If you need a set of brand-new high-end tires, you’re probably looking at spending around $1,000. They’ll likely handle and perform better, last longer, and some all-seasons may even be good enough to justify not buying a set of dedicated winter tires, but that’s still a lot of money. In a hypothetical scenario where your old ones are starting to wear out, but you can’t afford a new set, should you just keep driving on them or replace them with something cheaper?
That’s exactly the question the YouTube channel Tyre Reviews set out to answer in its latest comparison test. They were able to get a set of Michelin CrossClimate 2s that had been machined down to 2.2 mm and then driven on the road for 2400 miles. At that point, the remaining tread was essentially the bare minimum amount you could possibly still have on a tire before it absolutely needs to be replaced.
The brand-new budget tires, on the other hand, were Tomket AllYear 3s. And just for fun, they also tested a new set of the Michelins and a worn set of the Tomkets. So after driving them in snowy, wet, and dry conditions, did the new Tomkets beat the old Michelins? Nope.
In the snow, the new Michelins were the clear winners, but the worn ones still beat the new Tomkets. Additionally, while the old Michelins were three seconds slower than the new ones on the snow course, the worn Tomkets were 7.5 seconds slower than the new ones. That’s a much more drastic drop in performance over the lifetime of the tire compared to the Michelins.
We’re not talking about a garbage tire here, either. When Tyre Reviews did its latest all-season tire test, the Tomkets actually performed pretty well. They even beat out a number of more expensive tires that were included in the comparison. And while it was a small difference, the new Tomkets did technically beat the worn Michelins.
As for how the dry and wet testing went, you’ll have to watch the video below to see for yourself. But spoiler: In the end, they still preferred the worn Michelins.