OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
LingLong and Supertech are a BITOG penny pincher's dream combo.
Third Tier Tires becoming increasingly popular
- Thread starter CKN
- Start date
Times are tough - people are cutting costs at every corner and tires are not excluded from this when you have a family to feed. I read also that generic goods such as store brands have increased 35% in the last year - suddenly those Great Value chips at $1.97 taste the same as the Name brand at $4.99!!
As they are a sub of Apollo Tyres, a roughly US$3B company, I'd say tier 2, but a bit of a niche player in the US. Tiers being based on revenue.
Vredestein are a quality tire and one of my go-to brands for several reasons.
I'm curious as to how Goodyear tires would be classified. I had a run of bad ones, and will not buy them again.
My one set of Michelin winter tires was also bad.
I've been happiest with Nokian tires to date, and also pleased with a set of Kumhos.
My one set of Michelin winter tires was also bad.
I've been happiest with Nokian tires to date, and also pleased with a set of Kumhos.
I think Goodyear makes some good tires and "to spec" tires that can be mediocre... Like the ones supplied with new Jeep products over the years.
If there were a fourth tier of tires they would be becoming increasingly popular as well. We live in a world where you can buy a 40" HD TV for $149, and that's the regular price. Americans have come to expect that every consumer need can be filled with a Chinese product made to a ruthlessly low price point.
The difference is that a cut-rate TV failure probably won't cause you to smack the center divider at 75 mph.
The difference is that a cut-rate TV failure probably won't cause you to smack the center divider at 75 mph.
Totally Tier 1 in my view, although I would cede that they are in the middle of the tier, maybe lower, where Michelin and Pirelli are at the top. Note that these tiers are a fictional construct, and all tire makers produce tires which vary in location on the tiers.
Absolutely. Bald tires are very, very bad.
Yes. Very bad.
My latest xB came with two Sailun and two Westlake tires. One of the Westlake's was very worn on the outside edge so I replaced it. Part of me says to go ahead and scrap the other one just because it's a Westlake.
Tire quality matters a lot less when the car never exceeds 15 mph. I still haven't managed to figure out how they wore one front tire but not the other considering it doesn't feel like it's out of alighnemt at highway speeds. Given that the car was missing the jack, lug wrench and hood prop rod there's a decent chance the person who took them also swapped a tire.
Tire quality matters a lot less when the car never exceeds 15 mph. I still haven't managed to figure out how they wore one front tire but not the other considering it doesn't feel like it's out of alighnemt at highway speeds. Given that the car was missing the jack, lug wrench and hood prop rod there's a decent chance the person who took them also swapped a tire.
I have the General RT45's on 2 of my cars, their great, made in the U.S.
Goodyear Wranglers on the trucks, I buy nothing from the "CCP" country if I can avoid it.
Goodyear Wranglers on the trucks, I buy nothing from the "CCP" country if I can avoid it.
Last edited:
I bought General Grabbers expecting them to be made in the USA but they’re made in South Africa
The Lexani were not bald and were nearly new with plenty of tread. It was just a horrible rubber compound.
Also, not all tier 1/2 tires are good either. Many people remember the first generation Pirelli Cinturato P7 A/S+. Initial impressions and reviews were always amazing and then after some miles the reviews quickly turned to “worst tire on the road”, “dangerous in the wet”, “loud and thumping when cold”, “no warranty”. I believe they addressed those concerns with the later generations but I suffered through two sets of those first gen tires because I believed the hype when they were initially released.
I forgot to mention that I've also been very pleased with a set of Pirelli tires.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Pirelli is 1st tier manufacturer.
Nokian is good in snow and ice, but generally is not well rounded as 1st tier tires.
Michelin X-Ice 3 are used as example of mediocre snow tire, but it was not. Actually Michelin purposefully designed tire to have much better dry, wet and ice performance at expense of deep snow, slush etc. They missed the target as people like good slush performance, especially changing lanes with that pile of slush in between.
Of all tires I had, Nokian R2 and Kumho Ecsta LX were by far the worst performers in wet. R2 was also loud, super hard over bumps etc, etc. Kumho was just junk as they went out of round after 14k, besides a horrid, absolutely horrid wet performance.
I've only had the winter-tire version of the Nokians. I can't comment on how the all-season or summer tires perform.
I've used them on three vehicles. They have been superior to the Goodyear or Michelin winter tires I had used previously.
I cant say I recall many reputable local or national news bits about supposed rash of Chinese tire failures in years.
I am usually a first tier buyer for the family vehicles, but will dip my toe into 3rd tier sometime soon for LT tires as the 2nd tier Pathfinders on my Silverado are approaching 10 years old.
I am usually a first tier buyer for the family vehicles, but will dip my toe into 3rd tier sometime soon for LT tires as the 2nd tier Pathfinders on my Silverado are approaching 10 years old.
Where does GT Radial fit on this list?
I was going to buy some Coopers for our Sentra but decided to spend a few more to get GT Radial since I've had such good luck with them.
I was going to buy some Coopers for our Sentra but decided to spend a few more to get GT Radial since I've had such good luck with them.
Made by Giti tire - a huge global tire company. I have never owned them but wouldn't hesitate to try them if the price was right.
'Tier 3' is known as 'Budget' here in the UK and is absolutely the most common type of tyre purchased here. People look at you like you have two heads when you explain you buy 'mid-range' or 'premium tyres'.
I've been using Tier 1/Premium tyres for the last 10 years, mainly Michelins and love the Cross Climate 2. However, I wanted an A/T tyre for my Duster last time around and went for some Toyo Open Country AT3's and pleasantly surprised by them! Just as good in the wet as the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons they replaced.
I've been using Tier 1/Premium tyres for the last 10 years, mainly Michelins and love the Cross Climate 2. However, I wanted an A/T tyre for my Duster last time around and went for some Toyo Open Country AT3's and pleasantly surprised by them! Just as good in the wet as the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons they replaced.
