msej449:I used to work for Pirelli and I can tell you that the 'original equipment' tyres are the very best off the production-line, usually better than the full-price equivalents. Car manufacturers won't hesitate to send an entire batch back if even one tyre is sub-standard and some tyre manufacturers will even do special production runs for big manufacturers. So you do get really premium tyres on that new car. A lot of cheaper brands are significantly poorer, especially on braking distance - something you don't find out until you crunch into the back of that dopey driver who decided to stop at the roundabout, even when there was obviously nothing coming for miles. That's ths problem with tyres: it's when you're on the edge that you want that extra 20% better handling/braking, not in normal motoring. I think someone mentioned winter tyres earlier? Same principle - below about 7C/8C the difference in braking distance on winter tyres vs summer becomes significant and once you're at -C winter tyres can make up to 25% difference in braking distance. Although they also work better in snow, it's actually this difference in compound and resultant braking/handling that explains why so many Europeans swap to winter around November. In theory, of course, it only costs the price of the change-over, as the summer tyre remain unused (obviously) over the winter. But abroad, it's much more common for your local garage/tyre firm to store your other set for you - something we don't have here in the UK.

I agree it's rubbish to say that manufacturers put crap tyres on their cars. Citroen for instance If I'm not very much mistaken only ever fits Michelin's to their cars and we all know Michelin make decent tyres.

A friend of mine who works for Continental testing tyres pretty much said the same in regards to winter tyres as you. As I said earlier in this thread I would never buy a tyre that wasn't made by one of the big companies. It's just not worth the hassle to save just a little bit on tyres. When I first got my 406 it had Tigar tyres all round and I got a nice bit of violent understeer going up a hill in the dry while not going all that fast and then when I tried to get going again from a stop I got horrendous amounts of wheelspin which is pretty scary considering my car isn't exactly that powerful and I wasn't going particularly fast.