New tires are a big ticket item for most drivers. You're not only concerned about the price, but you want to know that it'll be a long time before you need to buy new tires again.
And of course there's the safety aspect as well. The tires do a lot of work – they carry the weight of the vehicle and you and your passengers around. They need to be up to the task. You want to be sure they hold the road and provide good traction. Drivers who carry heavy loads or tow a trailer need a high load tires to be up for the job.
The tire professionals at Bret's Autoworks think it's important that drivers understand the effect of price on a tire's performance and durability. The major tire brands sold in the area that you're familiar with are known in KS as Tier 1 tires. These tires are well-engineered and very high quality. Comparable tires are usually in the same price range from brand to brand.
Stepping down in price you come to private label tires. Some large tire store chains carry tires with the chain's own brand. It's important to know that most private label tires sold in the Gardner area are built by the same Tier 1 brands that you are familiar with – so they are a quality product. You can ask your Bret's Autoworks tire professional who makes their private brand.
The lowest priced tires on the local market are Tier 3 tires. These tend to be imported from China or South America. Since you get what you pay for, you can't expect a Tier 3 tire to deliver the same performance and durability as the others. Hey, sometimes the budget will only allow for a Tier 3 tire. That's OK because it's a good thing to be driving with safe, new tires than pushing your old tires beyond their safety limits. But it's good counsel to buy as much tire as you can afford, because it will be much less expensive in the long run. Your tires are the only part of your vehicle that touch the road. You're only as safe as your tires are well built. Buy value – not price.
Bret's Autoworks Olathe and Gardner, ready to answer your questions on tires!