From Lab Tests, for light truck use, at least in US, Cooper tires were way up there, equal to Michelin. I've put over 100,000 US miles on a set of "rally spin balanced" Michelins and they still had some life left when I sold the vehicle. No matter what the tire, proper balancing is the critical element. Bubble balancing doesn't cut it. They need to be spin balanced warm on the vehicle, preferrably until the needle gives a flat reading
0-120 mph.
My s>Tires to me are just round rubber things that (hopefully) give me
a safe and good ride; I don't keep up with them or the people who >make them. >
>I'm looking for a new set at present, but I don't want to drop
>over half a grand on something that's going to simply piss me
>off like the last set of Dunlops I bought (bad flat spots).
>Has Dunlop bought Michelin? A guy at a tire place told me that
>on the phone yesterday, but I'm wondering if he was just babbling.
>He said Dunlop used "soft rubber" which made them prone to the
>flat spots I mentioned. Without giving it much thought, just going
>by things I've heard over the years, I've followed the line of
>thought that the big name tires not to buy are Goodyear, Firestone,
>and now, Dunlop. I'll always remember a set of tires I bought for
>my little Mazda over ten years ago. They were called Kleber (French,
>and I believe I was told they were Michelin's low-end product).
>They were the best damn tires I ever had...great ride and handling;
>and they stayed that way till I sold the car; never a bit of cupping.
>But it seems I've gotten more junk than not since then for my cars.
>What's the quality of Continental? Bridgestone? Is Michelin still
>the great tire it once was? I had a set of them for my Toyota back
>in the '70s and they were tops. Thanks for reading and good feedback >welcome! >
>---
>Cliff