Mechanic shops, trucking companies, dealerships, and everyday people have tires that need to be disposed of. They often have very limited options, though, including either paying their employees to take the tires to a recycling center, or paying the recycling center to come pick them up. And because most landfills do not accept tires, this can become a burden.
However, it can also become a source of income. How, you ask? Most retailers would much rather have you come pick up their old tires for free, than pay someone to do so. And these free tires translate to extra cash in your pocket.
Tire Pick-Up, Selling & Retreading
It costs money for tires to be disposed of properly, and there are also charges for tire pick-up. You can offer this service for free depending on whether that is the most beneficial option for you. On the contrary, by offering pick-up services, you can charge per tire.
You can also get into retreading tires, where old tires are revamped and restored to be functional again.
Retreading companies pay you for your tires! Though, most retreading companies won’t be willing to do a pick up until you have 100 or so tires ready to go, so be sure to check with local and state regulations for your area regarding the storage and resale of used tires. Once the legalities are taken care of, you can get paid twice for the same tires – once by the people you picked them up from and once by the retreading company you’re selling to.
In addition, tire recycling centers will buy scrap tires, though you won’t get as much money for them. You can expect around $1 to $5 per tire, but that’s nearly all profit.
It is important to note that not all recycling centers will pay you for your tires, so you’ll need to make it clear when you contact them that you’re looking for cash for your tires. You can also take the initiative to gather offers from different centers before you make a final decision as a way of making the most out of your used tires.
Other Potential Customers
Tire shops often keep a wide selection of used tires for customers to buy for spares, or even to install as spares for people in need of a quick install until they can get a new set of tires.
Unbeknownst to some, many tire shops are willing to buy used tires that are able to be re-treaded and will pay good money for them! There are a few stipulations, though: tire shops often require that the tires must be puncture-free and in decent shape, or they won’t be accepted.
Of course, you can always try Craigslist when trying to sell things that you don’t have a need for. While you’re there, check out want ads to see if anyone is looking for tires already.
Facebook’s Marketplace is also a good place to list tires online. This allows you the opportunity to find a local buyer in need of a spare for a decent price, or maybe even someone who does auto repair work on the side. A benefit to using Facebook Marketplace: they let you list items for free and you can share them between buying and selling groups (or on your personal Facebook page) to reach more potential buyers.
References:
https://wahadventures.com/recycle-old-tires-cash/
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/make-money-recycling-used-tires-16046.html