Buying a quality brand of tires can be difficult, especially if you do your own research. Digging through countless websites is tiring, but you don’t want to be stuck with the tire brand that has the lowest customer satisfaction ratings. The same goes for the retailer you buy your tires from, which is why you might want to think twice before choosing a Walmart Auto Center.
Walmart ranks lowest in overall customer satisfaction, according to Consumer Reports’ member survey results. This is based on the time required to complete the installation and the quality of service provided during the installation. Ensuring timely appointments is also a problem, as is getting the specific tire model you need. This might even include tires from some of Walmart’s best-selling brands. The company’s extras aren’t as impressive as other tire retailers, and sales assistance is rated lower than competitors.
JD Power also ranked Walmart last in customer satisfaction, using many of the same metrics as Consumer Reports. In addition to factors such as scheduling convenience and service completion time, Walmart also lags behind its competitors in the quality of its service facilities. The level of courtesy from the service advisors was also lower than other tire retailers.
Learn More: 21 Major Tire Brands Ranked by 2025
How to choose the best tire retailer
Wheel service in a car repair shop with lifted vehicle and tires – Parilov/Shutterstock
Walmart may be the lowest-rated tire retailer, but several other national chains also rank below average. Companies such as Pep Boys, Mavis Discount Tire and Tires Plus performed poorly in terms of overall customer satisfaction. Among the top-ranked tire retailers, Les Schwab Tire Centers, Midas and Jiffy Lube are the top choices for tire installation, service and other key metrics that define a satisfying customer experience.
When trying to choose the best tire retailer, don’t wait until you actually need the tires. You’ll feel the pressure to get a set as quickly as possible. This can lead to you neglecting key perks like rotation and balance, which some retailers offer for free for the life of the tire. Also, make sure you understand the store’s warranty and the protection it offers beyond the manufacturer’s warranty. Read customer reviews and when it comes to price, don’t be afraid to ask for a better deal.
If you want to get tires online, you need to know some information beforehand. Make sure the company has secure payment settings, and contact information clearly displayed. Check out the return policy to see how it works. Some retailers can deliver your tires to a local garage, so find out if there are any fees associated with this arrangement. Get total prices up front and compare with local retailers to make a more informed decision.
how do we draw conclusions
Car tires, winter wheels isolated on red background – Valio84sl/Getty Images
We used Consumer Reports’ list of the most satisfied and least satisfied tire retailers published in 2025. CR ranked 32 national tire retailers based on data from CR members who reported their tire purchasing experiences in the year starting in fall 2023. These members may not represent the general American population. We also used the JD Power Aftermarket Service Index study, also released in 2025. The study ranked 16 national tire retailers based on feedback gathered from consumer surveys. The feedback is then weighted and benchmarked over time.
We do not include Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings or reviews from any tire retailer websites. BBB complaints do not provide a reliable indicator because consumer complaints are reported and organized by location rather than by company. Online reviews also don’t aggregate information efficiently, and reviews may vary for each store. As a result, these reviews are random, inconsistent, and often biased.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
