Mixing Pilot Sports with PS2s

[JS328]

Last summer my '97 328i with full M3 suspension chewed through a set of rear Pilot Sports. I'm in the process of having the suspension and alignment checked before the summer tires go back on and I'm in the market for a new pair of rear tires. The front Pilot Sports have approx. 75% tread left. In pricing out Pilot Sports and PS2s, they are the same price.

I'm running 245/40R17 in the back..

Is there any problem with running Pilot Sports up front and PS2s on the back? I'm guessing the newer PS2s are a much better compound..

Thanks for any advice you can provide..

***edit*** Search is working again.. I was able to find my answer.. its not recommended.. see: h**p://bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=467057 ***edit***

[M3Alpine99]

Last summer my '97 328i with full M3 suspension chewed through a set of rear Pilot Sports. I'm in the process of having the suspension and alignment checked before the summer tires go back on and I'm in the market for a new pair of rear tires. The front Pilot Sports have approx. 75% tread left. In pricing out Pilot Sports and PS2s, they are the same price.

I'm running 245/40R17 in the back..

Is there any problem with running Pilot Sports up front and PS2s on the back? I'm guessing the newer PS2s are a much better compound..

Thanks for any advice you can provide..

***edit*** Search is working again.. I was able to find my answer.. its not recommended.. see: h**p://bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=467057 ***edit***

not reccomended?
why?

[JS328]

From the other thread I found about mixing PS and PS2:


2) I would be more concerned with how the car acts in the wet. PS2 have a different way of dispersing water then PS do. This is where my bigger fear would be on a car capable like ours. The tread patterns are vastly different too. Not like comparing a Michelin Energy MXV4 and a Michelin Pilot HX MXM.

Mind you.. the guy that said that does have 450HP M3..

Just looking for advice before I spend $800CDN on a pair for rear tires..

[m14]

A lot of folks are very picky about this kind of thing, and no tire company or sales outlet will ever recommend it. The only thing that matters, is how the car will handle, and I don't think you will have any problem at all. Two things come to mind as potential minor issues you could see: The PS2 might be a bit stickier dry condition tire, especially if you heat them up, such as under track conditions. If so, additional understeer would result. Second, the PS might be a better wet condition tire, which would have the opposite effect of reducing understeer. I doubt if it would be enough to cause the car to be really loose, but it's something you would want to experiment with a little under safe conditions. The PS2 is a great tire; I've had two sets of them, but no experience with the PS.

[franka]

I think everyone is too anal about this. They'll work just fine. I've run both. Front set doesn't know or care what the back set is doing. Really.

[Jim@tirerack]

There you are wrong. The front tires do care what the rear is doing. The PS2 is better in wet and dry than the Pilot Sport. It would not hurt the car to run them mixed but in extreme conditions or in an emergency that is when you have a problem and whn you need the same level of performance front and rear. With the stickier tire on the rear of the car the car will understeer more. We have done testing with mismatched tires and had to do an emergency manuver and the car is very difficult to control.
If I can help let me know.

[gerry_miranda]

Dont put the PS2 up front. I did that once and the rear came around in the rain at 80 MPH in the expressway....not good....I dont usually run different tires, but I did not have time to switch the rears before I had to pickup my girl.

[Hellrot Sachin]

There you are wrong. The front tires do care what the rear is doing. The PS2 is better in wet and dry than the Pilot Sport. It would not hurt the car to run them mixed but in extreme conditions or in an emergency that is when you have a problem and whn you need the same level of performance front and rear. With the stickier tire on the rear of the car the car will understeer more. We have done testing with mismatched tires and had to do an emergency manuver and the car is very difficult to control.
If I can help let me know.

Jim,

between the two tires, which would you recommend for all four corners? In additional to handling, which has the better ride characteristics?

[Jim@tirerack]

Between the Pilot Sport and the PS2 the PS2 is a better all around tire. If I can help let me know.

[Hellrot Sachin]

jim,

can i fit 17x8.5 with a 1.5" drop and PS2 245/45/17 in all four corners?
Sales tax for Illinois sales?

Sachin

[franka]

PS2s run a little wider than the same size of a different make/model tire. They are even a bit wider than their sister the PS. I could run 275/35-18s SO3s on the front of my 540 w/o spacers but it was close. When I switched to the PS2s I needed to add a 10mm spacer to prevent the tire from rubbing the upright.

[Jim@tirerack]

No, you can go 245/40R17 though.