Buying Tires, Selection, Service, Price and the Experts

Thursday, May 6, 2010 by Rudy Riedel
Why buy tires at Tire Rack? Tire Rack started in 1979 and has continued to grow. Many customers look to Tire Rack to get the knowledge to make an informed decision on their purchase. We also stock many of the leading brands like BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Dick Cepek, Dunlop, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Hoosier Kumho, Michelin, Pirelli, Sumitomo, Uniroyal and Yokohama. We stock the hard-to-find speciality performance tires, too.



We know how the tires perform and we test them at our test facilty. We put the tire test results online for you to review. We offer fast shipping to a local installer near you. Installation is also made easy. Find a Recommend Installer near you here.

Tire Rack: The easiest way to price tires online.

Monday, April 19, 2010 by Tire Rack Team
Shopping for new tires can be exhausting. The pressure is on to make the right decision because your safety depends on it. And when it comes to making that decision, all of the information you need is right here at Tire Rack. We know tires, and we share that with you in a way that makes it super easy to make a tire buy online.

After all, pricing is a pretty important factor in any purchase. But it's not the only factor. When it comes to tires, you'll need specific performance and sizing information. And that's why we give you the opportunity to search our entire inventory according to your vehicle's specifications.

Once you enter this information, you'll have access to a list of auto tires online that we've found to be appropriate for your vehicle. In other words, in just a few minutes you'll have more information that you could possibly imagine—without having to go from retail outlet to retail outlet.

And if you get lucky, your list might include a tire that qualifies for a special offer.

Bremmer Kraft wheels look especially great on German vehicles.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 by Tire Rack Team

If you're looking for BMW rims, maybe Mercedes rims, or if you drive a Volkswagen or Audi, you might want to look at Bremmer Kraft wheels as an aftermarket upgrade.

Bremmer Kraft wheels are manufactured with strict quality control standards to produce a very reliable wheel. And as your online wheels and tires store, we feel completely comfortable suggesting them as an attractive option for your vehicle.

We recently added the following to our collection:

The BR05 wheel comes in black with a machined lip (left) or bright silver paint (right) finishes. A quick search according to vehicle will help you determine if these would work for you, or you can check out our entire collection of Bremmer Kraft wheels. You'll find size and pricing information for every option we've got.

Do I Need Summer Tires or All-Season Tires?

Wednesday, March 3, 2010 by Chad Hocker
A common question I receive as we are changing seasons -- just because you live in a location that does not get snow does not exclude you from an all-season tire.

A general rule of thumb for someone that is looking to run a summer tire year round is will the vehicle be used when temperatures are below 40 degrees consistently. For example, on those early mornings or late nights when the temp gets into the 30s the summer tire would not perform well. Typically summer tires are more performance-oriented and have a shorter tread life. The all-season tire can handle the hottest summer climates and coldest winter climates. All-season tires can handle light snow as well however if you are in a climate that receives a modest amount of snow a winter tire will be your best option for winter traction and then the all-season or summer tire during the warmer months.

Take a look and compare some of the tread pattern differences on a popular all-season tire, summer tire and winter tire below.

All-Season Tread Pattern  Summer Tread Pattern  Winter Tread Pattern
All-Season Tire                              Summer Tire                                  Winter Tire

The tread patterns are from the Michelin Harmony, Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 and Continental ExtremeWinterContact from left to right.  Check  Tire Rack to view online tire prices for the tire of your choice.


Snow Tire Prices, Packages and More

Tuesday, December 8, 2009 by Tire Rack Team
Winter / snow tires may just be one of the most economical purchases you can make. And at Tire Rack, we do our best to keep our winter / snow tire prices affordable. Any search according to vehicle or tire size will produce a list of suitable tires, and that list can be filtered according to price, which helps you find a winter / snow tire in your price range. 

But why use a winter / snow tire? To extend the life of your summer tires. And, of course, to keep you safe when the roads threaten your sense of control—because it is all about traction, confidence and control. Though we are very grateful to the many engineers who have improved our control via all-wheel drive, ABS, or traction control, it must be said they do not create traction. These systems leave that up to the tires. (Read more.) So, when you switch to boots from shoes, switch to winter / snow tires for the same reason.

With specific tread designs and multicell rubber compounds, you'll achieve traction that's considerably better than anything you'd achieve with your summer tires. (Yes, even if they're all-season tires.) And that traction transforms into added confidence behind the wheel of a vehicle navigating ice, snow and slush. (Read more.)

And what about winter / snow wheels? Definitely something to consider. A Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel package is the ultimate in performance and convenience. You'll no longer have to worry about scheduling an installation session or finding salt damage on those shiny summer wheels you love. A Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel package becomes your vehicle's boots, protecting it's summer shoes just as you protect yours during the winter. And with Tire Rack's long list of online wheels and tires, you can absolutely find that perfect pair of winter boots for your vehicle.





Auto Tire Stores: Who Do You Trust?

Monday, November 30, 2009 by Tire Rack Team
When it comes time to buy tires online, your options are wide open. There are a number of auto tire stores online, and as you click from one to the next, you'll find information—and sometimes, a complete lack thereof. But when you visit Tire Rack, you'll get all of the information you want from a car tire dealer—and then some—in a user friendly format: one that's clear, concise and relevant. One of our previous customers said it best:

"No doubt, I will continue to do business with Tire Rack. Best product information and best pricing." 

That's proof that we strive to be your go-to auto tire store. It's about giving you expert advice on and sharing our detailed experiences with the products we sell. It's customer service, and ours is award-winning. And we're in business for you—to make sure your vehicle is outfitted with the tires it should be. 

Shop by vehicle today.
 

Price Tires Online

Tuesday, November 17, 2009 by Tire Rack Team

Ready to make a tire buy online? You can do that and more at Tire Rack.

We've got over one million tires in stock from some of the best tire manufacturers out there. But...we don't just stock tires. We test them, too. And we let you know what other drivers are saying about them. So when you search by vehicle, we'll produce a list of recommended tires that fit your vehicle and are perfect for the roads you drive on.

All at prices that won't slow you down. On the road or online. Filter your results or set a range using our price slider to find the tires that land within your budget. Multiple options? Read those consumer reviews and tire tests to get a feel for how individual tires might perform.

It's all part of how we revolutionize the way you buy tires. 


 


Tire Rack: The online wheel store...and more.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 by Tire Rack Team
In 1996, Tire Rack introduced the world to an up-to-date website that allowed consumers to thoroughly research their performance products purchases. Those purchases included wheels, which helped make Tire Rack a premiere online wheel store.

And we've remained as such to this day.

Our relationships with some of the most prestigious wheel brands ensures our ability to offer you wheels and accessories that are right for your vehicle. You won't be limited to a certain brand or price range—we'll show you the gamut, and you can pick a wheel knowing you've seen it all.

And you literally can see it all! Select your vehicle's make, model and year in the Upgrade Garage, then select "Wheels" to see what fits your vehicle. In the Upgrade Garage, you'll see an image of your vehicle—and you'll be able to try different wheels on it.

Search results always include a variety of finishes, accurately depicted sizes and current pricing. If your vehicle has a tire pressure monitoring system we'll show you the sensors you might need to purchase to keep things running as designed.

And speaking of tires, we've got an excellent selection. A car tire store and online wheel store -- that's Tire Rack -- and more.





 



Compare online tire prices: Start with Tire Rack.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 by Tire Rack Team
Online tire prices certainly do fluctuate from one website to the next. That's retail, whether you're looking for tires or ties.

At Tire Rack, we've worked very hard to form long-lasting, trusting relationships with major tire brands like Bridgestone, Goodyear and more. This allows us to offer plenty of exceptionally priced, in-stock tires at online tire prices that can't be beat.

So when you search by vehicle or tire size, you'll produce a list of recommended tires which you can then filter by price. Find an online tire price range you like, then read survey results, reviews and tire test results (when available). All of which will help you make an informed decision.

Just don't forget to check out the Special Offers that make our great prices an even better deal!


Dunlop SP Sport Signature, High Performance All Season Tires

Thursday, September 10, 2009 by Chad Hocker
The Dunlop SP Sport Signature is a great tire for the consumer who is looking for a performance tire at a great price.  Many times I get the question "What are other people buying?"  This is one tire I have seen become more popular as of late.
More consumers are going with this Dunlop SP Sport Signature tire providing the following features. 
  • 60,000 Mile Warranty (H/V speed rated)
  • Asymmetric Tread Pattern
  • Good Wet Traction
  • Civilized Road Qualities
  • Crisp Steering Response

In the February 2009 issue of Consumer Reports the Dunlop SP Sport Signature earned the Consumer Reports "Best Buy" designation with-in Consumer Reports category of Performance Car Tires.

At the Tire Rack the Dunlop SP Sport Signature is classified as High Performance All Season.
The Dunlop finished 2nd in our latest test results and currently ranks second in our online survey data.  Considering the price points of the other tires in category.  I do believe these would be a good buy.



Dunlop SP Sport SignatureDunlop Tire TreadDunlop Side view


A (even) Better Way to Buy Tires

Thursday, July 9, 2009 by Tim Joines
Last Thursday we started testing a new version of our on-line tire search.

Our loyal customers who were happy with the way we helped them find tires in the past will have an even better experience now.

We think new tire buyers will simply like what they see.

We have updated the look of the tire search results to allow you to find features such as Tire Tests, Specifications, Customer tire surveys and reviews more easily.

Here are a couple of the details regarding the changes:

We added the Reviewer's Avg Rating to the results so you can more quickly see how other customers  feel about the choices we offer. You can also sort by this rating.



New Arrivals Tab: The most recent tires for your vehicle
Original Equipment Tab: The exact make and model tires installed at the factory
Best Sellers Tab: The most popular tires based on what others have selected for the same make and model car or truck.

New Tire Search Sort By options
Easier Sort Function:
Sort by:
  1. Tire Brand
  2. Lowest Tire Price
  3. Tire Performance Category
  4. Tire Speed Rating
  5. UTQG
  6. Warranty Rating
  7. Reviewer's Average rating
Look for further updates on the new search.

We are displaying the new search to about 1/2 of the site traffic as part of the test so not everyone will see the feature until we are sure it stands up to live traffic use.

Start a search from our front page.