Know What Tires You Need
This may sound like common sense, but before online shopping for tires for your used car, you need to know what type of tires you need. For instance, you will need to know what your tire size is, which unless you know where to look can sometimes be hard to find. And depending on what type of car you are driving and the season may determine what type of tire you need.
Find a Reputable Tire Site
Just like if you were shopping for tires in a brick-and-mortar store, you want to shop for tires online at sites that have a good reputation for both products and service. Starting your search through a search engine like Google Shopping can be a help thanks to reviews that customers may leave. SiteJabber.com is a website that provides reviews of online businesses -- just search for "tire" and up pops a variety of online tire stores. And you can also search for information on businesses through the Better Business Bureau.
Read Tire Product Reviews
Another feature to look for when shopping on an online tire store are product reviews. These can be invaluable as they give real customers just like you the chance to tell what the tire was really like in person since with online shopping you normally do not have the opportunity to see what you are buying before you purchase. And if you do purchase your tires online, make sure to return the favor and leave a review of your experience to helps others!
Check for Tire Recalls
Just like with anything that is manufactured, sometimes something goes wrong during the making process that is not realized until it's being used by consumers. If something is found to be defective with the tire, the tire company will issue a recall. To find out if the tire you are considering for your used car has had any recalls, you can search on sites such as the US Department of Transportation's SaferCar.gov.
Know Your Tire Prices
Just because something is being sold online does not mean it's at a lower price, so a bit of detective work is required to make sure you are getting a good deal. Websites like PriceGrabber.com and Shopzilla.com can help you search and compare prices on different websites, as well as read product and online store reviews. And remember, it's not just the cost of the tire you need to worry about -- you also need to factor in shipping costs, as well as how much it will cost for someone to properly install the new tires on your used car. So make sure to take all of this into account before hitting the "purchase" button.