Well, tire changing is a tricky business. That’s why people go for popular and trusted tire brands like General and Continental Tires. General Tires has fewer tire options, performs better in wet conditions, and is more affordable.
Continental has more options, performs better in snow, and is more on the expensive side.
Choosing tires is the trickiest part of car maintenance. Tires from a good brand like General or Continental can make your driving experience better. So which one should you go for? Here’s a comparison to help you decide.
A Quick Summary Of The Comparison
| Features | General Tires | Continental Tires |
| Product and service range | Fewer tire options, better servicing options | More tire options, fewer servicing options |
| Performance | Good grip, good for wet weather | Better grip, good for snowy weather |
| Pricing and customer service | Affordable price, good customer service | Pricier, better customer service |
And that’s the gist of the whole thing. Keep reading below for the detailed breakdown.
Key Differences Between General Tires And Continental Tires
Most tire brands offer similar things. The only way you can truly compare them is through hands-on experience. Still, there are some differences between them that make them stand out.
Product and service range, performance, price, and customer service are the major differences between General and Continental tires.
Let’s see how the differences work out in both brands.
- Product And Service Range
The more tire options, the better the brand. General tires unfortunately fall a little behind here since they offer fewer options.
But their service range is top-notch. Continental Tires has better tire options but doesn’t offer many servicing choices.
General Tires is the American wing of Continental Tires. You’d think they offer all continental options and more.
Well, you’d be wrong. They only offer a limited number of tire options.
But they make up for that with their hefty servicing options. You can get pretty much everything done in their outlets.
Continental Tires is the opposite. They have a much better tire range compared to General, but the servicing list is almost non-existent.
Also Read: Differences Between Yokohama Avid GT And Avid Ascend GT Tires.
- Performance
General tires are better suited for wet weather and Continental tires are better suited for snowy weather. You can use general tires for icy weather but they won’t perform as well as the Continental ones.
The grip level is different between both brands. General has a less biting grip. So it can do well in wet conditions but doesn’t cut it for snowy ones.
Continental tires have stronger grips that let them glide over snowy patches easily. Their all-season tires have a stronger grip too. So if you’re doing season-specific tire change, make sure you’re considering this.
- Price and Customer Service
Price is the one thing that makes the ultimate difference. And for tires, smooth customer service is a must. General Tires has always been a top choice for affordable tire options. The only problem is, their customer care has some minor hiccups in the chain.
Continental Tires is more on the pricier side. Plus they might be a little hard to find depending on where you live. but their customer service is super smooth which is a plus point.
Which Tire Brand Should You Go For?
This is the one question that can trigger dilemmas in almost all car owners. Most of the tires seem to offer the same thing, but the hands-on experience differs.
It is similar to General and Continental tires too. They’re very close in overall quality, so choosing one is hard. The deciding factor is usually something small.
The easiest way is to go with the brand you feel comfortable with.
Your personal preference matters the most because you’ll be the one driving the car.
But if you want a more objective approach, you’ll have to consider a lot of other things with your preference.
If you’re looking for affordable options, General Tires is pretty hard to beat. No one makes affordable tires like them.
Not only are the tires high-quality for their price, but they’re also durable and if you’re looking for wet weather tires, General got you their wet weather tires are some of the best ones in the game.
The biggest problem with General tires is the slim tire options. You won’t have many options against the sizes. Their customer service can be a little rough at times too, and that is bad news. The good news is that they have a pretty big servicing options list.
If you can spare some extra dough and want better options, go for Continental. Their tire options are so much better than General so you won’t have any problem choosing. They also have a good grip which makes them some of the best snowy-weather tire options.
The only problem with Continental Tires is the price. If you can look past that, Continental is one of the best tire brand options hands down.
Overall, Continental Tires is the better option in this case. But if you’re looking for an affordable option, General Tires is as good as it gets.
Also Read: Differences Between Bridgestone And Sumitomo Tires.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are a bunch of questions people ask about General Tires, Continental Tires, and tire brands in general.
General Tires is the American wing of Continental Tires, but they’re essentially different.
Depends on what you’re looking at. If you want a better product range and snow grip, Continental is better. If you’re looking for affordable options, General Tires is better.
Yes, most of their tires are manufactured in Europe.
Yes, Continental Tire is one of the best tire brands you’ll come across.
Yes, General Tire is one of the best tire brands for affordable options.
Final Verdict
Since tire shopping can be a little tricky, it is better to know what you can expect beforehand. General and Continental both are pretty good brands.
So, the winner of the General and Continental tires debate really depends.
Objectively, Continental is much better. But if you’re specifically looking for affordable options, General is hard to beat.
