We live in a world where transportation is vital. From everyday individuals to companies transporting goods cross country, everyone relies on a set of wheels to carry them from point A to point B. Because we depend upon automobiles to get us around, there is an open market and a steady demand for used, more affordable car parts for these essential items.
One of the most overlooked parts of the car that can be sold for money is your tires. But as it is with most used goods, selling your used tires isn’t as always as straightforward as it may sound.
Ways to Sell Used Tires
Whether you simply want to make some money off of old tires that you no longer need or want to create a business out of selling old tires to others, here are 10 ways to sell used tires for money.
1. Act As a Tire Disposal Business
The problem for most repair shops or places that sell tires is that the old tires that accumulate have to be disposed of. If the business chooses to get rid of the tires themselves, they will need to take the time to load them up, pay for the cost of fuel to carry them back and forth, and pay the tire disposal fees. If they choose to have someone haul them away, they will have to pay whatever that business charges them as they only have the other option listed above.
This is where you come in! If you are merely interested in making money through these means, you can undercut someone who is already scooping up their tires (or make their lives easier by offering your tire hauling services), and become their new tire removal service. Of course, it is important to remember that you will still need to charge enough to make a profit, as well as to cover the disposal fees that the local landfill will charge you as they will have to take the tires to the recycling center themselves.
2. Consider Selling Your Tires to Nearby Businesses That Sell Used Tires Themselves
Another great way to make money by selling used tires is to seek out local businesses that provide the same services. Even though many auto shops may only supply new tires, there are bound to be some places that will offer used tires for much cheaper prices to those who don’t want to spend a ton buying new products for their car.
Once you find multiple suppliers, approach these kinds of businesses and tell them more about your inventory and how your pricing may be able more affordable than some of the other suppliers that provide them with their used tire inventory. If you can find multiple clients and can manage to bring in steady inventory (that they are looking for, not random used tires), you can expect to make a decent income selling to multiple used tire shops.
3. Make Certain That Your Listing Gets Seen By Selling Your Tires on a Website Like Sell My Tires
Listing your tires on certain local selling apps can result in a hit or miss experience where you either have some interested buyers looking at your inventory or no one at all for days at a time. If no one is looking for used tires at the time that you list your products or simply can’t find your listing, you are going to be stuck with those used tires until you find a seller. If this is not something that you wish to experience, you should instead turn to hyperfocused sales websites like Sell My Tires, which can help you list your used tires to an audience specifically looking for the inventory that you have. Although your sales will still depend upon demand, this may be a better option for those who are not having much luck on similar listing websites.
4. Sell Your Tires Through General Listing Sites Like Craigslist
As an online seller, you will soon discover that the more resources you have to sell your product, the better the likelihood that it is going to get sold. While listing on hyperfocused websites will definitely make sure that the right people are seeing the products you have to sell, selling across multiple platforms gives you more reach in comparison to just listing on one website. If you want to sell your used tires in as many places as possible, consider listing your used tires on sites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or even OfferUp. You can’t guarantee that your tires will get sold on these sites, but it will help you gain more exposure online so that you have more opportunities in the future.
5. Find a Retread Facility to Sell Your Tires to
If you have high-quality used tires that can be repaired and resold, you may wish to consider looking for retread facilities that will take them off of your hands for a decent profit. Some examples of retread facilities that you may come across during your research include companies like Corporate Truck Tires and Tire Management Inc. (but there are plenty more out there that may be a better fit for your location). Earnings aren’t always guaranteed as many retreading facilities are generally on the lookout for specific types of tires. However, if you do have some of the tires you are looking for, the average payout per tire is about $40, which is a large profit if you are able to acquire them from others for a much lower price.
6. Consider Recycling Other Parts of the Tire
Some people who pick up used tires will only receive the tire itself. However, you may sometimes get the rim along with the tire. Rims themselves can be recycled for their aluminum, which means that you can also turn a small profit on these parts of the tire as well. If you have tires with rims (and you don’t have buyers who are particularly focused on having rims included with the use tires), see if you can find a recycling place that will pay you for these aluminum rims.
7. Save the Tires for Your Own Auto Repair Business
This is a much more ambitious step forward than other recommendations on this list. However, for the right person, this small side hustle can turn into something huge. Are you passionate about cars and fixing them up for their owners? Do you have extensive knowledge of car repairs, product sourcing, and the tools of the trade? If so, collecting and selling tires may be the first step in something bigger, like starting your own auto repair business. If you are great at both finding and selling used tires, ask yourself, could I potentially take these skills and apply them to fixing cars for others? Is this something that I could make a living off of in my area? If the answers to those questions are a resounding yes, looking into starting your own auto repair shop. This can be far more lucrative in the long run!
8. Find an Organization That Needs Shredded or Old Tires
Many people believe that used tires can only be resold if they are in solid enough condition to be driven on. However, there are actually other purposes for old tires that cannot be used on a car. If you are looking to make some money on used tires that are no longer usable for the road, consider selling shredded tires or whole tires for organizations that build playgrounds, selling it to your local government so that they can make tar out of it, or sell it to other companies that may need the rubber from the tire for their own products. Remember, if life closes one door, it always opens another.
9. Retread, Repair, and Flip
Although retreading tires yourself can be a bit more expensive, it may give you the opportunity to repair your tires and sell them to interested buyers in better condition than some of the other used tires that are currently available in your area. This is one suggestion that will require you to have the proper tools and knowledge, so it is important that you do your research on what it takes to retread tires and what the overall cost will be before you attempt to tackle this on your own.
10. Make Crafts Out of Old Tires
We also want to mention that some people have found ways to repurpose old tires into crafts that can then be sold online. While this may be a recommendation that is being made on other websites, we are going to say that this could be a potential income stream but will be somewhat difficult to pull off. You will first need to be able to find ways to turn the material of a tire into desirable crafts or furniture, which is hard on its own. Afterward, you will need to find a large enough customer base for your products that it makes the time and effort you have put into making your crafts worthwhile. If you can do this, that’s awesome! However, keep in mind that repurposing tires may not be the best way to make money off of the tires that you collect.
Before You Get Started
While selling tires can sound simple, there are some considerations you will need to make and things you need to be made aware of before you begin trying to sell some of your old tires for money. Before we dive into ways you can sell, let’s take a look at a few notable points you should think over before making used tires your go-to side hustle.
You Will Likely Need a License to Begin Hauling Tires Away and Selling Them
The good news is that those who have just replaced the tires on their cars and are looking for a way to make money off of their old tires will not be subject to any business laws or regulations. If, on the other hand, you are trying to sell used tires as a business, you are going to need to acquire a special business license as well as the proper registration and other permits needed to safely conduct your business. Long before you begin thinking about turning used tires into profit, it is important to understand what goes into such an undertaking and what will be required of you so that you are legally and financially protected.
Some Associated Costs With Reselling Used Tires Includes Transportation, Gas, Tire Disposal Fees, and Storage
Selling used tires is not one of the side hustles that will require little investment on your end. Some of the costs you will need to anticipate when you begin thinking about selling used tires includes making sure that you have the right transportation and equipment to carry large loads of used tires to the right location, that you are going to be able to pay tire disposal fees (all states charge these), that you are not spending too much on gas in order to get your inventory, and that you have a place to safely store your inventory when it is not being moved or sold. A great way to get started is to establish a budget based on your anticipated costs so that you know around how much you will be spending monthly and how much you can potentially make if you hit your target income goals.
Your Income Will Vary Based on Factors Like Demand/Opportunity, Availability, and Quality
Selling used tires is a side hustle that is not as well-known or mentioned as other mainstream side hustles like graphic design or selling Etsy products. As such, there is not as much research on how much you can potentially make. Additionally, your income can be impacted by factors like how many others are doing the same thing as you and how many businesses or individuals are looking to get rid of their old tires, how many used tires you will be able to get your hands on in a month (this number may changes as it is not as consistent as other things that businesses may dispose of), and the quality of the tires that you take in from others. Be aware that selling tires may not be the most reliable or steady form of income before you begin.
You Will Need to Market Yourself to Make the Income You Want
Even though you will always need to market yourself when starting a side business, knowing how to pitch clients is especially important when you run a business that has less of a demand or public awareness. Make sure that you can properly get word of your services out into the world, truly show your clients why they should use your services and what they will gain by doing so, and always have a plan for improving your marketing tactics and scaling your business over time. With the right plan, you can mitigate any potential risks and make sure that you are on the right track for making a solid income over time.
These points above are not designed to prevent you from pursuing this side hustle. Rather, it is designed to help you make sure that you are properly prepared before you begin to scale your used tire reselling efforts.
Selling Your Used Tires Can Be Profitable
Although selling used tires is a bit different than some of the other side hustles you may have considered thus far, it is still one that can be profitable with the right planning, business skills, and knowledge of who is looking for the items that you have to offer. If you have considered all of the different needs and factors for your business and believe that you can make a profit off of nearby used tires, use the guide provided above to learn about what opportunities are available in regards to selling used tires and which ones may be the most viable opportunities for your given situation.
