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Are second tier tires good? Why are they cheaper?

Why is second tier tires cheap? Is second tier tires good? are secure? Worth to buy? Click and discover the answers of these questions!

by @tiresreview, at 2023/Oct

Are second tier tires good? Why are they cheaper?

When it comes to buying the tires of your car, surely someone will offer a little-known brand tire, claiming to be the second tier of some famous company. The price difference is very large from the second tier brands to the major brands. But why is second tier tires cheap? Is second tier tires good? Worth to buy? Let’s answer these questions.

What is the second tier tire?

The so-called second-tier tires are those more unknown brands, which are under the hat of a famous and traditional brand. It is a way that large manufacturers find themselves tackling the low-cost product market – which is very large, and grows more in times of crisis.

The name “second tier” comes from a concept that they are products of inferior quality, or secondary. But it has not been for some time.

Tier One is made up of the major tire companies’ premium brands. Examples: Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental and Goodyear.
Tier Two is made up of the companies’ mid-market brands. Examples: Pirelli, Firestone, Toyo, Yokohama, Cooper, General, Hankook, Dunlop, Nitto, Uniroyal, Kumho and Carlisle.

We have also Tier Three: is made up of “value” brand tires. They also have the lowest profit margins. Examples: Falken, Kelly, Nexen, Armstrong, Galaxy, Harvest King, Laufenn and Sailun.

Almost all major brands such as Goodyear, Michelin, Bridgestone, Dunlop and Continental have other parallel brands. They are new tires and produced following various quality standards.

Second tier tires have grown in consumer taste, especially at the cheaper cost. But why are second-tier tires cheaper? If companies can lower the prices of their tires, why not do it with the main brands?

Why are second tier tires cheaper?

You’ve asked yourself why the second tier tires are cheaper. Is not it more interesting for tire manufacturers to lower prices for premium products so that more people can get it?

In fact, this is not how it works. Setting up a second tier has many reasons, including branding.

Better the brand, more expensive

Like other consumer products, tires also add value to your brand. The more prestigious these brands reach, the more expensive their products are.

For this reason, if you lower the price of the product, it may appear that the brand sells substandard products with low added value. In other words, it shows that the brand is worth less than the others.

Why are second tier tires cheaper?

How can companies lower the price of second-tier tires? Simple, they cut various investments to achieve more competitive prices:

No advertising: These companies usually invest little or nothing in advertising. Try to remember when you saw the commercial of a cheap xing ling tire on the TV. That’s right, you did not see it.

Sales for Everyone: The selling strategy is also different. Second tier models are sold in supermarkets. They cost less, have lower profit margins, so they need to sell more to make good returns. Premium tires are often sold in tire shops.

Old tire design: Some brands take advantage of older tire models as they launch for second tier. They change the name and surname of the tire, but it is produced with the same characteristics of the previous original model. The company does not need to invest in research structure, new product development and machinery.

Less rubber: Companies save rubber too. Second tier tires usually have 7mm groove on the tread, while the more expensive tires have 8mm. If the tire of the main brand runs 50 thousand km or more, the secondary tire can stay for 40 thousand km. No miracle, paid less will have less product.

Manufacturing Material: To cheapen the final product, manufacturers replace more expensive materials with other simple and inexpensive ones. This reduces the grip and durability of the tire, of course.

Am I not being harmed?

Reduce tire height, use lower quality materials … You should be wondering if this is allowed. Am I being fooled when buying these products?

Not really.

Despite these particularities of second tier products, manufacturers are careful to keep these indices within the quality limits required by certifiers such as DOT.

That’s why it’s important that you evaluate the DOT labels, and make your choice by looking for a tire that fits your budget but offers good quality.