In general, experts recommend that one change their car’s tires after six years or between 36,000 and 75,000 miles.
When one does this, they usually want new tires, which will give them the most longevity.
Tire sellers also often support new tires with a warranty. However, others may consider getting used tires, which are typically safe to drive so long as they have adequate tread and are in good condition.
That said, if one buys tires from a store, they generally expect them to be new. But as TikTok user Billy Gibbons (@armorupfitters) recently shared in a video with over 1.4 million views, this isn’t always the case.
What went wrong with this new tire purchase?
In his video, Gibbons films a worker at Discount Tire. Gibbons and the worker are arguing about tires that Gibbons says he recently purchased as part of a “floor special.” According to Gibbons, he was never informed that the tires were used, though the worker insists that they were.
At one point, the worker asks, “Are you going to buy new tires, or you can’t afford them?”
This causes Gibbons to get upset, yelling at the worker that he has the United States Army as a customer for his business.
From here, the argument continues, with the employee saying Gibbons can pay the difference for a new set of tires. Gibbons argues that he should receive the new tires he thought he purchased.
“Give me my [expletive] tire that I already paid for!” he says as the worker walks away.
On a second video showing the same interaction, Gibbons commented that he paid over $650 for the set of tires. The store was located in Cinco Ranch, Texas, he added.
“I only found out they were used because one of the four had a huge air leak,” Gibbons revealed in a comment under the original video.
Does Discount Tire sell used tires?
According to Discount Tire’s website, the average price for a set of new tires is generally “around $600,” though prices can vary based on the type and size of the tire.
The site says that some locations “may have a small selection of used tires to offer,” often from cars that have had their tires switched directly after purchase. However, they typically advise against the practice of buying used tires.
According to the site, purchasing used tires comes with many risks. These include the lack of a warranty, difficulty in inspecting for damage, uncertainty about how the tires were maintained or treated, and less stringent regulations compared to new tires, among other reasons.
@armorupfitters This isn’t the worst video from my interaction with @Discount Tire ♬ original sound – Armor Upfitters
Commenters chime in
In the comments section, users shared their thoughts on the video, as well as offering speculations about why the store was behaving in the manner in which it allegedly did.
“What the [expletive],” wrote a user. “Send this too corporate I’m glad you posted this I always hated discount tire for the way they treat people.”
“Dudes got a side business selling the tires they take off, that are supposed to be discarded,” stated another.
“I’ve never had bad service at discount tires. I thought all their tires were new,” offered a third.
The Daily Dot reached out to Discount Tire and Gibbons via email.
Update 11:21am ET April 21: In an email to the Daily Dot, Gibbons recounted his version of events.
“He told me, ‘You want new tires? You can’t afford them,’” Gibbons stated.
He also stated that he genuinely purchased new tires, but the ones that were installed by the store were “used, damaged tires.”
“They immediately started leaking, I took them back,” he detailed. “That [was] when I found out [they] were used and they were not inspected.”
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