What is a better option when purchasing tires?
Costco and Sam’s Club both sell tires at their warehouse clubs. But which store is better for this purchase? This first-hand guide will help you choose where to go the next time your vehicle needs new tires.
Costco vs. Sam’s Club: Tire prices
Both Costco and Sam’s Club have competitive tire prices. And both products regularly offer discounts when you purchase sets of four. However, Costco’s prices tend to be slightly cheaper than Sam’s Club, making it better for your budget.
The table below shows the prices for a set of four Michelin tires for multiple vehicles at each store as of April 30, 2024. This price does not include taxes or installation fees. As you can see, Costco prices are slightly cheaper than Sam’s Club prices.
tire type | costco price | Sam’s Club prices |
|---|---|---|
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 – 275/60R20 116H tires | $1,135.96 | $1,145.96 |
Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 – 225/45ZR19/XL 96Y Tires | $939.96 | $949.96 |
Data sources: Costco.com and SamsClub.com
Costco vs. Sam’s Club: Tire Service
You can install and order tires at Costco and Sam’s Club. And both offer some perks for doing so.
Costco offers:
- Free installation with tire purchase
- The 5-year Road Hazard Warranty for Costco members only applies to broken tires. This protects the tread from wear damage and tire failure.
- free tire balancing
- inflation check
- Installing nitrogen tires, which maintain tire pressure better over time compared to compressed air
- apartment repairs
- New rubber valve stem
Sam’s Club offers:
- Premium tire installation at $20 per tire for Premium Package (includes duals and campers)
- Road hazard protection, which extends workmanship and material warranties and provides protection against tire failure on a pro-rata basis.
- Lifetime tire balance, replacement and free puncture repair
- You can receive roadside assistance for up to four years as long as you remain a Sam’s Club member. This may include towing, flat tire assistance, fuel lockout services, jump starts, winching, or extraction.
- New valve stems when installing new tires
- Reset tire pressure monitoring system
- Disposal of waste tires
As you can see, tire installation at Sam’s Club gets you roadside help, but Costco’s tire service doesn’t offer that as a perk. costco do Roadside assistance is available, but only for Executive members who purchase auto insurance through Costco’s partnership with Connect. And Sam’s Club doesn’t limit its road hazard warranty to five years. This offer remains valid as long as you are a Sam’s Club member.
However, Sam’s charges for premium tire installation service while Costco does not. And since Sam’s tires are already slightly more expensive in many situations, you’ll pay more for this extra protection. It may be worth it, but not if you already receive roadside assistance through another source, such as auto insurance or AAA.
Ultimately, you may decide to purchase your tires from any club to which you have a membership. However, if you’re choosing between Costco and Sam’s Club and have a tire purchase scheduled in the near future, Costco has a slight edge over Sam’s for those who don’t need roadside assistance. That’s why it may be a better choice.
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