Milestar tires
California value brand with a cult off-road following. Typically $55–$200 per tire.
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Milestar is a brand of Tireco, a tire importer and distributor founded in Gardena, California in 1972. Milestar tires are manufactured mainly by Nankang Rubber of Taiwan, one of Asia's older tire makers, with some sizes built in China or Thailand. Tireco also owns the Lexani and Nankang-distributed lines in the US, and Milestar has become one of the better-known budget names thanks to its off-road tires.
The Patagonia M/T is what made the brand's reputation. It is a mud-terrain tire that costs far less than a BFGoodrich KM3 or Toyo M/T and has built a loyal following among budget off-road builders and overlanders. The Patagonia A/T R is the all-terrain version with a mileage warranty. For everyday cars, the MS932 Sport is a value all-season touring tire, the Weatherguard AW365 is an all-weather tire with the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol, and the Grantland H/T is a highway tire for SUVs and pickups.
Warranties are modest, typically 50,000 miles on the touring and highway tires and none on the mud-terrain. Prices are among the lowest for a brand with real off-road credibility. The honest trade-offs are that Milestar's passenger tires are ordinary budget tires with more noise and less wet grip than mid-tier brands, and the Patagonia M/T is loud and wears fast on pavement.
Milestar models worth buying
| Model | Type | Mileage warranty | From | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS932 Sport | All-Season Tires | 50,000 mi | $70 | Sedans and crossovers that need a cheap all-season touring tire. |
| Patagonia M/T | Mud-Terrain Tires | None | $190 | Budget off-road builds, Jeeps and overlanders that want mud traction without premium prices. |
| Patagonia A/T R | All-Terrain Tires | 50,000 mi | $140 | Pickups and SUVs that want a rugged all-terrain look at a budget price. |
| Grantland H/T | Highway Truck & SUV Tires | 60,000 mi | $110 | Crossovers and older SUVs used mostly for commuting. |
| Weatherguard AW365 | All-Weather Tires | 55,000 mi | $80 | Drivers in snow states who want a 3PMSF all-weather tire on the tightest budget. |
Strengths
- Patagonia M/T is the best-known budget mud-terrain in the US
- Weatherguard AW365 offers 3PMSF all-weather at a low price
- Made mainly by Nankang in Taiwan rather than unknown contract plants
Weaknesses
- Passenger tires are ordinary budget tires
- Patagonia M/T is noisy and wears quickly on pavement
Milestar as a company
Milestar is a purely American house brand: Tireco, one of North America's largest private-brand marketers, imports the tires and ships them from its own southern California warehouses, including a 1.1 million sq ft facility in Fontana, to independent tire dealers and online retailers. There is no manufacturer-owned Milestar store; the brand lives entirely in the independent dealer and e-commerce channel. All Milestar tires are imported, chiefly from Asian factories.
Tireco, Inc. is privately held and publishes no revenue, profit, margin or employee figures, so those fields are null. Tireco is a marketer and distributor, not a manufacturer, hence zero tire plants and no production volumes. The founding year 2006 is the launch of the Milestar brand as stated by Milestar itself; Tireco the company dates to 1972. Which factory builds each Milestar line is not officially disclosed. Tireco's documented history as Nankang USA and its continuing distribution of Nankang tires are the firmest evidence, but consumer sites naming specific plants are not authoritative.
Milestar through the years
- 1972Tireco, the company behind Milestar, was founded as K.H.H. Enterprises in Torrance, California, selling bicycle tires out of a 2,000 sq ft unit.
- 1976The business was renamed Nankang USA and began importing specialty tires for lawn mowers and trailers.
- 2000The company took its present name, Tireco, Inc., and moved into a 460,000 sq ft facility.
- 2006Milestar was introduced as Tireco's own car and light-truck tire brand, the same year Tireco bought a 1.1 million sq ft warehouse in Fontana, California.
- 2008Tireco bought the former Nissan headquarters building in Gardena, California, which is still the home of the Milestar brand.
Did you know?
- Tireco was called Nankang USA from 1976 to 2000 and still distributes Nankang tires in North America; Milestar is a private brand built for Tireco by outside factories in Asia, because Tireco owns no tire plants.
- Milestar is the official UTV tire of King of the Hammers, the desert race in Johnson Valley, California, and the event's support vehicles run Milestar Patagonia SXT and SXS tires.
- The Patagonia family is the brand's off-road line, and Milestar's marketing leans on overlanding and adventure events such as the Rebelle Rally and Easter Jeep Safari rather than circuit racing.
Milestar tires: common questions
Who makes Milestar tires?
Milestar is a brand of Tireco of Gardena, California. The tires are manufactured mainly by Nankang Rubber of Taiwan, with some sizes built in China or Thailand. The factory is identified by the DOT code on the sidewall.
Is the Milestar Patagonia M/T a good tire?
For a budget mud-terrain, yes. It has a large following among off-road builders for its traction in mud and rock at a price well under BFGoodrich or Toyo. The trade-offs are road noise, faster tread wear on pavement and no mileage warranty. It is a good choice for a trail rig and a poor one for a daily highway commuter.
How long do Milestar tires last?
The MS932 Sport and Grantland H/T carry 50,000 and 60,000-mile warranties and typically deliver 35,000 to 50,000 miles. The Patagonia A/T R is warranted for 50,000 miles. The Patagonia M/T has no mileage warranty and often lasts 25,000 to 40,000 miles depending on how much pavement it sees.