How a Costco Membership Can Save You Money vs. Tire Rack – Jalopnik

If you are going to buy a new set of tires, there are numerous places you can go. A popular option is to order from Tire Rack and have it installed by a local shop. Another option is to hit Costco and take advantage of that membership fee. What’s the better deal? Is it cheaper to go with Tire Rack, or is it cheaper to pay the $65 annual membership fee and order from Costco?

For our first vehicle, we’re going to look at replacement performance tires for a 2023 Honda Civic Type R, that teenage dirtbag. The factory tire size on that vehicle is 265/30/R19. Because our hypothetical owner occasionally goes to a track day, we are going to look at a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.

In each of our examples, we use a standard Costco membership. We use the standard zip code 45219 – Cincinnati, Ohio – as our home base. Next, we select the Costco location in Florence, Kentucky. Costco installs the tires on site. For tire rack orders, we use the same zip code and select the nearest certified installer – Michel Tires Plus – from the list. Your results may vary.

Costco’s total, including installation and tax, is $2,158.66. That includes an immediate savings of $80. To get those same tires at Tire Rack brings the total to $2,321.96. A $20 savings was immediately applied to that order. If you add $65 for the Costco membership, you’ll still save $98.30 by shopping at Costco.

For purchase and installation at Costco, the total comes to $1,013.86. That includes an instant savings of $80 for purchasing all four tires. At Tire Track the total comes to just $964.81. It’s worth noting that the price includes an instant savings of $100 for purchasing a set.

Before Tire Rack adds the price of a Costco membership, it still has the better offering. If you factor in the membership price, Tire Rack is almost $115 cheaper.

Costco is running a promotion where you can save $60 instantly if you buy four, bringing the cost to $725.54 including installation and tax. Tire Rack has no direct savings on these winter tires, bringing the total to $921.00. When you add the Costco membership price, you’ll still save $130.46 by shopping there.

As for winter tires, you should buy a set of four even if you have rear-wheel drive. Front tires assist with both steering and braking, so you should resist the urge to buy a set just for the rear tires because those are the wheels that move the car. We consider winter tires to be an unbreakable rule for winter driving.

As always, it pays to shop around. It is also important to consider the full costs, including costs such as installation and sales taxes. In some cases, even with its membership fee, Costco may be the more affordable choice.