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There are a lot of tire brands, and every brand is unique in their own way, for better or for worse. Primewell Tires is a mid-range tire company that produces above-average tires for a low price. Their parent company, Giti Tire of Singapore, manufactures Primewell tires and a handful of other brands like GT Radial. While Primewell Tires operates on its own, you’re looking at tires that have been fine-tuned over decades.
It’s safe to say that Primewell Tires is not your run-of-the-mill tire company. While they produce inexpensive tires, they’re not the cheapest tires around. While shopping for the best deal is usually the goal, when you’re looking at tires, that’s not always the case. Unfortunately, cheap tires perform like cheap tires, which can end up costing you more in the long run. So, while Primewell tires are less expensive than brands like Nitto Tires and Firestone Tires, they perform just as well.
Primewell Tires brings a diverse catalog to the table. The company manufactures tires for a wide range of vehicles like SUVs, light trucks, crossovers, luxury vehicles, passenger cars, and select off-road tires. While many companies focus on passenger and light truck tires, Primewell Tires also makes heavy-duty tires for trucks and buses. In fact, inside of Primwell’s passenger and light truck section, you can also find winter, all-season, and even summer tires.
If you’re shopping for tires, it’s pleasant to stumble upon a brand that offers high-quality tires at a below-average price. If you like the sound of Primewell tires, read on. We’re going to take you through everything you need to know about Primewell Tires, both past, and present.
Primewell Tires’ History
Nobody loves a history lesson about tires, but a tire company’s history is vital to consider. You don’t want to shop for tires with no heritage, because it’s difficult to trust a company that hasn’t stood the test of time, so we’re going to take you through Primewell Tires’ history and display their heritage.
Primewell Tires is a subsidiary of Giti Tire of Singapore, which was founded in 1951 and specialized in producing bicycle tires and tubes. While Giti had success with their bicycle tires, the company quickly started to manufacture bias tires for light trucks and passenger cars.
From the 1960s to the 1990s, Giti began to experiment with other brands to compete in the global market. Primewell Tires is one of those brands, and was established to appeal to European and US markets. Once Giti started to grow, so did their demand. In 1993, the company made its way to China through a joint venture with the Anhui Tire Factory. The venture proved to be fruitful, and Giti Tire became one of the top tire manufacturers in the world.
Towards the end of the 1990s, demand for Giti tires and their subsidiary brands began to increase exponentially. In 1998, Giti began proprietary operations in many of the world’s economic hubs, including the US, Europe, India, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Canada, and more. While Giti primarily produces tires in Asia, in 2014, the company decided to open a factory in the US, located in South Carolina. This was Giti’s first factory outside of Asia and opened in 2017.
Today, Giti Tire is one of the largest tire producers in the world. The company is the eleventh largest tire manufacturer and produces over 300,000 tires daily. Keep in mind: this does include all of their subsidiary brands, too. Giti Tire also benefits from 32,000 employees, operations in over one hundred markets, and earning over three billion dollars each year.
While it may seem strange to focus on Giti instead of Primewell, most of Primewell’s heritage comes from the foundation that Giti laid out for it. Without Giti, there would be no Primewell Tires, and it’s great to know that Primewell Tires have been around for longer than most people know.
What Sets Primewell Tires Apart
When you have eight different tire brands on your mind, it can be hard to tell each one apart. While many tire companies handle their business and tires the same way, Primewell Tires has a unique approach to how they do things.
Customer Satisfaction
First and foremost, you want to take a look at Primewell’s customer satisfaction. If other shoppers are walking away happy, that means there is a good chance you can too. While Primewell promises above-average tires, let’s take a look at whether or not they keep that promise.
Based on data compiled from a handful of review platforms like simpletire.com, Primewell maintains a rating slightly below four out of five stars. Some of Primewell’s tires are better than others. For example, the PS830 does significantly better than some of Primewell’s winter tires. Keeping that in mind, it’s still good to see that a bargain tire company can maintain positive reviews and engagement. Do they hold true to their promise? Yes, and no.
A Meticulous Production Process
Primewell is in no hurry to get their tires on the shelves—in fact, it’s the opposite. Primewell’s design schedule includes intense testing, a focus on only the best raw materials, and 3D imaging to mold the perfect tire.
3D Imaging
Primewell tires are made with 3D imaging technology that examines the size, materials, and performance of each tire. This technology allows engineers to take note of any discrepancies, and make sure that all of their tires perform well regardless of their size, treads, and dimensions.
Testing of Raw Materials
Before a tire becomes a formed piece of rubber that fits snugly on your rim, it begins its life as raw materials. These materials go through an intense process of mixing, curing, building, and testing. Primewell does their best to select the best raw materials, down to their silica tread compounds, to make sure their tires are durable.
Emphasis on Research and Development
Primewell focuses a lot of time and resources on their research and development. The company has numerous development plants around the world and brings together some of the best minds from each region. Some areas that house Primewell research centers include the US, the UK, China, Finland, Germany, and Indonesia.
The Proving Grounds
Primewell Tires tests their tires for quality on one of their three proving grounds. These testing courses are located in the UK, China, and Finland. In the UK and China, Primewell tires are tested on a road course to determine how they handle hazards, high speeds, debris, wet conditions, and sharp turns. In Finland, Primewell has an entire course dedicated to perfecting their winter tires. So, before every Primewell tire hits the shelves, they’re rigorously tested for quality.
Diverse Employees
Primewell Tires uses employees from multiple nationalities to make sure their workforce is diverse. A diverse workforce is excellent for generating new ideas and innovations, because different minds bring fresh perspectives. While having different perceptions is one thing, diversity also brings new tools and technologies to the table. Using these state-of-the-art technologies from around the world helps Primewell remain competitive.
A Diverse Catalog
Shopping for tires can quickly become a nightmare if you can’t find one to fit your vehicle. Once you add aftermarket wheels into the mix, the problem gets even worse. This is why Primewell makes sure they have a diverse catalog to fit the needs of everyday drivers.
Size Variation
Primewell tires come in many shapes and sizes. They cover size ranges from 14″ to 25″ in passenger tires, and 15″ to 30″ in light truck tires. With a wide variety of tire sizes, it’s hard to find vehicles that don’t fit. To give an example, Primewell’s PS890 is compatible with around 5,400 vehicles, so it’s easy to find the tire you need.
Inclusion of Heavy-Duty Vehicles
While Primewell offers tires for passenger cars, off-road vehicles, crossovers, and light trucks, they also take things a step further. Primewell provides a wide range of tires for heavy trucks and buses, making them a great option to shop for in bulk if you have an operation based on those vehicles. These tires vary in size, durability, and purpose, giving heavy truck shoppers plenty of choices.
Superior Warranties
The warranty that you get with a tire is an excellent indication of how long it will last. Tire manufacturers don’t want to lose money, so if you see a warranty of 50,000 miles, you can safely assume most tires will last beyond the warranty.
In fact, if it doesn’t make it, the warranty covers the tire. It’s a win-win situation when a company offers an excellent warranty package. Primewell offers competitive warranties, and while they’re not the best around, for the price, they’re some of the best warranties you can find.
Primewell benefits by using warranty packages from tire companies that carry their tires. Firestone is one of the more well-known companies that carries Primewell tires, and their warranty packages depend on the tire that you’re shopping for. This is something to keep in mind if you decide to pursue Primewell tires through a third-party retailer.
Primewell Limited Mileage Warranty
Primewell offers a limited mileage warranty on a handful of their touring and all-season tires. The warranty covers uneven tread wear down to 2/32″ and allows consumers to qualify for a replacement at select retailer locations. The limited mileage warranty depends on the tire, but the coverage range is between 40,000 miles and 50,000 miles on average.
Primewell Tires Design Features
Primewell Tires is a great company that cares about their customer, but how are their tires? It’s one thing to talk the talk, but let’s see how well Primewell Tires walks the walk with their innovative design features.
Handling
First and foremost, handling is the most critical thing a tire delivers. If you have poor handling, any road hazard becomes exponentially more dangerous. Primewell uses intelligent design features like wide shoulder grooves, deep sipes, biting edges, and lateral traction to make sure their tires are safe.
Wide Shoulder Grooves
Wide shoulder grooves are excellent for traction because they keep water from getting underneath your tire. If too much water gets underneath your tires, you’ll end up hydroplaning, and your chance of losing control increases. Primewell tires are made with wide shoulder grooves and deep sipes within them to make sure water on the road is a non-issue.
Lateral Traction
Lateral traction is unique because it helps the tire maintain traction when moving from side-to-side instead of straight. Primwell uses lateral traction on their summer and all-season tires to make sure the tires don’t slip when you make a sharp turn. Plus, if you find yourself fishtailing, lateral traction can help you recover.
Biting Edges
Primewell uses thick microscopic biting edges on most of their tires, and the difference in quality is notable. Tires that lack biting edges have trouble grabbing onto snow or dirt to provide traction, which leads to slipping. Primwell’s all-terrain tires use an abundance of biting edges to ensure that drivers always have traction.
Fuel Efficiency
Let’s face it, always pulling up to the gas station is a hassle. While electric cars solve the problem entirely, some people prefer the sound of a rumbling combustion engine. Primewell Tires focuses on implementing design features that improve your miles per gallon, so you can get more enjoyment out of your vehicle and save money at the same time.
To accomplish this, Primewell’s summer tires, and select all-season tires, feature silica tread compounds. Silica tread compounds are generally found on high-end tires, but even with this addition, Primewell tires remain affordable. Silica tread compounds improve mileage by reducing your vehicle’s rolling resistance, which means it doesn’t need to work as hard as it coasts across the road.
Comfort
Comfort is a design feature that’s often overlooked. Many people believe that luxury vehicles and light trucks are inherently comfortable, but that’s not the case. The relationship that a tire has with your vehicle’s suspension is 50/50. This means that even if your vehicle has the best shocks and struts on the planet, the ride quality can still be terrible if you don’t have the right tires. Primewell uses innovative design features to keep your ride comfortable.
Variable Pitch
Primewell tires, like the Valera Touring II, benefit from a variable pitch system that keeps noise levels constant throughout a drive. While constant noise seems like a bad thing, the pitch is low enough that you’ll barely notice it. Plus, since the pitch is consistent, you don’t have to worry about any roads being louder than others.
Big Shoulders
The shoulder of a tire is a vital component. Shoulders can be small, angled, or in Primewell’s case, big. Big shoulders increase comfort because they decrease the level of instability a vehicle has when changing terrain or riding over uneven surfaces. For comfort, big shoulders create a more stable ride.
Durability
Durability is something you need to focus on when shopping for tires. Even if a tire is cheap if it only lasts 10,000 miles, are you saving money? Primewell Tires are made with Chinese rubber, which can raise a few eyebrows, but that doesn’t mean their tires lack durability.
Reinforced Sidewalls
The sidewall of a tire is its main shield against debris and hazards. If a tire lacks durable sidewalls, the chances of a blowout increase, and aside from losing a tire, blowouts are dangerous to your safety. Primewell tires are made with reinforced sidewalls to reduce the chance of a blowout.
Primewell Tires Recognition
A great way to tell if a brand is trustworthy is to consider their recognition. This takes many forms, but we’re going to go through Primewell Tires’ reputation through sponsorships, awards, donations, and racing competitions. Primewell is a unique company because its recognition is tied into Giti Tire of Singapore’s fame, so we’re going to focus on the accomplishments from both brands.
Protecting the Environment
Primewell Tires is one of the few companies that pays attention to the environment. As our world becomes filled with pollution, it’s great to know that companies are focusing on reducing their carbon footprint instead of increasing it.
To help the environment, Primewell’s parent company has donated a total of one million dollars to conservation efforts through a partnership with Conservation International. Conservation International focuses on protecting regions densely populated with trees, and protecting these regions keeps carbon dioxide levels low.
Primewell Tires also strives to cut down waste during the production of their tires. Instead of carrying more than they need, Primewell only stocks the raw materials they need. Primewell also makes sure its manufacturing facilities, in Singapore, China, and the US are as green as possible.
The Nürburgring Race
In 2017, Giti made their debut at the twenty-four hour-long Nürburgring race. In 2017, the company qualified for first place with their SP8 tire. Then, in 2019, the company fared better and won both first and second place with their SP8 class tires. This is an accomplishment for Primewell tires made all the more exciting by the fact that the SP8 tire line is almost identical to Primewell’s PS780 summer tire.
Automotive Supplier of the Year
In 2016, Walmart awarded Giti with the Automotive Supplier of the Year and Hardlines Supplier of the Year awards. These awards are important for two reasons, with the first one being that Walmart is one of the largest and influential companies in the United States. The second reason is that Walmart carries a wide range of Primewell tires, which were included in the evaluation of the award and are still available to consumers.
Sponsoring the F3 Asian Championship
The F3 Asian Championship is an FIA Formula 3 racing series. The race is intense, and the vehicles rely on durable tires that boast excellent handling. Giti is one of the event’s top sponsors and helped the race get its feet off the ground when it was created in 2018. Knowing that Primewell tires are influenced by a company that focuses a lot of resources on racing is a win.
Best Selling Primewell Tires
All Primewell tires are good tires, but some are better than others. Even Primewell’s top-tier tires are inexpensive, so we’re going to show you the top five Primewell tires around.
Primewell PS830
The primewell PS830 is one of Primewell’s most popular tires. These tires provide traction in most weather conditions, and to an extent, work for off-roading in mild conditions. These tires are designed for passenger cars and crossovers and provide ample amounts of safety.
The PS830 is also great for drivers that like to drive at high speeds. You can get three different speed ratings, which clock in at 112 mph, 118 mph, and 130 mph. So, regardless of how fast you’re going, these tires can keep you safe. The PS830 also includes wide shoulder grooves to increase traction during sharp turns, and lateral traction to help you recover if you slip.
Primewell PS870 Summer Tire
Primewell is a mid-tier tire manufacturer, but their PS870 Summer Tire performs like any other high-performance summer tire. The PS870 Summer Tire is perfect for passenger cars that offer higher performance than usual.
The PS870 Summer Tire comes with plenty of design features that help it stand out. These tires benefit from a Silica Tread Compound that decreases rolling resistance and enhances braking and traction on rough surfaces. While the PS870 Summer Tire is best suited for summer driving, it’s one of Primewell’s best selling tires because it performs well in the rain or shine.
Primewell PS890 Touring
The Primewell PS890 Touring tire is one of Primewell’s luxury tires. While the tire offers plenty of luxury, the tires sell for a bargain price. Whether you need traction, control, stability, or noise reduction, these tires get the job done on over 5,000 passenger cars.
The PS890 Touring comes with biting edges that help the tire hook into road hazards like dirt or snow, and the big shoulder blocks keep the car cemented to the road during sharp turns. All-season touring tires are designed to keep you safe in hazardous conditions, and the PS890 does precisely that.
Valera Touring II Tire
The Valera Touring II is a touring tire designed for passenger cars and crossovers. These tires give you a taste of luxury on the road and focus on keeping you safe. The Valera Touring II is an all-season tire that gets the job done for below-average cost.
The Valera Touring II comes with a handful of design features that makes it a worthy investment. First and foremost, Primewell warranties the tire for 50,000 miles, which adds peace of mind. These tires also include deep sipes to reduce the chance of hydroplaning and a dynamic rib system that keeps the tire planted. These tires also include variable pitch technology that reduces the level of noise you experience while driving.
Valera H/T Tires
Primewell’s Valera H/T Tires are designed for SUVs, light trucks, and vans. Truck tires can be expensive, but the Valera H/T is close in price to their all-season passenger tires. If you need a tire to get you through all weather conditions, this tire is an excellent fit for your vehicle.
The Valera H/T comes with design features like open-slotted shoulders with four ribs to reduce the chances of water getting between you and the road. While the open-slotted shoulders help with hydroplaning, these shoulders also evenly distribute vibrations to reduce noise levels.
For traction, these tires feature upgraded carcass tension that enhances stability and keeps your vehicle level over bumps in the road.
A List of Primewell Tires
Passenger Tires
All-Season
Primewell Valera Sport AS
Primewell PS880
Primewell PS870
Primewell PS830
Primewell PS530
High-Performance
Primewell Sport 910
Touring
Valera Touring II
Primewell PS890
Light Truck/Van
All-Season
Primewell PV600
Primewell Valera H/T
Primewell Valera A/T
Heavy Truck/Bus
All-Season
Primewell PW212
Primewell PW215
Primewell PW01
