The Best Time to Buy Tires
The best times to buy tires in the US are April and October, when nearly every major brand runs a rebate ahead of summer and winter driving, with secondary peaks around Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day and Black Friday. A typical brand rebate is $50 to $150 on a set of four, and retailers layer their own promotions on top, so a well-timed purchase can save 15 to 25 percent against the same tires in, say, February.
Tires are rarely urgent unless they are already at 2/32 in, so most people can wait a few weeks for a rebate window. Below: the calendar, how mail-in rebates work and why people fail to collect them, and how to stack a retailer promo with a brand rebate.
The tire rebate calendar
| Period | What happens | Typical brand offers |
|---|---|---|
| January to February | Quiet; a few Presidents' Day promos | Occasional $50 rebates; retailer clearance on winter tires |
| March to April | Spring rebate season, the biggest of the year | Michelin, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Continental, Pirelli, Cooper, Hankook, Yokohama: $50 to $110 per set, often $30 more with the brand's credit card |
| Memorial Day (late May) | Retailer sales plus lingering spring rebates | Buy three get one free, $100 off a set at chains |
| June to early July | July 4th promos | $60 to $100 rebates from a few brands; retailer instant savings |
| Labor Day (early September) | End-of-summer sales | Retailer discounts; brand rebates begin for fall |
| October | Fall rebate season, the second big one; winter tire launch | Nearly every brand, $50 to $150 per set; winter tire rebates from Bridgestone, Michelin, Nokian, Continental |
| Black Friday / Cyber Monday | Retailer instant discounts, some brand rebates still active | $100 to $200 off a set at chains and online; best for stacking |
| December | Tapering; winter tire stock thins | Year-end quotas can produce good in-store deals |
Current offers are collected on the deals page.
| Month | Rebate activity |
|---|---|
| Jan | none |
| Feb | busy |
| Mar | none |
| Apr | peak |
| May | peak |
| Jun | none |
| Jul | peak |
| Aug | none |
| Sep | peak |
| Oct | busy |
| Nov | peak |
| Dec | light |
April, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, October and Black Friday carry the big prepaid-card offers. See the current deals for what is live this month.
Why April and October
Tire demand is seasonal. Spring brings road-trip planning and the end of winter-tire season; fall brings winter-tire buying and pre-holiday travel. Manufacturers time rebates to those peaks to win share when buyers are already shopping, and to push through inventory before new model years. October is also when winter and all-weather tires go on offer, which matters if you live north of the Ohio River: by December, popular winter sizes like 225/65R17 and 235/55R19 sell out, and an in-stock premium tire is worth more than a rebate on one you cannot get.
Brand credit cards deepen the rebates. Goodyear, Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental and others typically add $30 to $50 to the rebate when you pay with their store card (usually a Synchrony or Citi card). That is real money but only if you pay the card off; deferred-interest financing at 25 to 30 percent APR wipes out any saving if you carry a balance past the promo period.
How mail-in and prepaid-card rebates actually work
Most brand rebates are not instant. The process:
- Buy the qualifying tires (usually a set of four of the named models) within the offer dates.
- Submit the claim online or by mail within the deadline, typically 30 to 60 days after purchase, with the invoice showing the tire model, quantity and date.
- Wait 6 to 10 weeks.
- Receive a prepaid Visa or Mastercard debit card, occasionally a check. The card usually expires in 6 to 12 months and cannot be used at an ATM.
Industry estimates put rebate redemption at well under half of eligible buyers. Reasons: missed the submission deadline, threw away the invoice, entered the wrong model name, or let the card expire. Practical defenses:
- Submit the same day you buy; the retailer often does it for you at checkout.
- Photograph the invoice and note the rebate tracking number.
- Put the card expiry in your calendar and spend it immediately on gas or groceries.
- Confirm the tire model on the invoice matches the rebate wording; Defender2 is not Defender LTX.
Retailer promos such as $100 off a set or buy three get one free are instant at the register, which is why a smaller instant discount is often worth more than a larger mail-in rebate.
Stacking: retailer promo + brand rebate + card
The three layers usually combine, because they come from different pockets:
- Retailer instant discount: $70 to $200 off a set at Discount Tire, Tire Rack, Costco, Walmart, Pep Boys, Firestone and others during holiday sales.
- Manufacturer rebate: $50 to $150 per set, mail-in or online.
- Brand or retailer credit card bonus: $30 to $60 more on the rebate, or a percentage off with a store card.
- Cash-back portals and credit card offers: 2 to 8 percent on online purchases from some sellers, and Amex or Chase card-linked offers that occasionally include tire retailers.
Example on a $760 set of premium touring tires in October: $100 retailer promo, $70 brand rebate, $30 card bonus and a 4 percent portal ($26) bring the effective price to about $534, a 30 percent saving, before installation. Watch two rules: a manufacturer rebate is almost never combinable with another rebate from the same manufacturer, and some retailers exclude already-discounted closeout tires from promo codes.
Costco and warehouse-club tire events
Costco runs member-only tire events roughly every other month, most reliably in spring, around July 4th, and in fall, with $70 to $150 off a set of Michelin or Bridgestone, sometimes BFGoodrich. The saving is instant at the register or applied online. Costco's installed price already includes lifetime balancing and rotation, road hazard coverage and nitrogen, and the tires are usually fresh. The trade-off is limited brand choice and limited sizes for trucks and performance cars, and Costco will not install tires bought elsewhere.
Sam's Club runs similar events with a broader brand mix (Michelin, Goodyear, Pirelli, BFGoodrich, Cooper, Yokohama) and comparable installation extras. Both clubs price-match poorly, so compare the event price against a stacked deal elsewhere rather than assuming the club wins.
End of season, closeouts and the long game
- Winter tires in March: retailers clear stock at 20 to 40 percent off. Buy for next winter if you have storage; the tires are a year older at install, which is fine.
- Discontinued models: when a maker launches a new generation (a Michelin CrossClimate3 replacing the CrossClimate2, for example), the old model is closed out at a discount and is still a very good tire. Check the DOT date; closeout stock can be two years old.
- Buy before you are desperate: at 4/32 in you can wait for a sale; at 2/32 in you take what is in stock this week at full price. See when to replace your tires.
- Buy four: rebates almost always require a set of four, and mixed pairs cost you road-trip stability anyway.
- Watch the installed total: a $60 rebate is wiped out by $40 per tire installation. Read the installation cost guide and compare delivered-and-installed prices.
- Off-peak months: January, February and August have fewer rebates but better shop availability and less pressure; if you need tires then, retailer promos and price matching still get you most of the way.
Frequently asked questions
What month is best to buy tires?
April and October, when almost every brand runs a rebate and retailers pile on promotions. Black Friday is the best single week for instant retailer discounts. If you need winter tires, buy in October before popular sizes sell out.
How much can I save with a tire rebate?
Brand rebates typically run $50 to $150 on a set of four, with an extra $30 to $50 if you use the brand's credit card. Stacked with a retailer sale and a cash-back portal, total savings of 20 to 30 percent on premium tires are realistic during the big seasons.
How do tire rebates work?
You buy a qualifying set of four within the offer dates, submit the invoice online or by mail within 30 to 60 days, and receive a prepaid debit card 6 to 10 weeks later. Most people who miss out simply never submit, so file the claim the same day you buy and use the card quickly.
Can I combine a Costco tire event with a manufacturer rebate?
Usually not, because the Costco event discount is funded by the manufacturer and takes the place of the public rebate. Costco's event price already includes installation extras, so compare its installed total against a stacked deal from another retailer.
Are tires cheaper on Black Friday?
Retailer discounts of $100 to $200 on a set are common at chains and online sellers on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and October brand rebates are often still valid, which makes it one of the best stacking weeks. Selection can be thinner than in April, so know your size and model beforehand.
Updated September 2026.