Do front tires need to be same type as rears?

[LIRS6]

Contemplating buying wider rear wheels, wondering if there is any issue to have the front tires one brand and the rear tires another. Just hoping to save a few $, but don't want to do something foolish. Both sets would be performance type, similar rating etc. I use my car for local and hwy driving, no tracking, and not in crappy weather.

Thoughts?

TIA

[cpa]

Don't mix & match. Check your owners manual. Keep the tread pattern the same or you will find a very uncomfortable handeling problem.

[DWeg1998]

You could and it wouldn't be a big deal, but I wouldn't make the compromise just to save a few bucks. Tires are very important being the only part that is on the road, thus crucial to steering, braking, accelerating, suspension absorption and comfort.

https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=136

[sugarwood]

You know who will tell you to never mix tire brands?
Someone trying to sell you 4 tires.

I mixed tire brands since the 9" rears were Toyo.
I've driven 10k miles, and done several track days,
and the car has not exploded yet.

[RarlyL8]

I mix and match all the time. Tire manufactures do not make the correct sizes for many popular Porsche combinations. For example, no one manufacturer makes a nice looking radial 245/45-16 and a 205/55-16 (standard 7&9x16) for street use. You have no choice but to mix and match. What I do is research all the possible combinations and choose the ones that are most close in tire tread pattern and tread wear rating. Never had a problem doing it this way.
What combo are you going after?

[Flojo]

just to get this right:

a NO is: two different pattern (size, year) on one axle!

a OK is: e.g. two Bridgestone/front, two Goodyear/rear!

[Jesse16]

Sounds like another thing to not stress out about. Unless you want that last 5% of performance and have all your car's systems set up exactly right you'll likely never notice anything.
Based on comments since, maybe its also a way to get a little more performance depending on your need. Interesting comments regarding under steer.

[chuckr]

I am currently running Falken rears and a Yokohama fronts. Very similar specs and tread pattern. No issues at all!

[tobluforu]

When I auto-xed I ran a stickier tire in front then the back. Ran that on the street for years and it was just fine.

[LIRS6]

Originally Posted by RarlyL8

I mix and match all the time. Tire manufactures do not make the correct sizes for many popular Porsche combinations. For example, no one manufacturer makes a nice looking radial 245/45-16 and a 205/55-16 (standard 7&9x16) for street use. You have no choice but to mix and match. What I do is research all the possible combinations and choose the ones that are most close in tire tread pattern and tread wear rating. Never had a problem doing it this way.
What combo are you going after?

Thanks to all.

Ref the above, your example is what I would be pursuing for sizes, and found as follows :

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?zip-code=11743&frontWidth=205/&frontRatio=55&frontDiameter=16&rearWidth=245/&rearRatio=45&rearDiameter=16

Edit : LOL - just went from rears being "available", to now "back order"

Thinking it through, I'll likely replace all, as my tires are getting on in age although only about 3K on them

[82 SC]

yea i had kumos all around and when the rears needed replacing I bought more Kumos. When the fronts went i searched for kumos and they did not make it in that size anymore so i put on some dunlops. Seems good to me.

[Fly911]

For my street tires I always use a softer compound in the front, for several reasons. The obvious it tire wear, all Porsches wear the tires in the back more than the front. So by having softer tires in the front, you can get an even (+/-) wear on all four.
I absolutely hate under steer, and love over steer, so a softer tire in the front will have more grip than if it had the same tread wear as the rears. Also, I have much more negative camber in the front than the factory set up. This combination gives me a much sharper turn in, and absolutely no under steer. On fast twisty back roads the front grip is phenomenal, and the car feels very neutral until I push it. Then the rear end slowly comes out, but still fully controllable.
So my recommendation is to buy different tireS for front and rear!!!

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by LIRS6

Thanks to all.

Ref the above, your example is what I would be pursuing for sizes, and found as follows :

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?zip-code=11743&frontWidth=205/&frontRatio=55&frontDiameter=16&rearWidth=245/&rearRatio=45&rearDiameter=16

Edit : LOL - just went from rears being "available", to now "back order"

Thinking it through, I'll likely replace all, as my tires are getting on in age although only about 3K on them

There is more than one vendor of tires out there.

You can still get matched Bridgestone Potenzas in 205/55 and 245/45 16. I got those very recently.

https://www.onlinetires.com/products/vehicle/tires/bridgestone/245%252F45-16+bridgestone+potenza+re-11+94w.html

and

https://www.onlinetires.com/products/vehicle/tires/bridgestone/205%252F55-16+bridgestone+potenza+re-11a+91v.html

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by RarlyL8

For example, no one manufacturer makes a nice looking radial 245/45-16 and a 205/55-16 (standard 7&9x16) for street use. You have no choice but to mix and match.

Not true, see above.

[wildthing]

My rears were worn out when I got my car, and the model was discontinued, so I bought new RE-11s for the rear while the fronts were something else. Did autocross a few times, no issues.