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Change 2 or all 4?


Jammy007

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I've just checked the tread on my tyres and have 2mm left on the rear and 3mm left on the fronts.

 

The car is fitted with Bridgestone RE050's which came with the rays when I bought the car (they took them off the '08 plate in the showroom). Done about 10k miles.

 

Am I ok just to replace the rears for the time being as I do very little mileage in the car (about 10k in over 2 years worth of ownership) so the fronts still have 1-2k left in them surely?

 

If I'm ok to replace just the rears then am I ok to fit Falken 452's and then replace the fronts with 452's when they need replacing?

 

Any help would be appreciated guys as I want this done this week due to the fact I seen the local police out in force doing winter checks at dinnertime.

 

I've read all 16 pages of the thread about tyres and I understand the Falkens are a budget tyre but I've also read they're an improvement over the RE040's and some people rate them quite highly. I don't do much motorway driving, its mostly town driving.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Jamie

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I think you might have to be careful fitting different tyres on the back to the front with a car like the 350z. The issue would be that if there is a disparity in grip levels between the two tyre types then your are likely to induce either more oversteer or understeer characteristics depending on which tyres have the greater grip level - unless of course they perform identically.

 

Someone who has 452s will undoubtedly be able to help more.

 

Neil

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I would change all 4.... especially with the winter weather closing in :thumbs:

 

I have falkens and they did take a couple of hundred miles to bed in (car felt a bit twitchy, but fine now) . If you can afford RE050's then get them, if not go for falkens 452's.

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I have recently managed to get 050As for £140 each front and £150 each rear - plus a small amount of p&p. However then you have to add in fitting, balancing, valves etc. That can range from £Not Much at All to £15 per corner depending on who you know!

 

However, the same supplier has the Falkens for around £90-£100 each!

 

Neil

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I'm just about to change all 4 tyres, 3 of them still have 3-5mms but they have started to crack having been on the car from new, 2006. This only came to light when ChrisS fitted some spacers for me so if you're a low mileage user like me its worth inspecting inside the tread pattern. The 4th tyre is fine being a replacement for an unrepairable puncture only 3k ago. I'm going for the same tyre all round, Falkens, as I believe its the best and safest way to approach it (and cheaper than the OEM tyres anyway). It does leave me with one perfectly good tyre but I'm sure I can find a new home for it :) .

 

 

Pete

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I agree that in an ideal world you should change all four tyres at the same time. :)

 

However, if this means compromising on the tyre quality I would choose not to. :wacko: If I were you, I would buy the best tyre I could afford to replace your worn rears. Then in a few months/thousand miles or when money permits I would then purchase matching fronts.

 

I would be surprised if you notice that there is an inferior tyre on the front unless your going too fast round a corner. After all, your fronts will still be the same grip level as you have now, they will just lose traction before the rears do.

Having poorer front tyres and possible under-steer is much more controllable then over-steer and you will feel your steering going light before you completely lose traction. ;)

 

Just my 2p. :D

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Cheers guys, looks like the majority say change all 4 so I'll prob go down that route. Martin thanks for the offer but it my mate can get me a good price as he owns his own garage.

Thanks again

My missus dad owns a garage and I could still get my Tyres cheaper from another love due to the amount they were buying they got a bigger discount so sold them cheaper. Worth getting a quote mate. Camskill are also cheap

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I'd stick with the RE050A's over falkens..

 

+1

 

In hindsight I would have stayed with the RE050 - I was in the same position as you this year when my fronts weren't so bad and plumped with changing all 4 to 452's. For the money they aren't bad. Although anything other than dry roads I find they are not as good as the RE050's.

 

If it was me I'd just replace the rear tyres and maintain the RE050. If you change all 4 you are looking at £400+ fitting, get two new rears and you're looking at £300+ fitting? Personally I like to have grip in the wet!!

 

Although it's totally up to you of course.... :thumbs:

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Arghhhhhh why is it so hard to decide which tyre to go for?

 

So everyone who has used them agree's that the RE050 bridgestones are a better quality tyre than the falken 452's?

 

And does everyone agree than if I'm going Bridgestone I can just change the rear 2 and change the fronts in another 1-2k?

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Having experienced both the 452's and 050A's I would not say the latter are very much better than the Falkens, for everyday road use. Yes, if you plan to drive the car very hard most of the time and on track the stiffer sidewalls of the 050A's will be better. The difference in price reflects the difference in performance - not that much, IMO.

 

But you should certainly get new fronts as well as the rears with the tyre depth you have left. If not, you may even find the ESP cuts in a little too often spoiling the driving pleasure ;)

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RE050As are a billion times better than the 452s. They're not even in the same league. At 3mm all round I'd be tempted to change the lot in this weather, but if you've only got the cash now then just doing the rears is fine.

 

The front's of course take a lot longer to wear down, you could always get the rears this month and get the fronts next month.

 

Although I am not actually looking forward to winter with my 452's!

 

(Are we ever going to do that Airfield destroy our tyres thing that was suggested!! ;) )

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RE050As are a billion times better than the 452s. They're not even in the same league. At 3mm all round I'd be tempted to change the lot in this weather, but if you've only got the cash now then just doing the rears is fine.

 

Although I am not actually looking forward to winter with my 452's!

 

Couldn't agree more to that, I wish I had paid the extra what.. £100 and got RE050A's over Falkens.. Live and learn eh

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Better safe than sorry, change all 4 now and you could always save the 'not-quite-dead' set for a track day? One crash due to tyres on the fringe of being replaced and you'll kick be kicking yourself.

 

I use Falken ZIEX ZE-912's which were a good price and have done me well so far.

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