You might think of BJ’s Wholesale when you need large quantities of, say, laundry detergent, but you probably don’t think of the East-coast based buyer’s club when it comes time to buy new tires. Well, it’s time that changed, because BJ’s is rapidly becoming an excellent destination for saving money and receiving excellent customer care when you get your tires changed.
In this article, we outline some of the club’s surprising benefits and compare it side by side to other wholesale clubs and tire shops to see how it stands up. Spoiler alert: you’re going to like what you find!
Who?
If you’re never lived on the East coast, you’ve probably never heard of BJ’s, but it’s a fixture for individuals who live in the following states:
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- South Carolina
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- North Carolina
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- Connecticut
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- Delaware
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- Virginia
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- Rhode Island
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- New York
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- New Jersey
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- Florida
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- Georgia
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- Pennsylvania
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- Ohio
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- New York
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- Maine
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- Maryland
- Massachusetts
There are over two hundred BJ’s clubs in existence currently. They are a growing number of what are known as membership wholesale clubs. These clubs, which include Costco, Sam’s Club, and others, require customer “buy in.” Customers purchase memberships (usually an annual fee) and can then shop at the club.
These clubs are known for providing wholesale quantities and prices and while technically designed for business-to-business sales, families, and individuals reap many of the same rewards.
In business for decades, BJ’s also offers a tire center, which members can take advantage of. Keep reading for more about what you can expect, the services BJ’s Wholesale tire center offers, and what other people are saying about purchasing tires here.
Bj’s Wholesale Tires, What You Can Expect
We need to be upfront from the very beginning: shopping at BJ’s Wholesale isn’t like purchasing tires at, say, the dealership or a Discount Tire, where you’re offered your beverage of choice and maybe even a snack.
BJ’s specializes in value pricing, and as such, you’re not getting a lot of bells and whistles. What you will get, however, is a clean waiting area and the same kind of service you’ll get throughout the rest of the warehouse.
Helpful at Every Level
You won’t just get support at the shop, however. The website offers a robust tire-selection app and allows you to take advantage of a live chat option. If you’ve struggled with understanding tire options, these are extremely helpful services.
Also, BJ’s offers the ability to go online to make a tire installation appointment. In the past, waiting for an open slot for a tire change on your day off was a huge headache, but customers love being able to reduce their waiting time thanks to technology.
This, plus the ability to call, makes it easy to get your questions answered without needing to visit in person.
Services at Warehouse Pricing
One of the ways BJs Wholesale Club can offer such value-driven pricing is that it offers extremely focused services. By narrowing its scope, it’s able to focus on excellence and low costs.
This is a trade-off when compared to doing business at a dealership or your local auto mechanic, as these will be able to offer a much wider array of services. If your goal is a tire change, however, BJ’s is an excellent option.
In addition to being able to purchase your tires at BJ’s (and rest assured, the company offers all the top tire brands, including BFGoodrich, Michelin, Bridgestone, and Uniroyal), you’ll also receive the following services and guarantees for the life of your tires:
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- Tire rotation
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- Wheel rebalancing
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- Flat repairs
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- Inflation check
- Full road hazard warranty
These are all included with BJ’s flat $15 installation fee and can be especially valuable when you consider the cost of repairing a flat or rotating or balancing tires at another store.
Plus, each tire is installed by a trained technician experienced in handling a variety of tire issues and using techniques approved by the Tire Industry Association with state-of-the-art equipment and tools.
There’s More!
Tire changes aren’t the only automotive services BJ’s Wholesale offers, however. The buyer’s club also offers a robust car buying service and carries a wide range of automotive accessories.
BJs members, in fact, appreciate the no-hassle approach that they receive at the wholesale club. Instead of haggling over prices with dealerships that feel shady, members get a fair, straightforward price.
Just like Sam’s Club and Costco, BJ’s Wholesale offers a variety of automotive accessories. Get things like windshield wipers, car batteries, and organization racks for your rear hatch–all at great prices! BJ’s is truly becoming a one-stop shop, and we can’t say we mind.
What Are People Saying About BJ’s?
BJ’s Wholesale got high marks in a recent customer satisfaction survey performed by Consumer Reports. Compared to other tire shops like Discount Tire Center and Costco, BJs came out in great shape.
After nearly fifty thousand individuals were interviewed in the United States and Canada, BJs scored 88 points, nearly excellent in categories like returns and exchanges, free perks, tire selection, installation time, quality of installation, and the price paid.
We scoured the internet and while we couldn’t find a large number of online testimonials and reviews for BJs Wholesale tire shops, what we did find was by and large positive. People note that this may not be the place to go for the latest rims and wheels, but if you’ve already got a membership to the club, why not take advantage of it?
A telling set of reviews comes from employees themselves, who rank BJs as a positive place to work. Happy employees will work hard to ensure customer satisfaction, and BJs has done a great job of providing a high quality work environment and excellent compensation to its staff.
How BJ’s Wholesale Tires Works
We mentioned that if you already have a BJs membership, it’s worth taking advantage of the great offers presented by the company’s tire shop. But what if you don’t have a membership?
Here’s what you need to know:
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- BJ’s Wholesale tires offers three membership tiers: $11 a year for online-only access, $55 a year for the inner-circle access which includes everything but 2% cash back, and $111 a year for the perks rewards program, which includes 2% cash back on all qualifying BJs purchases as well as all the perks included in the inner-circle access.
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- In addition to auto-buying, members can take advantage of travel services, tech advisors, insurance, and much more.
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- Discounted gas at BJs gas stations
- BJs also offers credit cards with cash back on gas, restaurant, and entertainment purchases
You visit the BJs website and click on the BJs near me to find a local BJs to enroll in membership!
How it Compares
How does the wholesale club compare to other similar options? Let’s break it down.
When it comes to Discount Tire Center or other tire-focused stores, you might feel that BJs is wanting. You won’t find the same breadth of selection nor will you have the level of service as you might have at one of these locations. This holds true for online sources, such as Amazon, as well.
Price-wise, however, you’ll be hard-pressed to find better prices, unless it’s at another wholesale discount store. The other thing that might frustrate you, however, is BJs hours. Unlike a Walmart or other big box tire shop, BJs isn’t open as often.
Often closed on Sundays, closing early on the weekdays, and opening late on Saturdays, if your schedule isn’t flexible BJs might not be a good fit. On the other hand, tire installation at BJs is fast. Plus, if you’re a member who does your regular shopping here, you’ll be able to get another errand out of the way while you wait.
Getting the Most out of Your Visit
Our best advice for getting the most out of your visit to a BJ’s Wholesale tire shop is to do your research! If you aren’t replacing tires on your vehicle this year, a membership might not be worth the additional cost.
Many people, however, find that if they’ll be replacing all four tires (an expense that adds up very quickly), a membership does, in fact, save them money in the long run! When you factor in tire rotations and alignments, you can stand to save even more.
Is BJ’s Wholesale Right for you?
If you’re looking for a no-frills experience that gets new tires on your vehicle quickly and at a low price, BJ’s is one of the best options available. It will be hard to beat that $15 installation, and the extra perks of membership are appealing.
If you have a BJs nearby, there’s no reason not to try it. Happy shopping!
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