'Is That a Polar Bear?:' Customer Brings Car into Tire Shop. Then The Worker Takes a Closer Look at the 'Good Trip' Tires

A tire technician was stunned by a customer’s specialty tire that he’d never seen before.

Last week, TikToker and tire technician Bucketman (@thebucketmanave) came across a tire labelled “Goodtrip” with an unusually cuddly logo.

“What is that?” he asks in a video, “Bro, is that a polar bear? ‘Good Trip’? That Michelin Man looks like he's on a good trip.”

“Why is he a bear? That's like a novelty item right there,” Bucketman riffs. “That's a special tire right there.”

In the onscreen text, Bucketman jokes this is the type of customer who would say, “Nah, I only order my tires online.”

In the comments, many viewers agreed with Bucketman’s assessment that, when it comes to tires, it’s not always a good idea to buy the cheapest ones.

"Buy it right or buy it twice," declared Goodyear Tires from its verified account. 

"Bro bought Goodmonths," joked a creator whose bio describes them as a mobile mechanic.

“Goodyear? More like Badmonth,” riffed another.

Other drivers discussed the high cost of tires. In their view, inexpensive new ones are safer than the bald tires in the best brand money can buy.

"New cheap tires are still better than bald name-brand tires," wrote one person. "Tires have gotten insane in price."

"Tires are a strange thing," said a second. "If you have expired or worn out tires, just about any knock off you can afford will have you commuting safer than before. If you're driving fast, a specialty vehicle, or abnormally heavy car, specifications become important very quickly. That's where reputable brands can be trusted."

Another offered, "For cheap [expletive] tires you can’t go wrong with Hankook," referring to another tire company.

It depends on a few different factors, but Discount Tire estimates the average person pays between $320 and $1,000 for a set of four new all-season tires. Winter and all-terrain tires will obviously cost you more, as will wheels for big trucks and utility vehicles. And that’s before the Trump administration’s tariffs hit the automotive industry.

The Origins of Goodtrip Tires

Goodtrip Tires is operated by a Chinese company called the Hongdou Group. According to its website, the brand started in 2002 with a small group of tire enthusiasts with combined decades of experience in the industry.

The operation started in a small warehouse where five employees produced all-season passenger tires sold directly to auto shops. The company later expanded into tires for SUVs, light trucks, trailers, and other specialty vehicles.

Those obscure beginnings are well in the past. The brand is so prominent nowadays that Goodtrip tires are available on Amazon, where the prices are between roughly $50 and $215 per tire.

At $100-$860 for four new tires as compared to Discount Tire’s estimated $320 to $1,000, the price just might end up being right. It depends on the consumer, their personal tire philosophy, and the vehicle they’re looking to outfit.

As one commenter quipped, "Round? Black? Holds air? It works."

Motor1 reached out to Bucketman via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We’ll update this if he responds.