Anyone ever bought super cheap or used tires?

My car needs all four new tires. It's a 2005 with over 200,000 miles on it so I don't plan on driving it too much longer. Maybe another year.

Was wondering if I should put cheap tires on it. Or is that a risk not worth taking?

i'm no expert, but I figure they all have to pass DOT guidelines, right?

It depends on tire size. I just bought 4 tires at Discount for my brother in laws 06 Chevy Impala for right at $300. They were $53 each with warranty and tax. No TPMS.

Ive bought used tires on ebay before and they were good.

Just have to look at the treadwear and number of repairs and DOT codes.

Anything by Primewell

are you asking about cheap tires at Discount Tires?

or "discounted" price tires?

If you're not too well versed with tires, I hesitate recommending that you buy anything used.

You'd be generally safe purchasing the cheapest tire Discount Tire offers as long as it's not a Goodyear or Barum.

Discount Tire Direct is typically pretty good on pricing for tires themselves, but cost of install at Discount Tire is on the high side. However, you typically have a higher quality of service at Discount and they usually mediate any issues without much of a fuss.

If you're willing to sacrifice quality of service, buy tires through Discount Tire Direct on eBay and have a small tire shop do the install. I've found a place near me that was $10 or $15 to mount & balance each wheel assembly.

Vernada said:

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are you asking about cheap tires at Discount Tires?

or "discounted" price tires?

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"discounted". Yeah my title is confusing.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm not well versed in tires so buying tires separate and having someone install is a little out of my comfort zone. But I might try it and see if I like it.

You can always call around to your local Discount Tire stores & see if they have any "customer take offs" for sale. They' will be cheaper than new.

I've bought tires on Craigslist for roughly 20-30% of the price you would pay at the tire shop.

Typically they are being sold in pairs or sets of four. 1-2 will be worse off than others, but usually they want you to take all of them.

Biggest things to look for is the manufactured date (most of them are old tires that never got used) or they are takeoffs. Look for any repairs or abnormal wearing. Typically you find them at a shade tree mechanic shop in a lower income side of town.

We use them for farm trailers and are less picky. I would hesitate if it was on a daily driver.

I was in a similar situation back with my old Altima. Was just about to sell it when one rear tire was showing steel. Didn't want to spend money on a tire for someone else, so I went to a used tire shop in the barrio of Pasadena. Pretty sure the dude put on cock fights, or at least raised the fighters because there were a bunch of roosters in the back in their own little enclosure houses. Also pretty sure old Rubio had a hell of a bender the night before. there were 24 oz Dos Equis cans all over the place.

Rubio had a goodyear in my size and installed it for like $30. Off I went, happy with myself for saving cash. Well, next day the car starts shimmying real bad again. I figure it must be the alignment, so I take it to a reputable alignment shop. Not convinced it is the alignment, I opt for just the $25 diagnostic rather than the full alignment. As soon as they get it up on the lift we see the problem. The other rear tire was completely separating, but only from the inside. Looked fine from the outside. Back to Rubios.

This time there were slightly fewer beer cans and Rubio didn't have a matching Goodyear to the one he previously sold me. He had some off brand, but at this point I was fine with whatever. Pay my $30 and haul ass down the road.

On the way home from work the car starts really rolling rough about 55mph. It was fine up til 55, then it got really bad. Did a little homework on it and it turns out old Rubio didn't balance the tires when he installed them. Back to Rubios.

This time he had his now normal amount of beer cans. He balanced both tires/wheels at no additional charge and I sold the altima a week or so later.

TLDR - used shops are fine to get you through, just watch them, ask questions and bring cash. If you are keeping the ride for any length of time, pay the money and get it done right with a good tire.