Do cheap tyres wear quicker?
When looking into purchasing replacement tyres for any vehicle, you may be forgiven for getting a little overwhelmed by the range of options available. With this range of options comes a range of prices that is just as wide, leaving many to question whether the additional expense of a premium tyre is worth it.
There’s an old saying which rings just as true with tyres as it does in any other context, "If you buy cheap, you buy twice." There are a range of reasons behind this when it comes to tyres, which we will take a look at now.
Outperforming in almost every aspect
Our years of experience tell us that the big-name tyre brands, such as Pirelli, Sumitomo or Bridgestone, often come with a higher price tag than the more pocket-friendly budget options, but there is a significant benefit to these more expensive tyres. A budget tyre will consistently wear out faster than its premium counterpart for a number of different reasons.
Most notably, the large sums that the premium manufacturers spend on research and development will filter down to the consumer level tyres, making them last longer, providing better handling, and improving fuel efficiency.
Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli has been the sole provider of tyres to F1 since 2011 and whilst there is little in common between the tyres on Lewis Hamilton's car and yours, the gains on tyre wear and fuel efficiency made by the manufacturer at this level will ultimately result in improvements in consumer tyres.
Budget tyres wear out faster
The simplest metric to look at with tyres is the issue of how quickly they wear out. Budget tyres are simply not as long lasting as their more expensive counterparts. There are some very clear reasons for this, including the aforementioned research and development. Similarly, budget tyres may be made of poorer quality rubber, which almost certainly lacks the antioxidant compounds which are likely to be included within more expensive products.
The plus side to budget brands
Looking at the positive side for a budget tyre, they are best suited to slower speeds on relatively well-maintained urban roads. Alternatively, they can do an adequate job on cars which don't do a large annual mileage. If money is tight, new budget tyres are better than a set of badly worn and unsafe tyres which are on the verge of failing, but you would need to be realistic in your expectations as to how long they are likely to last.
In conclusion, a budget tyre is able to do a job at a pinch but is likely to need to be replaced far sooner than a more expensive counterpart due to the speed at which it will wear out. The budget tyre is also likely to be less fuel efficient than the premium model.
Book with Protyre
If you are concerned about the condition of your tyres feel free to get in touch with your local Protyre garage for a free tyre check, where our tyre professionals can take a look at your vehicle and offer advice on the condition of your tyres and the best steps to take next for your vehicle.
