Tires happen to be a crucial factor when it comes to long road trips and cruising on a thousand-mile-long highway. Costco and Walmart, in that case, are two American MNCs (Multinational Corporations) that sell high-quality tires at a competitive rate. However, there can be slight differences in Costco and Walmart tires, some of which may even go unnoticed. In this post, you will get to know the brand that would suit your specific requirements!
Costco vs Walmart Tires: Which one is Cheaper
Costco, throughout the years, has remained one of the best places to get new tires. However, do Costco tires come at a competitive price tag when compared with retail hypermarket giants like Walmart? It is unclear. So, Costco isn’t the cheapest place in the USA where you can get tires for your vehicle. It is, however, undoubtedly one of the best places to do the same. From extended warranties to enhanced customer service, Costco gives solid competition to the market despite having non-competitive pricing. Such is the quality of Costco tires.
As for Walmart tires, they are way cheaper as compared to Costco tires. However, in terms of warranty and quality, you can spot some differences. Another factor that is also a significant reason for the comparatively high prices of Costco tires is that the cost involves the installation charges. You won’t need to shell out anything extra for professional tire installation.
That, however, is not the case with Walmart. Walmart will charge you a few dollars per tire (you can expect to pay around $10-$15 per tire). So, to answer the question, Walmart tires are much cheaper than Costco tires if you exclusively consider the cost of tires only and not the installation charges. However, even if the cost encompasses installation charges on both sides, Costco tires will remain slightly more expensive than Walmart ones.
Is There an Advantage of Buying Tires at Costco?
As far as advantages are concerned, there are many. Costco is undoubtedly one of the best places to get tires in the USA, here are a few points to justify that fact.
Quick, Hassle-free, and On-time Appointments
Purchasing tires from Costco has never been easier, and you can do it all online nowadays. All you have to do is search for your tires and buy them from the Costco web store. The tires will reach your preferred Costco Tire Center. In addition, you won’t need to pay extra for the installation of those tires. Furthermore, for the highest customer satisfaction, Costco even allows its customers to schedule a tire delivery appointment either online or at their retail location.
Expert-quality installation
Costco arguably houses the best professionals in the industry with exceptional hands-on skills. Costco will provide you with expert installation at no extra cost since they already include the installation charges in the quoted price of your tires, preventing unwanted hassle. Rather than compressed air, Costco uses nitrogen while installing tires. Nitrogen is a light gas that, when compared to compressed air, helps tires maintain tire pressure. It also boosts your vehicle’s fuel economy. Nitrogen is significantly better at maintaining correct pressure in cooler climates and also minimizes the possibility of moisture inside the tires.
When comparing the prices of Costco tires with the ones from other stores like Walmart, keep in mind that you’ll need to include the cost of tire installation in addition to the price of the tire.
Five-year Warranty
When it comes to cruising on the highway at 80 miles an hour, tires become the most vulnerable to punctures and other types of damage. The quality of roads also plays an important role here. In that case, having to spend a lot on getting new tires every once in a while can be a pain. If that’s your worry, buying tires from Costco is your best option.
Tires purchased from Costco come with a five-year road hazard warranty, protecting your investment for as long as five years. This is an attention-worthy advantage of purchasing tires from Costco. In contrast to a company that does not provide an all-inclusive warranty, a tire warranty will save you money and time in the long run. In addition, giving a 5-year road hazard warranty is a display of quality and trust if one considers buying tires from Costco.
Is There an Advantage of Buying Tires at Walmart?
Walmart is arguably the strongest competitor of Costco when it comes to selling high-quality tires. Here are a few advantages of buying tires at Walmart.
Lowest Price
According to a poll by Consumer Reports with a participant count of over 50,000 users, Walmart absolutely dwarfed the competition with its extremely low pricing. The average price of a tire purchased from Walmart came out to be the lowest at $103 per tire. In contrast to Costco with a median per-tire price of $168, Walmart is unbeatable.
Price Matching
Lowest prices are one thing that Walmart can brag about, but in addition, it also offers price matching if you find a better deal on the same tire in some other store. Just raise a price match request with Walmart customer care and the executives will do their best to quote you the product at your desired price.
Special Offers
Walmart showers its customers with loads of special offers on occasions like Christmas, new year, etc. If you’re lucky enough, you can score a once-in-a-lifetime deal while purchasing tires from Walmart.
Should You Buy Tires in Stores like Costco and Walmart?
Costco and Walmart rank amongst the biggest wholesale corporations in the USA. Thanks to their business models, these brands can sell products such as tires at such competitive prices. Buying tires from Costco and Walmart is beneficial for you in either case. While Costco provides you with free expert installation and reliable quality, Walmart showers you with attractive offers and attention-worthy schemes like price-match on its products. So, to answer the question, yes, you should buy tires from wholesale stores like Costco and Walmart.
Are They of Good Quality?
Both Costco and Walmart have risen to astounding heights just because of how reliable these wholesale corporations are. In essence, the quality of tires at Costco and Walmart is one of the best in the industry, Costco especially triumphs in this department.
Do They Provide Any Replacements or Refunds?
Yes, both Costco and Walmart provide their customers with easy replacements and returns facilities, provided that the customers have not mounted the tires. As for Walmart, you can return the purchased tires within a 90-day window.
Conclusion
While purchasing something as crucial as vehicle tires, reliability should be your topmost concern. In that case, purchasing tires from Walmart or Costco can be your best bet. Furthermore, you can avail yourself of exciting offers and discounts from both Costco as well as Walmart.
As far as overall rating is concerned, tires from either of these suppliers are only subjectively better. For instance, Costco excels in providing its users with the best-in-class services and extended warranties on products but fails to price its products as aggressively as Walmart. On the other hand, Walmart is known for the affordability it serves its customers with but can’t boast about customer satisfaction as compared to Costco. In the end, it all boils down to the preference of the customer.
