What brand of tires should I stay away from?

You should stay away from ultra-cheap no-name budget tire brands with poor quality control, no warranty, and bad safety reviews, especially unknown Chinese brands sold online at very low prices. Brands to avoid include Westlake, Chaoyang, Goodride, Compass, Telluride, AKS, Linglong, Triangle, Double Coin, and other off-brand Chinese tires that often have poor wet traction, short tread life, higher risk of blowout, and low ratings on Tire Rack and Consumer Reports, though some have improved. Also avoid Ironman and Milestar budget lines, and any tire without DOT code or with DOT over 6 years old, as old tires degrade. Avoid retreaded tires for passenger cars. Avoid buying used tires with unknown history. Avoid tires with extremely low UTQG ratings below 300. Instead, stick to reputable brands like Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Continental, Pirelli, Yokohama, Cooper, BFGoodrich, Firestone, Hankook, Toyo, and Falken, which have proven safety testing, warranties, and good reviews. Firestone is trustworthy mid-tier brand, not to avoid. The cheapest tires may save 30 dollars each but compromise braking in rain and handling, which is safety risk, so investing in reputable brand with warranty is better. So stay away from unknown budget Chinese brands with no warranty, poor reviews, and no DOT, and focus on established brands with good safety ratings and warranties for safe driving.