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OE vs Aftermarket tyres, what should I do?

There is common misconception about the tyres that come on your freshly purchased vehicle. See, every vehicle manufacturer chooses the right tyre for a particular vehicle on a number of different driving factors it was designed to handle. However, this may be entirely different for the end consumer and the conditions he or she intends on tackling. OE tyres or Original Equipment tyres have been chosen by your vehicle manufacturer for a number of reasons including fuel efficiency, rolling resistance, comfort and above all cost. 

One great example of this is off road tyres. When you pick up your brand-new Ford Ranger, Ford would typically choose an OE tyre based on meeting certain criteria with the focus being on comfort, fuel efficiency, on-road handling, on-road wear life and a quiet ride. Funny enough though, not off road. If your plan is to stay on-road then the OE choice made by the manufacturer is most likely the one for you, however aftermarket 4X4 tyres are a worthy investment if you’re an avid off-roader.

When the time comes to replace your OE tyres, you can go down 1 of 2 roads. If the driver is happy and enjoys the ride, comfort and lifespan of the OE tyre, then a replacement set is most likely. However, the chances of getting a truly identical tyre may not be possible. Due to the tyres tread compound, it’s likely the OE version had a much harder tread compound for lower rolling resistance. While the replacement may have a better dry or wet traction due to a much softer compound. Assuming the consumer finds the exact OE tyre, with no changes in construction or tread compound, chances are it’s going to be an “OE downstream”. The best tyres go to the vehicle manufacturers for fitment on new cars, and the rest go straight to the replacement market.