Should I Buy Tires From The Dealership?
In today’s day and age, there are countless different places where one can buy tires. You can buy your tires from a retailer, from a large warehouse club, from various online distributors, classic tire centers, and dealerships. A dealership is a place that knows the most about your car, so should I buy tires from the dealership?
Should I Buy Tires From The Dealership
Buying tires from a dealership comes with its own set of benefits of drawbacks. For starters, a dealership knows the very ins and outs of your car which means that they know which tires are suitable for your specific model. Dealership experience tends to be quicker and smoother and usually offers really good warranty coverage.
On the other hand, dealership tires tend to be more expensive, the selection is a lot more limited, and some tire centers will offer you a lot of goodies included with the tire purchase price. All in all, if you want the best experience for your specific car, it makes sense to go to a dealership to buy your tires. However, if you know what you want, you are likely going to get a better deal through a tire center/retailer.
What Are The Benefits Of Buying Tires From The Dealership?
- They Know Your Car
- Swift Service
- Good Warranty
- Accessibility
Do Dealerships Know Which Tire is Best For Your Car?
A brand-specific car dealership knows its cars better than anyone else which means that they know which tires are supplied with those cars from the factory and why that is. They know that certain cars are designed for performance, handling, and track use while others are designed for comfort, touring, and smoothness.
As such, they will always be able to tell you which tire suits your car’s driving character the best. Even though this can also be the case with various tire centers and retailers, you are not going to make a wrong decision if you take your car to a dealership for new tires. However, if you are a car enthusiast, chances are that you know what you want in advance.
Do Dealerships Offer Quicker Tire Services?
If you choose places like Walmart and Costco for your next tire purchase and installation, you will soon realize that these places are immensely crowded. This can be a dealbreaker for those who can’t risk being late or need new tires right away. Even though these places enable you to book your appointment early on, you will sometimes be forced to wait.
Dealerships are not nearly as crowded as most people don’t go to dealerships for tire services. This means that your appointment at a dealership is likely to be more punctual and that you will not have to wait as long as you would at a large tire center or a wholesaler.
Do Dealerships Offer Good Tire Warranties?
Most dealerships these days aim to lure in customers with enticing warranty deals because they usually can’t offer tires at prices most bulk tire retailers can. If your car is still under warranty, chances are that your tires are also covered with that warranty which means that you might be able to repair your flat tire or get a new tire completely free of charge.
Even though most tire centers and retailers offer packages such as Road Hazard warranties, these will have to be purchased separately which is usually not the case with dealership-issued warranties which are included in the final tire price.
Are Dealerships More Accessible Than Tire Centers?
Most dealerships these days try to do their best to lure in new customers and keep them there. This means that they will do whatever is necessary to ensure your loyalty is intact. This means that you will usually get a more enjoyable experience at a dealership because they will answer your questions and do many other things to keep you loyal to them.
Higher-end car dealerships will usually offer special deals with new tire purchases such as specific car inspections or routine maintenance. Sports car and supercar brands take this to another level by inviting you to special events and track days.
What Are The Drawbacks Of Buying Tires Through A Dealership?
- Price
- Selection
- Fewer Special Deals and Packages
- Tire Maintenance
Are Dealership Tires Expensive?
No matter what anyone says about price matching and special deals, it is a fact that auto dealerships simply don’t offer tire prices that can match those of a tire shop or a tire retailer. Dealerships don’t deal in bulk which is why they can’t buy tires at a competitive rate as opposed to tire shops and retailers that can.
Moreover, auto dealerships usually don’t offer discounts coupons, and special sale deals which have become a standard for most tire centers/retailers these days. Price-matching is indeed a thing with some dealerships, but the rate is not likely to be as competitive
Do Dealerships Offer A Wide Selection Of Tires?
Auto dealerships offer a wide selection of tires, but not as wide as some specialized tire shops such as Discount Tire or Tire Rack do. This is especially apparent for budget-friendly brands and mid-spec tire brands, especially with higher-end automakers which tend to skip offering anything besides premium tire brands which come at a substantial price boost.
Moreover, specialty tires aren’t what auto dealerships tend to sell which is why you are not likely to find these in a dealership. Finally, auto dealerships tend to stock tire sizes that are recommended for the models they sell which means that you will not be able to find all the tire sizes you would in a tire shop or a retailer.
Do Dealerships Offer Special Tire Packages And Deals?
It is not true that dealerships don’t offer special deals and promotions with new tires, but, indeed, those deals and promotions aren’t as extensive as they are with most tire shops and retailers. For example, roadside assistance is a bonus you usually tend to get with buying tires from a tire shop, but you don’t if you source your tires through a dealership.
Many tire shops also offer various discount coupons which can lower the price of a tire a lot, especially if you go for a set of four or eight tires at once. Considering that these places offer cheaper tires from the get-go, this can make a big difference in your bank account.
Do Dealerships Offer Tire Maintenance?
One of the biggest differentiating factors between dealerships and tire shops is tire maintenance. Because the world of tire shops is so competitive, most tire shops tend to come up with all sorts of goodies in order to one-up their competition which eventually led to most tire shops offering deals that include stuff like tire installation, rotation, balancing, TPMS kits, flat repairs, inspection, etc.
This is not something you can get with a dealership, at least not on that scale and it could very well be the reason to not buy your tires through a dealership.
Is Buying Tires Through A Dealership Worth It?
If you are someone who does not know a thing or two about tires and you aren’t really keen on learning, it is worth it to take your car to a dealership as that is likely going to be the most hassle-free experience for you because they supposedly know which tires are perfect for your car. Be that as it may, you are more than likely to pay a higher price.
On the other hand, if you know your way around cars and you know a thing or two about tires, you should skip a dealership and simply go for a tire shop as this is likely the cheapest and most beneficial experience you will get. Sure, it may not be as smooth as it is in a dealership, but you are buying your tires for a few years at a time which isn’t really too often.
However, we also need to understand that individual experiences may vary greatly. Some dealerships are more welcoming than others which means that you could potentially get the best and most enjoyable experience through a dealership, even if it costs more money.
At the same time, your tire shop experience might be frustrating and riddled with delays, long queues, and missed appointments, so much so that the lower price simply isn’t worth the trouble.
Conclusion
Should I buy tires from the dealership? Well, if you value dealership experiences, quick service, good warranty coverage, and accessibility, you should buy your tires from a dealership. However, value-wise, dealerships tend to be more expensive dollar-for-dollar, they don’t offer sales and discounts as often, nor do they offer tire maintenance packages and a particularly wide selection of tires.
It’s all about what you value more. However, it is said that less than 10-15% of new tire purchases are done through a dealership which answers this question by itself. However, we do need to mention that individual experiences do vary as some prefer taking their car to dealerships for absolutely anything when a dealership treats its customer the right way.