Costco vs. Sam’s Club: Who Has the Better Deal on Tires and Auto?

Car owners need to think about different aspects of repair and maintenance during ownership, and you may end up defaulting to your local dealership or an auto mechanic.

But you might be surprised to find out that Costco and Sam's Club also offer tire options that you can purchase and have installed by the retailer.

Check out these options that are great Sam's Club or Costco membership perks that could work for you and your car.

Editor's note: Prices are subject to change and may vary by location.

Protect the cargo space in your SUV or minivan with the Member's Mark Universal Automotive Cargo Mat. It can be fitted to trim the space you need. A cargo mat from Sam's Club costs $19.68.

Costco's WeatherTech Trim-To-Fit Cargo/Trunk Mat sells for $74.99 online. In this case, you'll save a lot of money by buying yours from Sam's Club.

Windshield wipers need to be replaced as they get old and worn out, and you may even be able to do it yourself as an easy fix.

Check out Costco, which offers Michelin Guardian+ Beam Wiper Blades for $10.99. The offer is only available on its website. Sam's Club offers similar wipers for your car, but their Rain-X Vision Beam Wiper Blades cost $11.88, which is slightly more expensive than the option at Costco.

You'll want your car to look shiny and clean, so try some microfiber towels, especially for exterior bodywork.

The Kirkland Signature Ultra Plush Microfiber Towels are $19.99 for a pack of 36 towels, each measuring 16 inches by 16 inches. You can also get the same number and size of towels from Sam's Club as part of its store brand with Member's Mark Microfiber Towels for $15.98. Plus, Sam's Club sells microfiber towels in four different colors, you can pick your favorite.

You may want an emergency starter set in your vehicle to jumpstart your car or inflate your tires if they're going down.

Both Costco and Sam's Club carry emergency power starters. Costco stocks the UltraPro Elite 1200A Portable Jump Starter and Air Pump for $94.99. Sam's Club has a similar emergency set with the Stanley Fatmax Professional Power Station for $89.98.

Some drivers prefer to change their own motor oil, and both Costco and Sam's Club have options for you.

At Sam's, you can get a six-pack of one-quart bottles of Pennzoil Full Synthetic 5W-30 Motor Oil for $29.98, or around $5 a bottle.

Costco has its own motor oil under its Kirkland Signature store brand, and you can get a 12-pack of Kirkland Signature 5W-30 Full Synthetic Motor Oil with one quart per bottle for $49.99, that's $4.17 per bottle.

Both Costco and Sam's Club have car seat cover options, but the options are different and may fit your particular needs.

Costco works with Coverking, a third-party vendor, to help you get customized seat covers for your vehicle, depending on your particular needs.

Sam's Club also gives you the option to order Coverking seat covers, but you have to buy gift cards for the covers through Sam's Club and then apply the gift cards to your purchase on your own.

An important purchase you can make through both Costco and Sam's Club is tires for your vehicle.

You might be surprised to find that both Costco and Sam's Club are competitive when it comes to saving you money on tires, and there may not be much of a difference in cost.

The Michelin Pilot Sport 4, for example, can be bought for the same price per time at either Costco or Sam's Club at $262.99 per tire. The Bridgestone Weatherpeak tires also cost the same per tire regardless of the store, coming in at $267.99 per tire.

It's important to compare tire installation benefits at Sam's Club and Costco.

Tire installation at Sam's Club costs $20 per tire while Costco is free, so Costco does win when it comes to price. But both offer features like tire mounting and balance and rotation.

Check the fine print to see if Sam's Club might offer you different additional features for the cost of tire installation or if you think you're covered by the free options through Costco.

A trip to Sam's Club will save you money on cargo mats and emergency power starters, but when it comes down to motor oil and new tires, Costco is the best place for you. 

You can also consider smart car owner moves to save money, like shopping around for car insurance or using a mobile app like GasBuddy to help you find the best deals when it's time to fill up your tank.