These Are The Best Tire Retailers, According To Consumer Reports

A tire is a tire, right? While it's true that a set of Michelin tires is going to be the same at Walmart as it would be from a gearhead-run independent shop, the experience you receive as a consumer will be different. As consumers, we care about the experience we receive, especially when it involves our expensive cars. If the staff is rude or the service is slow at a certain location, we may not return, and the same is ultimately true with tire retailers, too.

Sure, you can ask your family and friends who they recommend or peruse reviews online, but to save time, you could also rely on the data collected by Consumer Reports. Consumer Reports set out to rank the best tire retailers, and to do so, they quizzed more than 24,000 shoppers over the course of 12 months about their tire shopping and fitting experiences. This report takes into account considerations such as tire selection, fitting times, extra perks offered by the retailer to help you get the most miles out of your tires, and, of course, tire pricing and customer support.

There are clear patterns that can be seen in the results. Interestingly, while you may think that price is a key factor when it comes to the tire-buying experience, the results of this Consumer Reports survey seem to argue otherwise, with some of the most competitively priced tire retailers coming pretty close to the bottom of the rankings, including Walmart and Amazon. However, local independent stores performed well, as did some of the bigger players, such as Les Schwab Tire Centers. Here are four of the best performers, according to Consumer Reports.

Les Schwab Tire Centers can be found in 15 different states and have been in business for over 70 years now, so it's safe to say the folks there know a thing or two about changing a tire. With literally hundreds of stores to choose from, Les Schwab is a pretty convenient choice for many. The store also takes pride in supporting local communities in numerous different ways, which likely helps the regional chain feel friendly and local.

Consumer Reports found that, of the 24,000 people surveyed, those who had visited one of the many Les Schwab Tire Centers were very satisfied, even though the estimated cost per tire was somewhat higher than local independent stores and certainly much higher than prices listed at places like Walmart. What might help is the smattering of free services offered by Les Schwab stores. Everything from flat repairs to tire rotations, wheel balancing, and suspension checks can be free of charge for Les Schwab customers. So, that initial higher cost might seem worth it if you value ongoing care from your tire retailer. You can book appointments online with ease, and you can also have other work done, such as brake checks or finding out if you need a new battery. There are also financing options at Les Schwab, and you can acces and pay bills online, enabling a simpler collection and drop-off experience.

The Consumer Reports survey saw independent retailers score impressively high in terms of customer satisfaction, which is perhaps an indication of how smaller businesses are more likely to go above and beyond for their customers to compete with the larger, more-established names in the industry. Average costs per tire at these locations aren't outrageous, but they are higher than many of the bigger retailers. We can presume that this is due to the fact larger outfits can buy tires in bulk at a discount and then pass this discount on to the customer. While independent shops can't always compete on pricing, they can certainly impress with service, and the Consumer Reports study shows that's exactly what they are doing. Interestingly, though, the independent retailers weren't noted for offering many free perks, whereas more established names in the industry were.

One of the main benefits of being an independent shop is that you can focus purely on the local area, rather than having to appeal to a wide spread of customers across a city or state. This means services such as free collection and drop-off can be advertised and offered to local customers. What's more, word-of-mouth and reputation can be especially important for smaller businesses that rely on local support, and so employees are perhaps more likely to prioritize customer satisfaction to ensure repeat business and referrals, while larger retailers can depend on large marketing campaigns to keep the registers full.

Unlike many of the other top-rated retailers, Point S Tire seems to be price-oriented more than anything else. The regional chain's approach is a little different from others — Point S Tire retailers are all locally owned, but all 350+ stores are partnered with one another, which gives the group impressive purchasing power. This is how Point S Tire is able to compete with the larger names in the industry, all while still delivering local knowledge and friendly service.

The usual raft of extra services are available through Point S Tire stores, such as tire rotation, tire balancing, seasonal changes, and tire repairs, but Point S Tire retailers are also keen to establish themselves as a general auto shop, too, offering expert knowledge on how to care for cars in the local area. The website advertises everything from engine tune-ups to transmissions repairs and state-level inspections for those that need them. So, Point S Tire strives to be more of a one-stop shop for all your motoring needs, rather than just a tire shop. It's possible that this is why those who partook in the Consumer Reports survey rated the business so highly, as that approach certainly does bring an extra level of convenience, particularly for busy individuals who don't have a chance to dart from shop to shop when it comes to vehicle repairs and maintenance.

Discount Tire, reportedly the largest independent tire retailer in the U.S., purchased Tire Rack back in 2021 – Tire Rack being both the largest and oldest online retailer. With Tire Rack's huge online presence and Discount Tire's 1,100+ retail stores, the merging of these two brands certainly makes them a formidable force in the U.S. tire industry. 

Focusing on Tire Rack specifically here, some had their doubts and thought the merger would see Tire Rack's standards slip. However, Consumer Reports' study has found the opposite to be true, with the online retailer still standing as one of the industry leaders in terms of customer satisfaction. Interestingly, though, the average price per tire falls toward the more expensive end of the spectrum, equaling that of Les Schwab Tire Centers. Once again, this demonstrates that pricing really isn't all that important when it comes to customer satisfaction. 

Instead, free perks tend to be a more common theme among the most successful tire retailers, and Tire Rack is no exception. The business offers free two-year road hazard protection to most customers. This perk includes tire replacement, up to the value of $599 with pre-approval already in place, free tire repair coverage up to a maximum value of $40 per tire per occurrence, and even roadside assistance for tire-related services.

This story has been updated to reflect the fact that the perks described here are offered by Tire Rack, while Discount Tire offers its own specific benefits.