Belt Auction

Is it better to buy tires at the dealership or at a discount tire store or Sam's Club etc?

It would be the same exact tires but I wanted to know if the tires purchased at a dealership have anything special done to them in order to calibrate it correctly to the car. These would be the Michelin Primacy for a Honda Accord.

Public Comments

1. Which ever is cheaper is the place to get them.
2. usually, the tires made for Walmart/Sams Club are a cheaper made version of the tires you can get at a tire shop. I had a ton of issues with Goodyears from Walmart, whereas I hardly ever had issues with Goodyears actually purchased from Goodyear. I would go to a tire shop myself (and that is what I do.) Dealer will be likely be overpriced, and the discount stores will give you a lower quality tire. Then find an alignment shop, and get the front end aligned. :)
3. Dealers will only sell you the tire listed in their books for your car and usually only certian brands that they have relationships with. Like Ford always used to use Bridgestone tires. Sam's and Costco will also only sell you the exact tire that your car came with but they will have a better selection of brands at decent prices. Discount shops will put whatever the heck you want on your rims and they carry name brand and off-shore cheap brands. I have had pretty good luck using the discount tire stores (Primarilly Hancook brand tires) as they have lasted a long time and they also offer free flat repairs and rotation of tires you buy from them. The low-low priced tires at discount shops will generally be harder rubber resulting in a rougher ride and lower tread-wear # (tire will wear faster). All depends on your budget and what you like.
4. I would recommend buying your tires at a high volume tire outlet in an effort to get both a good price and newer tire.
5. If you get a name-brand tire, it will be the same where ever you get it. If you get a store-brand tire, no telling what it's made of.
6. Good choice on the Primacy! Top quality tire. Avoid the dealer, the only thing extra they are going to give you is extra cost. Absolutely no reason to buy from a dealer. Your best deal, as Pete suggested, is getting them for a high volume tire seller, such as Discount Tire or America's Tire. They will offer you a fair price, but will also include free life time rotations and balancing. You could perhaps save a bit by buying online from tirerack.com or tirebuyer.com, etc., but then the cost of rotations and balancing would come out of pocket.
7. None of the above. Dealers don't know anything about tires. Sam's Club sells tires the same way they sell toilet paper - it is just another commodity to them. I am not real fond of Discount Tire either.
8. Best bet is to call different places that you'd like to go to including the dealer. We sold tires at our dealership that were priced cheaper than the tire dealer. Be sure to ask for the price on the tire, installed & balanced as well as any environmental fees & warranties.