Getting Tired.

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
My kid leaves for college in a few weeks. He picked up a nail in a bad spot. Transition from tread to sidewall. Depending on the day, the plug will leak, or not. Can't have him worrying about this so new tires. He really only needs two, move the new ones up front.

What's the deal on mixing brands?

He will be just outside Boston, so going all season. Recommendations?

2016 Cruze Premier.
 

EJphotos

Well-Known Member
My recommendation, regardless of which brand you decide to get, the best tread/newest tires should always go in the rear, regardless of fwd/rwd/awd.
You can steer the front, but you can't steer the rear
 

Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I say new tire should go in the front.

You're more likely to pickup debris with the front tire that then causes a flat in the rear tire.
 

jackx

Well-Known Member
I always recommend getting tires from Tirerack.com as they come with a 2 year hazard protection plan. My wife and I must have gone thru 3-4 tires in 1.5 years commuting back and forth from the Boston area, and they were always covered by the protection plan. Have the tires shipped to yourself or your installer.
 

Frank

Sasquatch
Mixing brands could mean a larger difference in tire circumference than you would think. ABS and traction control systems could be messed up due to the difference. If you can’t match the newer tires then I would recommend 4…..sorry. I know for a fact that it effected an Explorer ( I know, not a Cruz) and we changed a transfer case for nothing because there were different brand tires in the front as apposed to the rear. Same size though! Then we marked the floor with chalk and marked the tires and rolled the vehicle back. In one rotation there was an inch different which had a negative effect on the xfer case. 4 new shoes fixed it. All this is just food for though and seeing as he’s going to where snow happens……….
 

w_b

Well-Known Member
If they are more than a couple years old, go for all four. Keep the best two in the barn for the mice if it makes you feel better / you really think you need spares.
 

EJphotos

Well-Known Member
Still go with rear axle gets best tires.
But don't just take my word for it, as I only sold tires for ~10 years.
Take some other industry people word for it too.






 

grilledcheeseking

Well-Known Member
Have never sold tires. Have mixed, didn't die. Kept matched pairs on same axle like you're suggesting @Patrick.

Admittedly never worried about oversteer but def concerned with moving forward in snow (RWD vehicle), thanks for sharing @EJphotos.

Been happy with ContiProContacts that I have all around on the car now for a balance of all the things I want a tire to do.
 

jklett

Well-Known Member
I always did best/newest up front, I can steer out of a sliding rear easier than the front. Or at least that was my reasoning for it. Mismatched front to rear affects 4wd/awd worse than 2wd, it binds up the transfer case. Then again, I also had plenty of cars with mismatched wheels and tires I'd get for $20 at the junkyard whenever I got a blowout so maybe I'm not the best person to listen to.
 

rick81721

Lothar
My kid leaves for college in a few weeks. He picked up a nail in a bad spot. Transition from tread to sidewall. Depending on the day, the plug will leak, or not. Can't have him worrying about this so new tires. He really only needs two, move the new ones up front.

What's the deal on mixing brands?

He will be just outside Boston, so going all season. Recommendations?

2016 Cruze Premier.

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Carson

Sport Bacon
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Put in the correct size in Tire Rack and look at top rated tires, then pick the one you can get cheapest. Top tier are usually Michelin and Contis. Hankook, General, and a Nokian can be decent, too. Consider "all-weather" tires instead of all-season? They can get a bunch more snow than we do.
 

Magic

Formerly 1sh0t1b33r
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Technically from my previous work in the tire industry, new tires on the rear regardless of front or rwd to promote better control in emergency situations/fishtailing, etc. That may be a Michelin thing though since we carried Michelin, BFG, and Uniroyal as their sub-brands. Of course if the fronts are shot too, you're SOL in snow and stuff, but then you should probably get all 4.

Mixing brands is fine, more importantly stick to the same size and speed rating if possible. Then again I had General tires in the past at the same speed/load rating as previous and the sidewalls were soft as shit. All of that being said, put on whatever. Unless he drives like Carson, most people won't notice a difference between the front and rear difference in feel on daily drivers with soft suspension.
 

JerseyPete

Well-Known Member
Put in the correct size in Tire Rack and look at top rated tires, then pick the one you can get cheapest. Top tier are usually Michelin and Contis. Hankook, General, and a Nokian can be decent, too. Consider "all-weather" tires instead of all-season? They can get a bunch more snow than we do.
And then get it serviced at Fullerton Chrysler.
 
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