I thought these where a good buy?

I got a quote from local pep boys(acutally about 1.5 hr away)

but it was like 860 for 5 installed....

given installed that doesnt seem bad but I can get firestones dest m/ts for a about 1050 installed for 5................

which would be a better tire?

at only $150 difference I would think the Firestone would be the better choice but maybe the definities are good?

 

The Definitys are OK if only in mud...but they oxidize more quicky than some other tires, and are more prone to rock damage than some as well.

The Firestone Destination MT's are also good in the mud, and for the price, very competitive.....and they last longer than the Definity's do...

Between those two - I'd do the Destinations over the Definity's in a heart beat.

 

They are made by Cooper, other places seem to speak favorably about them. Seems the only question some people bring up is the 2 ply sidewall, but then that is an across the Cooper line thing and no one questions the tear resistance of those other lines, Cepek, Mickey Thompson, ProComp, and just plain old Coopers.
You don't give a tire size so your guess, as to price fairness, is as good as anyone's.

I don't like Firestone, and I don't recall why. There probably was a good reason, a long time ago, but I don't remember what it was. So I just keep an unreasonable bias against Firestone, and it works for me.

So they are the budget line from a reputable manufacturer, with fairly favorable reviews, they can't be all bad. Likely a good inexpensive tire.

 

and it's a $190 difference. 1050 - 860

 

"Made by" does NOT mean its the same tire.

Private label tires (And washers, etc...) are NOT made to the same specs as the parent companies other tires.

Tires in this case are made to meet a "price point" to match the demographics of the Joe Consumer expected to walk into a particular shop.

Walmart, PepBoys, Sears, etc....ALL get tires made to meet price points.

What does that mean to the buyer?

Well, it means that to get the price down, some things that WERE there, had to be made less expensive.

For tires, the rubber compounding is changed almost every time...as the tread and sidewall still LOOK the same, but, instead of an expensive compound that might last 65K and get good grip on wet roads, they substitute a cheaper compound that might last 75K but might not have as good grip in the wet stuff, and might not wrap rocks as well, might degrade if hit by sunlight or ozone more quickly, etc. (Remember the Good - Better - Best charts? The ONLY criterion was how many MILES they'd go)


The second thing is the carcass....Take Cooper for example, their three ply sidewall is called Armor-Tek, and works very well....and, they use it for their own brand's STT for example, and, for the appropriate Procomp tires and for the Generals Grabber2's they also make. (The other General Grabbers SUCKED)

For the discount places, yup....no armor-tek, just a thin/regular old sidewall stuff, that rocks eat for lunch.



In short - even a tire that SAYS its a Goodyear, or BFG, or whatever....may be made to a price point JUST for the chain that is going to sell them...

And, again, its not just tires, appliances, etc, too. (Anything is vulnerable essentially...)

Look at model numbers at Walmart for example....they will be different from the "Same" model at Sears, etc.

Its because they custom order a few million of something in a contract, and the supplier will bend over (not even backwards - just bend over...) and take the order.

An order for a few million of ANYTHING gets a supplier's attention....and they "Assume the Position".

 

the guy at pep boys told me that they where 10 ply


150-190 .... miscalculated a bit

but still $200 diff for a name brand

guess it all depends on which is overall better in wear and offroad tuffness for me

ill prob go with firestone mainly cause its local but the dakotas look good

 

Your getting boned, the pep boys near me sells the 285/75/16 definity mt for 123.99 per tire. They mount and balance for $20 per tire if you bought the tires there. Thats 657.15 for the tires (including tax) + 100.00 for mount and balance = $757.15 OTD. Hope this helps.

 

i have them and love them they do have thin side walls but i take them on th erocks regularly and the hold up great to 10 psi i wasnt impressed with themin the snow mud was good and street driving was outstanding and best of all cheap wheelerbob has a closser price to what i paid 123 for 285 dont get me wrong they def arent the best tire around but for the price i am happy here some pics ]

 

You guys are also forgetting the buy 4 get one free deal, which includes mounting and balancing... so... its 145*4 (for 5 tires) = 580 total + tax (1.08) = 620 OTD!

 

I have the Dakota's on my dodge dakota plow truck. Great tire , ride , wear , price.