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5 Ways To Tell If You Need New Tires

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sam’s Club . All opinions are 100% mine.

Be honest...when's the last time you thoroughly checked your tires to see if they need replacing? If it's been a while you'll want to check out these 5 ways to tell if you need new tires.

Winter is one of the most important times to make sure your tires are in good condition. No one wants to increase their chances of wrecking on slippery ice or getting stranded when it's below freezing, after all. If it's been a while since you've replaced your tires, see this checklist of 5 ways to tell if you need new tires.

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1. Tread - One of the easiest ways to know if you should replace your tires is to check the tread. You can simply do this is by using a penny. Put the penny head-side first (or head upside down) into several of the treads of the tire. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head each time, your tires are pretty worn due to a lack of tread and should be replaced. If you can't see his head, your tire tread is still good.

2. Other Wear and Tear - Tires can be damaged and worn from a variety of things. If you drive on gravel you may regularly get rocks stuck in them. Plus, just about all of us have had to deal with running over a random nail and not realizing it until the tire goes flat. Even the weather with extreme heat and sun or ice can affect the pressure, and thus longevity, of your tires. Some problems can be repaired with sealants but eventually the tires will need to be replaced.

3. Tires Are Deflating Faster - On average tires deflate around 1 PSI per month. If your tires are deflating a lot more than this and you have tried to repair them, it may be time to consider replacing them. It's generally a good idea to check your tire pressure at least once a month.

4. Ride Quality - Have you noticed when driving your car that the ride quality isn't quite the same as it once was? There could be several reasons why, including your tires with issues such as being under-inflated or unevenly worn.

5. Age - Like with most other things, tires have no set age for everyone where they should be replaced due to a variety of different variables based on how you use them. However, the general guideline is to check your tires more frequently after you've been using them for 5 years and that they will usually need to be replaced after 10 years at most.

Get The Best Price On Replacement Tires With Sam's Club

This is our third year of having a Sam's Club membership because of all the wonderful deals and perks, including tires. If your tires do need to be replaced now is a great time to do so thanks to the Sam's Club Dare to Compare offer. Here's how the  #DareToCompare offer works. 

Did you know that the Sam's Club tagline is "We offer the best tire brands at the best 'all-in' price, and we'll match it!"? If you do happen to find a better price elsewhere, all you have to do is bring in a quote from a local tire sales and installation retailer to your Sam's Club Tire and Battery Center service counter. The quote must be printed on dealer/retailer letterhead and be dated within the past 7 business days. The tires must be the same brand, same line, same load index, and speed rating as the tires you want to purchase at Sam's Club. Sam's Club does carry some club-specific tire lines and, in this case, Sam's Club will compare the club-specific tire line to the equivalent general market tire line. Here are the tire lines Sam's Club considers to be equivalent and will price match accordingly:

  • BFGoodrich Touring T/A
  • BFGoodrich Advantage T/A
  • Michelin Defender XT
  • Michelin Defender
  • Michelin X Radial LT2
  • Michelin LTX M/S2

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When you purchase tires at Sam's Club purchasing the Sam's Club Tire Installation Package at $15 a tire or $25 a dually tire is also a great idea as it includes the following perks as long as you remain an active member of Sam's Club*:

  • Tire Mounting
  • Tire Lifetime Balancing
  • Tire Lifetime Rotation
  • A Value Stem
  • No Charge Tire Lifetime Flat Repair
  • 24-hour Emergency Roadside Service

* Complete terms and conditions of all Sam's Club warranties and services can be obtained at any Sam's Club Tire and Battery Center location.

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5 Ways To Tell If You Need New Tires

 

Kate Hansen

Friday 2nd of August 2019

I like how you included that you should replace your tires after 10 years. My tires are about 12 years old and I was wondering if they're too old and if I should have them replaces. I'll make sure to keep this in mind if I decide to get new tires.

Watson Williams

Tuesday 8th of May 2018

I liked your suggestion to use a penny to determine if my tread on my tires is deep enough. This is definitely something I'd be willing to do since I have a couple tires that I suspect might be getting pretty worn down. If they don't pass the test, I'll make sure to have them replaced as soon as possible.

Earnest Watkins

Thursday 8th of March 2018

It's good to know that I should check my tires more frequently if they are 5 years old. My tires are nearing that age, and I'm worried they may be loosing some of their ability to hold air. Given their age, do you recommend I just look at getting them replaced?

Petunia Evans

Monday 16th of May 2016

It's been a long time since I've checked my on my car tires, so I think they're long overdue for a checkup. I be sure to use the penny trick and check on the tread. I got new tires about a year ago, so I think that they should be good, but I'd like to be better at checking them. Thanks for this help!

Lillian Schaeffer

Tuesday 8th of March 2016

This is some great information, and I appreciate your point that your car tires can last between five and ten years. My vehicle has had the same tires for about seven years now, and they're having some problems staying inflated. I'll definitely look into having them replaced entirely instead of repaired because they've almost hit their age limit anyway. Thanks for the great post!