How Much Does Walmart Charge to Install and Balance Tires
Replacing the tires on your car is an unavoidable yet necessary expense. Where you buy your tires can make a big difference when it comes to pricing, quality and services.
In this article, I'll take a close look at Walmart's tire center: an affordable and convenient option for buying tires. I've recently researched the process and pricing at Walmart's tire center to get an idea of what you can expect as well as how it compares to other popular tire stores.
Walmart's Tire Center: What You Need To Know
Walmart is a convenient place to find good prices on nearly anything, including tires. If your local Walmart has an auto care center, you'll likely find great prices there on tires and installation as well as other automotive services. Plus, you can order your tires online.
In addition to great prices, you'll also find a variety of brands. When I checked out the selection online at Walmart, I found tires from Goodyear, Cooper, Douglass, Pirelli, Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin and more.
Before you order your next set of tires, consider these five things about Walmart's tire center:
- How It Works
- Pricing
- Installation
- Return Policy & Warranty Information
- Final Thoughts
Below, you'll find detailed information about Walmart's auto care center including how to shop for tires, how the prices compare to other tire centers, how to schedule your installation and how to maximize your savings.
How To Buy Tires at Walmart
There are two ways customers can buy tires from Walmart: in-store or online.
If you're looking to shop in-store, you can use the online store finder to locate the nearest Walmart with an auto care center . From there, an associate can help you find the right tires for your vehicle.
You can also shop at Walmart. com . By shopping online, you'll be able to browse to company's full selection of tires whether you're near an auto care center or not. If you purchase your tires online, you can order them for same-day pickup (where available). You can also have them shipped for free directly to your door or the Walmart store of your choice.
When you first visit Walmart's online tire center, you'll see the option to use the "Tire Finder" at the top of the page. For most of us, the tire finder tool will be the easiest way to find a selection of tires that will fit your car. To get started, click "input your car's info now."
From there, you can search by size or by clicking "add vehicle." You should be able to find the intended tire size for your vehicle in the owner's manual, but when you click "add vehicle," you just need to know the year, make and model of your car .
Once you've entered your vehicle information, you'll be able to browse the selection of tires that fit your car. You can use the filters on the left-hand side of the screen to narrow your search results by brand, price, tire season, rating, special offers and more. You can also sort your results by price, popularity, rating and other factors by using the "sort by" feature at the top of the screen.
Once you've found a selection of tires that fit, you can click on specific tires for additional information including pickup/shipping timelines, installation availability and product details.
After you've made your selection, you can add the tires to your online shopping cart and enter your billing and shipping information. If you plan on having your tires installed at a Walmart auto care center, you can have the tires sent there instead. You will need to call the center to schedule your installation.
How Much Are Tires at Walmart?
Compared to other stores, Walmart offers the lowest average prices on tires with a median per-tire price of $102. For my 2017 Toyota Camry, tire prices ranged from $50.22 to $180.90 each plus one higher-end option for $210.56.
Consumer Reports polled nearly 50,000 of its subscribers to ask about cost, selection, sales service and perks when it came to purchasing new tires. Below, you'll see how Walmart's average prices and ratings compared to other popular tire stores:
| Store | Median Tire Price | Installation Price (Per Tire) | Consumer Reports Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walmart | $103 | $15 | 80 |
| Sam's Club | $143 | $20 | 85 |
| BJ's Tire Center | $144 | $20 | 86 |
| Town Fair Tire Centers | $148 | $23 | 83 |
| Firestone Complete | $159 | $27 | 87 |
| Discount Tire Direct | $161 | $22 | 90 |
| Goodyear | $161 | $26 | 88 |
| Tire Rack | $163 | $24 | 91 |
| Costco | $168 | $17 | 91 |
As you can see, Walmart offers the lowest average per-tire price compared to Sam's Club, Discount Tire Direct, BJ's Tire Center and Costco.
In addition to great prices, Walmart says it offers price matching if you find a better deal on an identical item from a qualifying retailer. To see the full details and limitations, check out Walmart.com's Price Match Policy online. To submit a price match request, contact Walmart Customer Care before placing your order.
Finally, be sure to check out the "Special Offers" section on the left-hand side of the Walmart.com tire center webpage. There, you'll find rebates, clearance items. gift card bundles and other ways to save money on tires.
How Much Does Walmart Charge To Install Tires?
If you purchase your tires from Walmart or Walmart.com , you can get your tires installed at a Walmart Auto Care Center for $15 per tire. That means you'll be looking at a total of $60 for basic installation on four tires.
If you need to have tires installed that you bought somewhere else , you can still get the same basic installation for an additional $10 per tire. That brings the total to $100 for four tires. And Walmart's "basic installation" includes more than just installing the new tires.
Basic Tire Installation Package
$15 per tire if purchased at Walmart (additional $10 per tire if purchased elsewhere)
- Tire mounting
- Valve stems/TPMS service pack
- Lifetime balance and rotation every 7,500 miles
- 50-mile lug re-torque
Value Tire Installation Package
$25 per tire (available only for tires purchased at Walmart)
- Tire mounting
- Valve stems/TPMS service pack
- Lifetime balance and rotation every 7,500 miles
- 50-mile lug re-torque
- Road hazard protection warranty
Additional Tire Services:
These services are available only for tires purchased at Walmart.
- Lifetime balance & rotation: $12 per tire
- Valve stem/TPMS service pack installation: $3 per tire
- Flat tire repair (tubeless): $15 per tire
- Tire mounting (carry-in): $10 per tire
- Tire mounting (specialty): $5 per tire
- Rotation: $2.50 per tire
- Lug nut replacement: $2 per lug nut
- Reset tire pressure monitoring system sensors: free as needed
Remember that if you plan on purchasing your tires online and having them delivered to a Walmart Auto Care Center for installation, you'll need to call the center separately and schedule a time to bring in your car.
For more information on installation and tire, battery, oil & lube or additional services, visit Walmart's Auto Care Center online .
Walmart Tires: Return Policy and Warranty Information
According to Walmart's website, most tires that have never been installed or driven on can be returned to the Customer Service desk of any Walmart store that has a tire center.
Unfortunately, Walmart stores that don't have tire centers can't accept returns, and you can't return the tires by mail. Walmart also won't accept returns on snow tires or any tires that have been used.
Walmart offers a road hazard warranty for $10 per tire. This price is included in the total for the Value Tire Installation Package, and the warranty is available only for tires purchased in-store or online at Walmart. The warranty covers unforeseen road hazards, flat repairs and free replacement of non-repairable tires within the first 25% of tread wear.
Note that the standard manufacturer's warranty should be enough to cover your tires . In fact, Consumer Reports argues that tread-life warranties are next to useless and money expert Clark Howard never buys extended warranties.
"My position on extended warranties remains the same always," says Clark. "I don't like them, and I don't buy them at any store."
If you aren't completely satisfied with the tires you've ordered, you'll have 90 days from the date of purchase to return them . Of course, if you had the tires shipped directly to your home, you'll have to make arrangements to get them to an eligible Walmart location.
You can find more information on Walmart's tire return policy online.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Walmart is a great place to shop for tires both online and in-store. You'll find a great selection of popular tire brands and some of the lowest average per-tire prices compared to other popular tire stores. And installation is cheaper at Walmart than nearly anywhere else.
If you do decide to purchase your next set of tires from Walmart, follow these tips to maximize your savings :
- Check out the special offers tab on the left-hand side of the webpage if you're shopping online. There, you'll find exclusive savings on tires, gift card bundles, discounts, rebates and clearance prices.
- Take advantage of the price match if you see a lower advertised price. It's important to take the time to compare prices across several stores to make sure you're getting the best deal. Plus, you can claim the price match at Walmart only if you submit it before you make your purchase.
- Let Walmart install your tires. You can get free same-day delivery at some locations as well as free shipping to any Walmart store. Since it offers one of the lowest prices for installation, consider having your tires sent directly to the store for free and call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Of course, you can also shop for tires in-store with the help of a Walmart Auto Care Center associate. Be sure to call your nearest store before visiting to get specific hours and availability.
Have you ever bought tires from Walmart? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
More Clark.com Content To Help You Save on Tires:
- The Best Places To Buy Tires
- Costco Tire Center: 5 Things To Know Before Getting New Tires
- Discount Tire Direct: 5 Things To Know Before Getting New Tires
How Much Does Walmart Charge to Install and Balance Tires
Source: https://clark.com/save-money/walmart-tires/