Access to info on tires seems more readily available to the average consumer. Suspect that said consumer may be more involved in the choice of tire than the choice of oil when servicing their vehicles. As I care, I use Tirerack as one of many resources of comparative info. Seems the tire shops and chains just focus on a few profitable (for them) brands and or only on what your budget is, rather than optimizing the driver experience. Their objective is making the sale before you walk out the door.