Tires are like the shoes on your car. They hold up the entire vehicle structure and enable the vehicle to grip the pavement. Tires are the only points of contact between the vehicle and road. Because of this, it’s a smart investment to purchase a good pair of tires in order to keep everyone safe.
There are hundreds of tire-manufacturing companies in existence. Unfortunately, not every tire brand makes good tires. Some tires are quite cheap, but the cheaper reliability.
Because of this, it is important to avoid being tricked by tire offers and good deals. So, which tire brands are the worst to avoid?
Top 7 Worst Tire Brands to Avoid
The worst tire brands you should avoid buying include:
- Goodride
- Westlake
- Chaoyang
- Compass Tires
- Telluride
- YKS
- AKS Tires
While these brands have faced some criticism, they might also have models that work well for some people.
It is always recommended to read multiple reviews and sources before making a purchase. This is our opinion and things can change, so we would be happy to be proven wrong in the future for everyone’s safety.
#1. Goodride.
Goodride has really fallen under the gun for lack of tire quality and longevity. Many consumers have indicated that wearing and grip in wet conditions have been an issue for them and that makes them feel unsafe and could lead to overall poor performance.
#2. Westlake.
Westlake Tires has overloaded the complaints about being irritating with poor tread wear and a deficiency in wet weather performance. The complaint with consumers is often that the writing is on the wall in regard to reliability and even consumed safety with it.
#3. Chaoyang.
Chaoyang has been said to produce tires that seem to wear too quickly and with more limited durability. The company has struggled and has a reputation for added durability and delivering on performance longevity in several driving settings.
#4. Compass Tires.
Those Compass Tires got some criticism for some of their models have balancing and vibration concerns which led to a diminished drive experience and tire life. Most consumers have requested more consistency and quality control.
#5. Telluride.
Telluride Tires have received complaints for road noise and ride comfort. Some drivers complained the tires were quite noisy which would diminish the overall experience driving and suggested voided quality.
#6. YKS.
YKS Tires have been reported for having inferior build quality resulting in questions of durability and performance. Some reported and had early wear out making it difficult to rely on the tire.
#7. AKS Tires.
AKS tires have taken heat about tread life and quality control. Some reports lead you to believe the tires may not have outperformed in quality and durability over time.
Cheap Chinese Tires
There’s a ton of different tire brands to choice from. Some tire brands that you may have heard of have already been recalled and are no longer available on the U.S. market but could still be sold in other countries or possibly imported, so buyer beware.
There are a lot of Chinese tires that are developing a lot of brand names for pretty much the same tires. One of the big manufacturers in China is the Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Company.
They sell a lot of cheaper tires that you should stay away from because they don’t do much safety inspection or testing before they ship them out of their factory so they will also be on the worst list of tire brands you should avoid.
The Chinese tire industry exports approximately 65 million tires each year. So, most of what you’ll see on the market at very low price tire will be made in China, and more often than not, also end up being the worst tire brands you should avoid when possible.
They won’t pass a good safety inspection regardless of how great they look and will typically use inferior materials, which means if they join up with a manufacturer adding low quality during the way, it’s bad business just waiting for disaster.
If you look closely at a cheap tire made by an unknown Chinese tire manufacturer, you’re probably not going to be able to distinguish it from a name you pay a lot more for like Michelin or Dunlop tires.
But that’s the whole idea. They look good to an untrained eye but have a lack of reliability and the performance is neither good for the quality or safety and durability out on the street.
And again, yes, there are some very reliable Chinese tire companies, but unfortunately our experience with some organizations has been that most do not meet expectations.
Why You Should Avoid Buying Cheap Tires?
If you’re thinking you will save some money buying cheap tires or just using old tires, then maybe you should think again on a couple of these ideas.
#1. Safety.
Safety is the biggest component with cheap tires. What happens if your tire blows out because you rolled over a small nail in your tire while traveling at 75 mph?
It is these exact situations that can cause accidents that may lead to serious injury and are far more likely to happen with cheap tires than a higher quality tire.
#2. Longer Brake Distance.
Braking distance and the grip between good and bad tires is very different and could be the difference between life and death. This is something you should truly think about before buying cheap tires.
#3. Durability.
Another aspect to look for is quality with durability. Cheaper tires, most likely, will not have much life in them, so if you are buying a cheaper tire, you will be replacing them more often than you are higher quality tires.
Hence you may not really save as much money as you thought in buying a cheaper set.
Cheaper tires also usually have a lower quality with their sidewall protection. If you get sidewall tire damage, this is not repairable, you are replacing the whole tire.
#4. Environment.
Cheap tires are most likely bad for the environment. This is true for the both the manufacturer environment as well as the road wear environment. Tire that wear out quicker put more particles in the air diminishing the environment.
What Tires Should You Buy Instead?
Once you know the tire brands that are considered the worst on the market to stay away from, you probably also want to know which brands are a better option. Typically, we recommend tires made by respected name brands that is generally manufactured in the US or Japan.
Here’s a list of the best tires brands we recommend buying instead:
- Michelin
- Goodyear
- Continental
- BF Goodrich
- Bridgestone
- Cooper
- Hankook
- Nokian
- Pirelli
- Toyo
- Yokohama
What is a good inexpensive tire brand?
Cooper, Hankook and Toyo are the first few brands that come to mind if you are looking for affordable tire options.
However, it is all relative to what you want in a tire and what is considered affordable. And don’t go too cheap! You often get what you pay for.
Does it matter what brand of tires you buy?
Yes, there are big differences in quality and performance between different tire brands. Some tire brands may be better for a particular type of vehicle or at a certain time (weather, road terrain, etc.) than others.
So, while there may not be a need to pay attention to a particular tire brand, there may be a benefit to considering tire brand due to your personal preferences or situation. The most important thing is to have the right tires on your vehicle that fits your car and your driving style.
Are Chinese tires good?
There are good and bad tires from China that are on the market. Generally, many Chinese tires do not have quality controls in the factory where they were built, so generally there are also many bad tires from China available.
How much should a good tire cost?
A good tire generally costs between $80 and $200 each. It should be noted however, a heavier and faster automobile will require a more expensive tire. Cars that require a high-performance tire, or that have a larger diameter tire, will be more costly than others.
Some of the most horrible tires you can buy and avoid are cheap tires made by Chinese tire brands such as: Goodride, Westlake, Chaoyang, Compass Tires, Telluride, YKS, AKS Tires and etc.
The quality of these brands may have increased since the tests were completed, but this is the past history. We welcome any proof.
Irrespective, the general idea is to avoid tires from the brands mentioned above. Some specific products may be of good quality, but overall, you are going to get poor products without quality checks.
There are plenty of other cheap affordable tire brands that make good products right now. You are not stuck getting poor quality tires simply because it is cheap!e it’s inexpensive.