It is time to purchase new tires for my Jeep Wrangler JKU. Most all of the driving will be on road/pavement. I am looking at the Cooper Discovery AT3. If anyone has these tires could you let me know what you think: Pros/Cons would be great?

 

I have them and they are great on the road especially in rain/snow. They do pretty good driving on the beach here as well. I would buy them again.

 

Pro, they are made in Findlay OH so your supporting a US made tire. In fact this is the oldest tire plant in the US.

Con, this plant is being purchased by an Indian company and the union is disgruntled. Quality is going down-hill fast as a result.

In general Cooper tires are pretty good. Their Mud tire is a sleeper and performs well.

BTW- ProComp tires are also made in this plant.

 

Put a set of Cooper AT3's, stock size of 245/75/16, on the wifes JKU last year. She loves the tires. Very good on the highway and very quiet. Great in the rain and what snow we had. As was stated manufactured in the USA. Ordered online through Sears and delivered in 2 days. Had them installed at local Sears. Cost was $1053.99 for 5 tires mounted, balanced, with new stems, free 5 tire rotation for life of tires and 3 free alignments per year for 3 years. 55K mile warranty on tires. Wife's happy I'm happy

 

I have the older version which was the Discoverer AT. I have had them on my jeep for 5 years and I have almost 30,000 miles on them. They work great off road and are not loud on the highway. I have done a lot of off road in Utah, Colorado, Arkansas, and Louisiana with them. They don't have the same traction on the pavement and will slip on wet pavement if you drive to aggressive. I might have a 3000 to 4000 miles left on mine and I will be due a new set. I might have got more miles with them if I didn't pull a popup camper for 5000 miles during that time. I was planning on getting the newer AT3 to replace mine with when I did.

Hope this answers you question. Oh I am running the 265 75 16 size too.

 

It looks like it's true about the Indian Co. Apollo Tire buying out Cooper, however from what I've read it looks like there will be no changes at the facility. A few excripts from the Blade:
Cooper Tire acquired by India firm for $2.2 billion
Company says Findlay operation safe

FINDLAY — A tire company based in India will spend $2.22 billion to buy Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., but officials said there were no plans to pull out of Findlay or shut down any of Cooper’s four U.S. manufacturing plants.

Together, the combined company will be the seventh-largest tire company in the world, with 2012 revenues of $6.6 billion, officials said.
“We’re in a position of strength,” Roy Armes said in a phone interview. “We came off 2012 with a record year in sales and profitability. We think this [offer] is a very good value for our company. I think we’ve been undervalued with our performance the last few years, and this is a very compelling offer.”
Apollo will pay Cooper stockholders $35 per share in the all-cash deal, a 43 percent premium over where Cooper’s shares closed Tuesday. It’s also 25 percent more than Cooper’s highest share price in the last decade.
Shares of Cooper’s stock soared 41 percent Wednesday, closing at $34.66 per share.
Mr. Armes said Cooper expects to keep its current management team in Findlay and maintain all its manufacturing and distribution facilities. That includes a tire plant in Findlay that employs more than 1,000 people.
“They want us to keep operating as we have been, because that’s been what’s made us successful,” Mr. Armes said.
While calling the joining good for both, Mr. Healy said he has doubts it will have any major impact on the tire industry. The new firm “will only be the seventh-largest combined company when it gets approved, so I don’t think it will change the competitive dynamics of the industry.”
Mr. Healy agreed that Apollo is unlikely to change Cooper Tire much.
“I think there’s a lot of concern of what the future is of Cooper, because they are such a large player in Findlay,” Findlay Mayor Lydia Mihalik said. “What I’m able to tell [people] is by all accounts this is a great move for Cooper, ensuring Cooper’s long-term sustainability.”

 

The thing this left out was new union contracts.... I am on the outside of this, but work for a local automation distributor. It is kind-of important for us to stay on the pulse of what is going on in local MFG. I haven't been able to sort our if the issues are paranoia or founded. One thing is for certain, people hate change and when left to assume what it means will often assume the worst.

 

I have cooper stt 16000 miles on them no cupping or chunking so far. Wearing great. Ill buy coopers again.

 

Thanks for the Info.
Sorry it took so long to reply but, I could not reply. The Reply function was not working for me.
Again thank you for your input.

Epuffer