Different tread patterns on the same axle.

[Guest Ernie N]

My first post and just looking for some advice please. I know it's not legal to mix tyres of different construction (cross ply/radial) on the same axle but wondering if it's O.K. to mix tread patterns - e.g. a Michelin Primacy on one side and a Sailun Atrezzo on the other.

[Steve Q]

8 minutes ago, Ernie N said:

My first post and just looking for some advice please. I know it's not legal to mix tyres of different construction (cross ply/radial) on the same axle but wondering if it's O.K. to mix tread patterns - e.g. a Michelin Primacy on one side and a Sailun Atrezzo on the other.

Ideally you shouldn't, especially if it's fitted with Quattro as it could damage the system. 

Cheers

Steve

[Magnet]

Hello Ernie,

Not good news as Steve says, particularly in your case, where you have a top of the range brand tyre (with all the road holding characteristics that go with that) and a ‘ditch finder’ Brand X (probably from as far. east as you can go) on the other side of the same axle. This is likely to lead to interesting road holding characteristics - and that’s before you consider the requirement of having reasonably equal thread depths on all four tyres. 

Kind regards,

Gareth, 

[Guest Ernie N]

3 minutes ago, Magnet said:

Hello Ernie,

Not good news as Steve says, particularly in your case, where you have a top of the range brand tyre (with all the road holding characteristics that go with that) and a ‘ditch finder’ Brand X (probably from as far. east as you can go) on the other side of the same axle. This is likely to lead to interesting road holding characteristics - and that’s before you consider the requirement of having reasonably equal thread depths on all four tyres. 

Kind regards,

Gareth, 

Thanks to you both! I'm going to spill the beans now. Just bought this car on the Audi 'Approved Used' scheme (they're currently offering a two year warranty) and was astonished to find three Michelin Primacy 4's plus that rogue Sailun Atrezzo fitted to the offside front. Tried all day yesterday to get them to see sense but basically they didn't want to know. I'm pretty sure that's why I'm getting false TPMS warnings too. Going to fit two new Primacy 4's. Can't be arsed dealing with cretins!🙄

[Magnet]

Hello Ernie,

You don’t share with us the extent of the tyre wear on the three Michelin tyres, so it’s not possible to advise whether fitting 1,2 new ones onto one axle is a wise thing to do or not. 

If it were mine, I would be sending a recorded delivery letter to the dealer Principal, expressing your concern regarding the fitting of this cheapest-option budget tyre to a vehicle already fitted with 3 premium grade tyres. 

Question:- Why was this one tyre changed? We take it you inspected the car and agreed to buy it when the ‘original’ (worn?) tyre was on it.

Kind regards, 

Gareth.