Costco Vs. Sam's Club Tires: Which Retailer Has The Best Deals

Tires have become increasingly more expensive, and it's why car owners are always on the hunt for discounts and bargain offerings. Costco has become a haven for car parts and maintenance services, as members are eligible for the Costco discount package. It provides a 15% discount or up to $500 off on accessories, parts, and service. Moreover, Costco's tire warranty is on par with other retailers, and its name-brand tires are of the same quality despite their lower cost.

However, Costco's not alone in the ever-burgeoning tire business. Sam's Club opened its first wholesale store in 1983 at Midwest City, Oklahoma, and founder Sam Walton (yes, he's also the founder of Walmart) took no time in expanding its reach to over 600 stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Unsurprisingly, Costco and Sam's Club have a similar membership-based discount service to provide lower prices on just about anything, including groceries, appliances, pet supplies, car accessories, and tires.

But the retailer with the best deals on car tires would ultimately depend on your vehicle, location, and membership privileges. At first glance, it seems Costco takes the cake, as members get free installation with every tire purchase. It also sweetens the deal with free rotation, balancing, and nitrogen air. Plus, each purchase includes a 5-year road hazard warranty that covers impact damage, deep cuts, and punctures that are unfit for repair.

Whereas Costco members get a no-cost installation package and warranty for every tire purchase, Sam's Club takes a different approach. It charges members $20 per tire for the install, but the added cost includes other perks, like a new valve stem (TPMS stems sold separately, which is similar to Costco) and deals on tire balancing, rotations, and flat repairs.

Meanwhile, the $20 installation fee also includes road hazard protection that extends the manufacturer's warranty to include cuts, snags, bruises, or impact breaks on the tire. Also included is emergency roadside assistance for four years, covering services like towing and fuel delivery. Vehicles with tire pressure monitoring get a free system reset, too. From the looks of it, the $20 fee is beginning to sound like a pretty sweet deal, but it ultimately depends on your membership type.

The basic Club membership at Sam's Club is $50 per year, but the costlier Plus membership bumps that up to $110. In exchange, you get additional perks like cashback offers, free shipping and delivery, and an additional 50% discount on tire and battery installations. An extra $40 discount applies to eligible installation packages on a set of four passenger and light truck tires.

Meanwhile, a Costco Gold Star membership starts at $65 per year, while the Executive Membership is $130. The latter has additional benefits similar to Sam's Club, but the difference is that a basic Costco membership is all it takes to get free installation and a road hazard warranty. With Sam's Club, you pay extra and need to be a premium member to access more discounts.

After factoring in the membership and installation costs, it's time to get to the meat of the matter: Does Costco offer lower prices on tires, or do Sam's Club members save more? For this test, we searched for a set of new 225/55R18 tires for a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek Limited, and the results were, surprisingly, not as night-and-day as we hoped.

Costco has the Michelin CrossClimate2 for $229.99 each, and buyers get up to $80 additional savings for a set of four. Meanwhile, Sam's Club has the same Michelin Crossclimate2 tires for $229.99, and potential buyers can save up to $70 off on a set of four new tires. 

Moving over to BFGoodrich, Costco has the Advantage Control for $201.99 each, while Sam's Club has the same tire for $200.99 each. As you can see, the price difference is negligible, and finding the best deal boils down to whether you're willing to pay extra for installation.

As for which tires are cheaper, the answer will depend on the vehicle model and tire size. But it seems Costco has an edge based on our preliminary tests. For this one, we went looking for a new set of rubber for a 2017 Ford F-150 Limited — one that came with 22-inch wheels from the factory. Costco has the Pirelli Scorpion Zero All Season for $344.99 each, while Sam's Club has the same tire for $387.77. 

Meanwhile, when looking at Bridgestone's tires, Costco has the Alenza Prestige for $334.99 each, while Sam's Club has them for the same exact price. Both retailers also offer discounts if you buy four tires at once. Just keep in mind that those discount offers are limited-time, and the actual prices might vary depending on your location

So, does Costco beat Sam's Club in tire deals? If you have memberships for both, it's worth comparing prices to get top dollar deals. The decision may also sway in favor of which retailer or service center is nearest your home. For instance, you need to schedule an appointment at Costco tire centers to get the tires delivered there, while Sam's Club has tire and battery centers at select locations only. In short, a bit of research goes a long way towards unlocking huge savings on tires.