A Mini-Review of Some Cheap Tires in The Philippines
Sportrak SP726 Tire Review
We had a full set of the Sportrak SP728 205/65R15 installed on our car. Two tires in the front bulged within a year, and one in the back just under two years. The tread was still thick, but they were already useless since they were out of shape. the first two tires that went oblong bulged near the center of the tread, while the third caved in near the center.
The tires were noisy during cornering, even when they were new. They would start squealing at around 60 km/h. It seems like the tire has been discontinued, but when I went tire shopping in January and March of 2019 they were still available here. Some tire sites say that it's discontinued, but the Sportrak website still shows the tire.
I will never buy Sportrak tires again. I doubt that this is a fluke. Three out of the four tires failed.
Sailun Atrezzo Elite
I normally buy the most expensive tires within my budget since I occasionally push my tires to the limit. Tires are the point of contact between the road and your car. It makes sense to invest in them. Here's a scenario: even if you have six-piston Brembo brakes, they won't be able to stop your car any quicker than your stock brakes if you have crappy tires. However, this case is different. I thought to myself, "Why spend Php 5,000 per tire on a slow, diesel MPV that I rarely take above 100 km/h?".
Undaunted by my initial failure with cheap tires, I wanted to try other brands. I spent many hours canvassing tire shops and browsing forums for the cheapest, reliable tires. I replaced the first two tires in January with Sailun Atrezzo Elites for Php 2650 each (including balancing and wheel weights). Sailun has been sold in the Philippines for quite some time now, compared to the relative newcomer, Sportrak. I reckon that they wouldn't have lasted this long in the market if they weren't reliable.
I've been driving on them for almost three months now and I am pleasantly surprised so far. It has a high treadwear rating of 360, but it grips pretty well for a tire with a traction rating of A. It used to be that tires with a high treadwear rating are like bricks that offer no grip whatsoever, so I'm impressed that Sailun managed to create a tire compound that is grippy but still have a long life. I'm used to UHP tires that are grippy but wear down quickly (around 200 treadwear rating). I've taken off-camber sweepers with the Sailun Atrezzos at 80 km/h and I don't hear a peep from them. It's pretty quiet, too. Road noise decreased compared to the Sportrak tires. The Sailun tires have a V speed rating (safe to take up to 240 km/h), but I've only taken them up to 140. I have not seen any noticeable tire wear yet in the three months that I have used them. The only thing I don't like about the Atrezzo Elite is its profile. It has rounder sidewalls, which doesn't look sporty at all.
Doublestar DH05
I replaced my next two tires using Doublestar DH05, which I got for Php 2,200 each. These were initially my first choice, but they weren't available at the tire store where I got the Sailun tires. These tires are distributed by Tiara Commercial and Industrial Corp. For those that don't know Tiara, they are the distributor of a some of the best tire brands on the market: Continental, Kumho, and Michelin. Doublestar is their least expensive and their only budget tire brand. For a company that has a solid reputation, I doubt that they would ruin it by selling subpar tires.
The Doublestar DH05 has an H speed rating, which is faster than what the car will ever see. If I remember correctly, the tires have a slightly less treadwear rating compared to the Sailun Atrezzo Elite. Those numbers are still pretty good, considering that the Sailuns cost a bit more.
I've only had the Doublestars for barely a month, so I can't yet say with certainty if they are any good. As for road noise, I feel like it's slightly noisier than the Atrezzo, but quieter than the Sportrak.
Sportrak SP726 tire review Philippines
Sailun Atrezzo Elite tire review Philippines
Doublestar DH05 tire review Philippines
