I believe the major Chinese tire brand is called "GITI" tires. They're actually not bad...not bad at all.

To hell with free trade how about fair trade. What do you suppose is the standard of living of a Chinese tire worker. There will be plenty of jobs coming back to the USA as soon as we are all ready to work for $1.00 an hour to keep from starving.

Yes, because the manufacturer of the tires that blow under warranty was replacing them with the exact same tire,just made in the US.
I've ran into the same issue, once was rotors made in china bad out of the box, the other was replacing a U joint three times because it was made in china and finally getting an older box of the same brand and model but US made.

thank you. this is exactly how people need to look at it, including the huge deadweight loss to consumers that is inherent in this sort of protectionism.

It's funny that the pro-consumer attitude that is so prevalent on this blog suddenly goes out the window when this sort of issue comes along. Which side are you on, exactly, people?

By the time the front two tires wear out, I predict we will have jet engines that fit in their place.

Low sleep seems to affect my ability to imagineer vehicles.

"who are you to tell me I can't put those tires on my car if I choose to?"

Pay the tarriff. Buy the tires. Demand Chinese quality.

@NeverLetMeDown: China is basically exporting its lack of social support systems ( bird flu anyone?) and its ability to allow unfettered dumping of toxic wastes in the local rivers and landfills with impunity.

In the future, I foresee the Chinese gov't going to the UN to make the Western Countries pay up for the clean up of industrial waste caused by mass production of goods in China. By then all the exec's Walmart, et al will have already gotten their bonuses, moved production factories to the Sudan, Chad, or Nigeria, and then retired...

I think there should be an environmental tariff on Chinese goods importation...

@henrygates: I remain a junk yard hound due to the after affects of a divorce...

At least she cannot say I am living above my means...

@Traveshamockery: You mean those service jobs taken by recent ~immigrants~ such as a Boston Hyatt firing $15/hr+benefit workers for an outside service probably staffed with recent ~immigrants~?

Or all those call center jobs sent to India?

@Orv:

Yes, because all Chinese companies are the same, and all related products are identical. The Ford Pinto, made of American-made steel, was a dangerous car, so the Empire State Building (also made of American-made steel) is a deathtrap.

@catnapped:

Nope, made in Decatur, Illinois.

[en.wikipedia.org]

It might be one thing they've done right.

@Snarkysnake:

Nobody is saying that you should be forced to buy Chinese-made tires if you don't want to. By the same token, who are you to tell me I can't put those tires on my car if I choose to?

Also, for the record, no party in this discussion (either pro or anti tariffs) is making any claim that these tires are substandard or unsafe - in fact, the unions are complaining because they good tires at prices that US manufacturers can't match.

@Blueskylaw:

But why "should" they trend downward? Maybe I'm thick, but the statement doesn't make any sense to me from any angle, neither from the "really ought to morally" sense of should, nor from the "is expected to" sense of should.

Of course, short term, it'll just mean a higher average selling price for consumers.

Basically, pick a brand you trust (I don't screw around with off-brand tires), and pick the application (probably all-weather if you're not in the north), and pick the distance you want them to go before replacement (generally 20k-50k is the range of options).

Shop for prices, and don't be afraid to show an internet price to your local shop if you're a loyal customer. They probably can't match the price, but they may come down a few bucks.

And they have a stronger economy than the US.

If we outsource all our manufacturing to China who will be left to be "consumers"?

Our country's future is in intangible goods like software and other tech, service jobs, banking, etc.

See ,everything comes down to money with these wing nuts. Family dies in a fiery crash ? That's fine, as long as they can sell cheap stuff to everyone ,take the money and strip more companies (and their jobs) out of our economy and make even more money. Lather ,rinse ,repeat.

I guess that I am like a lot of folks that are just tired of the whole public policy debate being driven by what's good for Wall Street and wherever it sends our good jobs, not to mention selling unsafe, poisonous and downright dangerous products in the name of "free trade".

@NeverLetMeDown:

I put in the disclaimer "should" trend downward, knowing that they won't is pretty obvious to most people.

"The White Shadow" was one of my favorite shows of all time! You can see episodes on Hulu now.

[www.americaneconomicalert.org]

I just got back from Europe. They pay a little more for things there, but they also have high-quality products, made in Europe, by Europeans. And they have a stronger economy than the US.

I'm sick and tired of the US propping up other economies, especially when they're the economies of nations that are our economic enemies.

But when the cord fractured, I had the money to go to a better brand and something more suited for my driving on caliche roads.

There are a few posts on rv forums where people were buying trailers over the last couple years that had chinese made tires which were blowing out with very few miles on them. Replacing with US made and they last years and many miles.

If you increase the taxes on goods imported INTO your country, then the other countries retaliate by increasing taxes on goods exported FROM your country to theirs, OR they increase taxes on goods exported from their country TO yours.

Consider the result:

Goods in the US go up in price, as all import prices go up, why would local businesses not take the opportunity to increase prices? Americans feel good that they're buying American.

Goods in the other countries remain at the same price as only a small percentage of the goods increase in price. The goods that are not competitive are not purchased. People from that country don't really care because there's no patriotism in imports anyways.

Net result? Cost of living for those in the US goes up, cost of living elsewhere in the world is completely unaffected. The US becomes a poorer nation, albeit a prouder one.

The above is setup to happen with American steel shortly, as our prime minister hasn't convinced your president it's a bad idea; I expect once the law is enacted we'll be greatly increasing tariffs on US imported steel. China has plenty of steel to offer us to compensate for the lack of US steel. Not to mention we have our own steel factories.

On goods where the US would be the sole (or nearly sole) producer, normally what will happen is the other countries will retaliate by increasing export tariffs on goods the US relies on (Especially if the other country is a sole producer--eg: Canada could retaliate against the US steel measures via increased lumber export tariffs).

Pretty much the textbook definition of "Trade War". Although if it's only practiced against China, they don't tend to retaliate for some reason...

@CAJensen01:

The #s I gave are illustrative of a simple point - tariffs always cause significant deadweight loss. If you want the government to transfer money from tire consumers to US tire workers, it's always more efficient to just put a tax on tires, and write checks to the workers. Of course, no politician wants to do that, so they choose the "protecting the American worker" angle and impose tariffs. The net impact on the consumer is the same though.

My car came with them (Toyo brand, made in China) and I've been thinking of changing over to Canadian or American made only because of where the tires are made, but haven't seen anything adverse about tires made in China. There was one recall for an off brand trailer tire -- that's all I could find.

But as per the argument of not making everyone else pay more for American products -- if you don't effectively want any mfg. jobs to remain in the United States then I guess that's a good argument.

Even thought I have to change the wheels every 5,000 miles, I still have the most poplar car in town!

@TheSpatulaOfLove: Haha, I love the "black round and hold air" crowd. At the shop I used to work at we had these tires called SBR's... Stood for "Steel Belted Radial". That was the name of the tire.... Seriously.... And we sold them to every idiot that walked in and said "I want the cheapest tires I can get." and then they'd be upset when they lasted 12k miles... Congrats, you saved 80 dollars.

(I only use tires for swings though)

@pecan 3.14159265: I've worked in the Automotive vulcanized rubber application industry (AKA, tire bitch) for a long time, and I can safely say, you get what you pay for in tires. For the money, Toyo's and Yokohama's are good. Kumho's are good, but don't last a real long time. Cooper's are decent (a branch of Goodyear) Stay away from anything with names like Nankang... I have one personal rule for buying tires: Where was it made? The only acceptable answer is US, Brazil, France, Japan, Canada. Tires from just about everywhere else (generally speaking) are junk. But in the end, spend a few more bucks, get a premium tire (Goodyear, Michelin, Firestone [ignore the bad rap, they are great tires], Bridgestone, etc.) and you will get a longer lasting, more comfortable riding tire.

The new tariffs only affect Chinese tires, so it really will just push some tire production out of China and into the other cheap tire manufacturing centers. There will probably be no change to US tire manufacturing. The upper ends of tire lines will still be produced in the US. The cheaper side of the spectrum will still be imported.

This case is small potatoes, really, but was seen as an easy test case for future trade restriction suits to be brought by companies and unions.

@pecan 3.14159265: Where's the grill on that car -- and what's that box where the gas/petro goes? Electric?

@Blueskylaw:

Why would that happen? If you're a business, and your competitors are forced to (effectively) raise prices, why would you _lower_ your prices?

@Blueskylaw: I don't think you got the economics right; tarrifs deter buying from the taxed country by attempting to eliminate the cost difference. So, if the tarrif was set appropriately, the cost of tires from China will now approach domestic and non-tarrifed makers. There's no incentive for domestic makers to reduce pricing

@pecan 3.14159265: I remember liking that show.. but I don't remember why.

I don't even like basketball.

You and I are in the minority here. I never understood the whole 'just give me black and round' when they haul their kids around in said vehicle...

It was hard getting over my negative perceptions of retreads...but, some research and an open mind helped. So far, I'm glad on every level that I made the decision.

@Notsewfast: I think it's time for some chrome spinners.

@thesadtomato: Argh! Bad typing.

How I knew it was Europe: Cars? No. License plates? No. Graffiti? Yes!

I bet you get great traction in the winter time too...look at those tree rings!

@Notsewfast: H

@johnfrombrooklyn:

Vive la protectionism.

Also on my older cars I bought used from a friend who actually owns a small tire repair shop. He can't get new ones at good prices but he's honest and cheap for the plugs/used tires.

Sounds like a great idea if you only want Americans to buy American tires.

To go from 100% of the world population wanting your products to 5% is probably not the *intended* effect, but is the *actual* end effect of protectionist trade measures.

But it does hurt anyone who has a car and needs tires.

The US is still the world leader in manufacturing anyway. The US just manufactures capital intensive and high tech items like medical equipment, drugs, jet engines, and semi-conductors.

@econobiker:

Well, I bet if we put punitive tariffs on _all_ imports, then things would be perfect, huh? Smoot-Hawley worked so well, after all.

At least that doesn't affect the used tire / junk yard tire pricing...

In late 2007 I hit the junkyard jackpot for my Dodge Neon tires-4 x 14" matched-style Dunlops DOT date coded to late 2006 already mounted on Neon rims and barely used!
Purchase of wheels with rims: $60 (about $13 each)
NTB coupon to balance (and rotate): $25
Now have about 20,000 on those

Typical used tire places charge $15-20 per tire w/ mounting plus $5-$10 extra for balance.

This is true recycling...

@CAJensen01:

There are ~225 million vehicles in the US. Say each needs a new set of tires every 3 years, so 75 million sets, or 300 million tires/year. At $5/tire, that's $1.5 billion/year out of US consumers' pockets. If that saves 1000 jobs, that's $1.5 million/year/job. Seems like a pretty lousy deal to me.

Nobody's saying you can't pay extra for tires, or saying that you can't send a check every month to Cooper or Cooper's employees. Just don't make the rest of us do it.

By "up to 12 percent" means it will go up 12 percent.

On another note, I thought tarrifs on imported tires meant that domestic tire prices should trend downward.

The downside is that I have to spray for termites...

If I have to pay $5-$10 per tire to keep Americans employed and making tires, then I'm completely for it. The adverse affect of having 1,100 more people not having purchasing power to support all kinds of other companies is a worse outcome.

Companies with mfg. facilities in the US can finally return to profitability with tariffs.

@johnfrombrooklyn: No, one small victory for all American workers, not unions.

If we outsource all our manufacturing to China who will be left to be "consumers"?

Hey Cooper -- tarriffs are supposed to reduce imports...hint, hint

Lord, help me. I need more coffee. I read the headline and thought, "why is someone charging Bradley Cooper more for tires?" And then that led to the requisite "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper" episode in which Mr. Cooper gives some kind of moral lesson in the form of a basketball analogy, which is more or less all of the episodes.

But on topic...anyone know enough about tires to tell me how cheap can I go before getting a bad deal? I have no idea how to pick tires, and I don't think we'll need to replace ours anytime soon since our car is only a year old, but all it takes is a really sharp piece of metal to ruin a good tire, and they're starting to do a lot of construction on nearby roads.