We all remember the fuss our parents used to make after the first rainfall of each autumn season: “ghayyer dwelib el siyyara!”. Tires are an incredibly important part of our cars, yet one most of us neglect or at least don’t take enough care of.
Dunlop offered to replace my car’s four tires with brand new ones as summer was winding down, even encouraging me to drive into the biggest potholes readily available on Lebanese roads, to test for myself how safe and tough their tires were. I have now been using them for more than 2 months, and I must say, I am very satisfied with their performance so far. So much so that I installed them on our family’s second car.
Personally, I take good care of my car. I always make sure it is regularly serviced and make it a point to change my tires before winter arrives. The ideal would be of course to have winter tires but not everyone can afford two sets of tires every year and it is not really necessary unless you’re driving a sports car or drive to the mountains a lot during winter.
After installing the Dunlop tires, the improved grip on the road was the first thing I noticed. The first thing you feel with new tires, is how your car’s handling changes. Mine felt considerably more stable, as if glued to the road and a lot more responsive to my driving, whether it’s accelerating, braking or steering the car. Even maintaining the direction of my car on the highway was almost effortless, without needing to readjust too much on straight stretches.
Unfortunately, I did drive into two massive potholes (unintentionally of course!), given how common they are on Lebanon’s poorly serviced roads. The wheels are fine and held up beautifully despite those same potholes ruining countless cars’ tires almost every single day.
Of course, no tire is indestructible, and what’s nice about Dunlop is that they’re the first folks to offer tire insurance and road assistance in Lebanon. Meaning, if you were unlucky enough and a pothole crept up on you on unlit streets across Lebanon, you can call someone to come help you install your spare one, and get a replacement tire for up to one year after you purchase a set of 4 tires.
The rainy season is a bit late this year, so my experience on wet and slippery roads has been limited so far. When I did drive on slippery roads though, the grip was still quite good and I could effortlessly make turns that made a car behind me’s tires screech as the driver attempted to regain control as it veered off to one side. I’m confident that this performance will hold up and already feel much safer navigating our tough roads this winter season.
I ended up installing a more sports-oriented set on my Mercedes C-class, and the standard tires on my wife’s Nissan X-trail. I highly recommend you service or replace your tires before it’s too late. Safety and control while driving is extremely important, especially with hundreds of fatalities a year on Lebanese roads. At the end of the day, those four wheels are what anchor your car and the people in it to the road, so making sure they’re in good condition will not only help make you safer, but your drives more enjoyable and your cars easier to handle. Take good care of your car’s tires, always make sure they’re properly serviced and regularly check up on them. Drive safe everyone! And thank you Dunlop!
