Simple Tire vs. Tire Rack
The process of purchasing tires is something that we car owners go through every few years. Regardless if you drive thousands of miles each month or keep your car parked for days, tires don’t last forever.
Purchasing a new set of tires can be a joy or a problem, depending on how you look at things. Enthusiasts will see the process as a way to freshen up their precious, while for others, it will be just another tire purchase.
The tire market has plenty of options for where you can purchase your new set of tires. You can go to retailers and see what they have to offer on the spot, or you can do it from the comfort of your home.
As there are plenty of options, today I’ll do a review battle of two of the more popular options. I’ll look at what they offer, compare them and give you my opinion on which is a better option.
Let’s dig in.
What is Simple Tire?
In many ways, Simple Tire is a retailer that is much like Tire Rack. Some may even say that it’s a copy of the service, probably due to how long the company exists.
Initially, the brand was launched in 2010, when the internet was booming, and e-commerce was a thing. This got the founder thinking and decided to follow the online road and turn Simple Tire into an online-only platform. I should point out that, unlike some competitors that offer rims or car parts, Simple Tire focuses only on tires.
The process of searching for new tires is relatively simple and easy to use. There are two main search options, but car type and tire size. Most of that process can be completed by clicking through the menus, and one thing I have to credit Simple Tire for is simplicity. The menu is clean, and you can’t go wrong with it. As an alternative, you can go through the tire types and the brands.
Speaking of brands, Simple Tire has one of the broadest range of tires out of all retailers. With over 340 tire brands available, you should expect to find a little bit of everything. Even though most brands fall in the cheap segment, there is plenty of mid-range and premium options.
Installing the tires is just as simple and easy as finding them. Similar to Tire Rack, Simple Tire doesn’t have physical locations for installing the tires. Instead, it relies on over 10,000 recommended shops around the US, meaning that you will find one close to your home for sure. As a bonus, there are over 3,000 supply shops if you want to make the pickup yourself. The option to have the tires delivered to your home is available as well.
One area that I really like about Simple Tire is the extensive content in terms of the tires. There are many guides on types of tires when to replace them, how to check them etc. Also, for each tire model the service has, users have the option to leave a review. It means that you can go through them and see if there’s something you like.
What is Tire Rack?
Online shopping isn’t something new, and in terms of tires, Tire Rack was among the first to popularize it. For over 20 years, the company has been on top of the game regarding purchasing tires online.
Despite being called “Tire Rack,” the company isn’t completely oriented towards tires. On top of tires, the company also sells rims, car parts, and accessories. Keep in mind that you won’t find every part for every car, but it can get the job done in some cases.
The searching process is quite simple to use. You have two options – to search by tire size or by car model. For the most part, the results will be similar, with the difference that when you search by car model, you’ll get more results. This is because tire sizes can vary on a model, depending on the trim level.
As for options, Tire Rack has models from 26 tire brands, which is not a small number. It covers manufacturers from the cheapest end of the spectrum up to the most expensive one.
After choosing the tires you want to go for, you’ll need to decide how and where you want them to be installed. Tire Rack offers several options, meaning that it will cover most of the users’ needs.
The most popular option is to install the tires at a Tire Rack recommended service. Considering that the retailer works only online, it doesn’t have physical locations for purchasing or installing tires. Instead, it has a list of over 9000 shops across the US that it recommends. They are pretty nicely spread out across the country, so there is almost no chance that you won’t have one close to you.
Some people have a shop they love and trust and would like to have their tires installed there. Tire Rack doesn’t force you to change your tires where it recommends, so this is another option. The tires will be delivered to your home, and you can install them wherever you want.
Last but not least is the DIY option, installing the tires at your home. Some car people have their own garage where they tinker on their cars, so they may have the tools to install the tires themselves. In this case, not only will Tire Rack deliver the tires to your doorstep, but its website will also provide you with some guides on how to install them.
Also, Tire Rack has a customer review on every tire, meaning that you can see what other owners are reporting about a specific model.
What are the Pros of Simple Tire?
I believe the name of the retailers fits perfectly. Simple Tire is among the simplest services to use and offers plenty of tire models.
Simple Tire offers over 340 brands in its lineup, ranging from the cheapest to the most expensive ones. It also covers some brands that have commercial-grade tires. This is among the biggest range of brands in the industry. Overall, there are 4390 tire models, so you won’t feel like something is missing.
In terms of searching for the tires, the retailer managed to keep the process simple and easy to use. It’s a nice feature for people that aren’t too familiar with tires. You can search by car type, tire size or type, or brand. Even though most retailers have a similar feature, I feel like Simple Tire is among the easiest ones to use.
Another advantage is the locations where you can have the tires installed. There are over 10,000 locations across the US, and they are quite evenly spread out. The result of this is that you will have a service near you so that you don’t have to drive for hours. Simple Tire will deliver the tires there free of charge, which eases up the price you’ll need to pay.
- Over 340 tire brands with 4390 models available
- One of the simplest services to use
- Over 10,000 individual shops and 3,000 supply points
- Free shipping to one of the recommended shops
What are the Pros of Tire Rack?
For many people, Tire Rack is one of the most popular options for getting new tires. The main reason is that it has plenty of advantages, which is why it’s used so often.
Tire Rack is often praised as being a retailer that offers a lot of options. With 26 available brands, it’s not the one with the most options, but it’s pretty good. The thing that people like is the variety. You can find some of the cheapest tires on the market, but you can also find premium ones if you have the budget.
Searching for the tires is another advantage of Tire Rack. Having two search options means that it can help more people get their new tires. If you are an enthusiast or know the size, you can use that option. As an alternative, you can search by car model and pick from those results. Both work well and are quite easy to use so that even novice car owners can figure things out.
If you’re not well-versed in the tire industry or need some help, you can utilize Tire Rack’s support team. Comprised of experts with vast knowledge, it’s a group of people that will help you find the tires you need.
People that often chase discounts will find that Tire Rack has a separate section for them.
The last advantage I’ll mention is the tire shops. Even though none of them are owned by Tire Rack, the service recommends them. It means that the tires will be installed according to Tire Rack’s recommendations. As a result, you can be sure that your new set of tires will be installed correctly. There are over 9000 recommended shops, meaning that you should find one close to you.
- More than 9000 shops where you can install the tires
- Support team available to help you make the right choice
- Occasional discounts
- 26 brands available.
What are the Main Differences Between Simple Tire and Tire Rack?
Looking at things from afar, Tire Rack and Simple Tire are very similar in how they work, but there are some key differences between them.
The biggest difference between both retailers is in the number of available brands. Tire Rack has 26 where you can find the most popular options. On the other hand, Simple Tire has over 340, meaning that there are tons of more options. This doesn’t make Tire Rack a bad option, but it does make Simple Tire a more flexible one. In addition to that, on Simple Tire, you will find plenty of commercial tires, as well as farming ones, making the choice even more flexible.
On the service side of things, there is a slight difference where Simple Tire is inching ahead. It has over 10,000 recommended shops, which is about a thousand more than what Tire Rack has. Both have plenty of individual services, and you can be certain you’ll find one close to you.
If we put the tires aside for a bit, we can see another difference. Tire Rack also sells rims, car accessories, and parts, which is a nice touch for people that want to purchase other items from the same location.
One area where they differ is in terms of the content on the websites. Don’t get me wrong, the quality of the content is excellent, but Tire Rack does it more extensively. There are loads more content on Tire Rack when compared with Simple Tire.
Customer Service
Winner: Tire Rack
Both retailers have a support section where you can either get some help or ask a question. In this category, I would put Tire Rack as the winner, and there are multiple reasons for that.
Even though you can get some recommendations in terms of tire models, I think that Tire Rack does that better. You can reach out via email or call their support phone. In both cases, you will get a team representative to give you a hand at picking your new set of tires.
In addition to that, the content section of Tire Rack is more extensive, as mentioned previously. It has loads of articles with guides, recommendations, and even some DIY options that you can go through. Simple Tire also has a section with similar content, but it isn’t as extensive.
Value
Winner: Tie
To be honest, I have to call this a tie, as the differences are pretty small. For some models, Tire Rack had better prices, while for others, Simple Tire was ahead.
In both cases, you are looking at quite a lot of discounts offered in various scenarios. The result of this was a dilemma in which retailer provides better value. I think both are a great value, and you should check out both for the same model and compare prices.
Depending on the circumstances, you may be looking at a difference of almost $100.
Use Simple Tire if:
- You want a very wide choice of options
- You need commercial or farming tires
- You want one of the simplest services in the industry
- You manage to find a bigger discount
Use Tire Rack if:
- You want extensive content related to tires
- You are the type of person that has the tools to install the tires in your home
- You want one of the best supports in the industry
- You don’t need commercial or farming tires
Bottom Line
Simple Tire and Tire Rack are services that are very alike, with only a handful of differences. My personal preference may be Tire Rack, but it’s probably because I’ve been using it for a very long time. With that said, Simple Tire is an equally capable service that won’t leave you asking for more.
In some aspects, you may even feel like Tire Rack lacks, especially in the available brands. Simple Tire has 15 times more brands, meaning that you would be better off there if you want more options. Plus, the commercial and farming models are quite extensive, so that’s a big plus for the retailer. On the other hand, Tire Rack sells more than just tires, and having the option to purchase rims or car parts is a plus for that side.
On the price side of things, both are good and bad, depending mainly on the model. Tires that are available with both retailers can vary in price, so I recommend comparing the prices first. Sometimes the difference can be negligible, but it can also be higher.
Installing new tires is not a problem for both of them as they have thousands of recommended shops across the US. Even though Simple Tire has more recommended shops, Tire Rack isn’t too far behind, meaning that you’ll find plenty of shops in your area.
My final thoughts are that you won’t go wrong with either one of them. Tire Rack and Simple Tire are excellent online tire retailers, and regardless of which one you choose, you can be sure that you will have a positive purchasing experience.
Simple Tire Available Tire Brands
- AOSEN
- Accelera
- Achilles
- Advance
- Advanta
- Aeolus
- Ag Plus
- Agstar
- Air-Loc
- Akuret
- Alliance
- American
- American Tourer
- Americus
- Americus-Thunderer
- Ameristeel
- Amerityre
- Amp
- Antares
- Aoteli
- Aplus
- Aptany
- Ardent
- Arisun
- Armour
- Armstrong
- Arroyo
- Aspen
- Astro
- Atlander
- Atlas
- Atturo
- Aurora
- Autogrip
- BFGoodrich
- BKT
- Black Bear
- BlackHawk
- Blacklion
- Boto
- Bridgestone
- Briway
- CST
- Cachland
- Cambridge
- Camso
- Capitol
- Caraway
- Cargo Max
- Carlisle
- Ceat
- Centara
- Centennial
- Comforser
- Constellation
- Contender
- Continental
- Continental-Mitas
- Cooper
- Cordovan
- Corsa
- Cosmo
- Countrywide
- Crop Max
- Cropmaster
- Crosswind
- Cultor
- DRC
- Dawg Pound
- Dayton
- Dcenti
- Dean
- Deestone
- Del-Nat
- Delinte
- Delium
- Delta
- Dextero
- Diamondback
- Dick Cepek
- DieHard
- Doral
- Double Coin
- Duck Commander
- Dunlop
- Duraturn
- Duro
- Durun
- Dynacargo
- Dynamaxx
- Dynamo
- Dynatrail
- EFX
- Eldorado
- Evoluxx
- Excel
- Excellent
- Falken
- Farmking
- Farroad
- Federal
- Fierce
- Firestone
- Forceland
- Forceum
- Forerunner
- Fortune
- Freedom Hauler
- Freestar
- Fuel
- Fulda
- Fullrun
- Fullway
- Fury
- Fuzion
- GBC
- GRI
- GS Solid
- GT Radial
- GTK
- Galaxy
- General
- Giti
- Gladiator
- GoForm
- Goalstar
- Goldway
- Goodride
- Goodyear
- Greatway
- Green Max
- Greenball
- Gremax
- Grenlander
- Groundspeed
- HIFLY
- Haida
- Hankook
- Harvest King
- Headway
- Hi Run
- Husky
- ITP
- Imperial
- Innova
- Interco
- Iris
- Ironhead
- Ironman
- JK Tyre
- Jetzon
- Jinyu
- Journey
- Joyroad
- K9
- Kanati
- Kapsen
- Kelly
- Kenda
- Keter
- Kinforest
- Kingstar
- Kpatos
- Kumho
- Lancaster
- LandGolden
- Landsail
- Landspider
- Lanvigator
- Laramie
- Laufenn
- Leao
- Lemans
- Lexani
- LingLong
- Lionhart
- Lizetti
- Long March
- MAXAM
- MAXDURA
- MRF
- MRL
- Magna
- MarkMa
- Master
- Mastercraft
- Mastertrack
- Maxtrek
- Maxxis
- Mazzini
- Mesa
- Michelin
- Mickey Thompson
- Mile Pro
- Mileking
- Milestar
- Minerva
- Mirada
- Mitas
- Mitco
- Momo
- Montreal
- Multi-Mile
- Nama
- Nanco
- Nankang
- National
- NeoTerra
- Nexen
- Nika
- Nitto
- Noble
- Nokian
- Nutech
- OTR
- Ohtsu
- Omni
- Omni Trail
- Onyx
- Otani
- Pantera
- Patriot
- Pegasus
- Performer
- Petlas
- Pinnacle
- Pirelli
- Point S
- Power King
- PowerTrac
- Premiorri
- Presa
- Primewell
- Primex
- Prinx
- Pro Armor
- Pro Comp
- Prometer
- Prostar
- Provider
- Quadboss
- RBP
- Radar
- Rapid
- Red Dirt Road
- Republic
- RoadOne
- RoadX
- Roadclaw
- Roadcruza
- Roadlux
- Roadmaster
- Roadshine
- Rosava
- Rovelo
- Royal Black
- RubberMaster
- Runway
- Rydanz
- Saferich
- Saffiro
- Sailun
- Samson
- Sava
- Sceptor
- Sedona
- Sigma
- Solar
- SolidMax
- Solideal
- Solitek
- Specialty Tires of America
- Speedways
- Springfield
- Starfire
- Starmaxx
- Sumitomo
- Summit
- Sunfull
- Sunny
- Super A
- Super Cargo
- SuperMax
- Suretrac
- Sutong
- Synergy
- TBB
- Taskmaster
- Tatko
- Telstar
- Tempra
- Texan Contender
- Three-A
- Thunderer
- Tiron
- Titan
- Tornel
- Towmaster
- Towstar
- Toyo
- TracGard
- Trailer King
- Trailer Master
- Transporter
- Travelstar
- Trazano
- TreadWright
- Tredit
- Trelleborg
- Triangle
- Turnpike
- Ultra CRT
- Unicorn
- Uniroyal
- Valino
- Vanderbilt
- Vanguard
- Vee Rubber
- Velocity
- Venezia
- Venom Power
- Vercelli
- Versatyre
- Vitour
- Vizzoni
- Vogue
- Vredestein
- Wanda
- Wanli
- Waterfall
- Westlake
- Widetrack
- Wind Power
- Windforce
- Winrun
- Wolf Pack
- Wolfpack
- Yokohama
- Zeemax
- Zeetex
- Zeknova
- Zenna
- Zeta
Tire Rack Available Tire Brands
- Avon
- BFGoodrich
- Bridgestone
- Continental
- Cooper
- Dick Cepek
- Dunlop
- Falken
- Firestone
- Fuzion
- General Tire
- Goodyear
- Hankook
- Hoosier
- Kumho
- Laufenn
- Michelin
- Nexen
- Pirelli
- Power King
- Riken
- Sumitomo
- Toyo
- Uniroyal
- Vredestein
- Yokohama