Save a Buck: Spare Yourself Tire Trouble

When you buy new tires, consider adding a road hazard warranty against cuts and punctures. Then the next time you have a damaged tire, you can forget the hassle of repair and the high cost of a replacement.

Walmart, Sears and other retailers offer these warranties for about $10 a tire. Though terms vary depending on the retailer, here’s how a typical warranty works at Mr. Tire Auto Service Centers, a retailer with locations in 20 states:

If your tire is damaged, Mr. Tire will repair it for free at any location. If it can’t be repaired, you get a new tire at a discount based on the unused amount of tread. For instance, you would pay 25 percent of the retail price if your tire was damaged during the first half of its tread life. So in a case like this, a $225 tire would cost you around $56 to replace.

Ken Washington lives in Washington, D.C., and writes on consumer affairs.