Do Tire Brands Really Matter? (Premium Vs. Cheap)

With SO many tire brands out there, you might wonder if the brand actually makes a difference.

Is it safe to buy cheap tires from a completely unknown brand or should you spend the extra bucks on good quality tires?

Let’s check.

Do Tire Brands Really Matter?

Tire brands matter. They help consumers to identify good quality. A brand also might serve a niche market in which it excels, like off-roading or handling rain-soaked roadways. Tire brands matter because they help to determine which tires consumers might want for their vehicles.

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Michelin Tire

The brand might be well-known and have many popular types. Within each brand are different tire models that may or may not have stellar reputations.

So, at all times, the tire brand matters a lot!

Tire brands matter because they help to determine which tires consumers might want for their vehicles.

Some tires might be known for high cost and durability. Others might be considered more affordable but do not last as long as most.

Ultimately, the brand is what consumers think of when they consider different products by different tire-makers.

The tire-maker can spend a lot of money and effort on advertising to help shape the brand image. But it is what consumers think and share with others that most influences whether or not a tire brand is considered to be good or not.

What Is the Difference Between Brand Tires and Cheap Tires?

Brand tires and cheap tires can do the same thing, which enables your vehicle to get good traction so that you can drive safely.

But that is about the only thing that they have in common.

Brand tires and cheap tires usually offer much different ride quality and service life. Generally speaking, brand tires greatly exceed the performance and service life of cheap tires.

Few things speak more loudly in favor of brand tires than how the automotive industry uses them.

No carmaker anywhere in the world makes its own tires. All carmakers rely upon brand tires to mount to new models for first-time buyers.

Auto manufacturers carefully select brand-name tires that have the appropriate speed rating, tread, and load rating. That helps to ensure a good and safe ride is provided.

Carmakers do not use cheap tires or put just any tire on their vehicles. They use brand tires that are of high quality and provide a good ride.

What Are the Advantages of Brand Tires?

Brand tires such as Michelin tires are worth the extra cost.

Brand tires generally are of better quality and last much longer than cheap tires. They have many advantages that you do not get with cheap tires.

Those advantages start with a superior design that enables brand tires to do more and last longer than cheap tires.

Brand tires do not just slap a tread over some steel belts and call it done. Engineers create trade patterns that enable better traction and handling, which improves the performance of brand tires.

Engineers also design brand tires to hold up to tens of thousands of miles of roadway travels in all kinds of driving conditions.

Brand tires are designed to provide you with a smooth ride.

They are designed to get better traction in the rain. And they are designed to handle snowy weather better than cheap tires ever could.

When Might You Want Cheap Tires?

Cheap tires work well if you put them on vehicles that only get occasional use. For example, if you live on a farm and have an old pickup that you use once or twice a week to haul certain items, cheap tires could work just fine.

Cheap tires give you the advantage of costing very little when compared to brand tires.

When you do not need them for daily driving duties, cheap tires are capable of lasting a very long time.

Work trucks are ideal for cheap tires because you are not as concerned about the quality of the ride. You just need them to get you from one point to another so that you can get something done.

It is a lot like the old mule that served as a beast of burden.

Few people rode them.

They preferred taller and faster horses for that.

But when you wanted something carried over rough ground, the mule was the preferred choice. A mule could pull a plow, haul a heavy load, and help you to move items to market.

Cheap tires are like that and can suit your purposes well when you do not need them to give you a smoother ride.

Are You Really Just Paying for the Brand Name?

Brand tires do more than promote the brand. Some advertising and marketing costs certainly are included in the price of new tires.

You mostly are paying for superior technology, design, and build quality.

The engineers who design brand tires are very good at what they do.

Brand tire engineers can determine the ideal mix of rubber compounds, tread design, and tire construction to give you the best possible tire and tire performance.

So you get a whole lot more than a brand name when you buy better brand tires.

Do Expensive Brand Tires Last Longer?

Brand tires are highly capable of lasting much longer than cheap tires. That is because the expensive brands have thicker tread and more steel belts that make the tires more durable.

Engineers carefully work to determine the ideal mix of rugger compounds for a particular tire.

A superior rubber compound will help to withstand the heat that accelerates tire wear.

The superior compound also will help to reduce roll resistance while also reducing how quickly the rubber wears down from daily driving.

It is common for brand tires to last twice as long as comparable cheap tires. But they do require close attention to tire pressure and regular balance and rotation service to provide you with the best possible results.

What Do Real-Life Tests Reveal?

Testing shows that brand tires are capable of greatly outperforming cheap tires.

The thicker tread, more durable steel belts, and better design quality help to make brand tires superior to cheap tires.

Brand tires can carry more weight and help you to drive without pulling your car to the left or right when you are just trying to go straight.

Longer service life, better performance, and a quieter ride all are proven benefits of brand tires when compared to cheap tires.

The real-life tests also show that you can save money on fuel costs when you use brand tires.

The brand tires have highly engineered tread patterns that reduce roll resistance while improving traction. That improved traction helps to make them better at handling corners.

The improved traction also helps to make the brakes more effective and reduce the distance needed to stop safely. Better braking and handling add up to safer travels.

Are Brand Tires Worth the Extra Cost?

Brand tires usually are worth the extra cost when you mount them to your daily driver.

Brand tires are capable of lasting much longer than cheap tires.

Brand tires benefit from extensive engineering and an ideal mix of rubber compounds that greatly extend their service life.

The brand tires are designed to enhance traction, improve handling, and deliver better fuel economy than you would get with cheap tires. And the brand tires will give you a smoother and quieter ride than cheap tires ever could hope to deliver.

You get more than just a better-looking tire when you choose brand tires. Many are capable of lasting twice as long or even longer than cheap tires.

When you can get twice the service life out of brand tires, that alone makes them worth twice as much as cheap tires.

Brand tires deliver better traction and handling, which adds up to a better ride. They usually are much quieter than cheap tires and are easier to balance, rotate, and maintain throughout their service life.

Brand tires usually offer warranty protection against defects and even road damage. If one suffers damage from a hard bump or even picks up a nail while driving, warranty protection might replace it with a new one.

Brand tires also look good and can make your car look much better than cheap tires ever could.

You get the latest in technological advancements that make the tires better while undergoing continual improvements.

Cheap tires, though, generally stay stuck in the past and only give you a basic level of service and performance.