Mixing tyres...
Discussion
I feel like I know the answer to this...
Is it a really bad idea to mix Michelin Crossclimate's with an ordinary tyre like a continental ecocontact?
My wife's qashqau currently had 4 y/old CC's all round and the fronts are almost worn through. But Crossclimates for her car have gone from £112 in 2019, to £159 now, which is a lot for ordinary tyres on an ordinary car that just pootles around.
I feel like it would be fine unless it actually was snowy / very cold and then there could potentially be a dangerous mismatch in grip.
Is it a really bad idea to mix Michelin Crossclimate's with an ordinary tyre like a continental ecocontact?
My wife's qashqau currently had 4 y/old CC's all round and the fronts are almost worn through. But Crossclimates for her car have gone from £112 in 2019, to £159 now, which is a lot for ordinary tyres on an ordinary car that just pootles around.
I feel like it would be fine unless it actually was snowy / very cold and then there could potentially be a dangerous mismatch in grip.
Not necessarily, but I would rather not ditch all 4 tyres when two are perfectly reasonable. We put CC's on originally because they weren't that much more expensive back then, and she HATES driving if the roads are snowy / frosty so it was more about giving her the confidence that she had the right tyres. Her parents live on a road that is not gritted and she had to visit regularly to drop our boy off.
£100 is is enough that's its worth saving IMO, but not (obviously) at the expense of making the car unpredictable or dangerous to drive.
£100 is is enough that's its worth saving IMO, but not (obviously) at the expense of making the car unpredictable or dangerous to drive.
If you don't need them urgently, worth monitoring the prices daily for a week or so. You will be surprised how much they seem to vary, with the various 'sales' that come and go. Also have a look at higher speed rated tyre in the same size - occasionally they can come in cheaper (obviously they shouldn't be, but when doing my wife's car tyres y rated ones were cheaper than the v ones at the time)
jimmy156 said:
Not necessarily, but I would rather not ditch all 4 tyres when two are perfectly reasonable. We put CC's on originally because they weren't that much more expensive back then, and she HATES driving if the roads are snowy / frosty so it was more about giving her the confidence that she had the right tyres. Her parents live on a road that is not gritted and she had to visit regularly to drop our boy off.
£100 is is enough that's its worth saving IMO, but not (obviously) at the expense of making the car unpredictable or dangerous to drive.
well if she hates driving in poor weather, all the more reason to have good tyres for such weather !£100 is is enough that's its worth saving IMO, but not (obviously) at the expense of making the car unpredictable or dangerous to drive.
Either that or she never drives it in poor weather
My suggestion is to take the car out for a drive. You'll need to do it a couple of times - once on a dry road and once on a wet road. On each occasion, slam on the brakes when it's safe to do so. If the car stops in a straight line both times there's nothing to worry about - modern ABS is an extraordinary thing. But if the car wriggles and squirms - buy some matched tyres.
But that just tests one scenario. What about the car swapping ends on an icy corner? Sure the cross climates aren’t a full winter but the below video is informative, regarding mixing winter and summer tyres.
https://youtu.be/A5aMnmekA38?si=0__fi-DQfOALVb4z
Personally, I would just find the extra money, or look for offers. Sometimes the cheapest prices come from the most unlikely places. Last time Halfords was offering a discount if you signed up to their loyalty card, plus the tyre I wanted was in discount already. Got 25% off an already competitive price, much cheaper than blackcircles or anywhere else at that time.
https://youtu.be/A5aMnmekA38?si=0__fi-DQfOALVb4z
Personally, I would just find the extra money, or look for offers. Sometimes the cheapest prices come from the most unlikely places. Last time Halfords was offering a discount if you signed up to their loyalty card, plus the tyre I wanted was in discount already. Got 25% off an already competitive price, much cheaper than blackcircles or anywhere else at that time.
Edited by wyson on Sunday 24th September 21:05
As an aside that is somewhat related, I was given a hire car with mismatched ditch finders across axles. Shat myself when the car torque steered to the tyre with less grip, that was squealing like hell. Was speeding up to move into lane two and the car jerked heavily across the lane, I wasn’t trying anything extreme. Was very cautious after that.
Whenever I’ve shat myself in a car, its involved a loss of grip of some sort and ditchfinders or mismatched tyres usually played a part. Ultimately, its my fault for not driving within the limits of grip, but car manufacturers recommend matched tyres on all axles for a reason. Tyre manufacturers recommend and lots of EU countries legislate for some sort of low temp tyre in colder months for a reason.
Whenever I’ve shat myself in a car, its involved a loss of grip of some sort and ditchfinders or mismatched tyres usually played a part. Ultimately, its my fault for not driving within the limits of grip, but car manufacturers recommend matched tyres on all axles for a reason. Tyre manufacturers recommend and lots of EU countries legislate for some sort of low temp tyre in colder months for a reason.
Edited by wyson on Sunday 24th September 21:19
How many miles have the Cross Climates done?
I ordered another set for daughter's SEAT Ateca the other day as the garage reported the fronts at 2.5mm and the rears at 4mm.
They've done 15K on one axle, then been swapped and done 20K on the other.
If it was my own car I'd wait a bit and then just put a new pair on the front, but the drill these days (and probably should be followed if other people drive the car) is to put the new ones on the rear which would mean 4mm tyres going on the front and then by the turn of the year they'd be 3mm. So I'll just replace all four so I don't have to think about it.
Somewhat annoyingly Costco told me it would take 6 weeks to get the tyres, which was fine, then rang 3 days later to say they were in.
I ordered another set for daughter's SEAT Ateca the other day as the garage reported the fronts at 2.5mm and the rears at 4mm.
They've done 15K on one axle, then been swapped and done 20K on the other.
If it was my own car I'd wait a bit and then just put a new pair on the front, but the drill these days (and probably should be followed if other people drive the car) is to put the new ones on the rear which would mean 4mm tyres going on the front and then by the turn of the year they'd be 3mm. So I'll just replace all four so I don't have to think about it.
Somewhat annoyingly Costco told me it would take 6 weeks to get the tyres, which was fine, then rang 3 days later to say they were in.
Edited by Sheepshanks on Sunday 24th September 21:22
I'd be looking at other all season tyres mid range or premium and swapping out the worn ones of these if there is a pair at a good price. Then matching the back axel when they go too.
If all all seasons are expensive and a decent regular tyre is a good saving (£50 a corner is a good saving!) then I'd be putting them on the front. I think you may have an issue with the car swapping ends if you have all seasons at the front and summers at the rear, but I'd have thought it will be totally fine with the grippier tyres at the back.
If all all seasons are expensive and a decent regular tyre is a good saving (£50 a corner is a good saving!) then I'd be putting them on the front. I think you may have an issue with the car swapping ends if you have all seasons at the front and summers at the rear, but I'd have thought it will be totally fine with the grippier tyres at the back.
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