As a lockdown project I've been working on getting an old Saab 900 back on the road that's been sitting around for a long time, to the point where the tires on it were disintegrating from dry rot. I know all the warnings and bad experiences with cheap tires. However I don't know yet where this is going so I did not want to spend a fortune, just something so the car can be moved around and driven locally for now.
I considered used tires but that's really a crapshoot. I started looking around at less expensive tire lines and found "Waterfall Eco Dynamic" tires at Wal-Mart. Reviews were good and the tires were less than $35 each for the needed size. That's used tire price territory. A bonus is that they are NOT made in China - they are made in Turkey. So I took a chance and ordered a set online. Unfortunately due to the current pandemic it turns out the Wal-Mart stores (at least in my area) are not currently installing tires, despite huge "TIRE SALE!" signs plastered outside and inside the store. So I took them to a local service station that's been around forever for mounting and balancing. (Remember gas stations that actually serviced cars?
) Cost a few bucks more than Wal-Mart would have charged but these guys actually know what they're doing.
So today I got enough done on it to take the car out for a fairly long ride and I'm pleasantly surprised at these inexpensive tires. They're quiet, smooth, and ride & handle well. In fact at first blush I'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between these and the leading brands at least for normal driving. Of course I don't know yet how they'll grip in the wet and who knows how long they'll last, but I'm pretty happy with these budget doughnuts.
I considered used tires but that's really a crapshoot. I started looking around at less expensive tire lines and found "Waterfall Eco Dynamic" tires at Wal-Mart. Reviews were good and the tires were less than $35 each for the needed size. That's used tire price territory. A bonus is that they are NOT made in China - they are made in Turkey. So I took a chance and ordered a set online. Unfortunately due to the current pandemic it turns out the Wal-Mart stores (at least in my area) are not currently installing tires, despite huge "TIRE SALE!" signs plastered outside and inside the store. So I took them to a local service station that's been around forever for mounting and balancing. (Remember gas stations that actually serviced cars?
So today I got enough done on it to take the car out for a fairly long ride and I'm pleasantly surprised at these inexpensive tires. They're quiet, smooth, and ride & handle well. In fact at first blush I'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between these and the leading brands at least for normal driving. Of course I don't know yet how they'll grip in the wet and who knows how long they'll last, but I'm pretty happy with these budget doughnuts.
Last edited: