Quote:
Originally Posted by Night_Rider
Could you expand on this a bit?
I'm about to buy my first Porsche, a 2000 Boxster Base. It goes for PPI on Friday.
The fronts are BFGoodrich GForce Comp2 AS 205/50ZR17
The rears are Eagle F1 Assymetric AS 255/40ZR17
What should I expect?
When I test drove the car I did feel a little wheel bounce that felt like a balance issue, enough that I made balancing a contingency of the sale.
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Tires are a series of compromises. Manufacturers must decide how much performance and durability they want to build into a tire, regardless of which type it is (summer, all-season, etc). Even within the "normal" summer tires for a Boxster, there are variations of the theme - ultra high performance vs just summer. Some tires are good in the rain, some not so much. There will also be variations in cornering and braking. Some will get you 25K mi, some barely 8K. How one manufacturer decides to define their summer tire will be different than how another defines theirs. And I haven't even mentioned building tires to a price point and the compromises made to do that.
With that as the backdrop, it becomes obvious that Brand X will have different characteristics than Brand Y. Mixing brands front and rear becomes a toxic cocktail when you get into extreme situations. Driving in rain or thru standing water becomes dangerous if Brand X is good in rain and Brand Y is not. High speed driving can turn a car into more understeer or over-steer with mixed brands vs a neutral balance with a complete set. Even a mundane on or off ramp can become "exciting". And chances are
the excitement will come suddenly and without the normal advanced warning.
Go to TireRack and look at their charts comparing tires across 8-10 characteristics. Some tires can be close to each other while some can be on the other end of the spectrum. I've had Mich PS2s, Mich Super Sports, and Continental DWs (lower S, not all-season DWS) on my Cayman. The PS2s were junk - they were harsh and took a full lap to warm up. Super Sports were great on the track and OK in the rain. The DWs are great in the rain and OK on the track. Both were comfortable on the street. 3 tires, 3 different results. Try mixing and matching them. It would be crazy.
Can you buy a car with mixed tires and drive it home? Yes, if you control yourself and drive it like a normal car. But who drives a Porsche like a normal car? There will be some situation you find yourself in that will be dangerous because of mixed tires.