Check a tire replacement quote

What the job usually involves.

Fitting new tires usually means removing each wheel, taking the old tire off the rim, mounting the new tire, replacing or servicing the valve stem, balancing the wheel and refitting it to the vehicle maker’s torque. The old tires are then disposed of or returned. Some shops also ask you to come back after a short drive so the lug nuts can be checked again.

NHTSA says passenger cars, light trucks and vans of model year 2008 or newer are required to have a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). On many vehicles the sensors sit inside the wheel, so tire work often includes TPMS seals or a relearn step. Other vehicles have no wheel sensors and estimate pressure from wheel speed; they usually need a reset after new tires rather than sensor service.

SourcesNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Tire Safety Ratings and Awareness | TireWise ↗ (opens an external site)NHTSA (eCFR) — 49 CFR 571.138 Standard No. 138; Tire pressure monitoring systems ↗ (opens an external site)

What a complete written quote should state.

• The number of tires and the price per tire.
• The full specification: size, load index, speed rating, brand and model.
• Mounting and balancing, per wheel.
• Valve stems or TPMS service kits, and any sensor relearn or reset.
• Any TPMS sensor replaced rather than serviced, with the reading that supports it.
• Disposal fees for the old tires.
• Any road hazard protection or other add-on, with its terms.
• Whether a rebate is taken off the invoice or is a mail-in rebate paid later.
• Shop supplies and tax.

SourceFederal Trade Commission — Auto Repair Basics ↗ (opens an external site)

What changes the total.

The tire itself usually matters most: size, load and speed rating, type (all-season, winter, all-terrain) and model. Quantity multiplies it. Pickups and some SUVs may specify light-truck (LT) tires, which carry a load range letter.

Installation charges are often per wheel, so they also scale with quantity. TPMS service, any state or local tire fees, optional add-ons, the local labor rate and tax account for the rest.

Run-flat tires, used on some vehicles that carry no spare, need suitable mounting equipment and are usually replaced with run-flats. Repair rules for a run-flat that was driven without air vary by tire maker and are often strict, so ask what the shop's policy is before comparing a repair with a replacement.

Tread, age and how many to replace.

NHTSA says tires are not safe and should be replaced when the tread is worn down to 2/32 of an inch. It also reports that some vehicle and tire manufacturers recommend replacing tires that are six to 10 years old, regardless of treadwear; that figure comes from manufacturers, not from an NHTSA rule.

Whether to replace one, two or four tires depends on the tread left on the others and on the vehicle. Some all-wheel-drive vehicles call for closely matched tires, and some shops offer to shave a new tire's tread to match; the vehicle owner’s manual is the authority. When only two tires are replaced and all four are the same size, many shops fit the new pair on the rear axle; ask which axle the quote assumes and why.

SourceNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Tire Safety Ratings and Awareness | TireWise ↗ (opens an external site)

When a second opinion is worth it.

• The quote shows a tire price but no installed total.
• The quoted size, load index or speed rating differs from the vehicle placard.
• Road hazard protection or other add-ons are included without being asked for.
• Four tires are recommended when the other tires’ tread depth is not written down.
• A mail-in rebate is subtracted from the quoted total as if it were an instant discount.

Tires are the vehicle’s only contact with the road. If a tire shows a bulge, cords, a slow leak or tread near the replacement point, have it inspected before driving far to compare quotes.