Did you know that having your tires rotated is an essential part of your car maintenance? Are you looking for tire rotating and wondering how much it’s likely to cost? If you’ve recently noticed that your tires are wearing on one side more than the other, you may like to have your tires rotated, which will increase their lifespan.
It’s very common for car tires to wear out at slightly different rates, and if you don’t have them rotated, this could cause other issues such as your car pulling to one side.
What is a tire rotation?
As the name suggests, tire rotation is a simple procedure where a mechanic will take the tires off your front wheels and swap them with the back. This will save you money in the long run as your tires will last longer and you won’t need to invest in a new set for a while.
Before rotating your tires, a mechanic will check whether the tires are non-directional or have been designed to rotate in one direction. This will determine how the tires are swapped. Direction tires are moved from the back to the front and vice versa. Non-direct tires will likely be moved diagonally across.
While rotating the tire, the mechanic will also check them for any problems and will tighten up the lug nuts. They will also check the tire pressure and reset the tire pressure monitor if your car has one.
The whole tire rotation process will usually only take around 15 minutes to complete.
What is the cost of Tire Rotation Likely to Be?
Rotating your tires is a simple procedure, and it’s likely to be reasonably cheap. The cost will vary slightly depending on where you take your car. On average, it’s expected to cost between $10 and $45. At some garages, tire rotation is free if you’re having other work carried out.
Some garages such as Pep Boys will carry out free tire rotation if you have your oil changed. In other garages such as Walmart, a minimum fee of $2.50 per tire will be charged. Some mechanics will offer free tire rotation if you’ve purchased tires from them initially.
Firestone Auto Centers and Jiffy Lube often have special offers, and you can look out for coupons from these garages that will give you a discount. They are likely to charge between $20 to $30.
You may find that there are extra costs if the mechanic finds a problem with your tires while rotating them. For example, if your tires are worn to less than 1/16th of an inch, you’ll need to purchase new tires as the mechanic won’t rotate them. Buying a new tire is likely to be between $125 to $300+ each, and this will depend on the make and model of car you drive.
Other common problems that mechanics will uncover when checking your tires is issues with the balancing. There is likely to be an extra charge of between $15 to $75 for rebalancing your tires. Some mechanics will combine this cost with tire rotation, and this will be a more affordable option.
Conclusion
It’s a good idea to have your tires rotated regularly, as a general rule, this should be done every 6,000 to 9,000 miles. You can also check your vehicle’s owner manual to see how often the manufacturer recommends rotating the tires. Having your tires rotated will help to ensure that the tread pattern wears evenly. This will help to increase the lifespan of your tires.
If you keep driving without rotating your tires, this will cause additional problems and could decrease your mileage and tire life. It could also affect your cars handling and make your vehicle less safe to drive.
If you’re looking to save money on your car but still need your tires rotated, you can get this done at the same time as another job. Many mechanics offer free tire rotation if you get your oil changed. You can also try looking for online coupons as there are often deals available.
It’s also a good idea to contact the company you initially bought the tires off to see if they will rotate them for free. Mechanics at Costco and Sam’s Club, have this free lifetime offer for their customers. If you know what you’re doing, you may also consider changing your tires yourself.