Buying Cheap Tires Is Actually a Waste of Money: 10 Reasons Why

Purchasing cheap tires may seem like a smart financial move for a car owner, but it will actually cost you more money (and cause you more stress) in the long run.

Tire quality significantly impacts your automobile, so it's not an area where you want to skimp. Name-brand tires are more expensive due to their reputation for high quality and the positive outcomes they provide for car owners.

Here are 10 reasons why buying cheap tires is a waste of money and will cost you more.

When you skimp on name-brand tires for a cheaper option, you're getting a product with inferior materials and design, which will wear out faster.

Since cheap tires have a shorter lifespan, you must spend more money replacing them. Any savings you might gain from purchasing cheap tires will be negated by the need to buy more frequently.

Low-quality tires will reduce your car's fuel economy, leading to higher gas prices over their lifetime. The best way to optimize fuel efficiency is to get a good set of tires for your vehicle type.

Low-cost tires are constructed with low-quality materials, which increases the likelihood of damage to your car due to an accident. With less responsive tires and low safety ratings, you'll be more likely to lose control of your car or be unable to avoid an accident happening in front of you.

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Cheap tires mean your car will handle worse and have less grip on the road. This is particularly true if you have an all-terrain vehicle or frequently drive in challenging conditions. A poorly performing car will be more difficult to drive, resulting in a less efficient driving experience.

Low-quality tires wear unevenly, especially if they aren't properly balanced or rotated. This uneven wear can throw off your vehicle's alignment, accelerate wear on steering and suspension components, and wear down brake pads and rotors faster.

It can also increase strain on suspension parts due to poor shock absorption, resulting in costly repairs.

Potential buyers or dealers will factor that into the resale or trade-in price when a vehicle performs poorly. They might assume there are bigger mechanical issues and offer you less money or ask for costly fixes before purchase.

Having low-quality tires on your car while trying to sell it is also not a good look. A potential buyer will look over every inch of the vehicle, including the tires.

Most cheap tires come with short or no treadwear warranties. If they wear out prematurely or develop defects, you're fully responsible for replacing them, even if it happens after just a few thousand miles.

Compare that to more expensive brands, where you are covered under a warranty in case something happens, and you can see why paying a bit more upfront makes a big difference over the life of your tires.

If your tires can't handle winter or wet conditions, you might be stuck at home, or worse. Cheap tires do not have the same level of grip and cannot function as efficiently in inclement conditions. That can mean missed wages, costly accidents, or repairs you wouldn't have to deal with if you had higher-quality tires.

A blowout is when your tire suddenly loses pressure, often explosively. The result is a loss of control, tire destruction, and potentially a crash.

Blowouts are the worst-case scenario for a tire, and the cheaper the tire, the more likely it is that you will suffer a catastrophe, which will cost you a lot of money to fix.

Cheap tires are often poorly designed and can't be easily serviced, patched, or rotated. You might have to replace them entirely instead of getting simple repairs or balancing.

This limits your ability to extend tire life through routine maintenance and will cost you in the long run.

While you might think you're getting ahead financially when you buy cheap tires, it's the opposite. Due to the many drawbacks of low-quality tires, you will pay more money overall. Not to mention putting yourself at risk for an accident.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 11,000 tire-related crashes occur in the U.S. every year (NHTSA). Many of those are due to blowouts, poor traction, or premature wear, all common traits of low-cost tires.