45gunner

Just had my 2011 Convertible in for a 15000 mile check. Discovered my OEM Goodyear F1's on the front are to the wear bar and my back tires are still in pretty good shape. I would like to replace the front tires with Michelin Super Sport Run Flats. Can anyone authoritatively tell me if this is OK or not recommended to mix brands and why? When the rear tires wear out, I am going to go with the Michelin Super Sports Run Flats. Am I pinching pennies or should I just buy the whole enchilada and be done with it? Seems a shame to discard tires that still may have another 5 to 10K miles left on them.

919cw313

I don't think any tire manufacturer recommends mixing tires. Google can confirm this.

One thing almost everyone on cf agrees on is that the goodyears are terrible tires and to use any excuse to get rid of them.

Do yourself a favor and get a set of four good tires. It will be so smooth, have better traction, and be so quiet that you'll think it's a new car.

ForceFedC4

Handling characteristics vary from tire to tire. If you aren't driving hard, you may not notice.. but I wouldn't do it. If the sidewall of the tires looks different it may be aesthetically unappealing until they all match as well.

If the other tires have 10k left of them, sounds like they are good enough to sell to somebody on craigslist who would like to use them for something stupid such as a burnout contest or "drifting."

Those clowns scour craigslist all day for scrappy tires to waste.

Arkyvette

I have BFG on the rear and Hankooks up front and I haven't exploded or even slid off the road yet. You likely won't notice. That said, my OCD will be helping me purchase four matching new tires this summer despite the fronts being like new. As mentioned above, Craigslist has helped me sell used tires like this several times before and quickly as well.

Dave S

As others have noted, you can "get by" with mixed tires but why take a chance? In the event of an unexpected emergency maneuver, the traction difference between front & rear tires might very well put you in the weeds. IMHO....not a time to be cheap.....put four good matched tires on your ride!

MH663

I would buy all four but there is no major issue as long as the two fronts match and likewise with the two rears.

EVRose

I've had GY on front and Michelin on back for 5 years with no problems whatsoever. I will replace the fronts soon though with matching Michelin's.

Coach Borne

at the moment i have Michelin on front and Bridgestone on the rears for now. drove from new orleans to nashville and back no issues. will be changing rears soon to match the front when wear tab indicates.

zrracer

I think the issue here is;
What would happen if you needed the tires to save you. Mismatched tires along with old tires on one end (could) be a problem. You could get lucky or not.
No one who really knows what they r talking about is going to tell you to mix tire types and dates.
Have you noticed that everyone who is running mis matched set wants to end up with a matched set. That should tell you something. One of the big problems with Vipers is people who have old tires with great tread. They go out and don't realize that old tires get hard.

orca1946

4 tires are the best way to go. That being said, in normal driving 2 equal on the front or back is ok. If in doubt ---sell, sell, sell.

buckmeister2

The fact that so many people say, "never had a problem", does not mean it is okay to do it!

We all know that we are sometimes tempted to push our cars, maybe not to the limit,but beyond what is safe. If, at the moment you are really pushing the car, something happens and you have to make a car-saving or life-saving rescue, do you want tires which are not only mismatched, but which have far different tread depths and grip capability?

Put on 4, sell the two good ones on CL, and you won't even have to think about it anymore.

Arkyvette

I seriously doubt there is anything to worry about. I can see if you mixed run flats with non run flats, or all seasons with summer tires, but with the same style of tire in the appropriate size, any crash you have or don't have won't be decided by your tires. No need for panic here. It will make a difference if your center cap isn't pointing at the valve stem though....That will put you right in the ditch

AORoads

OP, you and others on here may not like to know this but the above post is accurate. Truthfully, you will never know what caused something to "go wrong with handling" in an emergency maneuver, evasive move, panic brake-and-avoid situation. Maybe it was your reaction time. Maybe it was sand on the road. Maybe it was different tire pressures for the ambient temps. And maybe it was the front tire tread didn't have as much traction, or had more traction than the rear tires. Just think of the lessons of racers where a pound or two on one side can keep them from sliding into a wall at 180. Or tires skip, skid or slide when they're the wrong temp, the wrong depth, the wrong compound---the last one being normal for two different brands of tires like the ones you're thinking of putting on your car. Sure, you're not racing but ever notice that when you start out from your garage the tire pressure is 30, and 1 hour later in the summer, it's 34 or more? Do you think that might change something in your car's handling?

Just my opinion. And btw, no tire co. or major tire dealer that I know of recommends putting new tires only on the front of a car. Your money, your car.

Zero_6

Buy new tires, new rims, and new tpms. That's what I did. Saved the old ones just in case of emergencies.

Sunnyvale Dave

I wonder if any tire stores refuse mix tires. The tread on my original front Goodyears wore out, but I had plenty of tread left on the rears. I had the fronts replaced with Michelins. A few years later I replaced the rears with matching Michelins. Now the front Michelins are showing signs of cracking, and Michelin has come out with an updated version of the tire. The rear tires still look great.

B-Vette

A good friend of mine replaced his back tires with a new set of Michelin Pilot Sports but left his old Nitto front tires on. The car immediately threw a code, (can't remember the number) while he was driving it into town. Tech II said it had something to do with the tire diameter not being correct any longer.

cyclesailor955

It's only Money change all four tires at the same time.

Your Personnel Safety will Thank you .

bigsapper

...

jhawk127

You can leave those 5-10K miles in black strips on pavement as a memorial somewhere.

Seriously, though:
1. The OEM Goodyears have got to go! Trash and forget.
2. Safety first - as others have said... replacing all 4 equals reliable handling and ride quality. I don't think the perceived savings are worth it to mis-match sets.
3. The 15K mileage on the fronts is fairly consistent with other threads I've read about the life of the Goodyears. I'd be surprised if you could get another 10k out of the rears unless you are very gentle on the GO! pedal. Lots of tire info on this forum and you'll love the change to something else. (Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500's- nonRF for me).
4. Suggestion for an alignment job if the wear on your front is not even across the tire (more wear on the inside). Also several other threads about this. A good alignment shop will adjust the camber to YOUR specs, for less aggressive driving style....if that's your style.

Replace all 4 and enjoy a totally different (improved) driving experience!

Giamanut

Stand on Brakes and floor it until your rears also show wear bars then replace all four!