Will Costco Patch Tires For You, Even If They're Not Purchased There?

There are a lot of benefits to getting a Costco membership. You can buy bulk goods, get great deals on TVs, and enjoy one of their infamous $1.50 hot dog and soda combos any time you visit the cafeteria. But one of the most compelling reasons for many car owners is being able to take advantage of the company's Tire Center. Costco offers its members competitively priced tires from major brands such as Firestone, Michelin, and Bridgestone. 

Not only that, but these tires come with free installation that also includes a five-year road hazard warranty, as well as free rotation, inflation checks, balancing, nitrogen inflation services, and flat repairs. That's a tempting set of perks, even before you factor in that you can get your grocery shopping and auto maintenance done at the same time. 

That said, those who have a Costco membership, but have tires that were purchased through a different retailer might be curious to learn if they can still take advantage of the Tire Center's services for other things, such as patching a flat. SlashGear contacted two different Costco representatives and got mixed answers, but there are several reports from people on forums who claim that they've had non-Costco tires repaired in the Tire Center and — while it isn't free — it's much cheaper than what many other professional auto services charge.

Trying to find out if the Costco Tire Center offers maintenance and repair services for tires that they didn't sell can be a bit tricky, as there doesn't appear to be much information about it online. The "Tires & Auto" section of the company's official website doesn't make any mention of separately providing these services, nor does the Tire Center's FAQ page.

So, to get an answer to this question, SlashGear reached out to our local Costco's Member Services representative and asked if it would be possible for the Tire Center to repair a flat on a tire that was not purchased at Costco. "Unfortunately not," she said. "It's got to be a tire purchased at Costco." That would seem pretty clear-cut, but when we called the Tire Center directly, the technician who answered said that they would perform the repair and that it would cost $14. 

So, it seems that it is possible to use the Costco Tire Center for maintenance and repairs, even if you didn't purchase your tires there. Not only that, but it's a pretty good deal considering the cost to patch a tire is usually somewhere in the $20-$50 range. Though the practice doesn't appear to be very well-advertised, even within the company itself. That said, there are also several accounts from people who've had their tires patched.

There is a thread in the Costco subreddit where one user stated that they got a flat while driving home from getting their Costco membership. They asked if they could do a walk-in appointment at the Costco Tire Center and if they would fix a tire that wasn't purchased there.

"Yes and yes," answered one contributor. "I did this last week – it took them 2 hrs so I just did an extended shopping. Obviously this depends on how busy they happen to be that day. I lucked out I think. And all they charged me was $12 (BC, Canada)." Another responder stated that they had a slow leak in a tire that wasn't purchased at Costco and that the Tire Center fixed it without issue.

Finally, a third contributor identified themselves as a Tire Center employee. They stated that walk-ins were available, but that they would always be ranked as lower priority than appointments, so you may end up needing to wait a long time, depending on how busy they are that day and whether they have any no-shows. "And yes, Costco will repair tires that aren't theirs. But not for free," they said. "As long as they are within repairable criteria (not over 10 years old, puncture far enough away from the sidewall, acceptable tread depth remaining, no run-flat damage, etc. Same criteria as if they were our tires)." So users may also wish to keep these additional stipulations in mind when attempting to seek a repair at the Costco Tire Center.