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[Osprey]

My daughter is about to buy 4 new tyres for her Pug 106.  She is on a budget so the local tyre place suggested 2 good ones on the rear and 2 cheaper ones on the front - reasoning that she would have trouble controlling a rear wheel skid. 

I reckon this is barmy - if you're going down that road you want the good ones on the front, where the drive is, the weight is and most of the braking is.  But I'm only a dad, not a tyre salesman, so I know nothing.   

What do you reckon?

[Lazydocker]

If I was to buy 2 different "Levels" of tyre I'd put the good ones on the front on a WWD car

[millwall]

i would of thought put better ones on front

[aaronjb]

On the back.

If the back end steps out on a WWD car (or any car, really, unless you're lucky talented) you're a passenger and you're going sideways into a lamppost.

If the front end washes out, get off the throttle and it'll step back into line.. unless you've really hosed it up, in which case you'd have been equally boned with the tyres the other way around (see above lamppost).

(This is why most production cars are designed to understeer, not oversteer)

[millwall]

shows how much i know

[aaronjb]

shows how much i know

It's just my opinion, not gospel

Although that's the reasoning (as it was explained to me) of the tyre companies.. it used to be 'newest on the front', but now it's 'newest on the rear' on the basis that understeer is easier to control and (generally) less lethal..

Well unless you're driving an old clit/205/etc with torsion beam suspension at the back - lift off quick in that and understeer very quickly becomes oversteer.. but that's what made them fun

[Lazydocker]

shows how much i know

It's just my opinion, not gospel

Although that's the reasoning (as it was explained to me) of the tyre companies.. it used to be 'newest on the front', but now it's 'newest on the rear' on the basis that understeer is easier to control and (generally) less lethal..

Well unless you're driving an old clit/205/etc with torsion beam suspension at the back - lift off quick in that and understeer very quickly becomes oversteer.. but that's what made them fun

You can add Vectra C to that list too Lift off oversteer was great fun in mine

[TheBoy]

rear every time, no matter rwd or fwd

reason being understeer tends to be more progressive and controllable, oversteer can catch many out

[Del Boy]

Better tyres on the back, understeer is much much easier to control than oversteer.

[Lazydocker]

Actually, all the reasons make sense, I've just always preferred better on the drive axle

[Andy B]

Actually, all the reasons make sense, I've just always preferred better on the drive axle

I'd put the new tyres at the front on the basis that if the front of the car is going where I want to go, then I've half a chance of making the back of the car follow. Michelin's guide lines are that the new/better tyres go at the back .......... which is why Costco & I had a difference in opinion. 

[Ken T]

Or she could save up for another week and buy 4 good tyres all around. Its a bit late when you are sliding towards a tree at 50mph to think " I should have fitted the good tyres to the front/back, what ever".

How about helping her go on a skid pan course, so it she gets into a skid she will know how to control it ?. Its just an idea, something I keep meaning to do my self but have never got round to it. It might improve my driving skills ( if its not too late !) .

how about an OOF Skid Pan Meet ?

Ken

[sticka_v8_init]

Actually, all the reasons make sense, I've just always preferred better on the drive axle

I'd put the new tyres at the front on the basis that if the front of the car is going where I want to go, then I've half a chance of making the back of the car follow. Michelin's guide lines are that the new/better tyres go at the back .......... which is why Costco & I had a difference in opinion. 

Ive always done the same as above - new on the front. But i suppose being car enthusiasts we should have more of an understanding of under/oversteer & how to react than the average driver. If Mr/Mrs average was to get oversteer i reckon they would just stuff it rather than opposite lock.

[Lazydocker]

Or she could save up for another week and buy 4 good tyres all around. Its a bit late when you are sliding towards a tree at 50mph to think " I should have fitted the good tyres to the front/back, what ever".

How about helping her go on a skid pan course, so it she gets into a skid she will know how to control it ?. Its just an idea, something I keep meaning to do my self but have never got round to it. It might improve my driving skills ( if its not too late !) .

how about an OOF Skid Pan Meet ?

Ken

Now that would be fun

[TheBoy]

Actually, all the reasons make sense, I've just always preferred better on the drive axle

I'd put the new tyres at the front on the basis that if the front of the car is going where I want to go, then I've half a chance of making the back of the car follow. Michelin's guide lines are that the new/better tyres go at the back .......... which is why Costco & I had a difference in opinion. 

most drivers would struggle to deal with oversteer on a FWD car, where as everyone can handle understeer on any car. Plus understeer tends to be progressive, non power induced oversteer tends to be sudden. There are driving gods who can deal with this, but doubt 99.9% of the population can 'in the heat of the moment'