The best time to buy tires is April and October, when rebates and clearance sales stack. See the month-by-month calendar, how to stack savings, and why a price match beats waiting.
The best time to buy tires is April or October. Those two months line up with the biggest manufacturer rebate programs of the year and retailer clearance sales, so discounts stack. Black Friday is the single best day for online tire deals. If you cannot wait for those windows, a price match guarantee gets you the same result any day of the year.
Last updated: September 2026. Written by Adil Riaz, Founder & CEO of TireDeals.
This guide is part of our complete guide to buying tires online.
In this guide
- The cheapest months to buy tires
- Month-by-month tire price calendar
- Holiday sales worth watching
- How manufacturer rebates work
- How to stack savings
- When you should not wait
- Why timing matters less with a price match
- Frequently asked questions
The cheapest months to buy tires
April and October are consistently the cheapest months. Here is why:
April is when retailers clear leftover winter stock and manufacturers launch spring rebates ahead of summer road-trip season. It is also National Car Care Month, which brings extra promotions.
October is the mirror image. Manufacturers run their largest rebate programs of the year to capture drivers preparing for winter, and retailers discount summer and all-season inventory to make room.
The weeks on either side are strong too. March through May and September through November are the two broad sale seasons. Prices typically run 10 to 30 percent below off-season levels once rebates and promotions are combined.
The worst times are January, February, and midsummer. Demand is low in winter so retailers have little reason to discount, and rebate programs have ended. In June and July, road-trip demand keeps prices firm.
Month-by-month tire price calendar
| Month | Deal level | What is happening |
|---|---|---|
| January | Weak | Post-holiday lull; few rebates |
| February | Weak | Presidents Day sales are modest; some winter tire closeouts |
| March | Good | Early spring rebates begin |
| April | Best | Peak spring rebates plus winter inventory clearance |
| May | Good | Memorial Day promotions; rebates continue |
| June | Fair | Road-trip demand; occasional summer sales |
| July | Fair | July 4 promotions; prices otherwise firm |
| August | Fair | Best month to buy winter tires early, before demand |
| September | Good | Labor Day sales; fall rebates start |
| October | Best | Largest rebate programs of the year; fall clearance |
| November | Good | Black Friday and Cyber Monday; rebates still running |
| December | Weak | Rebates end; winter tire demand pushes prices up |
One exception: if you need winter tires, buy in August or September. The best sizes sell out by the first snowfall, and prices rise once demand hits.
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Find tires for your vehicleHoliday sales worth watching
Tire retailers and manufacturers run promotions around five holiday weekends. Listed from strongest to weakest:
- Black Friday and Cyber Monday — the deepest online discounts of the year, often stacking a retailer sale with a manufacturer rebate.
- Memorial Day — start of summer driving; strong rebates on all-season and touring tires.
- Labor Day — start of the fall season; good all-season and all-terrain deals.
- July 4 — moderate promotions, mostly retailer-driven.
- Presidents Day — modest; worth checking but rarely the year’s best.
How manufacturer rebates work
Most tire rebates are mail-in or online-submit offers from the manufacturer, not the retailer. You buy a set of four qualifying tires during the promotion window, submit the receipt, and receive a prepaid card, typically $50 to $150 depending on the brand and tire line.
A few things to know:
- Rebates usually require a set of four tires purchased in one transaction.
- Submission windows are short, often 30 to 60 days after purchase. Submit the same week you buy.
- Rebates stack with retailer sales and price matches because they come from the manufacturer.
- Premium brands (Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Continental, Pirelli) run the most consistent programs. Budget brands rebate less often but have lower prices to begin with.
How to stack savings
The cheapest way to buy tires is to combine three discounts on the same purchase:
- Buy in a sale window (April or October, or a major holiday weekend).
- Pick a tire with an active manufacturer rebate and submit it right away.
- Price match the retailer’s price against any lower listing you find.
At TireDeals, steps two and three work together. Manufacturer rebates apply to eligible tires we sell, and if you find the same tire cheaper anywhere else, we match it. Add free shipping and you have removed every markup that usually erodes a sale price.
A fourth lever is choosing a second-tier brand. General, Hankook, Cooper, Kumho, and Yokohama often cost 20 to 40 percent less than the premium brands for similar performance. Our best all-season tires by budget guide shows which ones hold up.
When you should not wait
Timing saves money only if your tires are safe to drive on until the sale. Do not wait if any of these apply:
- Tread is at or below 4/32 inch. Wet braking distances grow quickly below that point, and 2/32 is the legal minimum in most states. Check with the penny test.
- You see cracks, bulges, or cords showing. These are failure risks, not wear.
- Your tires are ten years old, or six or more with cracking in the sidewall or tread. Rubber ages even with tread left. Check the DOT date code on the sidewall.
- Winter is weeks away and you need winter tires. Waiting for a sale costs you the selection.
- A blowout on the highway costs far more than the $100 you might save by waiting for October.
Why timing matters less with a price match
The reason tire prices swing through the year is that retailers use sales to move inventory. If a retailer already sells at the lowest price on the market and matches any lower price you find, the calendar stops mattering.
That is how TireDeals is set up. Every tire is priced to be the cheapest available, and if it is not, we match the lower price. Combined with free shipping, the delivered cost on a random Tuesday in February is the same as a sale-week price elsewhere. Manufacturer rebates still add on top when they are running, so April and October remain the best months to squeeze out the last dollar. But you no longer have to wait for them.
Frequently asked questions
Do not want to wait for October? Find tires for your vehicle at the lowest price on the market, with free shipping and a price match on every tire. Confirm fitment on the product page, then choose a local or mobile installer at checkout. If you would rather spread the cost, financing through Affirm, Klarna, or Snap is available at checkout.
