Wheels have since been one of man’s oldest and most important inventions. I would even say that wheels are the bedrock for modern civilization. Because of this invention, we can reach and transport goods to different places much more efficiently. Even with the current development pace of modern science, wheels still play a part in modern society.
Today, wheels are still in use in any form of transportation—except probably in ships. However, nowadays, we refer to them as tires rather than wheels. Tires are what helps you keep in contact between your vehicle and the road. Nevermind your car’s horsepower, brakes, or any other cool-sounding features. If you have a bad tire, they are as good as worthless.
Most people tend to overlook their tire’s condition. They rather focus on the latest car’s features or the latest models. Rarely do they look at what new tire models have to offer. I get that tires are unappealing since they are just plain old rubber. However, as boring as they look, they can make a lot of difference.
At a Glance
Buying A Good Tire
A good tire can make a lot of difference. It can improve your handling, traction in different weather conditions, improve fuel economy, and overall much safer. I understand the unappealing proposition of buying a new tire. After all, as long as it works, it’s good, right? I sincerely disagree.
If you buy just any tire, you might find yourself in a lot of trouble. Some tire brands sell tires that are not of good quality. These tires can get flat easily, and they are very prone to wear and tear. Even if they are cheap, the money you will spend on maintaining or fixing them will costs you more than buying a high-quality tire.
Perhaps, you are a new driver yourself, and you are looking for a tire brand that offers good quality tires. So how will you exactly find which tire is suitable for your car? And if you find one, are they good quality? Fortunately for you, we are here to solve that dilemma.
In this article, I am going to show two tire brands to you. The first would be Cooper tires, and the second is Firestone tires. These two tire brands are one of the most reputable tire brands. We are going to make a comparison between the two and see which one will work out.
Cooper Tires
If you are on a tight budget, Cooper tires are a good recommendation. They are one of the industry’s cheap tire brands, but does this mean they sacrifice quality? We will soon see.
The cooper brand has been around since 1914. It might seem old, yes, but it’s new when you compare it to other tire brands. They first started as a brand that sells tire fix kits. Later on, they started to develop some tires.
While it isn’t a household name like Goodyear, Michelin, and Bridgestone—it still covers 5% of the market. Cooper tires are cheap and readily available. These household-name tires can cost up to $800 for an entire SUV tire set. On the other hand, you can purchase an entire SUV tire set for only $600 with Cooper tires.
Cooper tires make different tires for different car models and different purposes. You can purchase a Cooper tire for your Jeep, SUV, pick-up trucks, saloons, and minivans. They can also come in all-terrain tires and snow tires.
Cooper Tires Ratings
Every tire rand will have their products evaluated for road safety, and the same is true likewise with Cooper Tires. Before we get into the results of the evaluation, let’s first look into their methodologies. There are three categories Cooper tires must pass, traction, tread wear, and temperature resistance.
Let’s break down each category, and here is how safecar.gov defines them:
- Traction: This evaluation rates the tire’s ability to “hold” the road. In their tests, they grade how good the tire is on wet pavement. They evaluate if the tire can stop or will simply slide off. Traction is graded from highest to lowest as AA, A, B, and C.
- Treadwear: This evaluation looks into the tire’s relative wear rate. The higher the number, the lower the wear rate. The lab-control tire is assigned a grade of 100, and meanwhile, they compare tires to the control tire. For example, a tire grade of 300 should wear thrice as long as the control tire.
- Temperature: This evaluation tests the tire’s resistance against heat. Drivers can find themselves driving on the open road in the hot weather. It may result in tire deterioration and thus leading to blowouts. Temperature is graded from highest to lowest as A, B, and C.
So how is Cooper Tires holding up? Simply look at the chart below:
| Treadwear Score | Traction Score | Temperature Resistance | |
| Cooper Tires | 400-600 | A-AA | B-A |
Note that this is a general average score for Cooper Tire Models.
Firestone Tires
Firestone tires brand has since been around 1900. Since then, they have built themselves a good reputation, making themselves a household name. Unlike the other household name brands, however, Firestone tires lean itself on the cheaper side. Now, Firestone is a subsidiary of Bridgestone—which holds 19.5% of the market.
Firestone is a good competition against Goodyear and Michelin. Despite not being as large as them, Firestone can keep still stand against these giants. Firestone produces different tires for different car models and different purposes. They have tires for SUVs, pickup trucks, jeeps, minivans, and saloons. Firestone is a good contender for cheap but reliable tires.
When you consider Firestone tires against its competitors, it holds itself up because of its’s price. For every SUV tire, it can cost as little as $105. While their all-terrain tires only cost somewhere n between $80-$120 each.
Firestone Tires Ratings
Firestone tires also have undergone the same trials as Cooper tires. So if you want to read the methodologies again, simply read again the categories above. That said, here is how Firestone tires hold themselves up:
| Treadwear Score | Traction Score | Temperature Resistance | |
| Firestone Tires | 460-560 | A | B |
Note that this is a general average score for Firestone Tire Models.
Which Is Better?
In my years of experience driving, I find myself more favorable with Cooper Tires. And the stats completely support my idea. They are generally longer-lasting, and they feel smoother on the road. As one of my colleagues says, you can’t go wrong with Cooper Tires. Once you bought one, you will understand what I am saying better.
You will feel more confident and more assured with Cooper Tires. Of course, Cooper Tires are not as good as Goodyear, Michelin, and Bridgestone. However, for its price, you will find it worth every penny.
What do you think? Do you think I missed something? Perhaps you want to add something? If so, comment on them below. Also, we offer other guides as well such as:
