Unless your muffler is currently scraping the road, the parts of your car that should always be touching the road are your tires. Tires should always be in good working order to ensure your safety.
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The primary purposes of car tires are to carry the weight of the car, transfer braking and traction forces to the pavement, cushion impact from the road and change and maintain the direction of travel. It’s one of the most important parts of your car, so it pays to buy quality if you want to replace your original equipment (OE) tires or exchange worn tires for a used purchase.
However, unless you have a luxury sedan or sports car, there’s no reason to spend a lot of money on an expensive tire if another budget option is within your means. Inexpensive tires are usually between $50 and $150 each, but many brands have a wide selection of treads and tire sizes and types that can affect the final price. Equivalently priced tires will run you between $100 and $300, but you’ll pay between $300 and $1,000 for high-end, high-performance or specialty off-road tires.
The price is worth it, but you want tires that stand the test of time as well. Most family car tires can easily last 70,000 miles or more. During testing, Consumer Reports found that the best all-season tires will last about 55,000 to 85,000 miles and the best all-season performance between 50,000 and 85,000.
For parts designed to keep you and your passengers safe on the road, make sure you don’t compare the affordable price with the low-end department store when you go tire shopping. Here are eight brands that make affordable and durable tires.
Also check out 10 places to get free air for your tires.
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Hankook
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Average price (according to Tirebuyer): from $695 for all-season tires to $666.
According to FixMyCar, Hankook is one of the fastest growing tire companies in the world, has established OE partnerships with respected car manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes and Porsche and produces a wide selection of unique tires. The company will go above and beyond in its customer research and testing. Hankook tires are a little more expensive than most budget type tires, but they also give you a little better performance and quality.
Cooper
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Average price (according to Tirebuyer): from $97 a tire, while premium tires are from $175 to $585
Cooper has a long history in the wheel segment and is a recognized name in the automotive world. The company has an A+ rating with BBB and is known for offering all-season, summer, on/off road and winter tires at affordable prices. Their tires are widely used as replacements for passenger cars and some of their tires are OE on Ford, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
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Kumho
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Average price (according to Tirebuyer): from $70.85 to $550
Kumho was founded in Thailand and today has manufacturing units around Asia. As a large company, Some Tires operates as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for Hyundai, Audi, Volkswagen, and Nissan vehicles. Kumho is known as a brand that offers good tires at a reasonable price. In addition to tires for cars, crossovers, sport utility vehicles and light trucks available through your local auto shop, Kumho also manufactures a wide range of tires for competition cars and commercial trucks.
Falcon
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Average price (according to Tirebuyer): from $77 for all-season tires to $554 for all-terrain tires
Falken should be at the top of your search if you are looking for high quality tires. Having been in business since the 1980s, this Japanese manufacturer has a reputation for durability and flexibility around the world. They allow cars to travel at high speeds, but they are very important for everyday city drivers as well. Regardless of the weather, they offer exceptional all-season capability to get you where you need to go. The company used its experience in racing to develop new tires to improve handling and affordability to the masses.
Atturo
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Average price (according to SimpleTire): from $137.04 to $353.27 per tire depending on size (Trail Blade M/T model)
You have heard of this company before if you enjoy off-roading and exploring the capabilities of your vehicle in the great outdoors. Founded in 2009, Atturo tires offers affordable, premium tires for Jeeps, SUVs, light trucks and 4 × 4 owners. The tires of this brand work well with those of expensive competitors and offer excellent, strong durability, aggressive style and tread design. Its line of Trail Blades delivers strong performance in winter and wet weather.
Iron man
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Average price (according to Tirebuyer): from $50.00 for touring tires to $570.04 for 26″ mud tires
Ironman is the budget model of the parent company, Hercules Tire and Rubber. With a big company backing it, Ironman makes a quality tire that is still affordable. You will be amazed at the performance of Ironman tires, especially considering the low prices and wide selection of options available. Ironman has a small selection of tires, but it is “one of the better budget-friendly options on the market,” according to Automoblog, and its models have respectable tread, temperature and traction ratings.
Lexani
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Average price (according to SimpleTire): from $64.96 to $565.99 per tire depending on tire size selected (for LX-Twenty line)
Lexani tires are designed to help you stay safe on the road at all times, using tried-and-true tread designs and road-grip-enhancing compounds. These tires also have wide shoulder pads, which improve grip when driving around, especially at speed. Although Lexanis are often purchased for luxury cars such as Mercedes, Bentley, Ferrari, Tesla and BMW, they are one of the few high performance tire options that are still affordable. Lexani offers all-terrain and performance all-season tires that look great too.
General
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Average price (according to Tirebuyer): from $188.22 for all-terrain tires to $609.99 for heavy-duty tires
General Tire is among the best tire brands available for producing a flexible selection of models for different applications. Their models are made of premium materials and are designed to withstand the most rigorous safety testing. General Tires are priced above most in this list, but some of their tires are among the best in the business. According to Consumer Reports, its Altimax RT43 model is the second-best all-season tire available, behind the more expensive Michelin Defender T+H, and its Grabber HTS60 ranks second in all-season tires.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 8 Affordable Tire Products That Can Extend the Life of Your Car