Continental Tires: Are They Worth the Price? (Checked!)

Continental Tires brand is notable for making tires that provide optimum safety, impressive braking, and smooth rides.

We’ve previously looked into how noisy Continental tires are and also how long Continental tires last.

Now let’s look at if they are worth the price tag!

Are Continental Tires worth it?

As one of the top ten biggest tire manufacturers, Continental Tires feature leading-edge technology that enhances their performance and durability. However, they are relatively expensive compared to other mid-range products. 

Why Are Continental Tires So Expensive?

Continental tires are expensive because of the amount of money and effort that goes into the research of their constituent materials.

First, chemists find the ideal rubber compound for production.

It also hires engineers to create proprietary tread patterns and structures to enhance the durability and traction of the product.

Research centers with inbuilt tracks that simulate varying weather and road conditions then test the tires. These conditions include all temperatures across the world, from the Sahara heat to Alaska ice.

In the end, experienced test drivers determine the quality of the tires. If it turns out the tires are below standard, the whole process is repeated.

The outcome of all this is that the tires function better than those produced with cheap rubber. Considering the rigorous testing and advanced production process of these tires, you may be better off buying Continental tires despite their high prices.

They would probably last longer than cheaper tires would.

Also, in the long run, you’ll get more value from them than you would from cheaper alternatives. Cheap tires need regular replacement, so you may end up changing them twice over the tread life of Continental tires.

Are Continental Tires Durable?

Several tire reviewers say that Continental tires are durable and can last as long as 10 years.

However, some drivers claim their tires do not last for as long as their warranty guarantees.

For example, the Continental Control Contact Touring has a 90,000 mile-warranty. But a few customers say they barely lasted 45,000 miles before malfunctioning.

The claims of a few customers cannot make up enough proof that their tires are unreliable, though.

Let’s compare Continental tires with tires from other brands:

1. Continental Cross Contact vs. Michelin Defender LTX:
   The Cross Contact all-season tires can last as long as 70,000 miles.
   • On the other hand, it’s all-season counterpart from Michelin, and the Defender LTX lasts over 90,000 miles.
2. Continental Winter Contact vs. Goodyear Wrangler:
   These winter tires are both durable; however, the Winter Contact is more durable than the Goodyear Wrangler.
   • The highest number of miles recorded on the Continental Winter Contact is 212,671 miles, even though the manufacturer quotes around 80,000 miles.
   • The Goodyear Wrangler only lasts for about 60,000 miles.
3. Continental Pure Contact vs. Firestone Precision Touring:
   The Pure Contact sedan tires have a mileage of 74,000 miles, while the Firestone Precision Touring only lasts for 70,000 miles.

Use habits, terrain, and other factors will affect the longevity of the tires.

Here are some factors that reduce the durability of tires, including Continental tires:

1. Bad roads:
   Potholes and curbs may damage the shape of your tire.
2. Poor storage:
   Placing your tires in direct contact with the scorching heat or extreme snow will quicken wear and tear.
3. Improper usage:
   Using a summer tire in the winter or using an all-season tire in extreme temperatures will definitely wear them out faster.

What Is the Real Difference Between Continental Tires and Other Brands?

There are several features that make the Continental Tires brand unique.

One feature is that their brand was the first to make tires out of plain thread.

They also make detachable wheel tires and grooved tires for faster rides and fuel efficiency. The brand doesn’t just create tires, and it also produces other automotive parts like powertrains and car electronics.

Apart from these unique features, there are specific qualities that differentiate them from other brands.

You should also be reading our article which talks about Are Michelin Tires Really Worth the Price?

Here’s a comparison between Continental Tires and other tire brands:

Continental vs. Goodyear

These brands are both top companies reputed for producing high-quality tires.

They also invest a lot of money into research and innovation, often coming up with groundbreaking inventions.

However, they differ in these ways:

Performance

Goodyear performs better than Continental tires.

A good example is a comparison of the all-season tires, ContiContact Sport 3, and Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3.

The Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 is quieter than the ContiContact Sport 3. It also provides smoother rides and grips the road better than the Sport 3 in winter.

Also read our article on Are Continental Tires Quiet or Noisy?

Price

Continental Tires are much more expensive than Goodyear tires.

Let’s take another look at the Goodyear Eagle F1 and ContiContact Sport 3.

Even though the Goodyear tire is a better performer than the ContiContact tire, it still costs less. The Eagle F1 costs only $155, while the ContiContact costs $197.

Continental vs. Michelin

Michelin and Continental tires produce some of the best all-season and winter tires.

This is where they are similar.

They, however, have features that set them apart:

Performance

Michelin tires perform better than Continental tires.

A comparison between the sedan tires Michelin Pilot SuperSport and ContiSport Contact will prove this.

The two tires were pitted against each other in a test drive. Results show that the Pilot SuperSport had better handling on both dry and wet roads.

The ContiSport Contact was only better in the manner of its softer response to bumps and curbs along the road.

Price

Michelin tires are more expensive than Continental tires.

The US Discount tire places the average price of Michelin tires at $232, and Continental tires at $126.

Also, the price of Michelin sedan tires is higher than Continental sedan tires. For example, the price range of the Michelin Pilot Sport series starts from $182.

On the other hand, the starting price of ContiSport Contact is $55.39.

Continental vs. Bridgestone

Performance

Recently, Continental tried to prove that their tires were better than Bridgestone’s, and they won the competition.

The Continental TrueContact all-season tire was pitted against the Bridgestone Ecopia all-season.

The test showed that the TrueContact was less noisy and provided better handling than the Ecopia. On wet roads, the Ecopia produced some vibration and noise.

The True Contact also proved to be faster than the Bridgestone Ecopia. The Ecopia showed resistance at 57km/h by flexing its sidewalls. The True Contact showed no resistance even at a speed of 67km/h.

Durability

Continental tires last longer than Bridgestone tires.

For example, the Continental TrueContact has a tread life of 154,000 km, while the Ecopia has a 105,000 km warranty.

While Continental tires may be high performing, but they are not the best performers in the tire market.

What Are the Cheaper Alternatives to Continental Tires?

Considering the fact that they are not the most reliable, Continental tires are way too expensive for some people.

Here are tire brands that offer durability and high-performance options at lower prices:

1. Goodyear

The US Discount Tire places the mean price of Goodyear at $119 but claims the average cost of a Continental tire is $126.

Even the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3, which performs better than ContiContact Sport 3, costs $42 less. Goodyear tires are just as notable as Continental tires for longevity and quality.

Take the Goodyear Wrangler, for instance.

It provides superb traction in both sunny and cold weather and produces very little noise.

2. Cooper

Cooper tires are cheaper than Continental tires.

The mean price for Cooper tires is $114, as opposed to the Continental price average for Continental tires, $126.

Two major qualities of Cooper tires are safety and durability. Their tread patterns are well structured for pushing off excess water on the road.

Customers also get a 45-day road test to decide whether they want a Cooper tire.

How Much Should I Buy a Set of four New Tires?

Continental tires have a very broad price range, so it’s difficult to say exactly how much a set of 4 tires would cost.

However, it might help to know the cost of their best tires.

Here are Continental’s best tires:

• Continental Extreme Contact for all seasons: It costs $161 per piece, so four tires would be $644.
• Conti ProContact for all seasons: It has a price range of $75-$323, so the most expensive set of four tires will cost $1,292.
• Continental Pure Contact for sedans: Price ranges from $124-$163, so a set of four new tires will not cost more than $652.

You can always get the lowest prices for Continental tires on discounttire.com.

Are Continental Tires Ever on Sale?

Yes, you can get discounts on Continental Tires from several online retailers.

Websites like Sears and Tirecrazy often offer sales deals on Continental tires.

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