So does anyone use OEM tires as a consideration when buying a new car?
New tires would be an expense if you didn't like the OEMs.
I don't really care what tires come on the car: if they are crap (and they often are), I just change them for the ones I want. I can't imagine it affecting my purchasing decision one way or the other.
When I bought the GTI, I had the dealer remove the OE all-seasons before delivery. They were bagged and in the back of the car when I picked it up, and I sold the like new tires on kijiji for $200.
So it only cost me maybe five hundred bucks to have good tires on the car from day 1. Well worth it, IMO.
And, BTW, an OEM is a company that manufactures stuff: Bridgestone, Pirelli, Michelin, etc. are all OEMs. The actual tires that come on your car are simply OE.
OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer
OE: Original Equipment