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Walmart is a retail company that focuses on delivering quality products at dirt-cheap prices. To do that, they collaborate with various well-known companies. For instance, they cooperate with Goodyear on tires. This means that they have some Goodyear tires in the portfolio, but also products from the tiremaker’s sub-brands.
One such brand is Douglas. An American name for an American tire. Although cheap, Douglas prides itself on being from the US and designing tires in-house. Of course, with some help from Goodyear. The brand actually operates under Kelly Springfield Tire Company, which is a subsidiary of Goodyear. Moreover, you can only find Douglas tires in Walmart – they aren’t available anywhere else.
All of these things sound very good on paper. Purchasing “reputable” manufacturer tires from a well-known retail company. What could go wrong? Especially since many people started buying tires from Walmart, and they seem to be satisfied with the products.
The thing is, you won’t notice the difference between cheap and expensive tires during your daily drive. At normal driving speeds, both will perform just fine. Sure, the expensive tires will be more comfortable, but the differences aren’t that big.
Also, even cheap tires today have good traction for normal driving. However, what happens when you need to stop immediately or make some evasive maneuver. Well, in these circumstances, expensive premium tires will perform much better. It might be the difference between having an accident or not. And that’s especially true when it rains or snows.
Now, sure these situations don’t happen very often. Nonetheless, I think it’s good to have peace of mind. Paying more for tires is paying for your safety, your family’s safety, and also for the safety of other traffic participants. And, in my book, at least, there is no price on that.
But let’s get back to Douglas tires. Are these tires safe for daily driving? How they perform in evasive maneuvers? How long do they last? Fortunately, you arrived just at the right place to find out how Douglas tires stack up against the competition.
Here, I’ll give you short Douglas tires reviews on the products from the company, but also give you my thoughts on the brand as a whole. And, trust me, I’ll be very direct here. I care about giving good advice to my readers, not about advertising every single tire company on the planet.
Got it? Let’s dig in and uncover the mystery about Douglas’s tires.
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All Douglas Tires Available on the Market of 2024
1. Douglas All-Season
The “All-Season” is Douglas’s tire intended for various passenger cars, including compact vehicles, mid-size sedans, minivans, and crossovers. The tire is extremely cheap – it’s cheaper even when compared to other budget brands, such as Riken, General Tire, Kumho, Uniroyal, etc. And the difference is not very small.
Now, sure, the price is enticing, especially if you own an older vehicle and don’t want to spend a lot on tires. However, the performance you will get in return certainly won’t be amazing. The Douglas All-Season provides very good traction and cornering grip on dry roads. However, most modern tires work well on dry pavement. That’s mostly thanks to the era we live in – rubber compounds have come a long way.
Nevertheless, things start to change when you encounter rain. In these conditions, the advanced tread compounds of premium tires provide much, much better results. Curiously, Douglas and Walmart don’t even care about giving us details about the rubber they used. There is nothing on the tiremaker’s website and little to no information on Walmart. The one thing they point out is that the tires are exclusively made for Walmart, but is that a good thing, really?
As I expected, the tire suffers even more in wintry conditions. Traction on snow is abysmal, and things can get very messy on ice. Although Walmart markets it as an all-season tire, you really shouldn’t use it in harsh wintry conditions. It’s unsafe if you want it that way.
But what about comfort? Well, in terms of noise, the Douglas All-Season won’t win any test, but it performs well enough. There is tread noise, but nothing overly obtrusive. Also, the ride quality is fine, especially for the price.
Still, the treadlife is the final nail in the coffin of the Douglas All-Season. This tire will last you up to three years, but only if you’re lucky. However, the competition will last you twice as long.
For instance, the Douglas All-Season comes with a 45,000-mile treadwear warranty, and it costs $51 for 215/60R15. Meanwhile, the Cooper CS5 Grand Touring costs $100 for the same price, but it also comes with an 80,000-mile warranty. In the real world, it should last twice as long.
What does that mean? That you’re paying almost the same price! Oh, and by the way, the CS5 Grand Touring is vastly better in terms of traction and grip on every surface possible. Specifically, it’s much safer to drive. And in the long run, it will cost almost the same. So, there you go – Douglas tires uncovered!
Pros
- Good amount of traction and grip in dry conditions
- Quiet and comfortable
- Stable at higher speeds
- Very cheap to buy
Cons
- Suffers from loss of traction and grip in the rain
- Light-snow and ice traction are below average for the category
- Short-ish treadlife
2. Douglas Performance
According to the manufacturer, the Douglas Performance is designed for drivers that want comfort and control on the road. Compared to the regular All-Season, it is more responsive and feels better behind the steering wheel. Sure, the steering isn’t razor-sharp like on premium or even budget performance tires, but good for the price.
The grip levels are also fine. Nothing exceptional, sure, but fine for the price. The Douglas Performance is almost the same price as the All-Season, but it offers better handling for sure. On dry roads, I can even say that I like how this tire handles, of course, having in mind the price. Still, if you own a performance sedan, you might think twice before putting these tires on your wheels – they still lack the edge of premium tires.
However, just like its brother, traction and grip quickly deteriorate when it starts raining. The hydroplaning resistance is fine, but the tread compound is simply not good at keeping the wheels glued to the road. Cornering grip is below average, and the stopping distances are longer than anticipated. Moreover, the Douglas Performance also suffers on damp surfaces, primarily due to the cheap tread compound.
Curiously, Douglas and Walmart don’t even mention if this tire has an all-season or a summer tread compound. The tread pattern is definitely all-season, but that doesn’t mean that you should expect good winter performance. Actually, snow traction is almost non-existent, and you shouldn’t even think about using this tire on ice.
Fortunately, Douglas at least provides a 45,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is fine, I guess? Just like with the All-Season tire, the treadwear warranty is much worse than a comparable budget or premium tires. Like, for example, the aforementioned Cooper CS5 Grand Touring, which is better in every regard.
Pros
- Good handling on dry roads
- Good cornering grip in dry conditions
- Comfortable and quiet
- Extremely cheap to buy
Cons
- Wet traction leaves a lot to be desired
- Unusable on snow or ice
- The treadlife is below average for the category
Douglas Tires Review: Buying Guide
Douglas has only two models in its portfolio, the All-Season and Performance. Obviously, they didn’t care about giving these tires proper names, and they don’t even provide information. All you hear is a few words about the tread pattern and nothing more. Not that I expected a lot from a company that makes cheap tires, but still. Anyway, let’s look at their advantages and disadvantages.
1. Douglas Tires Positive Aspects
Very cheap to buy
If you didn’t already notice, Douglas tires are extremely cheap. They are among the cheapest tires on the market, including some Chinese-built competitors.
Work well on dry roads
Tire technology has come a long way – today, even cheap brands like Douglas offer a good experience on dry roads. The tires are nothing special, but they should still provide you with reasonable traction and grip for daily driving.
Reasonably comfortable
You can definitely buy quieter and more comfortable tires, but for the price, Douglas is just fine. The ride quality is soft, and the tread growl is bearable, even at highway speeds.
2. Douglas Tires Negative Aspects
Wet traction
If you want a tire that performs safely in rainy conditions, Douglas is not for you. Apart from the good hydroplaning resistance, products from this company don’t offer good traction or grip.
Snow and ice traction
Even very light snow will be a problem for Douglas’s tires. The tread compound simply isn’t ready for very cold conditions, and there is not enough traction to get you out of trouble. Also, ice traction is non-existent.
Won’t last very long
Douglas tires might be cheap, but they also don’t last very long. In other words, you might pay more in the long run!
Conclusion
Should you buy a set of Douglas tires? Well, I think that this article was enough to reveal the details behind this secretive company. You might be satisfied, but only if you don’t cover a lot of miles and drive slow and careful. Otherwise, I think that paying a tad more for tires from General and Kumho is a much better option.
I just bought 4 tires from Walmart that mean the tires not good, I’m moving to California I will be driving the car from Boston to California it is safe to have these tires on please email me back at
[email protected]
You’re tires will be just fine, sir. Wal-Mart, or any other large retailer, is going to sell you a tire that could be dangerous. The Douglas tires are made in the USA by Kelly-Springfield, a subsidiary of Good Year. You’ll be A-okay.
They are horrible on wet roads. Bad in snow too. Wait until they get to be a year old or more. Check out that consumer magazine ratings on Kelly Springfield. Those Kelly tires are at the bottom of the list making them the worst choice!
Exactly people blame the tire when it’s usually the driver. My rogue has pirelli . My Corolla and century have Douglas.
In ways the Douglas are better but, they can’t last as long as my pirelli.
They have lasted 6 years though and haven’t worn to the indicator yet.
Dude , I put these tires on my 03 Corolla and my 2000 Buick century back in 2016. We drive them both in the ground . After 6 years and we’ll over 50,000 miles the tread still has lots of life on them. They haven’t even worn to the little wear indicator yet.
Mainly hiway Mike’s but lots of in city stop and go, potholes and country gravel roads.
Tires are like anything else. Maintain the pressure . Don’t drive like an idiot.
A couple of them are starting to show little dry rot cracks between the tread but, none on sidewalls.
I have a 2013 Cadillac with 60,000 miles. I rotate the tires every 6000 miles or 3 months because it’s free at the Cadillac dealership along with an alignment check, while I get an oil change.
The Michelin tires that came with the car lasted only 19,000 miles. I complained to Michelin directly, they said it was my driving. Im an old man and never drive over 55 mph.
The second set of tires (Kelly) and much cheaper than Michelin lasted 21,000. And the third set of Kelly lasted 20,000. This time Goodyear dealer said it was because of the Florida heat, and the roads in Florida
This will be on my fourth set of tires with only 60,000 miles within 7 years. From 1992-2008 I drove a company car and put on 700 mile a week driving in Florida on Florida roads. The tires on all my company cars had factory Michelin, Goodyear or Firestone tires. All these tires lasted over 60,000 miles during 1992-2008
I truly believe that all brand tires are not made the same as they were 15 years ago, Including Michelin and the brands I’ve mentioned. So when you mentioned Douglas tires lasting 2 years, I decided to buy Douglas tires, because that’s what I’m use to!
I’ve got the Douglas All-seasons.
I have to throw one away after 21000 miles because it’s loosing air from the sidewall!!! Couldn’t believe it. It’s loosing air from the D of Douglas and one of the tiny writings.
They were guaranteed for 45000 miles, but I am on the other side of the ocean now…
This is one of the rear tyres.
The front tyres were changed 5000 miles earlier and at the moment are showing cracks on the thread…
Overall, not very good, especially because they had to last double the mileage.
They where bought November 2018, more than 2 years ago.
Bought two Douglas tires less than 60 day’s ago put 4000 miles on them and just failed inspection for the tires worst buy ever and sad to say iv bought them in the past for another car and had same outcome but forgot until this just happened worst tires ever
Why did the inspection fail? What was the issue with the tires?
Yep. I bought mine last year and already have a flat tire!
Do you have a flat tire because of quality of the tire or you rolled on a nail / screw, which would puncture any tire? Could you have the flat fixed? Or did you have to purchase a new tire?
I BOUGHT SEARS WEATHER HANDLERS FROM SEARS 15 YEARS AGO. THE TIRES WERE MADE BY GOODYEAR TO SPECIFICATIONS BY SEARS. 70,000 MILE TIRE. I LIVE IN TX AND AFTER 3 YEARS/30,000 MILES, THE SIDEWALLS GOT HEAT-CHECKS CAUSING A PINHOLE LEAK IN THEM. SEARS BLAMED GOODYEAR AND GOODYEAR BLAMED SEARS. I DON’T TRUST GOODYEAR TIRES.
IN 2018, I BOUGHT WALMART DOUGLAS TIRES MADE BY GOODYEAR. THE TIRES HAVE 15,000 MILES NOW.. I WAS GOING 40MPH AND HAD A BLOWOUT OF 2 LARGE HOLES IN SIDEWALL PLUS TREAD LEVELS SEPARATED. I WONDER NOW IF THE DOUGLAS TIRE WILL FAIL LIKE WEATHERHANDLER—BOTH MADE BY GOODYEAR. I AM GOING TO REPORT THIS TO DOUGLAS-WALMART-GOODYEAR.
The tires are junk they shake at between 55 and 70 and I’ve had them balanced twice. Both places that balanced them said Douglas tires a cheap tire. They don’t recommend them at all. Walmart specials. JUNK!!
I doubt its the tires causing the shake. The wheels have to be balanced, alignment checked. Not sure you were to the right mechanic.
I have had 3 sets of the Douglas performance tires. Averaging at least 38k miles out of them. I do not rotate them other then buying 2 new ones at a time. I drive in all condition no issues with traction. Wet dry or snow they always go we have had snow and freezing rain many time. I had the M defenders they lasted 48k mile we all know what they cost though. I have ran these brand tires for 170k miles with only one pot hole failure but this hole bent the rim and busted the strut also. You absolutely can’t beat these tires for the price. They have never left me stuck in the snow or ice anywhere. Try them for a normal commuter car you will not be disappointed.
Douglas Tires. I would not take them if they were given to me.
I agree worst tires ever just bought two new ones put 4000 miles on them and just failed inspection for them!!!
Got Black Lion HT in stead at monroe muffler. Step up and much better.
I had two sets on a truck. They done well
These tire are junk I have a stone driveway and in three months time I have had 4 flat tires
I dont hate my money, I live Douglas tires, they are great tires.
It’s like anything else, if your on a budget these are perfect, if you like to brag about name brand tires these are not for you. I dont know anyone who died from tire failure. It’s not that serious folks. Relax and find some peace.
Just here to say that I replaced my Douglas tires today, & they were originally from 2014. Avg 10k miles per yr with them. My car has basically always handled maneuvers well in all conditions, & while that may be in part to my driving ability, they’re definitely a serious bang for your buck. I do agree with PP that there is occasionally shaking at higher speeds, but in my experience that balances out relatively quickly. That being said I decided to buy a more expensive set of tires this time so I kind of expect to make them last even longer
I bought a new set of Douglas at Walmart May of 2017, 45000 mile warranty supposedly. They are rotated ever oil change, 3 months. I had one with a nail today & tried to get it fixed since it was under road hazard warranty and was told the tread is down to a 2 & they could not give me my tire back due to not safe and I had to buy a new one. My issue was I’ve only put 20000 miles on the car since I bought the tires. As soon as I started questioning 45000 vs 20k I was told it all depends on “factors” such as “air pressure & terrain” and that either way the 45000 is not set in stone due to these “factors” and that I had to purchase a brand new tire. Now im wondering about the other 3 I have on the ground and if they’re safe, here again only 20000 miles into a supposed 45000 mile warranty not happy at all
I bought 4 Douglas Tires from Walmart all mess up in three months, I just can not believe it, you deserve what you pay.
I will never buy Douglas tires again, less than 8 months old and the sidewalls are weak thin and dry weather checked. Had a flat from just driving down gravel road, can’t be repaired, too close to sidewall, so from warranty they pro-rated another Douglas tire unfortunately.
I had a set of Douglas tires on my father’s Buick Century. Good tires. They road nice, lasted about what I expected, etc.
Purchased a set for my daughter’s 2007 Civic coupe when she was home from college for Spring Break. They are THE WORST! The noise from these tires makes me feel as if I am in a propeller driven commuter plane. LOUD, NOISEY!!!! Ride is not bad, but you cannot have a conversation at highway speeds with these on the car.
Took the car back to Walmart and they blamed everything but the tires. Told me one wheel was bent and that was causing it, yet they couldn’t show me when I asked them to spin it on the balancer. Then they said the shocks were trash and that was why. Yet, the noise goes away when I put a different set of tires and wheels on the car.
Never again for Douglas or Walmart.
I have a 91 Honda civic hatchback.
10,000 miles excellent tire. No issues so far
Arizona has mostly dry roads. Have not had them on rainy conditions or snow yet.
Pushed them at hi speed cornering. Good results.
80 plus no issues. I like them so far. Headed too flagstaff where it rains. I will know more at that time as too performance In wet weather. I have the M/S type tires. All 4 wheels
OK. IVE BEEN IN SOME HEAVY DOWNPOURS HEADED UP TO FLAGSTAFF AT 6500 FEET. BRAKING CORNERING GOOD. I WILL BUY ANOTHER SET OF ALL TERRAIN M/S DOUGLAS TIRES. REREALIZE MY HONDA WEIGHS IN AT 2500 LBS. PLUS MINUS.
I LIKE THEM FINE
DOING EVERYTHING I REQUIRE OF THEM. BIGGER HEAVIER VEHICLE ????????
Problem with Walmart tires is that the only place you can get them replaced is…Walmart. Then, they will only replace them with more of the same tire you had problems with. They had their own model of Goodyear a while back. Junk tires, but their warranty would only replace with more of the same. I suppose it is a good deal if you line dealing with Walmart.
Obviously the reviewer has never OWNED a set of All Season Douglas Tires. Here’s the juice, sonny, like another response said my Douglas All Season tires rated at 45,000 miles easily lasted 60,000! I have no issue with road noise or handling. All the bull hockey about not being able to stop on a dime in the rain is just that, bull hockey! It’s a competitive market and even Walmart can’t afford to sell tires at an untouchable price point that are ultimately crummy and unsafe. There are ratings their tires have to meet. Don’t believe all this horse dung about Douglas being bad tires. People know the Goodyear name is attached to them and Goodyear can’t afford Walmart selling “their” tires if they are sub-standard. I need to replace the tires on my 2017 Forte for the first time. I only just got it several months before lock-down. It’s only just turned 23,000 miles. last year I only put 10,000 miles on the car instead of my usual 30,000. After shopping again, I’m going to head back to Walmart for Douglas All Season. I’m a musician. Local gigs are 60-140 miles round trip and road trips 600-700 miles if I decide not to ride with the rest of a band (I play with many). Want to save money and get a solid tire in the bargain too? You can buy Douglas All Season with confidence.
Hi Ron: I’m glad to hear your experience with them has been great. Honestly, I wish everyone’s experience with Douglas tires was just as good. I love a cheap good performing tire. However our experiences with these tires and the experiences of many of our readers do not match yours. Best of luck to you!
I have purchased Coopers best tires….If I got 20K miles out of them I was lucky. I am trying the Douglas for a fraction of the price.
My wife purchased 4 Douglas Performance tires at Walmart on 8/30 /21. On 9/1/21, while driving on Route 91 in Ct., the sidewall of her right rear Douglas Performance tire blew out. Thankfully, my wife was able to safely pull off the highway and call AAA. A doughnut was put on and a call made to Walmart of her problem. The car was brought in to replace the tire. While waiting, the Manager of the automotive dept. rolled in the defective tire to show us the problem. A GLOVE! A glove of an employee must have slipped into the vat, and became wound between the rubber lining as it went down the line. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? I have pictures of the glove embedded in the layers of rubber.
Had Douglas brand on for less than a month and already had to go flat mid drive! Nothing pierced the tire so I know it wasn’t due to debris.
If you’re in a pinch and need tires right away and don’t want to spend a lot of money on tires then Douglas tires is a good option. I’ve had some in the past and did just fine.
I love the Douglas tires. I’ve bought many. (I may have purchased 24. I didn’t keep track.) I like how quiet they are. While others get stuck in snow, I go. I mount and balance my own tires. The tires have even weight distribution, so hardly any wheel weights are needed.
I have Douglas all season tires on my truck and they work just fine. I live in the mountains of NC and regardless of how much you spend for tires, you will be replacing any brand of tires every two years.
Just purchased a set of 215/55/16 for my car, will bookmark and return with results in time. Hopefully they dont explode while im driving down the road lol.
Bought 4 new Douglas tires in July. 9,000 miles later and the tread was 40% gone costing me $24 for what I thought would be a free tire. Walmart and Douglas can forget me ever buying from them again.
Hi all.
I just purchased a set of 2 Douglas tires for a 2019 Honda Pilot.
In addition to the low cost of the tires, Walmart only charges you about $15 per tire for a fee. They don’t charge for mounting, but they do charge $15 per tire fee, so doesn’t really matter what you call it. Still, probably much cheaper than elsewhere. (Compare to Big O Tires’ Out the Door price – multiple fees) These Tires are 245/60R18
Mind you, I only had less than 33,000 miles on the vehicle, and the dealership-installed Bridgestone Defender tires had already degraded significantly / low tread depth and cracking.
So, I hope these Douglas tires I purchased as a temporary stop gap will do the job. I’ll post back with an update.
I just retired from 35 years in the tire business and had never seen so many sidewall failures in one brand of tire until the Douglas came about. My curiosity got the best of me and after comparing the sidewall thickness of the Douglas to other brands with a digital micrometer, I discovered that Goodyear is decreasing it by 15% or more, which explains how they are able to sell them so cheaply
Google John Boel failed tires for more info
I have bought Douglas tires several times already and they were fine but for some reason don’t last 44k miles as they advertise and I have been trying to get in touch with the manufacture for warranty because Walmart said they are not responsible which makes no sense at all. I would buy them again only if the warranty was honored.
Is anyone in actual pain over the stupid comments in here? I fear for America…like the got that failed inspection with tires with 4K on them. Good grief humans…stop being sooooo dumb.
The noise produced by this Douglas Tire line when traveling on uneven roads is one of its drawbacks. Its treadwear is also less durable than that of other similar all-season tires.