Am I okay to have different makes of tyres on different axles? I currently have Continental Sport Contact 3 all round. I need two back tyres - am I okay to have a different make / tread pattern on the back axle?

Don't see any problem with this. Different ones on the same axle would be questionable but no prob with different fronts and backs.

Legally yes. Putting the good tyres on the back is a good idea, because you'll can get rid of those 2 Contis sooner that way!

Nothing 'wrong' with having 4 different tyres on a car (providing they are all the same size). - I'm not keen on it personally though.

It is not ideal however as each tyre will grip and roll differently. Ideally its best to keep all 4 the same or if that is not possible keep the ones on the same 'axle' matched.

Legally yes. Putting the good tyres on the back is a good idea, because you'll can get rid of those 2 Contis sooner that way!

I've always put new on the front, it's where the car steers & does most of its braking however I believe there is a newish trend to favour the rear incase of a tail slide, any other comments as to front or rear for new grippies?

To answer the OP, 2 x identical tyres on the same axle wherever possible however different makes on different axles has never caused me any problems.

2 identical tyres on the same axle, new tyres on the back. This not only prevents the back sliding but also wears your old tyres faster which is good because they will not age much further.

Since my tyre money always goes to Nokian and not any OEM choice, after first year of car ownership I usually have 2 sets of different tyres.

I've always put new on the front, it's where the car steers & does most of its braking however I believe there is a newish trend to favour the rear incase of a tail slide, any other comments as to front or rear for new grippies?

To answer the OP, 2 x identical tyres on the same axle wherever possible however different makes on different axles has never caused me any problems.

I'd normally agree with you, but in this case the OP will have 2 Continentals to get rid of ASAP!

All the above make sense, to be fair.

My usual method is to rotate the tyres 50% through the wear on the fronts. When the "new" fronts wear out, I buy 4 tyres.

This way you get the "optimum" of same brand tyres on each corner, and you can normally negotiate a discount on the purchase of 4. The few mm of tread I bin is more than made up for my the predictable handling.

My theory is, why skimp on the only part of the car that touches the road?

All the above make sense, to be fair.

My usual method is to rotate the tyres 50% through the wear on the fronts. When the "new" fronts wear out, I buy 4 tyres.

This way you get the "optimum" of same brand tyres on each corner, and you can normally negotiate a discount on the purchase of 4. The few mm of tread I bin is more than made up for my the predictable handling.

My theory is, why skimp on the only part of the car that touches the road?

Yep, I go with this theory

Of course, what screws it all up is when you get an irrepairable puncture - have a new and half-worn on the same axle? - can be interesting in the wet or under heavy braking - or replace the (only) half-worn one with another new one?

Yep, I go with this theory

Of course, what screws it all up is when you get an irrepairable puncture - have a new and half-worn on the same axle? - can be interesting in the wet or under heavy braking - or replace the (only) half-worn one with another new one?

Better still use the spare tyre, if the spare is new use that with the new one you have just bought, or if it's part worn put the new one in the boot as the spare.

Don't forget tyres age (go hard and then start to crack) so it's not a good idea to never use the spare tyre as when you need to use it it may be new, but cracked so illegal.

I personally always have the better tyres on the front as well, despite what the fitters will recommend.

Yes, the spare is a good idea, I do it that way on both cars. In Superb's case, there's also a winter wheel set to think about, hence last year I ordered 6(!) winter tyres from mytyres.co.uk, I guess next spring I'll put the remaining free tyre on to go with the spare.

I've done the deed. Got two new Michelin Sports on the back. The fronts have over 6mm, so there's no way I'm changing them yet!

I've done the deed. Got two new Michelin Sports on the back. The fronts have over 6mm, so there's no way I'm changing them yet!

Now all you've got to do is swap the fronts to the rear & you'll be sorted lol.

Better still use the spare tyre, if the spare is new use that with the new one you have just bought, or if it's part worn put the new one in the boot as the spare.quote]

...unless of course the spare on a steel wheel is not the same size as the tyres on the alloy road wheels :(

Now all you've got to do is swap the fronts to the rear & you'll be sorted lol.

No no no no no no no non nein no!!!

The Contis need killing soonest, so they must go on the front!!

Better still use the spare tyre' date=' if the spare is new use that with the new one you have just bought, or if it's part worn put the new one in the boot as the spare.quote']

...unless of course the spare on a steel wheel is not the same size as the tyres on the alloy road wheels :(

True, that's why when I bought each Skoda I specified that the spare has to be the same wheel type and tyre as the rest. To be honest, for me full size spare in any other shape does not make sense, as if I catch a flat halfway across Europe in the middle of the night, after replacement I need to be able to continue the drive at high speed. Steel wheel on one side and an alloy one on the other, with tyres of different size, does not sound like a stable road setup...

I also try to have the spare half-worn, ie at around 4mm-5mm thread. This reduces the circumference (and handling) difference if I place it opposite of new tyre, or a near wear limit tyre.

Having said all that, in the last 8 years I had no need to replace the tyres during the drive yet. Worst thing that happended was a slow pressure loss. Spare wheel is like fire extinguisher - keep it in the car, and you won't have any reason to use it

...unless of course the spare on a steel wheel is not the same size as the tyres on the alloy road wheels :(

Very true, but i did say previously:

Nothing 'wrong' with having 4 different tyres on a car (providing they are all the same size). - I'm not keen on it personally though.

It is not ideal however as each tyre will grip and roll differently. Ideally its best to keep all 4 the same or if that is not possible keep the ones on the same 'axle' matched.

So i didn't think i needed to repeat myself

Yep, I go with this theory

Of course, what screws it all up is when you get an irrepairable puncture - have a new and half-worn on the same axle? - can be interesting in the wet or under heavy braking - or replace the (only) half-worn one with another new one?

Yeah, this is always the worry I have with this method. I've always thought I'd either go for new if it was close enough, or if not a part worn.

Luckily I've never had this happen yet, and I'm not sure if I'd have the balls to go for part worn... but I hope I never get to find out

So i didn't think i needed to repeat myself

lol

No no no no no no no non nein no!!!

Sorry, I'm not quite seeing your point there... :P

Wrote here yesteray, nail through the sidewall today, ouch! Bought 2 new tyres which were put on the front (as recommended by the local tyre centre & no it wasn't rip off quicker than a rip off fitter!) with the 2 x 1/2 worn ones put to the rear & the odd 1/2 worn which was undamaged into the shed as an emergency spare.

My cab has a spacesaver so in my shed you will find 2 x matching alloy wheels shod with new tyres incase I get a puncture, not allowed to work with the spacesaver under local council rules!

The Contis need killing soonest, so they must go on the front!!

What's wrong with Contis by the way? They don't seem to last too long, so that's definately one negative...

What's wrong with Contis by the way? They don't seem to last too long, so that's definately one negative...

I think he was just saying that the conti's on the OP's car were the oldest, and therefore need wearing out quickest.

What's wrong with Contis by the way? They don't seem to last too long, so that's definately one negative...

Other than that I don't like them (which is pretty obvious from this thread)? Well how about their aquaplane resistance not being that great, they're a fairly hard compound to deal with Autobahn speeds, they turn to concrete at 3mm remaining tread because that's the German legal limit...?

Wrote here yesteray, nail through the sidewall today, ouch! Bought 2 new tyres which were put on the front (as recommended by the local tyre centre & no it wasn't rip off quicker than a rip off fitter!) with the 2 x 1/2 worn ones put to the rear & the odd 1/2 worn which was undamaged into the shed as an emergency spare.

My cab has a spacesaver so in my shed you will find 2 x matching alloy wheels shod with new tyres incase I get a puncture, not allowed to work with the spacesaver under local council rules!

New tyres always on the rear !!

They need educating !!

Michelins article might interest them Michelin - Fitting tyres - Why fit new or less worn tyres to the rear?