Tyre Change Of thread pattern(model/brand of tyre)

[BeefOlives]

Got a slow puncture on my front left with 3mm of thread so going to replace it, but low on cash so just replacing one. Place I've asked cannot source a tyre identical to the michelin enery savers on the other wheels and offered another michelin one. Saying different thread pattern won't make a difference.

Any thoughts on whether having a different type(i.e. pattern) of tyre to the rest. Unsure whether just to keep the new one on the front left where the wear is or swap the x2 back ones to the front
Tyre thread currently is
FL - 3, FR - 5
RL - 7, RR - 7

[Jocko]

I seldom ever had a car with two matching tyres. My current car has three different types and treads on it and it is unlikely to change.

[embee]

If short on cash I'd suggest consider putting the rears on the front (how old are they?) and get a pair of cheaper new tyres to go on the back. It's generally recommended to have the "best" tyres on the back to give the best grip,  easier to control front wheel slip than if rear lets go.
Michelin tend to be pricey, there are good quality recognised brands like Kumho Falken Hankook etc which might fit the bill if you shop around.  Try places like blackcircles, protyre, even Halfords or Asda etc, to get an idea of what is available.
In Germany its illegal to have different tyres on an axle, it's a nice idea to have a pair on an axle.

[BeefOlives]

If short on cash I'd suggest consider putting the rears on the front (how old are they?) and get a pair of cheaper new tyres to go on the back. It's generally recommended to have the "best" tyres on the back to give the best grip,  easier to control front wheel slip than if rear lets go.
Michelin tend to be pricey, there are good quality recognised brands like Kumho Falken Hankook etc which might fit the bill if you shop around.  Try places like blackcircles, protyre, even Halfords or Asda etc, to get an idea of what is available.
In Germany its illegal to have different tyres on an axle, it's a nice idea to have a pair on an axle.

The tyres are about 5 years old. Better to have mismatched tyres at the back? It's funny how you get people telling you it's alright, then I have more time to google and it's full of don't mix anything ever. Feels to me that it will be alright, but in the fine lines it might not be

[Westy36]

I put Toyo Proxes comfort on my Jazz. Much quieter and way better grip the the Michelin ES. The Toyo were on promotion at Protyre and were £55 ea fitted in 2022.

I would probably go that route rather than spend c£90 on one Michelin.

That said, if you do, I wouldn't be remotely concerned about tread patterns. Black, round and legal is what counts.

[TnTkr]

But keep the better tyres always at rear!

[richardfrost]

Did you check that the tyre cannot be repaired?

[peteo48]

I also think a lot depends on driving style. I drive a low annual mileage and rarely, if ever, push the car to its limits in any sense of the word. I wouldn't have too many qualms about different tread patterns if the tyres are otherwise legal.

[madasafish]

Cheap rear tyres in snow - even with FWD - tend to lead to turning circles as the front tyres grip round corners and the rears don't.
I learned that several decades ago: and every decade since....

[Lord Voltermore]

I'd  buy  2 reasonable quality, but not premium , tyres .     With the budget  set being slightly newer  they will  near enough match performance wise front to rear, and will be  equal per axle.

On line retailers such as Blackcircles,and other large tyre selling chains  often give quite a big  discount if you buy 2 (or 4) tyres rather than just one. Two lower priced tyres may cost less than one premium  brand.

You could even keep the 5mm tyre and try selling it on ebay  for a few quid ,buyer collects.  Someone, like you, might be looking for a matching tyre. 

[Mr Onion]

Personally I would never use tyres of a different tread pattern on the same axel, nor tyres with significantly different tread depths. It can cause instability under braking especially in damp or otherwise slippery conditions.

Remember, they are the only things stopping you falling off of the road and into the nearest tree 

[embee]

Yes, or to put it another way,  your tyres are what take you directly to the scene of the accident.

[Lord Voltermore]

A mix of brands on the same car might,just might  work out ok  for a driver who always drives sensibly
 in undemanding conditions.     But fitting a new tyre, (normally 8mm of tread), on the same axle as a tyre with only 5mm of tread may give unbalanced braking.   Even if its the same brand.       In heavy rain 5mm might aquaplane or loose grip  sooner than 8mm.  Same in snow or mud.   You could argue that one tyre may be in a deeper puddle than the other anyway   or brakes might be slightly  uneven.   True,  but its best not to introduce an additional discrepancy.

Another argument is that premium tyres are better than budget, why would you accept anything less?  The reality is not all premium tyres are created equal. Some makes are better in the wet, some better in the dry in snow etc   ,or may have other virtues such as noise, tread wear etc.      You can never be sure that your tyre is the very best available  in every situation.    And so a budget tyre may closely match them, and if it performs slightly less well in some respects then at least its predictable and evenly so.  And maybe better than some premium tyres.  I was not impressed by the pirelli cinturatos I bought a few years ago.     That good old Italian tyre maker, now Chinese  controlled.

Bear in mind that 5mm of tread the tyre is already  half worn out   (8mm down to say 2mm is 6mm of usable  tread.you have already used 3mm ) It may be better to bite the bullet and replace both .

[jasonevans]

I put Toyo Proxes comfort on my Jazz. Much quieter and way better grip the the Michelin ES. 

I was looking at Toyo's for my replacments as I've currently got Michelin ES on mine and there not in the best condition as there the origanal tyres that came with the car in 2017 and i'm the 2nd owner so they came with them on the car.  Good to know the Toyo's are decent.

[aphybrid]

Another factor might not be noticed by many but sound difference can arise from mixed patterns.

Personally I wear them out evenly and change as full sets. My driving style allows this.