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Chinese Tires

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DougF

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An article has just been posted on MSN homepage reporting on Chinese tires. Sources are Consumer Report, Tire Rack, among others.
The report states that tires manufactured in China by known companies such as Goodyear, Michelin, Kuhmo and others are made to corporate standards and are not to be worried about.
Tires manufactured under Chinese names are made to world or USA standards. But, they also state that these tires are unproven and let the buyer beware. Companies are copying tread patterns of well known tires, leading the buyer to believe they would be of similar or same quality and they aren't. You get what you pay for.
There have not been many deaths attributed to Chinese tires.
I just had new tires purchased at Tire Rack installed on my daily driver. The shop owner said he was shocked that my new Dunlaps were manufactured in the U.S.. I hadn't realized the Chinese had such a great share of the tire industry.
 
~Remember the drywall~

:devilgrin:
 
Kuhmo had a prtetyy big recall a couple of years back.
My Kuhmos were so bad (tread like new) as far as sidewall weatherchecking, you could see the air inside the tyre.
I never, ever had Firestones or Goodyears do that.
One thing the folks in PRC like to do is cut corners.
The last big recall, the PRC manufacturer (not Kuhmo) changed the process and left some layer out top "save money" in manufacturing, bankrupting the importer.

I KNOW first hand what they do.

I do NOT trust them.
 
What! Worried about tires, do you like apple juice? It's a good chance a lot of the concentrate came from China. Buy Martinelli's apple juice if you can get it, 100% US produced, with 100% US apples.

And what about garlic? I know a lot of you like dehydrated garlic, also a good chance it's Chinese, all or in part. In 2003, California produced 170 million pounds and we imported 55 million lbs. In 2007 the number changed to 95 million from California and 160 million from China. Enjoy your Italian sauces.

I'm sorry, I just could not help myself...
 
I grow 8 varieties of organic garlic. Most are actually from Russia, but I do grow an Asian Purple variety.

I just noticed that Tropicana orange juice is made from orange juice from the U.S. and Brazil.

Triumph Content - I hang my garlic to dry on the back of my shop next to my 4A parts car front clip.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]There have not been many deaths attributed to Chinese tires. [/QUOTE]

Not many deaths???

Now that is truly comforting to hear. I'll pass on the Chinese brand, thank you! I'll bet there is no lawsuits like the ones against the Firestone tires on Explorers a few years ago.

The sad part is American companies are making tires there because they can't make anything here without having some government agency breathing down their throats. That was not meant to be political, but just a statement of fact covering the entire petro-chemical industry in the USA.
 
TOC said:
The last big recall, the PRC manufacturer (not Kuhmo) changed the process and left some layer out top "save money" in manufacturing, bankrupting the importer.
Click to expand...
Which, oddly enough, sounds like exactly the same thing that happened with the most recent flap over Firestone tires. Estimates vary, but they supposedly saved somewhere between $.10 and $1.00 per tire by leaving out a nylon ring near the bead.

But Ford had to share at least some of the blame; they had previously been buying tires from BFG (or maybe it was Goodyear, I forget which), who had refused to remove the ring and refused to lower their price any further. It was Ford who went to Firestone, because they were willing to remove the ring and sell cheaper.

And BTW, Firestone now belongs to the Japanese. If you can't tell the difference between Korea and China ... but it was Americans who met Ford's price point by leaving out the safety ring.
 
My husband has Pirelli P Zeros on his porsche... ...the fronts are Sunny. Ive never heard of them before, but they are a china brand... ...seems that the car has rather odd dimensions, and choice in tires is limited. You could get one pirelli for $400-600 depending on where you shop, or one Sunny tire for $50-100. Gee, I wonder why the PO went with Sunnies :crazy:

(just to let you know, we got the car for $3200 - which is pretty much was a set of 4 of the other brand would cost.)
 
TR3driver said:
TOC said:
The last big recall, the PRC manufacturer (not Kuhmo) changed the process and left some layer out top "save money" in manufacturing, bankrupting the importer.
Click to expand...
Which, oddly enough, sounds like exactly the same thing that happened with the most recent flap over Firestone tires. Estimates vary, but they supposedly saved somewhere between $.10 and $1.00 per tire by leaving out a nylon ring near the bead.

But Ford had to share at least some of the blame; they had previously been buying tires from BFG (or maybe it was Goodyear, I forget which), who had refused to remove the ring and refused to lower their price any further. It was Ford who went to Firestone, because they were willing to remove the ring and sell cheaper.

And BTW, Firestone now belongs to the Japanese. If you can't tell the difference between Korea and China ... but it was Americans who met Ford's price point by leaving out the safety ring.
Click to expand...

I got recalls on all my cars relating to valve stems. Apparently discount tire was getting a discount to on valve stems. I only took my cars in to have them replaced if I needed to replace a tire as well, so my husbands neon went without. A year or two after the recall I noticed my husbands tire was running real low on air. So low that we had to stop somewhere and air it up! Thats when I heard the hissing noise, and discovered that it was the valve steam itself. We had been driving 80mph on the highway like that!!!

We went straight to the nearest Discount Tire, but they were CLOSED!!! I had no idea they were closed on sundays. Apparently they all are. What was worse was, it was labor day weekend, so they were all closed on monday too. We had plans to drive 2 hours outta town to pick up a part for my gt6.

Thankfully there was no damage to the tire. I was real worried there was. They should still be liable for it though. Its not Kumhos fault.
 
Have a nice enclosed trailer (8x18) for my race motorcycle. WHile traveling to Atlanta from kentucky I lost two of the four tires. The remaining tires had a large amount of weather dry rotting marks. The trailer had only 200 miles on it and was not over loaded. Complained to the manufacturer (in Georgia) and got the run a round of my life. They said to go to the tire distributor, the tire distibutor said to go to the importer, they said to go back to the trailer MFG. Finally the trailer MFG ( who are very nice (I mean it)) forced the tire distributor by saying they would purchase their 200 tire a week lot from another tire distributor to give me four new (better) radial tires for free.
I work for GE. They are constantly buying parts from China for the products. Meanwhile down sizing to accomidate the price demands set by the Walmarts and Fords. We were at 650 employees ten years ago we are now down to 95.
Since the government, who is run by big business, allows China to import to the US and under price our companies we can no longer compete. We are slowly dying...
Good luck to our kids.
 
I have met the enemy, and he is us...
-Pogo

Given all the complaints people have about product quality and customer service, they'll still vote with their pocketbook every time... Chinese tires and similar such stuff are here because people buy them... and they're buying a lot because of an attractive price.

People will drive 10 miles to go to Home Depot to save 50 cents on a 2x4, then complain about how the help know nothing...

Service, quality and knowledge cost money... one gets what they pay for when they're looking to save that last penny...
 
You are correct however it is snow balling.. Less pay means less to spend which means you go to the cheapest place where the employees are paid less to keep the prices down... Vicious cycle.
That is why I boycott Walmart. It is my tocken effort to not contribute to the system. I know it is useless but I try...
Our contry in the next few years will be third world and bankrupt. Our standard of living will be gone and the world will no longer have us to bail out.
Very sad...

Maybe Obama will give me stimulus package... :-}
 
Ugh, it is tough to avoid but nearly EVERYTHING is now made in China. The quality of parts is definitely lacking!

I LOVE it when I find NOS british car parts. Who would have thought that genuine Lucas would end up being so desirable :crazyeyes:?


p.s. Not to bash China but the only things I appreciate from China were the things I bought while visiting the Mainland.
 
TFR said:
Have a nice enclosed trailer (8x18) for my race motorcycle. WHile traveling to Atlanta from kentucky I lost two of the four tires. The remaining tires had a large amount of weather dry rotting marks.We are slowly dying...
Good luck to our kids.
Click to expand...

Thing about trailer tires, even US made, is that they dry rot on the sidewall from UV exposure. Since you usually park the trailer in the same place for long periods of time, one side is usually exposed to the sun continuously. Happened to me too. Now I have a set of (Chinese made) tire covers on all the time it's parked. Tire walls are like new.
 
TOC said:
Kuhmo had a prtetyy big recall a couple of years back.
My Kuhmos were so bad (tread like new) as far as sidewall weatherchecking, you could see the air inside the tyre.
I never, ever had Firestones or Goodyears do that.
One thing the folks in PRC like to do is cut corners.
The last big recall, the PRC manufacturer (not Kuhmo) changed the process and left some layer out top "save money" in manufacturing, bankrupting the importer.

I KNOW first hand what they do.

I do NOT trust them.
Click to expand...

The largest tire recall (1978) was for the Firestone 500 (10 million tires). I had a set on my VW bus. These were replaced under recall with the Firestone 721. The 721's tread of the right front tire peeled off. This was with less than 3,000 miles and started with a "humming" sound then quickly followed with severe vibration (which clued me to slow and pull over). My buddy opened his front passenger door reached down lifting the tread saying "here's your problem". These Firestone 721's were recalled too (I had already decided "no more Firestones"). The 721 was said to be the father of the ATX/Wilderness fiasco in the 90's. Firestone? No thank you.
 
Folks, some of the posts here are getting dangerously close to politics. Whether I agree or not isn't the point, it's just not something I'm comfortable with. I'm going to lock this thread, but leave it in place so that the article links can be accessed. I think the salient points have been made. For what it's worth, I have put many many Michelin's on my cars, as well as Khumos and have been very pleased with both. The only time I ever had an issue (and it was a big one) was with Firestone tires. The set of tires I just ordered from my Jaguar are Vredesteins. That said, I'd just suggest that if you're happy with a particular tire brand, then use it. If you don't want to use a particular tire band, for whatever reason you may have, then don't.
 
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