Cross climate tires

[Ghs]

Daughter has 2 on the front of her Ford fiesta , her back two tires are due for replacement , I’m assuming cross climates / same manufacture would be best ?

[mmm-five]

It's usually best to stick to the same make/model unless they're not available, and then get something very similar (i.e. the older/newer version of the same tyre, or a premium all-season from Continental, Goodyear, et al).

If they're the original Cross-Climates, then there's been Cross-Climate 2 and now Cross-Climate 3 are available. So you may have the choice of paying more for the newer version or saving a bit and getting the older model to exactly match what's currently on there.

If the tyres are the same size all around, and the fronts are not brand new, you may want to consider swapping the fronts to the back (and diagonally to equal wear IF THEY'RE NOT DIRECTIONAL), and putting the new ones on the driven front wheels instead.

Edited by mmm-five on Friday 11th September 14:05

[LightweightLouisDanvers]

mmm-five said:

If the tyres are the same size all around, and the fronts are not brand new, you may want to consider swapping the fronts to the back (diagonally to equal wear), and putting the new ones on the driven front wheels instead.

Oh dear, you will have awakened the PH tyre monsters with talk like that.

Unless new tyres are placed on the back instantaneous death will occur at the first corner.

I was always taught years ago to put the best tyres on the driven axle but this is now heresy and such advice is likely to get you hunted down by pitchfork weilding folk, before being burnt alive.

[mmm-five]

LightweightLouisDanvers said:

Oh dear, you will have awakened the PH tyre monsters with talk like that.

Unless new tyres are placed on the back instantaneous death will occur at the first corner.

I was always taught years ago to put the best tyres on the driven axle but this is now heresy and such advice is likely to get you hunted down by pitchfork weilding folk, before being burnt alive.

That's why I said 'consider' rather than 'best practice' or something equally divisive. Don't want my dwindling PH monetisation reducing any further!

Most of my last 20 years of cars have had staggered tyre sizes anyway, and putting the smaller fronts on the back was only for fun on drift days

[MustangGT]

LightweightLouisDanvers said:

mmm-five said:

If the tyres are the same size all around, and the fronts are not brand new, you may want to consider swapping the fronts to the back (diagonally to equal wear), and putting the new ones on the driven front wheels instead.

Oh dear, you will have awakened the PH tyre monsters with talk like that.

Unless new tyres are placed on the back instantaneous death will occur at the first corner.

I was always taught years ago to put the best tyres on the driven axle but this is now heresy and such advice is likely to get you hunted down by pitchfork weilding folk, before being burnt alive.

Indeed, where all tyres are the same size new always go on the back, to have understeer rather than oversteer.

Beware swapping left to right, a lot of tyres are directional now, I think cross-climates are in that list. They have to be going in the right direction and have to stay on the same side.

[Clad-Hach]

Cross Climate's are superb tyres, I've been using them for years, not that we get much snow anymore but what's not mentioned much the cold wet weather performance of the CC's which is very impressive.

Also I run CC's on the front in the winter and swap them over with normal tyres in the summer, again in all the years I've been running tyres with different tread patterns front and rear I have had no problems...in fact you can feel no difference.

[Mr Pointy]

Just be a bit wary with the CC V3 tyres, particularly the Sport version:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[EW109]

I have Cross Climate 2s on our two daily drivers and have found them to be excellent. The snow performance, in particular, is remarkably good for an all-season tyre.

[RicksAlfas]

EW109 said:

I have Cross Climate 2s on our two daily drivers and have found them to be excellent. The snow performance, in particular, is remarkably good for an all-season tyre.

And the wear rate is remarkable too!

[POIDH]

I've mixed multiple all season tyres over the years. As long as they are in specification, they work. I only change two at once however, just personal preference.

[Sheepshanks]

LightweightLouisDanvers said:

Oh dear, you will have awakened the PH tyre monsters with talk like that.

Unless new tyres are placed on the back instantaneous death will occur at the first corner.

I was always taught years ago to put the best tyres on the driven axle but this is now heresy and such advice is likely to get you hunted down by pitchfork weilding folk, before being burnt alive.

I do whatever I think is best on my own car, that only I drive. However it's a different matter if the car will be driven by someone else, as in the case of the OP where it's his daughter's car.

Sounds like it might have non-All Seasons on the rear at the moment, which is regarded as pretty dodgy now, but in the past people would cheerfully fit winter tyres on the front of FWD cars on the (incorrect) basis that the rears don't matter.

[darreni]

I like having matching tyres allround, and given that the rears need replacing anyway, i'd go for cross climates.

After running cross climate 2's on our daily for the last 3 years, they'll be going on all of our cars in future.

[danb79]

Mr Pointy said:

Just be a bit wary with the CC V3 tyres, particularly the Sport version:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

I run 245/40 and 275/35 19" CC3 Sports on my 635d and they're faultless, and fit perfectly, with decent rim protection (not that it means anything to my wife who's managed to kerb the front wheels) - They are due to be refurbed though...

They're excellent tyres and would highly recommend them to anyone

I posted on that thread linked; no idea what was going on, but definitely not something I've seen before

[danb79]

Ghs said:

Daughter has 2 on the front of her Ford fiesta , her back two tires are due for replacement , I m assuming cross climates / same manufacture would be best ?

Yes; IMO do all 4 for peace of mind - if the other 2 are good tread, they'll soon sell on eBay

I have Goodyear Vector Gen3 4 Season tyres on the F31; and as mentioned above, the Michelin CC3 Sports on my 635d - would highly recommend both

Check Camskill for best prices - just get them delivered and then fitted locally for £beertokens

[Magnum 475]

mmm-five said:

If the tyres are the same size all around, and the fronts are not brand new, you may want to consider swapping the fronts to the back (diagonally to equal wear), and putting the new ones on the driven front wheels instead.

Don't forget that CCs are directional. To swap diagonally requires that they're re-mounted on the rims. Straight diagonal swap would result in the tyres running backwards - and you *really* don't want that with directional tyres.

[mmm-five]

Magnum 475 said:

Don't forget that CCs are directional. To swap diagonally requires that they're re-mounted on the rims. Straight diagonal swap would result in the tyres running backwards - and you *really* don't want that with directional tyres.

It just makes them safer to drive in reverse!

[chip*]

Fully converted to all season tyres now.
Being using CC2/3 on my last 3 daily cars, and they are perfect for every day use across all seasons.

I tend to get them fitted at Costco as the price is pretty competitive, plus they will take care of your alloys and torqued correctly too. Apparently, TPSM are good values too in Costco, but I haven't had to buy any yet.

[Heaveho]

I've twice experienced the misery of Michelin cross climates. They're garbage in the rain.They can't even cope on my van without triggering the TC or understeering. Other manufacturers have hopefully moved the game on.

[mmm-five]

Heaveho said:

I've twice experienced the misery of Michelin cross climates. They're garbage in the rain.They can't even cope on my van without triggering the TC or understeering. Other manufacturers have hopefully moved the game on.

The CC2, CC3, CC3 Sport are better than the originals, but I didn't crash & die when I did a few laps of a wet Nurburgring in mine on the original CCs.

They were definitely better than Michelin Supersports in the same conditions.

Edited by mmm-five on Friday 11th September 14:31

[danb79]

Heaveho said:

I've twice experienced the misery of Michelin cross climates. They're garbage in the rain.They can't even cope on my van without triggering the TC or understeering. Other manufacturers have hopefully moved the game on.

I drove my previous E81 130i LE on 18" CC2s in horrible weather; heavy rains / cold and damp / snowy; on the local country lanes to me here in Lancashire and not once did they let go; and I drove it hard

I've driven my 635d on the current CC3 Sports in the very recent heavy downpours we've had too; again, spirited driving on narrow unloved country roads as well as local A roads and bypasses; zero issues - and that car has a lot of torque from factory

So I'd say from personal experience (as well as a lot of other reviews, plus what Jon of tyrereviews.co.uk says about them too); they're far from garbage in the rain...