How Much is a Tire Rotation? (2024 Average Cost Across Shops)

Have your front and back tires changed from being quadruplets to two separate sets of twins from different countries? Is that uneven wear plaguing your mind? Are you wondering if you need to rotate your tires? Are you worried that a tire rotation service may break your bank?

Thankfully, getting your tires rotated is relatively inexpensive and will cost anywhere from $10 to $60. However, many shops offer deals that if you buy tires from them, you can get free tire rotations! If you DIY, then you can rotate your tires for free as long as you have basic tools like a jack and a lug wrench.

What is a Tire Rotation?

A tire rotation, generally speaking, is when you rotate your back tires to the front and your front tires to the back. There are various combinations of tire rotations and you can check your owner’s manual to see what is recommended for your car.

However, generally, a simple rotation of back to front and front to back will work just fine for most cars.

The Benefits of a Tire Rotation

There are many benefits to a tire rotation that include longer-lasting tires, safety, and efficiency. Front tires will receive more wear on the sides because they can turn. Sadly, as the sides of your front tires wear down, the less traction you have.

Furthermore, the less traction you have, the less performance you have. It is estimated that you can lose as much as 3% in fuel efficiency — due to worn down tires. While that may not seem like much, it does add up over the years.

As far as safety goes, the less traction you have, the greater the chance you have of losing control of your vehicle.

Lastly, uneven tire wear can result in premature tire replacement. For example, depending on the car, if your front tires get too worn down, you may have to replace them years before you replace your back tires.

The Negatives of a Tire Rotation

There is only one negative of a tire rotation… and it is a grievous one. Money. Yes, you read that right — money.

Thankfully, a tire rotation is not too expensive and there are even some shops that offer a lifetime of free tire rotations for tires that you bought from them.

How Often Should You Get a Tire Rotation?

Though it depends on the car, you should rotate your tires after every 5,000 to 8,000 miles. You can periodically examine the wear on your tires and determine if they need to be rotated or not.

A great way to examine the wear on your tires is to take a ruler and place it on top of your front tires and then your back tires. If your ruler does not lay flat on your front tires but does lay flat on your back tires, then it is time to rotate your tires.

How Much is a Tire Rotation at Jiffy Lube?

A tire rotation at Jiffy Lube is more convenient than most as you can have them change your oil at the same time. Though it depends on the location, you can expect to pay about $20 to $50 for a tire rotation.

Jiffy Lube usually has discounts that you can find online that can save you as much as $10. Depending on the location, they may even have a tire rotation and oil change special that could save you money if you get them both done at the same time.

One of the perks of getting your tires rotated at a Jiffy Lube is that they can do it in 15 to 30 minutes — depending on the car. So, there is no need to drop your car off at a mechanic shop; instead, you can go to Jiffy Lube and have same-day service.

How Much is a Tire Rotation at Walmart?

Walmart… you beautiful son-of-a-gun. As I sit and write this section about Walmart, I have tears streaming down my face – tears of joy and appreciation, tears that tell a story of my great respect for Walmart’s ability to save me money.

Thank you, my good and faithful friend…

Anyways, as you may have already guessed, Walmart has an inexpensive tire rotation service. Before I tell you, please sit down so that you do not faint from unbelief.

Walmart charges $2.5 per tire; so, for most people, it will cost $10 to get their tires rotated at Walmart.

Or, you can pay $14 per tire and get a lifetime of free tire rotations for the duration of those tires. So, if you get your tires rotated a lot, then you could pay $56 for unlimited free tire rotations for those tires.

Another benefit of getting your tires rotated at Walmart is the convenience of being able to buy groceries while you wait for your tires to be rotated. Food for thought… (I’m sorry, it had to be said).

How Much is a Tire Rotation at Discount Tire?

Discount Tire charges around $15 per tire and so it will cost you about $60 to get your tires rotated. It may seem like Discount Tire is a no-go, but wait, there’s more.

If you buy your tires at Discount Tires, then they will rotate and balance your tires for free! So, if you ever need a new set of tires, and you also want free tire rotations, then Discount Tire is the place to go.

How Much is a Tire Rotation at Valvoline?

The average tire rotation at Valvoline is $35. However, they typically offer discounts that can range from $7 to $10 off.

Furthermore, Valvoline is like Jiffy Lube in that you can get your oil changed at the same time. This can save you even more money as some locations offer a 20% discount.

If you are in a rush, then Valvoline can be a great choice as they can rotate your tires in about 15 minutes. So, if there are no lines, you could be in and out in less than 20 minutes!

How Much is a Tire Rotation at Firestone?

A tire rotation at Firestone will cost about $30; however, they sometimes offer a deal where you can get your oil changed and tires rotated for $25.

There are some who have managed to “hack” their way into getting a free tire rotation. Firestone has offered free brake inspections in the past and may still do so in your area. The “convenient” part of brake inspections is that you have to take off the tires…

So, some people have managed to get free tire rotations by asking if Firestone could put their tires back on in a way that the front ones are put in the back and vice versa.

I think we should all just take a moment to admire those people.

The DIY Way

The good news is that you can always rotate your tires for free! As long as you have a jack, a lug wrench, and some creativity, then you can pay $0 to get your tires rotated!

If you own a car, then I think it is safe to assume that you know how to change a tire. The tricky part comes into play when you realize that you need to, at least, take two tires off to switch them.

So, one way you can accomplish this feat is to jack up one side of your car and put a block or two underneath it and then jack the other side up and do the same. Then your whole car will be slightly elevated from the ground — allowing for an easy tire switch.

There is also a long route that does not involve elevating your whole car. If you have a spare tire, then you can take one tire out and replace it with a spare tire. Then you can take another tire out and replace it with the tire that your spare tire replaced.

Then you can take your spare tire out, and replace it with the tire that you had just previously removed. Lastly, you can repeat this process on the other side. The only perk of rotating your tires in that way is that you would have gained plenty of experience to get yourself a job at a tire installation shop.

How Long Does a Tire Rotation Take?

A tire rotation does not take long with the right equipment. It will take a professional, with the right equipment, about 15 minutes. If you are doing it yourself, it will probably take around 30 to 60 minutes to do.

Final Thoughts

All in all, there are some great options out there that will provide you with professional, fast, and inexpensive tire rotation services. A lot of shops will offer free tire rotation if you bought your tires there, so you can check with your “tire supplier” first to see if $0 will be your price.

Lastly, tire rotation is relatively simple and can be done in about 60 minutes for a first-timer.