Conflicting advice. Can you run different make front and rear tires?
 

Looking for new rears on my CL65. I decided to change from Michelin Pilot Sport A/s to Continental Extreme Contact DWS. I have received conflicting advice. Is it or is it not o.k. to have two different brand tires on front and rear axles? One dealer told me that it would be unsafe due to handling differences between different tires. What do folks think about this??

it's certainly not BAD, but not good either. It's always best to have 4 same tires but having 2 different ones wont hurt you.

ok
 

As long as same axle has same type/brand tires you are okay....AND the tires should be in the same classification......i.e. ultra high performance, maximum performances tires, etc...

Reason please for wanting to drop the Michelins? Just curious.

Thanks.

differences in rolling resistance, sidewall deflection rates, water evacuation among other things can cause adverse handling so, it is never recommended to mix and match tires.

Looking for better tread life plus price is much lower.

Thank you.

mixing and matching....never. For me that is like only replacing 4 spark plugs because the other 4 are still in working order.

mix and match
 

Tire Rack gave me the advice on tires for my Porsche.......as long as same tires on same axle and of the same type - i.e. ultra high performance, max performance, etc....it is okay....

I have had NO issues in dry or wet....

I have Dunlop on the front axle and Sumitomo on the rear......also no issues on the track........

My rears wear twice as fast as my fronts due to engine weight and traction in the back.....

In my case the Dunlops were discontinued, so I went with the different brand in the rear.......

I will go with the same brand all around when I can, i.e. helps in concours judging, etc..

I agree. Its not recommended but its not the worst thing in the world either. You generally want to try and match tread pattern, speed ratings, and performance capabilities of the tires to ensure the smoothest and best ride possible.

Since you are considering Pilot Sport A/S Plus and Conti DWS, I will say that you want to be a bit careful. Pilot Sport offers much better cornering ability than the DWS so just make sure you are more of a calm driver and not the spirited fun lover that takes corners at a higher speed. As for treadlife, Michelin's probably offer one of the highest tread life ratings in the class so I think it may just come down to price and trade off in cornering ability for your particular situation.

I'd recommend going with the Michelin's myself.