Your tires are your most important link with the road, so when they’re ready for replacement, you need to find a place that will get you back on it quickly and affordably. Many people default to the nearest auto shop or brick-and-mortar Tires Online store, but a number of online retailers offer a more convenient alternative. And in some cases, the online prices are even lower than those at local stores.

Before you start shopping, make sure you know your car’s tire size. You can usually do this by looking at the sidewall of your current tires or, if you’re buying new ones, by looking at the inside frame of the driver’s door. Once you have the information, enter it into the online retailer’s search tool to find tires that fit. Then compare the total price for four tires, plus tax and shipping, from several different sellers. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of installation.

Once you’ve narrowed down the selection to a few options, call a local tire store and ask if it can match or beat the online price. If it can, that’s a good sign, says Edmunds. It might also have a deal on installation or other incentives, such as free wheel balancing or a free tire rotation. If it can’t, it might be because it doesn’t carry that particular tire brand or size.

Another option is to buy tires from an online retailer that has a network of local installers, such as SimpleTire. You can choose tires on its website, have them shipped to the installer of your choice and schedule an appointment for installation. The company has a mobile app that makes the process even easier.

Regardless of the route you take, the biggest benefit of online retailers is that they offer more models and sizes than any brick-and-mortar retailer could possibly stock, says Petersen. And if you’re not quite sure which to select, the websites of most major online retailers feature lots of helpful information, such as original equipment tires for your vehicle and recommendations from independent testers.

As for customer service, online retailers have that down to a science, too. Most have FAQs that answer common questions, and many have live online chat functions or telephone numbers you can use during business hours or early on a Saturday.