Brakes Online

In our 32 years of helping drivers get the right tires we've had many opportunities to build relationships with loyal enthusiasts. We thank you all for coming back and referring your friends and family. With all these referrals, we get quite a few calls and emails from drivers that are new to Tire Rack and want to know how our business works. 

Take a look at the four easy steps to finding the right products for your vehicle:

Research

We test approximately 40 different tire models every year which provides us detailed and objective information to use throughout our website. And, with feedback from thousands of drivers, we have over 2.7 billion miles in Consumer Reviews. With all this data and a large inventory of products, questions may arise. To get answers you can contact one of our sales specialists or use our website to research the products you would like to purchase.

Buy

With several different options for making a purchase, such as major credit cards, PayPal (domestic online orders only) or other forms of payment, Tire Rack makes it easy for you to complete your purchase. It's important to note that if you're going to pick up your order, you need to contact one of our sales specialists to place your order.

Deliver

Most of our customers are within one to two business days of our Indiana, Nevada, Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana or Georgia distribution centers for quick, cost-effective delivery of purchase. Freight options and shipping charges can be seen after you've added an item to your cart and entered your ZIP Code when prompted. To see shipping costs before you add items to your cart, use the "Shipping Quote" option in search results.

Install

Tire Rack customers generally ship to one of our independent Recommended Installers, their own mechanic, or their home or a dealership. With a national network of over 8,000 Recommend Installers, you're sure to find one that can handle your installation needs near your home or office.  

For example, I've spoken to many Seattle customers who rave about Omni Brake and Alignment (Recommended Installer since 1999). Using the hypothetical situation of Sally who drives a 2009 Volvo C30 T5 with a Direct TPMS and 205/50-17 tires, Omni charges $21 to mount and balance a 50-55 series tire, $2.50 for a rubber valve stem (in this case a TPMS valve core) and $2.50 for disposal. Therefore, her installation cost is $26 per tire. Since Sally chose to have her tires installed at Omni, she also had them shipped directly to them. The Installer receives an email from Tire Rack alerting them of Sally's order, while she receives a shipping and delivery email confirmation from us. At this time, Sally contacts Omni and makes an appointment to get her tires installed and she's on the road with a new set of tires in no time!

How Does Ordering from Tire Rack Work FAQs:

1. What about warranties? We're an authorized dealer for each of the 17 brands we sell and therefore the tire manufacturer's warranty applies to your Tire Rack purchase.
2. How old are the tires that I'll receive from Tire Rack? With our automated pulling process, we can't pull a specific DOT Tire Identification Number but we can estimate dates based on recent shipments. We'll record DOT Tire Identification Numbers at the end of the shipping process. Let's say Sally orders the Kumho Ecsta 4X, the last four codes we received were 3011 and 3211 which means two of these tires were made during the 30th week of 2011 and the other two during the 32nd week of 2011, which means Sally's estimated DOT code is 3111.
3. Can I pick up my order instead of having it shipped? Yes, if you're close to any of our distribution centers, other than Delaware, you may pick-up your order when placed via phone. We don't have a retail license at our Delaware warehouse, therefore retail customers are unable to pick up at this location. Tire and wheel installation is available for $15 per tire at our South Bend, Indiana distribution center but not at our regional warehouses.

The Bridgestone Blizzak WS70, Michelin X-Ice Xi2 and Continental ExtremeWinterContact tires are three of the top contenders in the Studless Ice and Snow category. The old approach to winter was that tires with aggressive tread patterns and studs were the best way to handle winter driving. It's been our experience that the advanced Studless Ice and Snow traction technologies have surpassed the studded tire. Watch "Testing Winter Weather Specialists - Studless Ice and Snow Tires" to see how tires in this performance category deliver excellent traction in winter's worst conditions. The following three tires offer slush, snow and ice traction that easily surpasses even the best all-season tires:

Bridgestone Blizzak WS70

Michelin X-Ice Xi2

Continental ExtremeWinterContact

Take a look at what some customers are saying about their experience with the Blizzak WS70, X-Ice Xi2 and ExtremeWinterContact:

"This snow tire never disappointed during last winter's record snow fall (98 inches) here in eastern Massachusetts. As long as I had ground clearance they went through every drift and snow bank they were challenged with. My driveway has an upward-sloping incline which frequently ices over, and these tires always made the climb without slipping or losing grip." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2010 Volvo XC70 3.2 AWD (Bridgestone Blizzak WS70)

"For years I considered the G35 as a car requiring two lanes to safely drive in the snow. I purchased the X-Ice Xi2 with the expectation that I could at least endure driving in snow. Honestly, I was greatly surprised at how easy to drive in the snow this car has become and feel like now I could thread a needle with it. A greater surprise is how great the car performs on wet pavement. Definitely these tires transformed the car from barely livable in the winter with all season tires to a point where I do not care much about the type of winter weather I will encounter." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2005 Infiniti G35 Sedan (Michelin X-Ice Xi2)

" I just purchased these [Continental winter tires] and had them installed Saturday. Sunday night the first freezing rain and snowfall hit. By Monday morning we had a few inches of slush and snow sitting on a layer of ice. I tried to get these tires to slide in a corner and couldn't. I tried slamming on the brakes to engage ABS, and instead the car just stopped. It was like driving with my summer tires on sticky pavement. There were accidents all around me, but I had zero issues." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2007 BMW 335i (Continental ExtremeWinterContact)

And when it comes time to make your tire buy online, shop by vehicle to find the perfect winter / snow tire for your vehicle.

Most race enthusiasts know if Hoosier tires are the right choice for their next competition. But what about the consumer who needs help comprehending tire speed ratings or how to make an informed purchase based on a tire comparison? Our website is filled with shopping tools that make your online experience as efficient and enjoyable as if you were talking on the phone to one of our sales specialists. So whether you want to shop for tires or other products such as wheels, brakes and more, just remember - tirerack.com is much more than a tire website.

View all shopping tools.

I recently tested the following Max Performance Summer tires on our test track and on the street:


Official results will be online soon but here is more information on our testing program.

This week I tested the BFGoodrich Premier Touring, the Firestone Precision Touring, the General AltiMAX RT and the Yokohama AVID Touring S, Standard Touring All-Season tires.

They all handled very well for their category. Whenever the tires broke away on the track, you could easily regain control.

In the area of braking and handling, I found the Firestone, the General and the Yokohama to be neck-and-neck with each other. I would rank the BFGoodrich just a bit below the other three.

Watch for complete test results online.

Today I tested the Kumho Solus KL21, the Michelin Latitude Tour HP and the Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season Tires.

I pushed the tires to their limits on our test track which is always interesting when the sprinkler system is on and you slide through some of the turns.

For handling in the corners and braking, I found the Kumho and Pirelli dead even, but the Michelin handled better in both cornering and braking under wet conditions and gave me more confidence as a driver. 

Watch for complete test results online.

That's right kids, it's time once again to drive expensive BMWs on an ice rink!!

Tire Rack has been putting winter tires through the ringer for the last couple of years by equipping our test vehicles with some popular choices and testing their mettle on glare ice. This year we tested the Continental ExtremeWinterContact, the Dunlop Graspic DS-3, the Michelin X-Ice Xi2, and the new kid on the block, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS70.

Now, driving on glare ice does present some problems. If you're like me and just a little clumsy, one false move and WHAM! It's a visit to Ouchtown! But the slickness of the ice is where we really get a feel for the tires' performance in situations where the weather is less than desirable.

The Blizzak tire has been the industry standard for years, providing top notch snow and ice traction compared to its competitors. This year is no different with the WS70, but the gap seems to have been narrowed a bit. Continental has stepped up their game with the ExtremeWinterContact. It handled very well as we made the turns. The X-Ice Xi2 also did very well, and the top three were very close. The Graspic DS-3 lagged a little behind and was the only tire to take out some cones on the turn. Acceleration and braking were all pretty close with these four tires. Complete results will be online soon.

Ultimately, you can't go wrong with any of these winter tires. The snow and ice traction from a winter tire is roughly double what it is with an all-season. When winter safety is a concern, Tire Rack for great deals on studless ice and snow tires!

Today I tested the Bridestone Blizzak WS70, the Continental ExtremeWinterContact, the Dunlop Graspic DS-3 and the Michelin X-Ice Xi2 Studless Ice and Snow tires.

The test took place on an indoor ice rink and let me tell you that it's always a fun learning experience to be able to test these tires back-to-back on glare ice.

All four tires were good in acceleration and braking with the Continental and Michelin tires at the top of the scale followed by the Bridgestones and Dunlops. In the area of handling and cornering on ice, I found the Continental to be first and the Michelin second with Bridgestone close to the Michelin and the Dunlop in fourth place.

Please be advised that even the lowest ranked studless snow tire is twice as effective on ice compared to any all-season tire.

Watch for complete snow tire test results online.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to test four different Studless Ice and Snow winter tires. Comparisons were conducted on an indoor hockey rink here in South Bend, Indiana and included acceleration and braking tests along with a cornering demonstration.

We drove on the Continental ExtremeWinterContact, Dunlop Graspic DS-3, Michelin X-Ice Xi2 and the Bridgestone Blizzak WS70. As in years past the Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 provided the most control for acceleration and braking and was head and shoulders above the others in the cornering demonstration.

These are not your father's snow tires! All the results will be online soon! Check this page frequently.

This week, I tested the Dunlop SP Sport Signature, Pirelli PZero Nero All Season, Sumitomo HTR
A/S P01 and the Yokohama AVID ENVigor, Ultra High Performance All-Season tires.

On our 6.6-mile Read World Road Ride, the weather was sunny and 89 degrees. I found all four tires to have good handling and they were all very quiet, except the Pirelli, which had a slight hum. The Sumitomo had the best ride and the Pirelli was a bit harsh.

On our Performance Test Track Drive, the weather was hot and humid and the track was dry. I found all four tires to be comparable in handling, cornering and braking and was impressed with all of them considering that they are all-season tires.

Watch for our completed test results online.

I recently tested Ultra High Performance All-Season tires on a Real World Road Ride and Performance Test Track Drive.





Yokohama AVID ENVigor



During the Real World Road Ride, I found the Sumitomo and Pirelli to have the quietest ride and best comfort. The Dunlop was my least favorite in those areas. But during the dry Performance Test Track Drive, I found the Dunlop to have excellent cornering, handling and braking. The Sumitomo and Pirelli were also very good. When driving on the Yokohamas, though, the vehicle did not feel nearly as planted around corners or through the slalom.

Official results will be online soon. Here is more information on our testing program.

I recently had a conversation with a driver who wanted to replace two tires.
My first response was, "Sure, what tire do you have on the car now?" He replied, "That doesn’t matter."

I assure you it does matter.

 When only replacing two tires on your car, you should install the same model tire. This will result in the most predictable handling. Keep in mind that when your car was being designed, you certainly wouldn’t hear the engineers say, “Hey Franz, what kind of tires should we put on the rear?” And the other engineer reply, “Oh, that doesn’t matter, use whatever you can find, Hans.”

One of the biggest decisions that you might make is whether to use summer or all-season tires.

A summer tire, like the Bridgestone RE760 Sport, will perform better in dry road cornering and braking than an all-season tire. Summer tires also perform well in the rain; wet traction isn’t an exclusive all-season characteristic. Because it rains in summer, summer tires are made to be quite capable in the wet.

Conversely, if you require some snow traction in the winter and are not planning on using dedicated snow tires, an all-season tire like the Bridgestone G019 Grid will provide longer life and get you through the white stuff.

Never, under any circumstances, mix summer and all-season tires on the same car. This can cause instability and inaccurate handling. If you require just two tires, please write down all the information from your tire sidewalls before giving us a call or selecting your tires online. We won’t steer you wrong.

I recently tested the following tires on a Real World Road Ride and Performance Test Track Drive.





Michelin HydroEdge Green X




During the Real World Road Ride, I found all four tires to be somewhat similar in ride quality and handling with the Michelin and Continental slightly ahead of the others. It was on the Performance Test Ttrack Drive and in the wet that their differences really came through. The Kumho was very hard to control on the course. Its braking traction was very poor as well. The Goodyear was much better, followed by the Michelin. My favorite was the Continental.

Official results will be online soon. Here is more information on our testing program.

Our tire tests consist of two parts.

First, we drive on a 6.6 mile Real World Road Ride to get a feel for a tire’s comfort, noise level and handling on all types of road surfaces. Next, we push the tires to their limits during our Performance Test Track Drives. This allows us to test a tire in the areas of emergency braking and steering responsiveness. Our purpose-built track also has a sprinkler system so we can test the tires in rain-like conditions.

Having the opportunity to test tires allows Tire Rack’s sales specialists to understand the best tire for a customer’s unique driving style and vehicle.

Want to learn more? You can watch videos about our tire tests online.

Last week, I tested eco-oriented Passenger All-Season tires -- the Continental ProContact with EcoPlus Technology, Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max,  Kumho eco Solus HM KR22 and the Michelin HydroEdge with Green X -- on our 6.6 mile road course.
 
The road course was dry, sunny and temperatures were in the low 70s. I found all four tires to be very comparable in ride quality and noise. In handling, only the Kumho was a bit sluggish. The other three tires handled well for passenger tires.

Later, I was on the test track where conditions were sunny, dry and 79 degrees. I found the Michelins to be the best in braking and handling, the Kumho was the worst and the Continental and Goodyear fell in the middle.
Overall. I would place the Michelin first, the Continental second, the Goodyear third and the Kumho fourth.

Look for complete test results online soon.

After testing the tires on the street, it was on to the Performance Track Drive portion of the test. I drove them on our test track that was wet from a recent downpour. The Pirelli tires were the best in handling and braking and the Kumho tires were the worst in cornering. Overall I rank the Pirelli first, the Firestone second and the Kumho third.

Complete Tire Rack team test results are online.

I have finished testing the BFGoodrich g-Force Sport, Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500, Kumho Ecsta SPT KU31 and the Yokohama S.drive Ultra High Performance Summer tires.

On our 6.6 mile road ride, the weather was partly cloudy, 72 degrees and the roads were dry. I thought all of the tires were fairly quiet but the Firestone was the quietest of all four. The Yokohama had the best ride quality and the Firestone was the best handling.

The conditions on the test track were just perfect for pushing these summer tires to their limits, it was 80 degrees and dry. It was an absolute blast!! All four performed very well, but the Firestone was a bit better in braking and overall response in cornering.

Overall, I'd place the the Firestone first, the Yokohama second, the BFG third and the Kumho fourth.

Watch for the complete test results online that will include the wet handling results.