Compare Tire Prices

Tire Replacement Scams: Buyer Beware!

When it comes time to compare tire prices for your car, truck or SUV, it can get a little confusing if you’re not familiar with the industry. Now consumers can add more headache to the process – tire replacement scams.

Being scammed is one thing that nobody wants to deal with! We work hard for our money and the last thing we want to do is to fall for bogus claims. If a claim is too good to be true from a company you have never heard about then it is most likely a scam.

There are some scammers who call people randomly and they say that they’re giving away massive discounts on tire replacement. The moment we hear the word “discount tires” we jump and fall right into it without doing our homework. Do you know anything about the company? Does the tire company have a physical address? What about business license? If the answer is NO then you don’t need to be dealing with them.

Another thing that scammers do is tell you that you already need new set of tires when you don’t. If you don’t own a tread depth gauge, ask the repair facility/company if you can use theirs. Crooked shops will incorrectly measure your tires as they can alter the numerical sequence of the tool and provide you with an incorrect reading. So unless you are really comfortable with your repair or tire replacement company, always check for the tread bar or better yet have your own tool to avoid falling prey to this type of scam. Check the air pressure of your tires on a regular basis so you’ll know whether you need new tires or not.

Looking closely at the paperwork will also save you from tons of troubles later on. Believe it or not there are some tire replacement companies who write the wrong manufacturer’s mileage warranty. If you are promised 60,000 miles then it better be reflected in the invoice. Look at the tires you have chosen and make sure you write down the brand and model. You’d be surprised how they manage to purposely pull out and install the wrong product.

Furthermore, be watchful of what the industry calls as “stale dated” product. The DOT mandates all manufacturers to date stamp their tires with the month and year of production. Generally, the accepted lifespan of a tire is 6 years from its manufacture date. I would not recommend purchasing tires that are more than a year old though. Tires are made of rubber so if they are past their lifespan, they will deteriorate and dry out.