So many tire brands I've never heard of now... X_X

So, SWMBO's SUV is getting to the point that it's going to need new tires- it could likely make it through the winter, but with a trip to her native Wisconsin and its normally massive amounts of snow and ice coming up at the end of the week, we're looking at getting the new tires on it sooner than later for the piece of mind. But looking over the options that the local Tire Discounters has for the car, I don't recognize half of the brands that come up. Nexen and Cooper I've at least heard of (the DMC actually has Cooper tires on it IIRC, since they were the only one who made the same tire in the different F and R sizes it uses...), but Milestar? Kenda?

Is there a handy guide anywhere as to which brands to avoid like the plague and which aren't complete crap? Thanks!

Though I've owned Kumhos and they were decent, I won't buy anything but Michelin, Goodyear, Continental and General. I'm stubborn like that.

Primewells are garbage. Kuhmo and mastercraft were always a pretty good tire for cheap. At least they were a few years ago when I was in the business. I haven't heard anything to indicate otherwise since.

i have some Sunny tires for rollers on the impala.

I have been loving hankook lately, but they're a real brand.

Kenda did/does a lot of bicycle tires.

A car I bought came with a set of "Stealth" tires on it. They lived up to their name; I had a very difficult time finding my autocross time on the score sheet.

My g/f's car had a set of "Fate-O" tires on it. After a fairly serious hydroplaning event I put something with an actual tread pattern on her car.

These were both years and years ago, I have no idea if either of these brands exists today.

mndsm wrote: Kenda did/does a lot of bicycle tires.

and trailer tires and other OTR stuff overseas.

You should see all of the crazy foreign tire brands while at SEMA, I would bet there are 20+ names on the list that even I have no clue about which offer tires in reasonable sizes for passenger cars.

The only brand I've had a personally negative experience with was Falken (Sumitomo) and their Ziex 612. This was an all-season buy which got scary bad in the wet. To the point where I had the cruise control on in my RSX while cruising at around 70mph and the car was jumping all over the road with mild rain, taching out, etc.

Most manufacturers make at least decent tires these days but my rule of thumb is: if they sell it at Walmart and I don't recognize the brand, I pass.

I have Atlas tires on the van I just bought. They're brand new but scare the pants off me.

I took some "blacklion" tires of a truck This morning, they said "made in PRC" on the side. Not even China, PRC. Surprised they had dot numbers.

All of this to say that the c grade tires that are here today will be changed by next year.

Tires are the most important component on your vehicle. You know what you require/expect from tires on your vehicle. Use TR buyer surveys to research your next tire purchase.

I just put some KO2s on my Range Rover and it is now unstoppable.

10/10.

when i got my 323 GTX it had a new set of "Star Fire" tires (the chinese arm of cooper, i believe). surprisingly grippy for skinny chinese tires on a surprisingly heavy 80's hatchback. Then when they wear out, they are surprisingly cheap to replace. Their motto should be "Full of Surprises". I had very low expectations, and while these tires aren't great by any means, they are not nearly as terrible as i had anticipated. Hooray for low expectations!

"Triangle" is my favorite terrible maypop brand, Goodride takes a close second.

The logo is what really does it. http://www.triangletire.com/index_english.html

I've used Mastercraft snow tires for a few years and like them.they are coopers cheap brand.

Starfire tires are also suprisingly good tires that seem to last forever.

Also Treadwright used to be awesome for retread truck and mud tires but wow have their prices skyrocketed

"Linglong" (and prosper)

Great luck with falken, federal, and nexen. Milestars were junk.

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: I have Atlas tires on the van I just bought. They're brand new but scare the pants off me.

"Atlas" used to be a private label brand that was sold through "service stations", remember those? When I worked for Amoco Oil our stations sold tires branded "Atlas" made in the USA by a couple of different tire manufacturers. That was over 20 years ago so I can't say who makes them now or if their the same company.

Back them they were good daily driver tires, they didn't sell any performance tires that I can remember.

I got a spare tire for my truck only the best a Doral made in indonesia.

Meanwhile, we had a customer who wasn't convinced that the tires we sold him were any good because he never heard of Continental.

A friend has a set of Ch'noble Zambonees on his 4 runner. They are surprisingly round.

Streetwiseguy wrote: A friend has a set of Ch'noble Zambonees on his 4 runner. They are surprisingly round.

I thought for sure you were lying to me.... no one effective names their tire chernobyl ice scraper.

In reply to jimbbski:

Well these are made in Thailand and they are owned by linglong. Ahh balls.

etifosi wrote: "Linglong" (and prosper)

I used to see those every now and then. Always made me want to dingadingdang.

BrokenYugo wrote: "Triangle" is my favorite terrible maypop brand, Goodride takes a close second. The logo is what really does it. http://www.triangletire.com/index_english.html

And circle gets the triangle.... errrr.... I think it goes like that.... (maybe I'm "half" right?)

I'll say this- if you love legend of Zelda, the triangle tires are for you.