Tire brand that is. I had my front tires replaced a couple of months ago under warranty at the dealer. They put on the "new" Bridgestone Potenzas.
I need new tires on the rear now. Is there any problem with using another brand of tire on the rear as long as they are the proper size and rating?
Thanks!

PS: I am selling the car

 

Generally speaking its a bad idea to have two different types of tires on the front and rear. Different tread patterns and material have different handling characteristics.

You probably could get away with it... but if it were me, I wouldn't do it.

 

I have it done I have staggered, So i have Toyo 245/20/35 in the front and then i have Michellen 285/20/30 in the rear. No problem what so ever.

 

I have done the different tire combo on my 350Z with no problems.
Fronts: Nitto-NT555
Rears: Falken 451

 

The problem is that tires are tested in groups of 4. When mixing tires you haven't the faintest idea how the car will handle. Go ahead a get new tires for the rear. Just drive cautiously on dry and wet roads until you get used to them.

 

Then what's the difference with replacing the tires in the back with 100% thread life while keeping the front still on because it has 60% thread life still left You will always have to replace the back wheels before the front ones because the 350Z is a rear-wheel drive.

With the above in mind, now you have the back tires with 100% grip and the front having 60% grip. Now, what's the difference with what I just said and the guy using another brand of tires in the back? Sorry if I sound confrontational, not my intentions, just curious on this subject.

 

Anybody else wanna chime in?

 

well, i have bridgestone potenzas on the fronts, and Toyo proxes4's on the back...

to be honest... i don't like it. I have more grip now since the rears are new tread, but at high speeds on the freeway, the car sort of leans when i make fast lane changes. it never used to do this before. Some say its because toyo tires are a bit softer side walls, and others say its because the tread patterns are different, thus causing an imbalance when switching lanes at high speeds.

 

I concur here, each manufacturer does one thing or another a lil different than the next....may not feel it cruising through town, but when you need it the subtle differences would be magnafied...I had eagles and firehawks on my 86 300zx because some as%-hole slashed my front firehawks, completely changed the handling of the car....the eagles had a tendency to drift out on me under hard cornering, sidewall, tread, don't know which one, but huge difference....i say get some new Potz for the back also.....

I hate the Potenza's on mine but I am not going to change them until I can change all 4....

 

How much tread life you have left does not denote how much handling capability they have, unless your tires are down to maybe less than 20%. If that were the case, at 50% tread life your tires would have half the performance capability they head before, we'd be going through tires A LOT faster.

 

No confrontation at all, but an excellent debate. With old brand x tires on the front and new brand x tires in the rear, the tread pattern of all tires is the same.

Consider brand x tires in front and brand y in the rear. No one has tested this combination. Do the front tires point in a turn? Are the rear tires skittish over bumps? Did you just trade under steer for oversteer?

Just like 4 new tires, test 2 new tires during casual driving before getting aggressive. There is no reason to be surprised in a emergency.

 

And the self-test that I mentioned is simple. Find a empty parking lot in the rain, Drive figure eights. Increase speed a bit with each pass. Get a feel for under and oversteering.

And the same for brakes. On a straight and wet road, hit the brakes hard at 60 mph. Same on a long curve: Hit the brakes hard. See what happens.

 

^^^

Have Fun!

Do This With TCS/VDC Off!

 

Moved.

 

I run Dunlops 9000 255/35/18 front and Michellin Pilot Sport in rear 265/35/18. I'm probably if too ignorant to know if its a bad setup, but I do know that a curve near my house to get in the interstate I used to take it at 35 mph on some Sears branded Futuras and Kunho Ecsta Supras on the back with the old tires screaming for mercy. Now I take it at 50mph no problem. The car now feels it has a higher limit than I do. The other day I was getting to the curve with an integra behind me and I opened it up in before the curve, let off during and opened up again getting to the expressway. The integra couldnt keep up. And we all know integras are fast in circuits. We casualy stop at Walmart and the guy says to me: "Nice car; do you know that you took that curve at 50 plus, I just coulnt keep up. That car goes too, When you downshifted hard to third you were gone, man."

I was like: Thanks, that integra is pretty cool too. Always wanted to have one of those.

 

Simply, its not advised but many, including my self (michelin ps2 front 245/35/19, Bridgestone REo50A Rear 285/35/19) have done so and haven't experienced any major problems.

 

I ran the stock recall Bridgstones on the front 17" base and Dunlop FM Sport 901's on the rear for a while. It actually helped the handling. Now I have Dunlops all around and the steering feels a little heavy.

I also run a weee bigger size:
Front: 235/45/17
Rear: 245/45/17