Brand guide
Continental-group brand strongest in SUV, truck and all-terrain tires — the Grabber family — with honest touring and winter lines for everyday cars.
General Tire has built tires in the United States since 1915 and joined the Continental group in 1987. Its modern reputation was made off-road: the Grabber family runs from highway truck tires to full mud-terrain, backed by years of desert-racing development.
On the passenger side, the Altimax line quietly delivers some of the best value in the Continental system — including the Altimax 365AW all-weather and the Arctic 12 winter tire, both well suited to Ontario conditions at a price below the parent brand.
General Tire's Canadian coverage is the "Shield+ Advantage Plan" (effective February 1, 2025, via Continental Tire Canada). The big news in the 2025 edition: road-hazard coverage was added — but only for tires purchased on or after February 1, 2025. Unlike parent-brand Continental, there is no roadside assistance.
Within 45 days of purchase or the first 2/32" (1.6 mm) of wear, exchange one or more of a new set of four for General tires of equal or lesser value — mounting and balancing free. Winter tires exchange for winter tires only. Uniquely, the trial even applies to the Grabber HD in commercial service.
On tires purchased on or after February 1, 2025: a tire damaged beyond repair by a cut, snag, puncture, bruise or impact break within the first 12 months or first 2/32" of wear is replaced free with a comparable General tire. Repairable punctures are repaired instead. Tires bought earlier fall under the old policy, which had no road-hazard coverage.
Workmanship-and-materials defects get a free replacement — including mounting and balancing — within the first 12 months or first 2/32" of wear, then prorated by tread used for up to 72 months from purchase.
Two different things, often confused: a treadwear (mileage) warranty is not the defect warranty, and it is not a promise the tire will last that far. It means that if the tread wears out evenly before the listed distance (with rotation records in order), the manufacturer credits the unused percentage toward a replacement — you still pay the rest. Manufacturing defects are covered separately by the defect warranty above, which has its own free-replacement window and total term.
| Product line | Treadwear warranty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AltiMAX RT45 | 120,000 km (T/H) · 105,000 km (V) | Everyday touring |
| AltiMAX RT43 | 120,000 km (T) · 105,000 km (H/V) | Previous generation, still sold |
| AltiMAX 365AW | 105,000 km (H) · 95,000 km (V) | All-weather (severe-snow rated) |
| Grabber A/TX | 96,000 km · 80,000 km (LT/flotation) | All-terrain |
| Grabber APT | 96,000 km | |
| Grabber HD | — | No mileage warranty; 45-day trial still applies, even commercial |
| AltiMAX Arctic 12 (winter) | — | No treadwear warranty; trial and defect warranty still apply |
First thing to know: the warranty belongs to the manufacturer, not the store. Tires bought from us can be claimed at any authorized dealer of that brand anywhere in the country — if you move away, or something goes wrong on a road trip, you do not have to drive back to Markham for us to handle it. (Two notes: the satisfaction trial exchange is the exception, which the manufacturers require you to do at the original place of purchase; and warehouse chains such as Costco and Canadian Tire generally only process claims on tires they sold themselves, so call ahead — that is their store policy, not the warranty.)
Yes, since the 2025 Shield+ plan — 12 months of road-hazard coverage — but only on tires purchased on or after February 1, 2025. Older purchases have no road-hazard coverage.
No. Roadside assistance is a Continental-brand benefit; General's Shield+ plan covers the trial, defect warranty, mileage warranty and (from 2025) road hazard, but no roadside service.
No — no winter line does. It still gets the 45-day trial and the standard defect warranty.
Terms above are transcribed from the manufacturer's official Canadian documents (verified 2026-08). Manufacturers can revise terms; their current official documents govern:
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