https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/148301/can-i-fit-a-mix-of-summer-and-winter-tyres-to-my-car-

Question: 'Can I fit summer tyres to the front of my Audi A3 and all-weather tyres to the rear?'

Answer: 'No, this would destabilise the car. The rear of the vehicle would have substantially more grip than the front. And in all likelihood, this would cause an accident.'

Surely this is nonsense, that the difference would be so pronounced that a normal driver would even notice, let alone lose control because of it? I have done this on several mainstream cars when OE front tyres needed replacing before rears, swapping rears to front and getting Michelin CC put on the back, then Michelin CC on the front when the 'swaps' wore out. I never felt the slightest evidence of destabilization. (I'd class myself as no more than a reasonably competent driver -- not a track-day petrolhead!)

Firstly, i completely agree with KB. There is no way i'd have a different type of tyre on the front than the back.

Even ignoring my own prefrence and opinion on the matter, i strongly suspect (but am ot 100% sure) that your insurance would have something to say if you were involved in an accident (regardless of who is at fault) and it was found that you had different types of tyres on each end.

As to the HJ response, they don't know what kind of driver is asking the question. You or i may drive in a sensible and responsible manner for the conditions but that is not the case for everybody. And the simple fact is that different types of tyre do provide different levels of grip and response. Maybe not at sensible speeds, but they do. So for HJ to advise anything other than what they have done would be very irresponsible.

TBH, i find it very odd that you object to HJ's comments strongly enough to start a new thread. The effects may well have been exaggerated (certainly for most drivers), but as i said, HJ doesn't know what kind of driver is asking the question.

Edited by badbusdriver on 30/07/2020 at 11:26

here are two videos about tyres and the impact on driving, there may be more of interest too on the YouTube channel or website https://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/

How BAD can tyres make a car? Premium VS Budget tyres tested and reviewed!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTcxNw3raNE

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wo-9112aHw

As mcb100, and the tyres you fitted 2 at a time i believe were all season tyres, not winter only rubber, so the difference between the two would be slight in most temperatures, possibly full winter rears would be lacking grip in hot weather but much different limits of grip could apply in extreme cold, you fitted the CC's to the rear first so the tyres likely to lose grip first would be the fronts, which is typical for wrong wheel drive cars anyway.

If you fitted full winter tyres to the front leaving summer tyres on the rear, then once again during normal weather the fronts would probably lose grip first, but in the event of adverse ice/snow conditions you could have the unenviable combination of a front end having excellent grip whilst the rear would be caster like.

Personally i'm not bothered what anyone else does, but as said in the event of a serious accident where the car with mixed tyre types lost control the insurer might be unimpressed.

This subject is not writ in stone, articles and advice freely available to the public need to err on the side of caution, most people know from experience their cars usually handle better with matched tyres all round, some will find other combinations suit them and their usage but to delve into the nitty gritty an article would be pages unending.

Edited by gordonbennet on 30/07/2020 at 12:53

Thank you, John F, that's pretty much what I was getting at and backed up by my experience, which I fully accept should not be generalized to all drivers in all conditions. I apologize for upsetting anyone and will, I think, stop asking questions from now on. I'm not cut out for forums.

Thanks to all, and goodnight.

Tester - I had an unrepairable puncture on one of my rear Goodyear Efficient Grips on my Forester. I decided to go with a pair of Uniroyal Rain Experts since the price was lower and they are a well rated tyre.

As soon as they were fitted, the car handled very strangely, feeling like it was steering from the rear, or the tracking was out. The Uniroyals are summer tyres but have a very open tread with different characteristics to the Goodyears, besides having more grip as new tyres. I swapped them front to rear and the handling improved no end, especially after they had worn in.

As for finding out the hard way on a winters night, it was a daily occurrence to slip and slide all over the road in the days of rear wheel drive and leaf springs with no electronic aids in the eighties, let alone before that. People are so mollycoddled now, and less skilled.

Edited by corax on 30/07/2020 at 17:19