Primewell Tires vs. Laufenn

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So my truck has 260k miles and I need some new tires. I have always been a believer in getting good tires. However, I fear this next set of tires will outlast my time with the truck. Probably going to get a newer one in 18 months.

I used to sell tires (briefly) Firestone whom also sells Primewell. They are okay for the money, but not a lot of technology in them.

I called discount tire since I have their card and use the 0% interest and they said they don't sell primewell because they don't meet Discount Tire's Safety policy. He said Discount tests each tire and won't sell ones that don't meet their criteria.
Sounds like hogwash to me, but
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They do sell Luafenn, which are priced the same but made by a different company ( a subsidiary of Hankook I believe)

So Laufenn are new and not to many reviews, but I do know primewell.

Any info out there between the two?

One of the vendors I work with uses them on his company van. He gets a tire budget and is allowed better tires, but he always uses Primewell Valera HT's. (highway tread)
Living here in Colorado, he doesn't have much trouble getting around.

I know these certainly won't get as good of traction as Discoverers, Transforce, Duelers or Destinations, but, they do ok.

Just wondering between these two tires, is it six of one, half dozen the other?
What about the salesman's claim of not meeting Discount Tire's "Spec"?

Thanks for any insight.
Truck is 3/4 ton daily driver, less than 10k per year.
 
If you're getting another truck in less than 2 years, it probably doesn't matter. I'd try out the Laufenn tires since they're new and if they turn out to be great, you'll know whether it's worth it for your next truck, for a good price.
 
You can order some Coopers on Discounttiresdirect and them shipped to your local DT store for install. Great tires and they have up to a $70 rebate going on now thru 4/15.
 
I would pick the Laufenn 100%. They are made at the same plant as the Hankooks as well.

I have a pair of the I do have the X-Fit AT's on one set of wheels on my Trailblazer. I haven't taken them off cause I love them. No road noise, great traction, nice riding tires. I had a chance to test them in light snow and I wasn't sliding all over. Today I had a chance to try them in heavy rain (again) and traction was outstanding.
 
Even if I were getting rid of a car soon, I wouldn't cheap out on tires. It just takes one accident with cheap tires to get you killed. I would just get good tires and chalk it up to the cost of staying alive.
 
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Even if I were getting rid of a car soon, I wouldn't cheap out on tires. It just takes one accident with cheap tires to get you killed. I would just get good tires and chalk it up to the cost of staying alive.

^ This.
 
I'd rather use Hankook, Kumho, Falken, Cooper, or Kelly.

Hankook is already a cheap brand. Do you really want an even cheaper version of an already-cheap tire?
 
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Even if I were getting rid of a car soon, I wouldn't cheap out on tires. It just takes one accident with cheap tires to get you killed. I would just get good tires and chalk it up to the cost of staying alive.


Then you should send him a certified check for the difference.
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Even if I were getting rid of a car soon, I wouldn't cheap out on tires. It just takes one accident with cheap tires to get you killed. I would just get good tires and chalk it up to the cost of staying alive.


Then you should send him a certified check for the difference.


It's his life. If he wants to risk dying sooner it's really up to him. I just hope he doesn't kill someone else.
 
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Even if I were getting rid of a car soon, I wouldn't cheap out on tires. It just takes one accident with cheap tires to get you killed. I would just get good tires and chalk it up to the cost of staying alive.


Neither of these tires are "Unsafe". They meet the U.S. Federal safety requirements. Now I realize there are tires that are better tires out there with technologies in rubber compound, tread design, fuel savings etc., But to say these are "Unsafe" gonna kill someone is out in left field. I can assure you, that these tires are safer than the people with Michelin's, or whatever name brand tire with 1/32 or less of tread. That is a travesty on our highways, not people with less expensive tires


http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Shoppers/Tires+Rating

There are unsafe tires as noted by this site:http://www.carsdirect.com/car-repair/4-tire-companies-to-avoid:
Westlake Tires
AKS Tires
Telluride tires
Compass Tires
All of these brands of cheap tires are made by the China-based Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Company

None of these tires are on the safecar.gov NHTSA rated website.

I change my tires when they get to 3/32 of tread. (That my friend,,, is safe)
 
Originally Posted By: Cmobile


I called discount tire since I have their card and use the 0% interest and they said they don't sell primewell because they don't meet Discount Tire's Safety policy. He said Discount tests each tire and won't sell ones that don't meet their criteria.
Sounds like hogwash to me, but
21.gif



It sure sounds like garbage to me, too.

Giti tire owns and makes both the Primewell and GT Radial brands. Discount Tire sells the GT Radial brand. They're both lower-priced brands made in Giti factories, so I find it hard to believe the Primewells wouldn't meet their "safety policy" by the GTs will.

http://www.giti.com/corp/corporate.asp?referenceid=16&menuid=368&language=1

I like DT a lot. They've given me great service and prices, but that explanation doesn't make a lot of sense. The worker at DT should have just said it's a brand they don't carry.

Having said all that, I would still choose a Hankook value brand over a Giti value brand.
 
Oh please. If these tires were SO dangerous it would be well known and they wouldn't be sold by Discount Tire.
 
I did some research, and what I found was Primewell is a private label brand made exclusively for Firestone. So the DT salesman was just trying to get me in the door instead of their competitor Firestone.

I agree, Nick1994, these tires have been around for many years. They get some complaints of tread life, but not safety issues.
 
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Even if I were getting rid of a car soon, I wouldn't cheap out on tires. It just takes one accident with cheap tires to get you killed. I would just get good tires and chalk it up to the cost of staying alive.


Then you should send him a certified check for the difference.


It's his life. If he wants to risk dying sooner it's really up to him. I just hope he doesn't kill someone else.


My Gosh...such dramatics here on BITOG.
He will be fine running either tires. Are you guys taking drama lessons or something? What ridiculous statements. I thought most of us were grown men on this site.
 
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If you don't pay at least $225 per tire, your risk of dying or killing someone in an auto accident increases 10-fold.
 
This guy replied in a similar fashion when I expressed my distain for Primewells.

"Then you should immediately send the OP a CERTIFIED CHECK to cover the cost of six new tires of your choice!"

Amusing....
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Even if I were getting rid of a car soon, I wouldn't cheap out on tires. It just takes one accident with cheap tires to get you killed. I would just get good tires and chalk it up to the cost of staying alive.


Then you should send him a certified check for the difference.


This guy replied in a similar fashion when I expressed my distain for Primewells.

"Then you should immediately send the OP a CERTIFIED CHECK to cover the cost of six new tires of your choice!"

Amusing....
 
It all seems a little over-dramatic to me but it might be because I survived on buying used tires one or two at a time for 10 years with my Neon...

Being that my new DD is quite a bit nicer I feel like I might be able to justify the cost of actual new tires this time around.
 
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Originally Posted By: e55amgbenz007
This guy replied in a similar fashion when I expressed my distain for Primewells.

"Then you should immediately send the OP a CERTIFIED CHECK to cover the cost of six new tires of your choice!"

Amusing....


You seemed quite eager to spend another dude's money.
 
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