“I ended up just getting a new car.”
Owning a car isn’t cheap. If you want to properly maintain your vehicle, you’re looking at an extra $100 or so per month. Though these costs can increase dramatically depending on the car.
Not only that, but the cost of car maintenance is going up. Supply chain issues and tariffs have caused massive delays in sourcing and price increases for mechanics. These factors are part of the reason why car repair costs have risen twice as fast as inflation since January 2019.
Given how fast prices are rising, it’s no surprise that car owners visiting repair shops are frequently struck with sticker shock.
But should a routine procedure really cost as much as one Kia owner recently paid?
In a video with over 1.3 million views, TikTok user Joh (@johannamariie) invites viewers to check out her “haul.”
“I just spent $1,000. Let me give you a haul,” she says.
She then shows four Firestone tires on her Kia in rapid succession. In the comments section, she notes that it was the best price she could find for the tires she wanted.
“I checked other places and the tires I wanted were the same price or more,” she explains.
Still, the final price left her aghast.
“When he said ‘tap your card’ and I saw the total my knees almost gave out,” she writes in a comment.
While some commenters insisted she overpaid, these prices are in line with national averages.
According to a Consumer Reports tire-buying survey from 2024, respondents paid an average of around $212 per new tire, plus an additional $31 for installation. In total, this means that a customer paid about $243 per tire. Multiply that by four tires, and you can quickly see how a person could easily pay $1,000 for a full set of tires.
It should be noted that tire installation usually doesn’t mean just screwing them on. Firestone Complete Auto Care notes on its website that tire installation is a multi-step process. This involves removing the old tires, inspecting wheels and valve stems, mounting replacements, and balancing each wheel.
This installation doesn’t include additional charges that may arise, such as disposal costs, additional work required for tire-pressure monitoring components, and more.
While the price of a new set of tires may seem high, they last for a very long time. A good set of tires needs to be replaced every six years or around 50,000 miles. (Though this can vary depending on the vehicle, conditions it’s driven in, and how it’s driven.) That amounts to less than $14 per month for a better, safer driving experience.
Not all tires are created equal. Just because one fits your car, that doesn’t mean that it’s the safest option. In fact, some cheaper options can cause considerable problems.
That doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to save money on tires. Instead, it’s just a sign that you should look for deals—not cut corners.
In its tire-buying guide, Consumer Reports recommends shopping for tires before you need them. This gives you the time and energy to find what you need at the right price. Once you’ve found the tires, you are welcome to negotiate the price or ask the business to price match a competitor; over half of respondents who attempted to negotiate the price were successful at lowering their total cost.
Next, you can look for rebates. Many reputable brands run deals where you can get cash or credit back for purchases. Keep an eye out for these deals and make a purchase when the price is right — even if you’re not in immediate need of tires.
Finally, it’s important to remember that tires are a long-term purchase. A hypothetical $800 set of tires that lasts 60,000 miles costs less overall than a $600 set lasting just 35,000 miles.
In the comments section, other car owners lamented just how much they’ve had to shell out for tires.
“You’re better than me because I ended up just getting a new car,” wrote a user.
“Me this week.. spent $1,500 for tires and alignment,” shared another.
“The first time I bought four tires at once, I was literally gasping for air,” recalled a third.
“I got winter tires and sensors 2,500+,” said another TikToker. “It’s okay though—when I become homeless, I’ll stay warm with a very nice tire fire!”
We’ve reached out to Joh via email and Instagram direct message.
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– The Motor1.com Team