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In September, President Obama imposed a 35 percent tariff on Chinese-made tires after a U.S. union contended the imports cost more than 5,000 American tire workers their jobs since 2004. Replacement tires made in China account for about 17 percent of those sold in the United States, up from 5 percent in 2004.
Included under the tariff are tires made in China by major producers -- including Michelin and Perelli -- and tires made by Chinese manufacturers and sold in the United States under brand names such as Ling Long and Wanli.
Under the tariff, a set of Chinese tires that would have cost $280 now costs nearly $100 more. And American tire companies are raising prices, too.
"Everything's going up," said Anthony DiGregorio, manager of Guy's Tire Buys in Great Kills. But the price hikes won't deter customers, he said. "If they need tires, they need tires. There's always an A, B and C option."
Prices have been steadily rising, with tires in general costing as much as 27 percent more now than three years ago, said Scott Alioto, manager of Wil John's Tire Empire in Grant City. Between inflation and rising fuel prices, "Eventually, it had to go up," he said.
His best-selling General Tire ranges from $85 to $150 each, he said.
Alioto says he avoids using Goodyear tires, which started costing 6 percent more this month, due to rising prices of raw materials like rubber and oil. About 2 percent of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'s tires are imported from China, so hiking prices could make up the difference for the tariffs.
KeyBanc analyst Saul Ludwig sees prices up 5 to 10 percent by January, the start of a year when Americans are expected to buy about 210 million replacement tires, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association.
Jennifer Stockburger, a tire test engineer for Consumer Reports, says six of the top 10 all-season tires recently tested by the magazine were made in China by major manufacturers.
But the magazine doesn't test tires imported by small Chinese makers, who have had a mixed safety record. In 2007, for example, 255,000 tires made by Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. were recalled because they didn't have a safety feature that prevents tread separation.
Still, Stockburger says tires don't have to be expensive to be good. And tires from Chinese makers can cost significantly less, from a quarter to half the cost of tires from a major brand.
In September, President Obama imposed a 35 percent tariff on Chinese-made tires after a U.S. union contended the imports cost more than 5,000 American tire workers their jobs since 2004. Replacement tires made in China account for about 17 percent of those sold in the United States, up from 5 percent in 2004.
Included under the tariff are tires made in China by major producers -- including Michelin and Perelli -- and tires made by Chinese manufacturers and sold in the United States under brand names such as Ling Long and Wanli.
Under the tariff, a set of Chinese tires that would have cost $280 now costs nearly $100 more. And American tire companies are raising prices, too.
"Everything's going up," said Anthony DiGregorio, manager of Guy's Tire Buys in Great Kills. But the price hikes won't deter customers, he said. "If they need tires, they need tires. There's always an A, B and C option."
Prices have been steadily rising, with tires in general costing as much as 27 percent more now than three years ago, said Scott Alioto, manager of Wil John's Tire Empire in Grant City. Between inflation and rising fuel prices, "Eventually, it had to go up," he said.
His best-selling General Tire ranges from $85 to $150 each, he said.
Alioto says he avoids using Goodyear tires, which started costing 6 percent more this month, due to rising prices of raw materials like rubber and oil. About 2 percent of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'s tires are imported from China, so hiking prices could make up the difference for the tariffs.
KeyBanc analyst Saul Ludwig sees prices up 5 to 10 percent by January, the start of a year when Americans are expected to buy about 210 million replacement tires, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association.
Jennifer Stockburger, a tire test engineer for Consumer Reports, says six of the top 10 all-season tires recently tested by the magazine were made in China by major manufacturers.
But the magazine doesn't test tires imported by small Chinese makers, who have had a mixed safety record. In 2007, for example, 255,000 tires made by Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. were recalled because they didn't have a safety feature that prevents tread separation.
Still, Stockburger says tires don't have to be expensive to be good. And tires from Chinese makers can cost significantly less, from a quarter to half the cost of tires from a major brand.
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