Road Trip Ready in 6 Steps: From Tire Check to Roadside Assistance
The best trips start long before you leave the driveway. A flat on a mountain pass or a worn set of tires on a wet motorway is the kind of thing that ruins a holiday. Here is how I’d prepare, and why Tire Agent is the first place I’d look if the answer is “new tires”.
This is a road trip planning guide, not a mechanic’s manual. The checks below are general good sense, and if anything looks worn or damaged, ask a professional to inspect it.
- Two to three weeks before: check what you have
Look at your tread, the sidewalls (for cracks or bulges) and the pressure, including the spare if you carry one. If you are close to the limit, or the tires are old, replace them before the trip, not during it. Leaving a few weeks gives you time for delivery and fitting.
2. Order online, choose where it ships
On Tire Agent you can shop by vehicle, tire size or brand. Delivery is free to continental U.S. addresses, and in-stock tires are targeted for 2 to 4 business days, depending on availability, location and weather. You can ship to your home or to one of 2,000+ installer partners, so you can pick a shop near home and book the fitting once the tires arrive. Where available, a mobile installer can come to you.
3. Pick the right tire for the trip
Where are you going? A long motorway drive, a mountain route and a gravel road each ask for something different. Tire Agent says it carries 70+ brands, including Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear and Continental, and its blog has guides such as All-Season Tires for SUVs and Crossovers and Best Tires for Volkswagen Tiguan SUV.
4. Use the rebates to fund the fuel budget
Several manufacturers currently offer money back on a set of four select tires, for example Mickey Thompson ($100 through 11/15/26), Goodyear (up to $100 through 11/30/26) and BFGoodrich ($80 through 11/30/26). A separate Kumho offer is a $120 discount applied automatically at checkout through 11/30/26. Rebates apply to select tires only and usually need a claim before a deadline, so check the details.
5. Add protection for the road
Tire Agent sells road hazard protection plans at checkout (not in CA, WA, HI, AK or DC). They include flat fix and replacement, mount and balance with replacement, roadside assistance and car rental reimbursement. For a long trip away from home, that is worth a look. Read what each plan covers before you decide.
6. Set aside the payment plan for the unexpected
If tires turn out to be an unplanned expense, the site offers Affirm, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Afterpay, Cash App Pay and PayPair (one application, several partner plans, for U.S. residents). Lease-to-own plans cost more than the cash price, so I would only use one if I really needed it.
Back-up plan: returns are accepted within 30 days for unused, unmounted tires and wheels. You cover return shipping (the site estimates $25 to $40 per tire) unless it was Tire Agent’s error.
My advice: do this step at least two to three weeks before you leave. Then packing, snacks and the playlist are the only things left to worry about. When you are ready, start with Tire Agent and see what is available for your vehicle.
Get road-trip ready with Tire Agent →
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Information is taken from tireagent.com as of 26 October 2026; prices, rebates, availability and terms can change, so please check the site before you buy.
