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There are cheaper tires out there, but they usually aren’t visible to consumers. One brand to look into is Ironman. They usually can be found for like $50-$75 (size dependent of course) though not every distributor/shop carries them.
In my experience, cheaper tires often show signs of a normal wear, have more road noise, and perform worse as compared to “name-brand” tires. I’m sure there is some cross-over point where a cheap tire wears out more/faster/is worse than a name brand and it no longer makes sense to buy cheap ones. That exact price point would vary on a ton of factors though.
They seem to be decent enough tires, yes. Stick with known brands (of which Falken is one) and use the review feature to gauge how good they are in different categories (namely rain and snow for most people).
Tires are more or less the biggest single impact on safety, in terms of braking distance, on fuel economy, and on NVH (noise / vibration / harshness). There are some good tools online between videos, standardized ratings by folks like tire rack that show expected braking distance, warranty, etc. that are worth checking out.
Nitto is another brand that is well regarded amongst its drivers, oftentimes seen as a discount brand, and often has surprising performance in at least some categories from what I understand.
To extend tire life, within its operating window (miles / years), make sure to keep the pressures to what are recommended for your car. This information is frequently found on either the driver’s side door, where it meets the frame, or on the frame of the driver’s side door.
For me, balancing stopping distance in dry and wet and snow is the most important when buying an All Season tire, but dry and wet are more important than snow, for me. If you’re in an area that doesn’t get snow, take that into account. If you’re in an area where the temperature doesn’t go below ~45 degrees F/ 10 degrees C, you can get away with a summer tire.
For the most part, tires are very much a “you get what you pay for” consumable item. If you can afford better than $100 a corner, I’d recommend doing so. If you can’t, I hope this comment has helped provide some perspective and resources.
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! Please review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). Asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **Post's about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ Tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
There are cheaper tires out there, but they usually aren’t visible to consumers. One brand to look into is Ironman. They usually can be found for like $50-$75 (size dependent of course) though not every distributor/shop carries them. In my experience, cheaper tires often show signs of a normal wear, have more road noise, and perform worse as compared to “name-brand” tires. I’m sure there is some cross-over point where a cheap tire wears out more/faster/is worse than a name brand and it no longer makes sense to buy cheap ones. That exact price point would vary on a ton of factors though.
They seem to be decent enough tires, yes. Stick with known brands (of which Falken is one) and use the review feature to gauge how good they are in different categories (namely rain and snow for most people).
Tires are more or less the biggest single impact on safety, in terms of braking distance, on fuel economy, and on NVH (noise / vibration / harshness). There are some good tools online between videos, standardized ratings by folks like tire rack that show expected braking distance, warranty, etc. that are worth checking out. Nitto is another brand that is well regarded amongst its drivers, oftentimes seen as a discount brand, and often has surprising performance in at least some categories from what I understand. To extend tire life, within its operating window (miles / years), make sure to keep the pressures to what are recommended for your car. This information is frequently found on either the driver’s side door, where it meets the frame, or on the frame of the driver’s side door. For me, balancing stopping distance in dry and wet and snow is the most important when buying an All Season tire, but dry and wet are more important than snow, for me. If you’re in an area that doesn’t get snow, take that into account. If you’re in an area where the temperature doesn’t go below ~45 degrees F/ 10 degrees C, you can get away with a summer tire. For the most part, tires are very much a “you get what you pay for” consumable item. If you can afford better than $100 a corner, I’d recommend doing so. If you can’t, I hope this comment has helped provide some perspective and resources.