7 Ways to Sell Used Tires for Cash [Infographic and Big Profit Guide] (2024)

So you got some old tires you wanna get rid of, but don’t know where to sell them? Well, today we are going to get creative and show you a few ways you can get sell used tires for cash. Some of these are the tried and true old fashion methods and others involve specialized tire resale websites. Putting your treads on the second hand market is a great way to get some money for them, but also it is a great benefit to the environment. Below I will share with you 7 ways you can sell your tires and then discuss each in detail.

7 Ways to Sell Used Tires for Cash

Now that you got the basics on flipping your unwanted tires, let’s discuss each option in greater length.

1. Sell Used Tires on a Specialized Tire Classified Site

There are used tire classified sites that let you post your used tires online. The most popular of them by far is called SellMyTires.com. Theses sites allow you as the seller to post your unwanted tires, with pics and descriptions. Then it allows for a buyer to search for tires by size and location. It is sort of like the “Let Go” app for used tires. This is better then posting on Craigslist and Ebay, because this is specifically where used tire buyers are. It is literally a market only made up of people who buy used tires.

Here is generally how there process works:

You set up an account, post pictures of your used tires, and fill out the details about the tires specs. The site then produces your listing when someone is looking for used tires that meet your description in the area and state they are searching. You can then communicate with each other through the site to discuss the details of the sale including the price and pick up location.

For advise on how to get the most out of your listing, keep reading and I’ll share how to get the most cash.

2. Sell Locally on Craigslist or Globally on Ebay

Craigslist and Ebay have huge markets for used tires. Craigslist will be better for localized buyers, while Ebay can bring you national or global markets.

Posting on Craigslist you will want to post on the section For Sale/Auto parts. Here you can post pictures of your tires, set a price, and write a description of them. Potential buyers will email you. You can then work out the final sale price and arrange for a local pick up.

Ebay will put your tires up for auction. Here you can post pictures of your tires, set a price, write a description of them., and set a sale end date Buyers will bid on them and the highest bid at the end of the auction will win them. Here you will likely need to account for shipping the used tires to the winning bidder. You should account for the shipping in your pricing. Remember shipping tires can be expensive, because of the weight.

The good part about these sites is the amount of buyers you are potentially exposed to. The downside is that the market place is flooded with competing products and people are there to buy more then just used tires.

3. Sell to Your Local Tire Shop or Large Used Tire Buyer

Local Tire Shops

You can find your local used tire shop here, and ask them if they buy used tires. Many of these places will for around $20 to $30 per tire depending on the tread ware, brand, quality, and tire size. You can bring your tires in and they will inspect them for safety and ensure they can be resold.

Companies that Buy Used Tires

There are also companies online that will buy your used tires. Some of these places are tire shops themselves, but others are suppliers for wholesale distributors. In my experience you get a bit less per tire when you sell them online. The process works that you tell them the type and quantity you have, they make an estimate, you send the tires, they inspect them, and then make an offer. Additionally you have to work out who pays for shipping.

Most of the companies are looking to buy in bulk and your offer will depend on the quantity you have.

Here are a few examples of Companies that buy used tires online:

• A & A Tire &Wheel: They accept tires of all kinds as long as the quality is good. If you sell to them talk types, sizes, and quantity upfront. as the demand of the company may change. They will only give you an offer after the tires are inspected
  

• Corporate Tire: This is company only buys used semi-truck tires. They say they will salvage 60% of your used tires, even if it’s scrap. They won’t however take a tire that can’t be repaired.
• Tire Management: They only purchase used tires that can be restored and tires of specific sizes. This is a large quantity buyer who wants used tires by the truckload. They will negotiate based on quality.
• Auto & Tire Works: These guys buy used tires and rims of all types and sizes. The casing needs to be in good enough condition to retread. The rims should be in decent condition, but they will take some the can’t be repaired.

A good way to find more options to sell your used tires is to google “We Buy Used Tires”. The downside to local tire shops and other companies that buy tires, is they need to resell them. That means they need to purchase from you at lower cost, so they can have a margin for profit on the second hand tire market.

4. Sell to Your Local Tire Retreader

Your local tire retreader also will buy used tires from the public. Retreaders take worn out tires, strip the treading off and put a new tread on. This is a practice reserved mostly for commercial vehicles and heavy duty trucks to help reduce waste. In my experience with the tire retreader near me, they don’t take passenger car tires or lite duty pick up tires. They will only take specialty tires. They pay about $40 per tire.

The quality of the tread can be really low, but it’s the casing that needs to be quality. You can’t retread a tire that has structural damage.

5. Sell Old Tires to a Recycling Center

You can find your local tire recycler and see if they buy used tires. Some recyclers purchase old tires, because they sell them second hand to companies that reuse the rubber. There are also recycling companies you will come across that will not buy them and charge you a disposal fee if you want them gone. Tires that end up at recycling centers end up becoming other products like fuels and rubber mats.

Selling your old tires to a recycling center is ideal if you have worn out low quality tires. They don’t inspect the quality, because they don’t need to worry about anyone driving on them. If you still have quality and tread left in your tires, selling to a recycling center should not be your first option. This is the best option when your tires are worn out and un-sellable on the used tire market. At a recycler you can get $10 – $15 per tire.

6. Sell Used Rims on a Classified site or as Scrap Metal

As there is a market to sell your used tires, there is also a market to sell used rims. Some of the options we discussed above are also applicable to used rims. There are places who buy used rims locally and online, private buyers, tire shops, etc. Selling used rims is the same as selling used tires, if you have quality used rims, you should find a private buyer. You can read much more in depth here about where to sell used rims near me.

Lets dive into how rims have a different market then tires. Since the rims are metal and often have some weight to them, then can fetch a few bucks at a scrap metal facility or recycling center. The amount you can get will be determined by the metal type of your rim and it’s weight. Rates will vary by zip code, but you can get the going rates here for aluminum and steel. These are called industrial metals and you can estimate how much your used rims can fetch as scrap metal.

7. Upcycle Old Tires Into Sellable Art

If you are the creative type, you can make artwork out of your used treads and sell them.

This can be as complicated as making rubber chairs or as simple as tying a rope to it, painting the tire, and selling tire swings. The more creative and artistic you get, the more money you can get. Some folks on sites like Etsy take used tires and turn them into rubber wallets and drink coasters with tire treads.

How to Get the Most Cash Out of Your Used Tires

I’ve listed all of these 7 ways to sell your’re used tires in the order you should be able to get the most cash from. Let’s focus on #1 Classified Sites and #2 Sites like Craigslist and Ebay. These are your potential for the highest return, because they are likely not being resold. They are being purchased for use directly from you. So how do you get the most money out of selling your used tires on these sites?

Most important: Be honest, descriptive, and sell high quality tires! Think like a consumer. What would you want to hear to feel SAFE about purchasing second hand tires.

Here is my best tips to optimize your cash and profit:

1. Post your tires on more then one site. You want to increase the amount of eyes and offers on your tires
2. Take really good pictures of the tires. Post multiple pictures. Show pictures proving tread measurement with a tread gauge.
3. Write a detailed description. Include make, model, size, tread depth remaining, load capacity, speed rating, mileage, condition, age, and everything you know about the tire
4. Be honest about condition. I the tire has a path or plug, say it. You will earn the trust of the buyer and make selling it easier.
5. Don’t expect to get full price for the tires, have reasonable expectations. Used tire places are usually 30 to 50% less then what the original manufacturers price is
6. If you know stats about the tires original tread depth and estimated mileage, put that in your listing
7. If you know what you paid for them originally state that in the listing, it will help justify your asking price

In short the best way to get the most money out of selling used tires is to be thorough with your descriptions and have good pictures. A used tire buyer is concerned about quality and safety, They aren’t just looking for a good deal. You need to make sure they fell informed and that they are getting a safe tire for their vehicle.

Before You Sell Used Tires, Know This…

You need to be responsible when you sell your tires to someone who will be driving on them. Never sell a set of bald tires to anyone. If something happens to someone as a result of an accident related to the tires, it’s possible you could be held liable. Also note, that of you sell more then 5 used tires per year, you may need a license. Different states have different regulations. All states charge a disposal fee at a recycling center, so you may need to take that into account.

Sell Used Tires Near Me – Conclusion

There are multiple ways to get cash for your used tires. From selling on market places to finding companies who buy used tires to turning them into art. If you are savvy and think like a marketer you can maximize your sale.

Whats most important is that this process supports the second hand tire market and keeps tires out of landfills. There are over 300 million old tires retired every year, if they all went to landfills it would be detrimental to our eco system. When you sell tires yourself you are ensuring that someone else doesn’t buy new tires and this is how we save energy and reduce waste.