Depending on what you drive, how you drive, and how much you drive, you might replace tires every one to five years, so buying tires isn’t something that you likely think about on a regular basis. Many drivers, in fact, don’t think about buying tires until they get a flat tire or their mechanic tells them they need them, in which case, they’re often at the financial mercy of whoever is trying to sell them tires. Pay attention to your tires. Through shopping and buying tires online, you could save yourself a bit of money and time. In the last decade, in fact, online retailing has touched nearly every part of the marketplace, including new tires, which begs the question, “Is buying tires online better?” Of course, you could just buy tires from your local retailer, but buying tires online might be better for your schedule, your wallet, and your car. Here are four reasons buying tires online is better for you and your car.

1.     Price

Perhaps the biggest advantage buying tires online is price. Generally, you save money buying tires online in a couple of ways. First, online tire sellers purchase in bulk, passing on part of the savings to their buyers. Second, depending on whether your retailer has a brick-and-mortar store in your state, you may not have to pay sales taxes. Buying tire and wheel bundles offers even bigger savings, as they charge less for mounting and balancing than locally. Some offer free shipping, too, but even those that charge shipping usually end up being less-expensive than buying the same tires locally. Finally, you’ll have to pay a local installer to mount and balance your tires, unless you get a mounted tire and wheel package, but overall costs end up lower than doing the whole process locally.

2.     Convenience

If you’re shopping for tires, nothing could be more convenient than shopping online from the comfort of your own home or in a coffee shop. Simply pop up the website, enter a few details, such as year, make, and model or tire size and type, and you’re presented with selections that match. After deciding on tires, simply pay securely online using your credit or debit card, even PayPal, and tires can be delivered to you or straight to an installer. You can even choose an installer right from many online tire sellers’ sites during the checkout process. Once the tires are delivered, you make an appointment, which should take less than an hour to complete.

3.     Selection

Local tire retailers might have a limited selection, which might not fit well with what you’re trying to do with your vehicle. If you’ve gone up or down a tire size or are looking for something special, you can always find it online.

4.     Reviews

One great perk to buying tires online is being able to read reviews of other users. You can get a lot of good advice from your local retailer, especially if it’s a local mechanic or branded tire retailer, but nothing beats actual user feedback. Online tire retailers aggregate reviews and feedback on the tires they sell, which makes it easier for buyers like you to make a decision. When buying tires online, as compared to shopping locally, it pays to do your research. Take the time to research, not only the tires themselves, but also the seller – there are plenty of reviews for both. Still, don’t only consider price, but tire brand and model, so you can get the right tire for your car at the right price.