How Does Costco's Tire Warranty Compare To The Competition?

Costco's tire warranties are extremely competitive. For starters, members get an installation package and lifetime maintenance services for every purchase. It also includes mounting, balancing, tire rotations, flat repairs, and inflation pressure checks until the tread depth reaches 2/32 of an inch (1.6 millimeters), which is the legal minimum for tire tread depth before they degrade to the point of messing up your car's braking distance. Moreover, the installation package includes new rubber valve stems (TPMS valve stems are an extra charge and are, unsurprisingly, available at Costco), while each new tire gets inflated with nitrogen, because regular air is so yesterday.

Those alone make Costco tires an enticingly good deal, but there's more. All tires bought at Costco are eligible for the discount chain's road hazard warranty, which is different from the standard warranty of the tiremaker. It covers road hazard failures (including cuts, impact damage, or non-repairable punctures) for 60 months or five years from the purchase date, or until the tire tread depth reaches 2/32 of an inch, whichever comes first. Be aware, however, that Costco provides credit based on the remaining usable tread on the tire up to the 2/32 of an inch end point for coverage, so a well used tire that fails will only be eligible for a smaller payout.

The black and white includes conditions like presenting the original purchase receipt, signing a Costco Wholesale tire adjustment form, and ensuring your vehicle's steering & suspension remain in tiptop shape to claim the warranty. So yeah, Costco's tire warranty is not exactly set-and-forget. However, the coverage is impressive, and the installation & maintenance packages are hard to ignore, especially if you're a Costco member anyway. But if you're wondering how it compares to, say, Mavis and Discount Tire, well, that's what this piece is all about.

Mavis has come a long way since it was initially established as Vic's Cycle Shop, circa Westchester County, New York, in 1949. What started as a small bicycle repair shop was rebranded as Mavis Tire Supply in 1972, and it's now one of the biggest tire retailers in the USA.

Besides offering manufacturer warranties, Mavis offers a new tire limited warranty to cover defects in materials or workmanship. Buyers will receive a replacement tire at a pro-rated price (depending on the remaining tread depth of the rubber) if the tire is found to be defective.

Meanwhile, Mavis also has a treadwear warranty, which promises to give buyers pro-rated credits for a new tire. But instead of looking at the tread depth, the credits will be adjusted based on the percentage of mileage not attained by the original deal. Lastly, Mavis has a three-year road hazard warranty that covers impact breaks, irreparable punctures, cuts, and bruises for three years from the purchase date or until the treads reach 2/32 of an inch. Buyers will receive credits based on the percentage of wear and the original purchase price.

Established in 1960 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with an initial inventory of only six tires, Discount Tire is now the largest independent tire and wheel retailer in America, and it's probably on your radar if you love cars. Their selection is remarkable, but Discount Tire offers no additional warranties like Costco or Mavis' road hazard guarantees.

Instead, Discount Tire offers what it calls Certificates for Repair, Refund, or Replacement, and it could be what you're looking for due to its no-nonsense claim procedures. It does mean you'll need to pay more for the certificate, but it covers repairs, an exact replacement, or a full refund if the tire incurs non-repairable road hazard damage or manufacturer defects within three years of the purchase date (or until the tread depth reaches 3/32 of an inch).

Certificate holders can get a refund of the full purchase price and use the credits to buy new tires, with no pro-ratings or mileage adjustments involved. Buyers have 30 days from the original purchase date to get the certificate, and redeeming it is as simple as calling or heading to the nearest Discount Tire store for validation.