Tirebuyer Review: On-Line Tire Buying, Affordably Priced With the Most Convenient Installation Possible
Teia Collier
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Tires. Every car has them and at some point, will need to have them replaced.
Editor’s note: This review was originally written as a review of TireScanner, which merged with Tirebuyer; leadership and process are the same, though some observations and reflections of the TireScanner experience may not be consistent with Tirebuyer.
It’s also one the few experiences that can drive (and has driven) me to tears. But those negative experiences can be left in the past, especially since Covid-19 has changed the way that people show up, shop, drive and interact with one another.
What if I told you that you could select your tires online, choose an installer and have the option of having them installed without ever having to leave your house? What was formerly a white glove service almost exclusively offered for prestige vehicles is now being offered at comparable rates, across the United States and with the ease of pushing a few buttons. Let me introduce you to Tirebuyer.
Related: So, You Think You Need New Tires. Here’s How to Know, and What to Do
Credit: Teia Collier
Hello Tirebuyer. So Nice to Make Your Acquaintance!
Tirebuyer is a matchmaker of sorts between you and the tires you need. Launched in 2018 by Mike Welch, who founded Blackcircles, a leading mobile online tire service provider in the UK. He decided to bring his easy, on-line process to the US in 2019 when he noticed that digital tire purchasing and mobile tire installation was not a common experience for the average consumer in the US market. In fact, less than 10% of tire buyers buy on line, but Mike thinks that number will reach 30% soon. We think it will go even higher with the amount of information that is available to buyers. And now with mobile installation, a service that is more common in fleet management and the maintenance of luxury vehicles than for the everyday driver, on line purchasing is even more attractive.
Growing as the need and demand for mobile automobile-related service increases, Tirebuyer makes the process simple by letting you choose the best tires for your vehicle at your chosen price point and then connecting you to their collective of over 3,500 independent garages and 150 vetted mobile installers nationwide for tire delivery or installation. For the purposes of this story (and my sanity), I talked with the Tirebuyer team who recommended Toyo Versado Noir tires and for installation, I selected the mobile option.
Related: Oh, the Joy of New Tires. Seriously. All Season Continental Tire Review
Tirebuyer x Tread Connection = Tire Installation Success
I live in a suburb of Dallas that is only sometimes is serviced by the delivery services that are frequently found in other cities. Much to my delight, there were several options available to serve this area. If you’re considering ordering your next tires though Tirebuyer and want to use the mobile install option, check the site to see if the services are offered in your area. The installer who installed tires on my vehicle, a 2013 BMW X1, is a local arm of the North Carolina based Tread Connection, a vetted mobile install partner for Tirebuyer. The team that came out to install our tires was fantastic.
Related: The Truth About Worn Tires and Tire Replacement: What You Need to Know
Tread Connection, Tirebuyer.com partner. ?Teia Collier
Tire Installation … In Your Driveway. Brilliant!
The guys were clean-cut, professional, friendly and efficient. They were prompt, let me know when they were on the way and went about their work in their supremely decked out truck and inspired my youngest son’s pit stop dreams.
Using equipment similar to what you would expect to find in the dealerships of luxury vehicles, the guys took care of everything, including disposal. The process from start to finish was seamless and a breeze, eliminating the pain points that happen in tire shopping. They checked out all of my tires and discovered one had several slits and wear from driving along construction scarred roads. Scary to be sure, but a definite reminder to have my tires serviced, rotated and aligned more often than only when the tire sensor lights up the dashboard.
Price-wise, the whole process was less expensive, took less time and was less of a hassle of traveling the 45 minutes to my dealership, COVID restrictions or not, with children in tow. In 2019, we had one tire replaced at the AMG dealership in Dallas and it was about $110 more per tire with installation than the price of the service with Tirebuyer (using TreadConnection). Overall, the price was more comparable to Pep Boys or Firestone with the Service Package.
Related: Run Flat Tires: The Most Civil Way to Have a Flat Tire
The installation process inspired my little guy. ? Teia Collier
What I Loved
One of perks of using Tirebuyer is the variety of tires that are available and the options that are available. From Toyo, Bridgestone, Pirelli, Firestone, Cooper and Michelin to other brands that are new to me, the range is impressive as is the range of prices, options and providers. You can get a lot of detail about the tire, like the warranted mileage and see a detailed breakdown of costs and labor – a nice thing to see before you pay the bill.
And, for buyers who need and value the convenience of mobile installation, like mothers of young children, anyone who may not want to spend hours hanging out at the tire shop or busy professionals who value multitasking, Tirebuyer’s mobile option fits nicely into anyone’s schedule.
The Ahhhhhh of New Tires
There’s nothing like a new set of tires – just ask your car. Worn tires take longer to stop at intersections, slip more on wet pavement and those construction-scarred roads? Worn tires are an accident waiting to happen. Not only did the BMW feel much more confident with a new set of Toyo Versado Noir tires, but I feel more confident too. The ride is much quieter, my car feels solidly planted on the pavement, it stops more quickly and hugs the road even at higher speeds.
What to Know About Tirebuyer
- Know the make, model and tire details that your car needs. This will be on the side of the tire (number on the with a slash in the middle). Different tires do different things and choose tires based up on your needs. If you have questions, call the toll-free number to talk to a tech and tire specialists who is there to help.
- You’ll pay for the tires upfront via the website and installation fees at install.
- If you have special circumstances, need a certain time window or maybe have an alternate person at your home or work for your installation, be sure to tell your vendor. They are great to work with you and your schedule.
But the biggest takeaway? Confidence that I made the right choice. By shopping on my own, talking with a specialist and knowing that my new tires are loaded on the installer’s truck and headed to me, there’s no opportunity for a switch-pitch, which can happen even if you’re certain that those Toyo Versado Noir are exactly the right tire for your car. And confidence in my purchase is priceless.
Disclosure: Tirebuyer provided tires for this review; all opinions are my own.