My girlfriend has an 07 Chevy Uplander with 65k on it. Recently she hit some debris on the highway which resulted in having to replace two tires.
She has it towed to the nearest service station and the two tires were replaced with what they had, Goodyear Integrity tires. This happened to be what was already on the van and is probably the worst tire in terms of handling rain that I have ever experienced.
My question is, the other two tires are going to need replacement soon. When that time comes, should they be replaced to match the new ones, or can I safely go with something different?
I’d replace the other two with the same type, because all tires handle differently and I believe regardless of how bad those are at handling rain, I’m thinking a mixed set would handle poorly in all driving conditions, not just rain.
That depends on how you classify ‘soon’.
I’d spend the $ for a good set of tires that match treads both in depth and design.
Why drive around on tires (your ONLY contact with the ground) that (in your opinion) aren’t suitable on wet surfaces?
Just buy good quality tires.
Personally, if the tires on my vehicle were that poor in wet weather I’d replace all four. And I wouldn’t wait until it was made nnecessary by wear. I’d do it immediately. My safety is worth far more than a few hundred bucks. It’s cheap insurance against what could be a life-altering crash.
Visit www.1010tires.com and www.tirerack.com. They have good consumer feedback sites. The information can help tremendously in selecting something better.
Most shops can order in tires if you can wait a day or so. Apparantly speed was important here. I think you are stuck with Integrety tires for a while, unless you can get a good deal on 4 new tires. If the Integrety tires are that bad in the wet, what will happen if you have 2 good tires and it rains? The car could react in weird ways if the traction differs from front to back
“the two tires were replaced with what they had, Goodyear Integrity tires. This happened to be what was already on the van and is probably the worst tire in terms of handling rain that I have ever experienced”
With the above statement, I think that you answered your own question.
If those Goodyear Integrity tires are really bad at handling rain when they were new, do you actually think that the two Integrity tires that “are going to need replacement soon” are now better than when they were new?
All tires become less effective in terms of traction as they age.
If these tires had bad wet weather traction when new, the old ones need to be replaced now.
You have two choices.
Replace all four or replace the two worn tyres and put the new ones on the BACK wheels. Yes, the best tyres go on the BACK. Putting them on the front can cause handling problems. You really don’t want the back end to loose grip before the front or you could end up looking where you have been and not where you are going.
You need in more detail to describe the characteristics of the Goodyear tires in the rain. I believe that Goodyear makes some pretty good tires according to what I have seen on a previously owned car that came new with Goodyear tires.
Were your tires worn to near the indicators or were you driving too fast in the rain?
Otherwise, replace your tires with equivalents or better according to the traction and treadwear ratings on the sidewall. Beyond that, express your tire needs to an astute tire salesperson or website.
I have a 2006 Chevrolet Uplander and picked up a screw in a tire. The puncture was too close to the sidewall to be repaired. I was in a hurry to get to another town, so the tire store matched the tread as closely as possible to the Goodyear Integra tires that were on the car. The damaged tire was on the right rear. I was going to replace the other rear tire later, but I have noticed no handling or traction problems. Later, I purchased two new tires of a different brand for the front. I really haven’t had any problems, although I intend to purchase matching tires for the rear.
Idid not have any traction problems with the Goodyear Integra tires. I know that it is best to have the same brand of tires on all wheels, but I have driven through ice, snow and wet conditions with the tires I have on the car now and have had no problems.