Buying a new set of tires can be costly. With four new tires costing hundreds of dollars, many people wonder if they should invest even more money in the extra road hazard warranty that is often offered to them at the tire shop.
The tire warranty from the manufacturer covers defects in materials and workmanship only. This means that if something happens to a tire, in order for the damage to be covered by warranty, it must be a direct cause of a manufacturing error. No other damage is covered.
The extra road hazard tire warranty offered by many tire shops goes beyond the manufacturer's warranty. It covers accidental damage done to the tire in the course of normal operation.
If you frequently drive on rough roads that have a lot of potholes or on poorly maintained country roads, the extra warranty may be worth it. Also, if the tires are very expensive, the relatively small cost of the extended warranty may be cheaper than paying a large sum of money to replace a single tire.
Many people purchase the extra tire warranty because of the peace of mind that it offers. If a tire becomes torn or gets punctured by a nail at an inopportune moment, the extra tire warranty is there to cover the damage for them.
While the extra warranty covers road hazard damage, in most cases it does not cover abuse. Premature tread wear or other tire damage caused by aggressive driving will not be covered by the extra warranty.
Overall, the benefits and peace of mind that a road hazard warranty offers far exceed the small additional cost it incurs. Additionally, many road hazard warranties even cover damage done to the vehicle (fender wells and rims) incurred from tire failure due to road hazard.
