Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Topic Author
crossbow
Posts: 365
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2018 5:47 pm

Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by crossbow »

Brand new tire tread depth is 8.5/32. My remaining tread depths are:
1x 3/32
1x 4/32
2x 5/32

Costco has a promo - $150 off 4 tires. Cost of each tire is $230. I plan to replace the 3/32, probably the 4/32 as well. Mathematically, would it make sense to replace the 5/32 tires at the same time? My vehicle is a FWD so I don't have to replace all 4 at the same time, but am wondering if I should pay $460 now and $460 later, or $770 now... (factoring in remaining tread). :confused
Thesaints
Posts: 5087
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2017 12:25 am

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Thesaints »

That depends on how much later “later” is.
Mr.RegPark
Posts: 149
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2020 3:01 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Mr.RegPark »

My understanding is that 3/32 is the maximum difference between tread that is tolerated ( rotation of the tires is measurably different) and greater can adversely affect your differential. Tire Rack argues for even smaller differences, but they always want to sell 4.
Buy the 2 tires
Topic Author
crossbow
Posts: 365
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2018 5:47 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by crossbow »

Thesaints wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:21 pm That depends on how much later “later” is.
It took 20-25k miles to get from 8.5 - 5/32... I drive around 15K miles per year. So later would probably be around 1.5 years from now.
Topic Author
crossbow
Posts: 365
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2018 5:47 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by crossbow »

Gabelli2020 wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:25 pm My understanding is that 3/32 is the maximum difference between tread that is tolerated ( rotation of the tires is measurably different) and greater can adversely affect your differential. Tire Rack argues for even smaller differences, but they always want to sell 4.
Buy the 2 tires
Thanks!
MMiroir
Posts: 849
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 12:14 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by MMiroir »

A couple of other questions.

1 - How old are the existing tires? If they are more than 5 years old, just replace all four.
2 - Is the vehicle AWD? If so, having similar tires diameters is more important than if it is FWD or RWD.
3 - What is the vehicle value? If it is a $30,000 Jaguar, get all four. If it is a $2,000 Mitsubishi, replace as few as possible.
4 - Will the tires match? Having different types of tires (brand or specific tire model) will reduce the resale value. It may not make a difference for a beater.
5 - How long do you plan to keep the vehicle? If it a long term keeper, get the tires. If it a short term beater, be cheap up front as you won't get the money back when you sell.
squirm
Posts: 4239
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2011 11:53 am

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by squirm »

Get the new set of four now, don't penny pinch on tires.
Topic Author
crossbow
Posts: 365
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2018 5:47 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by crossbow »

MMiroir wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:37 pm A couple of other questions.

1 - How old are the existing tires? If they are more than 5 years old, just replace all four.
2 - Is the vehicle AWD? If so, having similar tires diameters is more important than if it is FWD or RWD.
3 - What is the vehicle value? If it is a $30,000 Jaguar, get all four. If it is a $2,000 Mitsubishi, replace as few as possible.
4 - Will the tires match? Having different types of tires (brand or specific tire model) will reduce the resale value. It may not make a difference for a beater.
5 - How long do you plan to keep the vehicle? If it a long term keeper, get the tires. If it a short term beater, be cheap up front as you won't get the money back when you sell.
The two tires I'm contemplating replacing are 2 years old. Vehicle is FWD, 2017 Toyota SUV, all four tires currently and will have same model on as I like the current tire.
Blake7
Posts: 366
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2018 2:52 pm
Location: USA

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Blake7 »

How often are you rotating your tires? The wear-leveling benefit of rotating tires is you usually end up replacing all 4 tires at the same time. I’ve always preferred this outcome by rotating every ~10k miles.
bloom2708
Posts: 9855
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2014 2:08 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by bloom2708 »

Buy 4 new. Rotate every oil change.

You may want to have an alignment as part of the tire change. Those are some different wear numbers.

You could probably put the 2 with 5/32 on the back if not AWD. 8.5 is low tread for new.

11/32nd is more standard. Must be high performance tires.
Broken Man 1999
Posts: 8620
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:31 am
Location: West coast of Florida, near Champa Bay !

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Broken Man 1999 »

Two now, though not necessary, two later.

Michelin, who has every incentive to sell you tires says this:

Worn-Out Tire
Worn-Out Tire Issues:
- All tires have treadwear indicator bars at 2/32" of remaining tread.
- When the tread is worn down to 2/32" or when you can see the treadwear indicator bars on any section of the tire, the tire is worn out and should be replaced.

https://www.michelinman.com/tireinspect ... tread.html

Broken Man 1999
“If I cannot drink Bourbon and smoke cigars in Heaven then I shall not go." - Mark Twain
User avatar
lthenderson
Posts: 8499
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:43 am
Location: Iowa

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by lthenderson »

If I were in your shoes, I would continue to drive on if most of my driving was in town until I had two that were 3/32nds or lower. I would then replace all four tires so that I'm not having to make multiple appointments within months of each other to get 2 more replaced. I also don't want to get in a situation where I have to explain which tire goes where when my tires are rotated with my oil change.

If I were driving frequently at high speeds or long distances where a flat tire could be dangerous or very inconvenient, I would change all four now, for the same reasons above.
Topic Author
crossbow
Posts: 365
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2018 5:47 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by crossbow »

Blake7 wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 3:34 pm How often are you rotating your tires? The wear-leveling benefit of rotating tires is you usually end up replacing all 4 tires at the same time. I’ve always preferred this outcome by rotating every ~10k miles.
Every 5k miles. I bought the vehicle CPO and the dealer had 2 worn tires replaced with new ones at time of purchase.
MMiroir
Posts: 849
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 12:14 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by MMiroir »

crossbow wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 3:26 pm
MMiroir wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:37 pm A couple of other questions.

1 - How old are the existing tires? If they are more than 5 years old, just replace all four.
2 - Is the vehicle AWD? If so, having similar tires diameters is more important than if it is FWD or RWD.
3 - What is the vehicle value? If it is a $30,000 Jaguar, get all four. If it is a $2,000 Mitsubishi, replace as few as possible.
4 - Will the tires match? Having different types of tires (brand or specific tire model) will reduce the resale value. It may not make a difference for a beater.
5 - How long do you plan to keep the vehicle? If it a long term keeper, get the tires. If it a short term beater, be cheap up front as you won't get the money back when you sell.
The two tires I'm contemplating replacing are 2 years old. Vehicle is FWD, 2017 Toyota SUV, all four tires currently and will have same model on as I like the current tire.
In that case, replace the two tires, put the new ones in front, and hold off on rotating them until the overall level of wear is equalized between front and back. Being FWD, the two in the back will get minimal wear while the fronts will wear faster.
Monsterflockster
Posts: 980
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2019 11:03 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Monsterflockster »

crossbow wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:17 pm Brand new tire tread depth is 8.5/32. My remaining tread depths are:
1x 3/32
1x 4/32
2x 5/32

Costco has a promo - $150 off 4 tires. Cost of each tire is $230. I plan to replace the 3/32, probably the 4/32 as well. Mathematically, would it make sense to replace the 5/32 tires at the same time? My vehicle is a FWD so I don't have to replace all 4 at the same time, but am wondering if I should pay $460 now and $460 later, or $770 now... (factoring in remaining tread). :confused
Two tires.
Figuring_it_out
Posts: 207
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 8:54 am

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Figuring_it_out »

If you really want to make it a deal. Get a credit card with a $200 off 500 or 1000 spend in 3 months. Chace freedom or Bank of america cash rewards are two. Then you spend 230 * 4 + install (~$20) + tax pushes you to about the 1100 mark.

You get 150 back from bridgestone then 200 back from BofA and if you choose (online order) from them you get 3% back as well so an additional $33.
Now you have 4 new tires for 1100 - 350 - 33 = $717 out of pocket.
This vs $230 + $20 (Install) Time 2 + tax = ~ $540 out the door. and a return strip schedule for a year out to do it again.

less than $200 more and you get 4 tires and a worry free mind.

Then, keep those tires rotated.
stimulacra
Posts: 1006
Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2016 2:50 pm
Location: Houston

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by stimulacra »

Replace all four and keep the two 5/32 as full size spares.

I went through this exact thing last month at Costco.

Two were almost bald and two were near new.

I drive an AWD vehicle and haven't been able to replace a solo tire ever. Also I guessed I missed a rotation and they refused to rotate them, keeping the best tires in the rear and the most worn up front, making them get worn faster (IMHO).

I replaced all four and asked them to give me the two tires with the most thread depth left. Houston streets are debris ridden so it's only a matter of time.
denovo
Posts: 4808
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 1:04 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by denovo »

crossbow wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:17 pm Brand new tire tread depth is 8.5/32. My remaining tread depths are:
1x 3/32
1x 4/32
2x 5/32

Costco has a promo - $150 off 4 tires. Cost of each tire is $230. I plan to replace the 3/32, probably the 4/32 as well. Mathematically, would it make sense to replace the 5/32 tires at the same time? My vehicle is a FWD so I don't have to replace all 4 at the same time, but am wondering if I should pay $460 now and $460 later, or $770 now... (factoring in remaining tread). :confused
I rec shopping the price first. Did you check America's/ Discount tire?
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln
Jack FFR1846
Posts: 18461
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 6:05 am
Location: 26 miles, 385 yards west of Copley Square

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

Put the 2 5's in the front. When the 3 gets to 2, replace it. When the 4 gets to 2, replace it. At that point, rotate the 2 newer back ones to the front. When the now-rears (both started at 5) get to 2, replace them.

This will maximize how many miles you get out of the tires.
Bogle: Smart Beta is stupid
talzara
Posts: 4745
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:40 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by talzara »

crossbow wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 3:26 pm The two tires I'm contemplating replacing are 2 years old. Vehicle is FWD, 2017 Toyota SUV, all four tires currently and will have same model on as I like the current tire.
If your tires are still under warranty, you may be able to get them replaced for free or at least pro-rated. However, you'd have to wear them down to the 2/32" minimum tread depth to file a warranty claim.

Most tire warranties are 6 years or 60,000 miles. Some performance tires only last 30,000 miles.
talzara
Posts: 4745
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:40 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by talzara »

MMiroir wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 4:20 pm In that case, replace the two tires, put the new ones in front, and hold off on rotating them until the overall level of wear is equalized between front and back. Being FWD, the two in the back will get minimal wear while the fronts will wear faster.
New tires are installed on the rear axle.

Most tire dealers will not put new tires on the front axle. They're not willing to accept the liability risk.
User avatar
jabberwockOG
Posts: 3084
Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 7:23 am

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by jabberwockOG »

MMiroir wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 4:20 pm
crossbow wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 3:26 pm
MMiroir wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:37 pm A couple of other questions.

1 - How old are the existing tires? If they are more than 5 years old, just replace all four.
2 - Is the vehicle AWD? If so, having similar tires diameters is more important than if it is FWD or RWD.
3 - What is the vehicle value? If it is a $30,000 Jaguar, get all four. If it is a $2,000 Mitsubishi, replace as few as possible.
4 - Will the tires match? Having different types of tires (brand or specific tire model) will reduce the resale value. It may not make a difference for a beater.
5 - How long do you plan to keep the vehicle? If it a long term keeper, get the tires. If it a short term beater, be cheap up front as you won't get the money back when you sell.
The two tires I'm contemplating replacing are 2 years old. Vehicle is FWD, 2017 Toyota SUV, all four tires currently and will have same model on as I like the current tire.
In that case, replace the two tires, put the new ones in front, and hold off on rotating them until the overall level of wear is equalized between front and back. Being FWD, the two in the back will get minimal wear while the fronts will wear faster.

This is good advice assuming your old tires are not too old. Check the manufacture date code on the tire sidewall to verify actual age of the tires. The age of a tire is from manufacture date not the date it was installed. Some shops will install 3+ year old tires on a car as new tires. Generally once a tire is more than 5-6 years old it should be replaced.
finite_difference
Posts: 3626
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2015 7:00 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by finite_difference »

stimulacra wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 5:29 pm Replace all four and keep the two 5/32 as full size spares.

I went through this exact thing last month at Costco.

Two were almost bald and two were near new.

I drive an AWD vehicle and haven't been able to replace a solo tire ever. Also I guessed I missed a rotation and they refused to rotate them, keeping the best tires in the rear and the most worn up front, making them get worn faster (IMHO).

I replaced all four and asked them to give me the two tires with the most thread depth left. Houston streets are debris ridden so it's only a matter of time.
Good idea. You will need to buy one wheel to mount the tire if you want to use a full size spare. Then the other tire could be used to replace an irreparable tire.
The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. - Thich Nhat Hanh
User avatar
Beensabu
Posts: 5618
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2016 3:22 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Beensabu »

If you can afford it, just do it all now. It's easier that way.
"The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next." ~Ursula LeGuin
johnny
Posts: 192
Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2018 8:31 am

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by johnny »

squirm wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:45 pm Get the new set of four now, don't penny pinch on tires.
+1

Tires are the most important component of your car for safety. And after replacing all four, you get the benefit of a more enjoyable, quieter ride to boot.
Nysinvestor
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Apr 09, 2016 6:16 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Nysinvestor »

Tires are something that I don’t get all cheap on. They are literally the only thing between you and the pavement. 700 bucks every 5 years is like 10/month. Money well spent. I’d replace all 4 before unless selling car soon.
goldendad
Posts: 394
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 10:29 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by goldendad »

I told my kids - don’t try to get the last 10% on oil, belts, batteries, brakes, and tires. Replace on-time or early and save yourself a lot of trouble.
User avatar
TexasPE
Posts: 686
Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2018 7:41 pm
Location: Southeast Texas

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by TexasPE »

As I understand it, the less the tread left, the longer the braking distance required to come to a stop. If you live where heavy rain/ puddles are frequent, tendency to hydroplane increases with reduced tread depth.

https://www.rospa.com/rospaweb/docs/adv ... -depth.pdf

I would replace all 4 tires.
At 20: I cared what everyone thought about me | At 40: I didn't give a damn what anyone thought of me | Now that I'm 60: I realize that no one was really thinking about me at all | Winston Churchill (?)
helloeveryone
Posts: 1283
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2016 5:16 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by helloeveryone »

crossbow wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:17 pm Brand new tire tread depth is 8.5/32. My remaining tread depths are:
1x 3/32
1x 4/32
2x 5/32

Costco has a promo - $150 off 4 tires. Cost of each tire is $230. I plan to replace the 3/32, probably the 4/32 as well. Mathematically, would it make sense to replace the 5/32 tires at the same time? My vehicle is a FWD so I don't have to replace all 4 at the same time, but am wondering if I should pay $460 now and $460 later, or $770 now... (factoring in remaining tread). :confused
Only thing I would add is that if you buy four - consider selling your four used tires on craigslist. I’ve done that twice before and gotten an easy $160 for four used tires. I took pics w the penny in tread so the buyer knew what they were buying.

There seems to be a market for used tires. (I don’t recall costco having a waste fee to take your tires but the reason I did it one year was to avoid the $2 waste fee per tire at discount tires and see how easy the tires sold.)
helloeveryone
Posts: 1283
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2016 5:16 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by helloeveryone »

goldendad wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 9:47 pm I told my kids - don’t try to get the last 10% on oil, belts, batteries, brakes, and tires. Replace on-time or early and save yourself a lot of trouble.
+1 on the battery from personal experience. Cost time, effort, and by having to buy right away didn’t have time to hunt down the typical coupons at autozone or adv auto parts.
IMO
Posts: 1569
Joined: Fri May 05, 2017 6:01 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by IMO »

crossbow wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 4:01 pm
Blake7 wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 3:34 pm How often are you rotating your tires? The wear-leveling benefit of rotating tires is you usually end up replacing all 4 tires at the same time. I’ve always preferred this outcome by rotating every ~10k miles.
Every 5k miles. I bought the vehicle CPO and the dealer had 2 worn tires replaced with new ones at time of purchase.
So here is where you post gets confusing to me. So the 2 NEWER tires (2 years old replaced by dealer as part of the CPO deal) are more worn out than the two 4 year old tires? That would seem odd to me with your regular rotations AND presuming you cars aligned.

a. Check the tire dates to verify.
b. If only replacing 2 tires, the older worn tires will be put on the front of the vehicle due to liability issues from the installer.
c. Check the date and condition of the spare tire (if it has one). In theory it would be 4 to 5 years old.


So if I were to balance cost with reasonable desire to not throw out tires with reasonable wear left on them:

a) I'd buy the 4 tires now because tires can/do get discontinued or changed as far as tread patterns. In the future, you may not find the same
matching tires.
b) I'd install 2 new tires on the back (as required for liability).
c) IF the two 5/32 tires are actually 4-5+ years old, then I'd probably go ahead and replace them. If they are just 2 years old, then I'd have them
mounted on the front (as required for liability).
d) I'd check the spare vs. the tires being discarded to assure my spare was the newest age and ideally also the best tread.
e) If I didn't feel I really must install 4 new tires, then I'd hold onto 2 of the 4 new tires I bought and consider installing them in 1-2 years (presuming
you have good storage space available).
f) Flats happen, and if it was significant non-repairable OR it resulted in the sidewall being crushed with no air in it (weakening the sidewall), then
I'd replace the tires at that time. (If it's one of the newer tires then you're back to deciding if your okay with slightly uneven tread wear!)
g) I'd look elsewhere than Costco. Places like Discount Tire will likely have the buy 4 tire rebate on the tires and will likely match or beat Costco and
IMO they provide better customer service in most situations. They would also likely be okay if you didn't want to mount all 4 tires at once and
do it later for you.
h) Also, lets say you don't get an alignment done. Putting the 2 used tires on the front for some mileage first to verify f they are not getting worn out due to a slight misalignment before you put your other 2 new ones on the front.

But it just may be easier to buy 4 new tires now and throw the other's into the tire graveyard. That's the safest and easiest way to go. If you don't have a spare tire, then buy a cheap steal rim and have the newest/best used tire mounted on that and take that with you on any long road trips that go through desolate terrain.
User avatar
rob
Posts: 5236
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:49 pm
Location: Here

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by rob »

talzara wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 6:00 pm
MMiroir wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 4:20 pm In that case, replace the two tires, put the new ones in front, and hold off on rotating them until the overall level of wear is equalized between front and back. Being FWD, the two in the back will get minimal wear while the fronts will wear faster.
New tires are installed on the rear axle.

Most tire dealers will not put new tires on the front axle. They're not willing to accept the liability risk.
Yeah... It's a little counterintuitive but cars will tend to rotate around the new pair in a mixed set which for most people will work out better on the rear (more understeer). I've never had a place refuse outright but a couple in the past were hesitant about it - I tend to replace four now days because it's cheaper in the long run and this is the place for that :D and now I share a vehicle with spouse & kids, so they would not react the same way as me if something happened.
| Rob | Its a dangerous business going out your front door. - J.R.R.Tolkien
Jeepergeo
Posts: 865
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2020 1:33 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Jeepergeo »

stimulacra wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 5:29 pm Replace all four and keep the two 5/32 as full size spares.

I went through this exact thing last month at Costco.

Two were almost bald and two were near new.

I drive an AWD vehicle and haven't been able to replace a solo tire ever. Also I guessed I missed a rotation and they refused to rotate them, keeping the best tires in the rear and the most worn up front, making them get worn faster (IMHO).

I replaced all four and asked them to give me the two tires with the most thread depth left. Houston streets are debris ridden so it's only a matter of time.
Buying tires at Costco is always a headache. Even though my F150 and Suburban have the tires that match the door label, they dont show up in the Costco database, which leads to tire purchase issues at Costco.

I switched to America's Tire and have been pleased. They will generally match Costco tire prices, but are more expensive in installation and warranty. But, the have great service, allow for and keep appointments, and getting in and out for rotations us easy with an appointment.

Back to the OP... I'd go with 4 new tires. New rubber is safer rubber and stretching to the minimum is not worth it. Keep the best tire as a spare.
Jeepergeo
Posts: 865
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2020 1:33 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Jeepergeo »

stimulacra wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 5:29 pm Replace all four and keep the two 5/32 as full size spares.

I went through this exact thing last month at Costco.

Two were almost bald and two were near new.

I drive an AWD vehicle and haven't been able to replace a solo tire ever. Also I guessed I missed a rotation and they refused to rotate them, keeping the best tires in the rear and the most worn up front, making them get worn faster (IMHO).

I replaced all four and asked them to give me the two tires with the most thread depth left. Houston streets are debris ridden so it's only a matter of time.
Buying tires at Costco is always a headache. Even though my F150 and Suburban have the tires that match the door label, they don't show up in the Costco database, which leads to tire purchase issues at Costco.

I switched to America's Tire and have been pleased. They will generally match Costco tire prices, but are more expensive in installation and warranty. But, they have great service, allow for and keep appointments, and getting in and out for rotations is easy with an appointment.

Back to the OP... I'd go with 4 new tires. New rubber is safer rubber and stretching to the minimum is not worth it. Keep the best tire as a spare.
anoop
Posts: 3909
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2014 12:33 am

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by anoop »

I'd go with 4 new tires and be sure to rotate tires. Does Costco provide lifetime free rotation?
User avatar
Kagord
Posts: 1670
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2018 12:28 pm
Location: Peaksville, Ohio

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Kagord »

I have experience with this, at my Costco, they would not let you install 2 (a policy) if the tread difference is greater than a certain amount, like 3/32 or something like that.
User avatar
lthenderson
Posts: 8499
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:43 am
Location: Iowa

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by lthenderson »

finite_difference wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 6:47 pm
stimulacra wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 5:29 pm Replace all four and keep the two 5/32 as full size spares.

I went through this exact thing last month at Costco.

Two were almost bald and two were near new.

I drive an AWD vehicle and haven't been able to replace a solo tire ever. Also I guessed I missed a rotation and they refused to rotate them, keeping the best tires in the rear and the most worn up front, making them get worn faster (IMHO).

I replaced all four and asked them to give me the two tires with the most thread depth left. Houston streets are debris ridden so it's only a matter of time.
Good idea. You will need to buy one wheel to mount the tire if you want to use a full size spare. Then the other tire could be used to replace an irreparable tire.
I've bought several cheap rims from the local salvage yard for creating full sized spares. I can usually pick on up for $5.
Quahog Guy
Posts: 27
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2021 10:00 am

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Quahog Guy »

My first post on this forum and it's about tires. Strange.

I had exactly the same problem this week with my Audi Q7 which is normally very quiet. Road noise was getting louder and my wife also complained (a lot).

I believe the origin of the issue was when one tire had a puncture and it could not be repaired. So I ended up with three tires with 17K miles and one new one. Eventually the 3 needed replacement and there was the older one left.

My tire measurements were similar to yours. Additionally the tires showed signs the car was out of alignment and the surface of the tires was rough. Just how they were wearing apparently.

There was no safety issue but I did replace all 4. Not without some hesitation as they are expensive (Am Eagle Sport run-flat tires). Figure I lost 10-15K miles. But the new tires and alignment completely eliminated the road noise. We have quite a lot of driving coming up this spring and now we're all set.
Jack FFR1846
Posts: 18461
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2013 6:05 am
Location: 26 miles, 385 yards west of Copley Square

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

helloeveryone wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 10:11 pm
Only thing I would add is that if you buy four - consider selling your four used tires on craigslist. I’ve done that twice before and gotten an easy $160 for four used tires. I took pics w the penny in tread so the buyer knew what they were buying.

There seems to be a market for used tires. (I don’t recall costco having a waste fee to take your tires but the reason I did it one year was to avoid the $2 waste fee per tire at discount tires and see how easy the tires sold.)
Tires always sell. I'm actually buying a set this afternoon. The guy is in the process this morning of trading in his car. He has snow tires on wheels. One of our cars is near last legs of tires. My younger son drives it and puts on a ton of miles. I'm paying $200 for snow tires on Subaru OEM wheels with 5000 miles on them. I've been looking at both new and used tires recently, knowing that mounting and balancing tires would cost me $100. So with this purchase, not only will I get the tires to use, but when they're spent, I can sell the wheels. I'm pretty cheap when buying tires.
Bogle: Smart Beta is stupid
tibbitts
Posts: 23589
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:50 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by tibbitts »

helloeveryone wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 10:11 pm
crossbow wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:17 pm Brand new tire tread depth is 8.5/32. My remaining tread depths are:
1x 3/32
1x 4/32
2x 5/32

Costco has a promo - $150 off 4 tires. Cost of each tire is $230. I plan to replace the 3/32, probably the 4/32 as well. Mathematically, would it make sense to replace the 5/32 tires at the same time? My vehicle is a FWD so I don't have to replace all 4 at the same time, but am wondering if I should pay $460 now and $460 later, or $770 now... (factoring in remaining tread). :confused
Only thing I would add is that if you buy four - consider selling your four used tires on craigslist. I’ve done that twice before and gotten an easy $160 for four used tires. I took pics w the penny in tread so the buyer knew what they were buying.

There seems to be a market for used tires. (I don’t recall costco having a waste fee to take your tires but the reason I did it one year was to avoid the $2 waste fee per tire at discount tires and see how easy the tires sold.)
Remember to account for the time it takes you to correctly file and pay the sales tax paperwork. As a practical matter that has discouraged me from any personal retail sales. And then there are the liability and just ordinary customer dissatisfaction issues. Ugh.
smitcat
Posts: 13233
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 9:51 am

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by smitcat »

tibbitts wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 10:38 am
helloeveryone wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 10:11 pm
crossbow wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:17 pm Brand new tire tread depth is 8.5/32. My remaining tread depths are:
1x 3/32
1x 4/32
2x 5/32

Costco has a promo - $150 off 4 tires. Cost of each tire is $230. I plan to replace the 3/32, probably the 4/32 as well. Mathematically, would it make sense to replace the 5/32 tires at the same time? My vehicle is a FWD so I don't have to replace all 4 at the same time, but am wondering if I should pay $460 now and $460 later, or $770 now... (factoring in remaining tread). :confused
Only thing I would add is that if you buy four - consider selling your four used tires on craigslist. I’ve done that twice before and gotten an easy $160 for four used tires. I took pics w the penny in tread so the buyer knew what they were buying.

There seems to be a market for used tires. (I don’t recall costco having a waste fee to take your tires but the reason I did it one year was to avoid the $2 waste fee per tire at discount tires and see how easy the tires sold.)
Remember to account for the time it takes you to correctly file and pay the sales tax paperwork. As a practical matter that has discouraged me from any personal retail sales. And then there are the liability and just ordinary customer dissatisfaction issues. Ugh.
"Remember to account for the time it takes you to correctly file and pay the sales tax paperwork. As a practical matter that has discouraged me from any personal retail sales."
Selling personal property for less than you paid for it requires no tax filings.
Topic Author
crossbow
Posts: 365
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2018 5:47 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by crossbow »

Thanks for all the tips and advice. I've decided to change all four; the hassle argument won over money/principles of not being wasteful. Thankful for BH for allowing me to be in the financial position to do so; not too long ago I would have been the one on Craigslist looking to purchase.
goldendad wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 9:47 pm I told my kids - don’t try to get the last 10% on oil, belts, batteries, brakes, and tires. Replace on-time or early and save yourself a lot of trouble.
That's golden, dad. :D :beer
myleaf
Posts: 93
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 10:55 am

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by myleaf »

In the past at Costco, I was able to buy 4 and have only two installed. I kept the other two until it was ready to replace the remaining two tires. Not sure if this is generally allowed.
"Never met an electron I did not like"
bmdack
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 10:04 am

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by bmdack »

Your safety is not worth the small price you're discussing. Buy all 4 tires and live to save money in other places to invest for your future.
Gooch1226
Posts: 53
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:55 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by Gooch1226 »

Something I was told was you never cheap out on what separates you from the ground . Tires and shoes ! Get them all done , and Costco is the way to go .
helloeveryone
Posts: 1283
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2016 5:16 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by helloeveryone »

smitcat wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 11:39 am
tibbitts wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 10:38 am
helloeveryone wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 10:11 pm
crossbow wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:17 pm Brand new tire tread depth is 8.5/32. My remaining tread depths are:
1x 3/32
1x 4/32
2x 5/32

Costco has a promo - $150 off 4 tires. Cost of each tire is $230. I plan to replace the 3/32, probably the 4/32 as well. Mathematically, would it make sense to replace the 5/32 tires at the same time? My vehicle is a FWD so I don't have to replace all 4 at the same time, but am wondering if I should pay $460 now and $460 later, or $770 now... (factoring in remaining tread). :confused
Only thing I would add is that if you buy four - consider selling your four used tires on craigslist. I’ve done that twice before and gotten an easy $160 for four used tires. I took pics w the penny in tread so the buyer knew what they were buying.

There seems to be a market for used tires. (I don’t recall costco having a waste fee to take your tires but the reason I did it one year was to avoid the $2 waste fee per tire at discount tires and see how easy the tires sold.)
Remember to account for the time it takes you to correctly file and pay the sales tax paperwork. As a practical matter that has discouraged me from any personal retail sales. And then there are the liability and just ordinary customer dissatisfaction issues. Ugh.
"Remember to account for the time it takes you to correctly file and pay the sales tax paperwork. As a practical matter that has discouraged me from any personal retail sales."
Selling personal property for less than you paid for it requires no tax filings.
I was wondering about that post because I've sold many things on craigslist over the years and did not file.
Even if you sell a car it's the buyer that has to fill out the form and pay the taxes to county.
criticalmass
Posts: 2839
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2014 9:58 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by criticalmass »

When you rotate (or someone rotates) your tires in a standard cross pattern, you will have new and old tires on different axles. Why not have all four tires match?
User avatar
abuss368
Posts: 27850
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2009 2:33 pm
Location: Where the water is warm, the drinks are cold, and I don't know the names of the players!
Contact:

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by abuss368 »

I would consider going with 4 new tires. I am getting 4 new ones for my truck this weekend.

Tony
John C. Bogle: “Simplicity is the master key to financial success."
smitcat
Posts: 13233
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 9:51 am

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by smitcat »

criticalmass wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 10:04 pm When you rotate (or someone rotates) your tires in a standard cross pattern, you will have new and old tires on different axles. Why not have all four tires match?
Some cars do not call for a cross pattern - only side to side.
finite_difference
Posts: 3626
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2015 7:00 pm

Re: Should I replace 2 or 4 tires?

Post by finite_difference »

smitcat wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 2:21 pm
criticalmass wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 10:04 pm When you rotate (or someone rotates) your tires in a standard cross pattern, you will have new and old tires on different axles. Why not have all four tires match?
Some cars do not call for a cross pattern - only side to side.
Are those the cars that have larger tires in back vs front?
The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. - Thich Nhat Hanh
Post Reply