Price vs. recommendation? It's a toss-up

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The majority of American car owners are split evenly between price and a dealer-recommended product when it comes to criteria for selecting tires, according to Hankook Tire America Corp.'s latest Tire Gauge Index.

The tire company's conclusion applies to the 62 percent of car owners who don't opt for the tire brand that's on their vehicle when it comes time to replace those tires.

Hankook also pointed out that more than half of U.S. drivers took advantage of a rebate when buying tires — including 10 percent who used a rebate to buy tires and then store them for future use.

Hankook's observations are based on a survey of 953 randomly selected U.S. drivers, conducted Feb. 17-19.

Other nuggets gleaned from the study include:

• 41 percent of American drivers believe new tires last less than 25,000 miles;

• 65 percent wait until their tires' tread is worn before buying new; and

• 36 percent of new car buyers factor tire brands into their purchase decision.

The Hankook Tire Gauge Index is a quarterly survey of Americans that uncovers their attitudes and opinions about all things related to driving.