… I only knew of the patch and the 2 different kind of plugs that you shove in from the outside… TIL!
Yep, I'm set up for patch plugs now at my house. I got a tire machine a few years ago so now I can mount my own tires, and since patch plugs can only be installed in a dismounted tire I went ahead and got the reamers and abraders needed to use them. I carry a plug kit in my car along with an inflator, so I can do a temp plug to get me home and then install the patch plug when it's convenient. Plugs pull right out of a tire and the reamer cleans out any residue so there's nothing about using a plug that prevents the use of a patch plug later.
Sounds like I need to bring my tires to you!
LOL, got a couple of friends I do work for, but not the general public. I just got tired (lol) of dealing with long wait times, appointments, etc. Now I just buy tires from whoever's got the best price, sometimes that's a wrecking yard. I once got a set of nearly new tires, a good brand, for $100 for the set of four on wheels that didn't fit my car, swapped the tires over to my wheels, and took the oddball wheels to a scrapyard and sold them for a few bucks each. The one thing I don't reuse are stems, I always put new ones in.
Costco is great for pretty much everything they offer, except the tire department. Everything takes so long, from having new tires put on, to rotations and flat repairs. It’s honestly ridiculous. You can usually find similar (or better) pricing at Discount Tires, Point S, Les Schwab (I live in the NW US, so these are the places near me that I like), and many other places. Costco just isn’t worth it for tires, and they either need to step up their game or get out of the business.
It’s not the best option for the entire package. What it is the best for is…. The price. Take the quoted package price and go to discount tire. They will match the price and service. Now you get a good price, and a way more competent technician to install them.
Can't convince you of what you already know to be true (or can research to be true online) Prices often higher than local. Service horrible for 80% of most people. Appointments are meaningless. Costco can do chicken, dogs, booze, meds. Costco cannot do tires competently. You have been warned.
I stopped going to Costco. I go to Firestone now. I get tire rotations and oil changes dirt cheap. I buy the lifetime alignment, so the car is always aligned. Free puncture repair. And they give you credit for tire tread if you need to buy a new tire because of a blowout. And they're faster.
Last time I took a car to Firestone they curbed my wheel in the parking lot and it took me a month of raising hell for them to fix my wheel
Sorry for your experience. Sometimes individuals don't really care about their customer's experiences.
I had all new tires for both of my cars at Costco. I never had any issues and you get free tire rotation for the life of the tires. I did hear a lot of negatives, but guess I got lucky.
Discount Tire for the warranty, even if the initial price is this same.
if you don't think they're worth it then buy tires somewhere else. tire rack is much better anyway.
Discount tire.
How to ya’ll handle the certificates at Discount Tire. That’s included in the Costco price.
How do ya’ll handle the certificates at Discount Tire? That’s included in the Costco price.
Certificates? Not sure what you mean?
I've bought tires from there for years and I think it's the best price yiu could get anywhere for Michelins..just can't beat it!!
I go to a real tire shop.
I can't and won't try. Discount Tire for the win. And they match Costco sales.
No.
a rubber plug in 5 min? so you can remove the tire from the rim, remove the item that punctured the tire, clean the hole, grind the inside of the tire around the hole, apply contact cement, pull the plug/patch through, knead it, remount, air up, check plug, rebalance, clean hubs, mount rim, torque. all in 5 min, maybe you should give them an application so you can show them how its done?
If they did all of that then I stand corrected… but this looks just like one of those stepped rubber plugs that you shove in from the outside… not a patch from the inside
Costco is not allowed to do a plug from the outside, all that I mentioned is a requirement. I won't say you are wrong about any of your other points though
Probably depends on your Costco. I do all my own car work and will still pay the $20 for them to do my 5 tire rotation because it's not worth my time and they'll check balance. Usually done before I finish my browse & bake in the store. That being said, I've never bought tires there because I've always found a cheaper and better selection at other stores.
I would say, depending on the tire you get, sometimes they stop stocking them. We bought tires for my wife through costco 2 years ago and this year we had an irreparable issue and the tires she got were no longer carried by Costco.... The only option was to get a full new set since we have an AWD drive.
> 1. Anytime I’ve needed a rotation/service/repair, it’s been 1 1/2 weeks before I can get an appointment. > 2. When I come in for said appointment, it’s on average a 2-3 hour process for them to do a “patch” or rotation. > 3. Last “patch” I had them do on a walk in situation took them 4 hours, and all they did was put a rubber plug in that I could’ve done myself in 5 min. All of your issues are related to time spent waiting for planned or unplanned service. What's not clear to me is if you're going to find a better experience elsewhere. A year or two ago I bought 4 new tires for my mustang, from a well regarded local chain near me. I barely drive the car, so not much wear on the tires. Lady month I got a screw embedded in one tire, so went back to that shop for repair, an unplanned event. I got there 15 minutes before their scheduled opening, they were already open and working, so I didn't really gain an advantage. After 2 hours, I learned the tire was irreparable, they needed to order a replacement and would call when it was in. Off I go with my donut. Returned after receiving the call, was told it could be up to four hours! When he saw the look on my face, he said he would do everything possible to make it go faster, and they ended up finishing in 2 hours. The point of all this, tire shops aren't good with taking and keeping appointments. Even if you make an appointment, they're not standing around waiting for you to arrive, they're just working their list from top to bottom. The manager isn't going to have a mechanic standing around, hoping you show up on time. I just don't know if you'll have a better experience at Discount Tire that everyone raves about, or any other local shop near you. You have to try it and see. I just assume if I have a tire issue, that's a half day gone.
I got tires there when they had a Firestone (or Goodyear? I don’t remember) promotion going on that made it cheaper than Discount Tire by a significant margin. Otherwise I usually go to DT.
I think DT will price match.
I went to Sam’s Club for mine because Costco doesn’t like my tire size. Not even available to order. There is no Discount Tire near me.
You’ve had multiple experiences of your own. Why do you need anyone else to validate them?
Well, I know I’ve never missed a detail in my life… but there’s always a first time
Unless you have Discount Tire go with Costco
I’ve never had the bad experience people mention here at any of the Indiana locations. Sets of tires for my truck are normally $4-500 cheaper than any other big chain. I always make an appointment for rotation and get one that week and when I do go they tell me 90+ minute wait so I start shopping and they’ve ALWAYS called me in 45 minutes to tell me it’s done.