Shopping for new tires could be dear, nevertheless it’s essential to exchange them in the event you spot any warning indicators that they are reaching the top of their life. When you’re wanting to economize when it comes time to put in new tires, it is price purchasing round for the most effective deal. Alongside devoted tire retailers, two standard membership-only tire retailers for budget-conscious patrons are Sam’s Membership and Costco, with areas dotted throughout the nation. Each promote automobile and truck tires, and each declare to supply distinctive worth for cash. Nevertheless, there are a couple of key variations between the 2 chains that imply that one would possibly find yourself being higher worth than the opposite.
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Each retailers supply complete tire-fitting companies, though Costco’s tire installations are free and Sam’s Membership costs $20 per tire for “all-in tire set up.” The companies supplied by the pair are fairly related, with each together with lifetime tire rotation, balancing, and flat repairs. Each additionally supply a highway hazard guarantee alongside the usual tire producers’ guarantee for many tire purchases. The one state the place Sam’s Membership doesn’t supply a highway hazard guarantee is New York.
The $20-per-tire payment charged by Sam’s Membership does supply one notable further over the free Costco becoming: toll-free entry to emergency roadside help for as much as 4 years after the tire has been fitted. This help contains winching and extraction, flat tire repairs, and towing, amongst different companies. Nevertheless, whereas that could be helpful, Costco tires can typically work out to be the cheaper choice — let’s take a deeper look.
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Which retailer presents cheaper automobile tires?
The worth of the precise make and mannequin of tire you are searching for will differ between retailers, and there is no one-size-fits-all option to predict the place a tire will likely be most cost-effective. Nevertheless, some retailers usually tend to supply aggressive charges than others. To see if there is a distinction in pricing between Sam’s Membership and Costco, we have in contrast a number of tires from big-name manufacturers that match standard automobile and truck fashions.
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We began by evaluating tires for a 2025 Toyota RAV4, which ranks as the most well-liked SUV within the U.S. by a substantial margin. We looked for tires for a RAV4 XLE (AWD), and first chosen the BFGoodrich Benefit Management all-season tire. The tire retailed for $173.99 at each retailers, however on the time of writing, Sam’s Membership supplied $80 off a set of 4 tires whereas Costco solely supplied $30 off the identical set. Our second RAV4 tire for comparability was the Pirelli Scorpion ATR. Right here, there was a way more important distinction, with Sam’s Membership charging $232.77 per tire and Costco charging $169.99 per tire. Even with a limited-time supply from Sam’s Membership of $100 off a set of 4 tires, Costco nonetheless labored out cheaper.
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Subsequent, we in contrast tires for an additional standard automobile mannequin, the 2025 Honda CR-V. The identical Bridgestone Benefit Management tires price $209.99 every at Costco for the CR-V, and $210.99 every at Sam’s Membership. Pirelli Scorpion Verde summer season tires price $244.99 per tire at Costco, and $255.77 every at Sam’s Membership.
How do Sam’s Membership and Costco stack up for truck tires?
From the small pattern of automobile tires above, evidently Costco has a slight edge in terms of pricing, though the variations in retail costs could be offset by the completely different offers that every retailer presents on the time of buy. To test if the identical is true for vehicles, we in contrast two tire fashions that match the 2025 Ford F-150.
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The 2 tire fashions chosen for the F-150 had been the Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 and the Bridgestone Dueler A/T Ascent. The Michelin tires at each retailers price $317.99 every, though Sam’s Membership supplied a $10 cheaper worth on a set of 4 than Costco. Likewise, the Bridgestone tires retailed for a similar $310.99 worth from each retailers, however Sam’s Membership supplied $80 off a set of 4; Costco didn’t supply a reduction. Even then, the $20 becoming payment per tire at Sam’s Membership meant that each ended up being the identical worth total, even after the Sam’s Membership low cost.
Whereas each Costco and Sam’s Membership supply aggressive pricing for automobile and truck tires, Costco’s pricing is difficult to beat due to its mixture of beneficiant offers and free tire becoming. Nevertheless, Sam’s Membership can be properly price contemplating, significantly in the event you recognize the extra roadside help. It is at all times a good suggestion to buy round earlier than shopping for automobile and truck tires, however Costco is a very secure guess for competitively priced rubber.
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