350 Bites Back

[Ekona]

You have the difference in stagger to account for the slight differences in what the tyres do. It's more important that they heat up the same and grip the same on the edge more than anything.

 

Its that on the edge stuff that shows them up

Or that, basically. A car with more predictable feel via the tyres will be more controllable. You can certainly get used to mismatched tyres, there's no question about that as you'll start to account for the unpredictable nature of the tyres and kerb your enthusiasm to take note of it, but for someone just getting used to a very powerful heavy-nosed RWD car, it's not such a good idea.

[GIXXERUK]

i would not mismatch tyres on any of my bikes as that is critical, warm up rates, grip levels but i just think you are over stating the case on a road car unless you are running total cheapo tyres on one axle and quality on the others

 

mine feels better with the falken/pzero combo than with p-zero's all round but the front p-zero's were totally shot in the end

[Ekona]

mine feels better with the falken/pzero combo than with p-zero's all round but the front p-zero's were totally shot in the end

Yeah, that'll do it!

 

I guess in all fairness it does depend on how you drive your car. If you pottle around all day in city centres barely breaking 30 mph then I totally agree with you, tyre choice doesn't matter so much. I doubt that many people who own a Zed drive like that, though

[GIXXERUK]

mine feels better with the falken/pzero combo than with p-zero's all round but the front p-zero's were totally shot in the end

Yeah, that'll do it!

 

I guess in all fairness it does depend on how you drive your car. If you pottle around all day in city centres barely breaking 30 mph then I totally agree with you, tyre choice doesn't matter so much. I doubt that many people who own a Zed drive like that, though

 

4 words..... i live in wales

 

built for driving hard but you have to be

[H5]

I had one experience where I had different tyres front and rear. I had Yokohama A539's all round on the Volvo, and knew how it felt and handled in different conditions. The fronts wore, I replaced them with BF Goodrich's which I was told were a better all round tyre ie better in the wet than the dry. In the dry, the car would 4 wheel drift, in the wet it would understeer with the Yokos all round. With the BF's on the front, in the wet, it was transformed. I could slide the tail at will, and I found this out while going round a roundabout I know well near my house. It caught me unaware first time but the Yokos still being a decent tyre I caught it and starting thinking of the possibilities.... It became great fun!

 

So if you are used to a car handling a certain way then I would say there is a risk having different fronts and rears. However, with time and you learning how to drive it, there will be changes in handling characteristics on the limit and that is personal preference / choice. One thing NOT to be recommended is different tyres on the same axle, that's just stupid.

[DJsickboy]

+1

[NWZ]

I take it the ESP didnt kick in (or you had it switched off).

 

From the 12 months I have had my car I find the back end quiet unpredictable. The ESP kicks in too soon when the roads are dry and very often too late (or never!) when the roads are wet (especially when leaving roundabouts).

 

Still wouldn't change the Z for anything else!

[Pimm]

I take it the ESP didnt kick in (or you had it switched off).

 

From the 12 months I have had my car I find the back end quiet unpredictable. The ESP kicks in too soon when the roads are dry and very often too late (or never!) when the roads are wet (especially when leaving roundabouts).

 

Still wouldn't change the Z for anything else!

 

+1

 

Off the lights if i am in a hurry i will turn the ESP off BUT never when driving a little quick on twisty bends especially in the wet, never.

[GIXXERUK]

the esp does seem intrusive at times BUT try driving with it off it makes you realise how much it saves your ar$e

[Trev-the-Rev]

the esp does seem intrusive at times BUT try driving with it off it makes you realise how much it saves your ar$e

 

Very true Gixxer.

[Ian]

the esp does seem intrusive at times BUT try driving with it off it makes you realise how much it saves your ar$e

 

I've never turned mine off in nearly 2 years. I don't see the point of turning it off on the road.

[mugwump]

If you are driving properly the traction will not kick in, if you are doing it deliberately fine, but if it ever catches you out on a roundabout then you need to practice delicate throttle control until you can sucessfully negotiate a wet roundabout just below the point where the traction kicks in. It will actually let you have quite a prolonged slide if you keep the boot in and you are smooth with the wheel, what it does try to prevent is rapid lift off oversteer which is the natural reaction of people caught unawares.

 

You also cannot turn the 350z stability control off completely (I wont explain that as I dont want everyone crying to me when they get it wrong but the trail brakers will know what I mean!)

 

Different tyres behave differently, as do the same tyres when they are new compared to old and mixing tyres front to back is just the same, it changes the balance of the car and you have to re-learn how the car behaves.

[Ebized]

If you are driving properly the traction will not kick in, if you are doing it deliberately fine, but if it ever catches you out on a roundabout then you need to practice delicate throttle control until you can sucessfully negotiate a wet roundabout just below the point where the traction kicks in. It will actually let you have quite a prolonged slide if you keep the boot in and you are smooth with the wheel, what it does try to prevent is rapid lift off oversteer which is the natural reaction of people caught unawares.

 

+1 The craft is getting to the limit without the TC getting bothered - Jenson Button demonstrated the art with the previous years F1 cars when TC was allowed - rarely did you hear his TC kick in it is just a shame his management messed up his career early on and has not allowed him to show his true potential with a top team.

 

Of course, if you have gone out to, er, indulge in some doughnuts or taking in the scenery from the side windows just make sure you don't end up cleaning the headlamps instead.