Owning a car comes with a lot of responsibility and with that responsibility also comes expenses. It seems that as soon as you have one repair job completed another issue will rise up. One of the things that every car owner needs to keep in mind is finding good tires. Driving on the road with worn out tires can be dangerous not just for you but for everyone around you. Still, finding affordable tires can be quite difficult if you don’t know how to shop for them. Some wonder if it is wise to start buying cheap and discounted tires online but just like with any other type of shopping venture there are a few things you should know.

Advantages of Buying Tires Online:

More Cost Effective: Many people believe that buying tires online would be more expensive. While the tires themselves are lower in cost, they believe that the shipping charges would actually increase the costs. Fortunately, that is not always the case. Today buying tires online is very simple. By simply inputting your car’s year, model, and make on a discount tire website, you’re provided with a huge selection of options. Once ordered, your tires are drop-shipped to your local tire store for installation.

Consumer Reviews: When you buy online, you can take advantage of the many consumer reviews and their performance ratings. You can also compare dealerships that may inflate the costs of a tire, which usually makes them more expensive.

Avoid Aggressive Upselling: You also avoid the aggressive tactics that many tire dealers make in an effort to get more money out of you. You know the true price of the tire you choose and you know how well it has performed with other customers.

Disadvantages of Buying Tires Online:

Buying cheap and discounted tires online is not always a practical decision; there are also some negative issues that you need to consider.

It Takes More Time: When you’re just replacing old and worn out tires and you have the time to wait for delivery then buying online can be very practical. However, if your tire needs are urgent, you may not have the luxury of waiting for a shipment to arrive.

Buying Sight Unseen: Another major disadvantage is that you are unable to see the tires and inspect them beforehand.

You Still Need Professional Installation: Even though you have a discounted tire, you will still need to find a local tire dealer to install them and balance the tires; this will be an additional cost.

No Face-to-Face Communication: Some people actually prefer the personal contact with the people they do business with. When you buy online, you won’t have the opportunity to speak face-to-face with the sales team, so you will lack that personal touch.

For those who are considering buying cheap and discounted tires online, there are pros and cons on both sides. While online shopping is not for everyone there are many advantages that can come from purchasing your tires this way. Consider all the advantages and disadvantages and decide which method will work best for you.