rwr4a

FWIW I have OEM S02s on the front and Kuhmo Ecsta 712s on the rear. I have been fine, but then again, I suppose I don't push it that hard. There have been a few instances of getting a little loose in the rear, but it hasn't been uncontrollable (I managed that a few times with the S02s as well). It was a matter of economics for me...when it comes time to replace the fronts, I will actually go back to all S02s (by then, I should have my PhD and a larger paycheck!). I don't drive it in the rain, so I can't really say how much better the 712s are than the S02s when wet.

S2KGary

I have also run with S02's up front with Kuhmo 712's out rear. It was never dangerous, but I was unhappy with the Kuhmos. I now stay with S02's on every corner.

adb280z

I have SO2's in the front and Dunlop SP5000's in the back and have had no issues. I'm gonna get snow tires this year though...Andy

Road Rage

It's not just about tread depth. Tires wear out from the thermal cycles, and over time the tire changes its characteristics quite a bit - mixing new and old tires will provide a very unpredictable situation.

I drive about 3k miles a year, but will replace the tires at year 4 no matter what the tread is, in order to have predictable performance and "ffedback" from the tires. otherwise, corners I can take at 50 mph today may be 40 mph corners four years from now, and I am possibly in the weeds.

Off-topic: AWD cars are very sensitive to tire diameter changes. Many tire dealers will not sell or install w tires to mix/match on an AWD car like my outback, for liability concerns. It also can confuse and mess up the AWD system.

Russ

Like most tire/wheel questions, examine your driving style. It is clear others have done so with fair to good results. If you drive fairly aggressively, and are honest about it, I wouldn't do it but if you tool around at 50-60% of the car's normal capability (or your own), you'd probably never notice the difference (as long as the newbie tires are good ones).
I've mixed and matched tires on countless RWD cars and have had no problems I couldn't handle but like others, it depends on how you like your tail wagged.
I come from a history of mid-engined cars and let me tell you, NOTHING wags like an MR2-Spyder on same sized tires (which is what I switched to because of the fun).
I'm in the minority, so take my advice with a grain of salt. My car handles like a dream and I run on 205/225's.....considered little more than wheel protectors for those with 265's and higher.

shaolin

you will over steer a lot more easy.
the reason is that so2 will handle a lot better than s03.
so3 is better for daily drive and a lot better in the rain.
if your rear doesn't grip as much as the front.. i prefere using same tires.

Road Rage

I hear the same thing about the RE050's - better all around tire, not optimum for track or dry weather use. I will look forward to what other's post about best dry tires for the MY04.

Tedow

Yes, you can run different rear tires...with no problems as well, despite what most people here are saying. The SO-3's, for example, work fine as long as you make sure you get the right size. I suspect people who've had traction issues with them got 225's. WRONG. Whatever tire you opt for, if it ain't an OEM SO-2, make sure you get 245/45. I went through two sets of stock rears before going with -3's on the rear. The difference in dry traction was minimal, and the added hydroplane resistance was huge. However, they were completely (and I mean completely) destroyed in 10k miles, so I don't recommend them. I'm actually running BFG Comp T/A's on the rear right now (bought them in an emergency) and they work fine. I'm sure the grip is lower, but I've got a huge front swaybar on the car so I don't notice much.

brerspidur

if you went through So3s in 10K miles, how long did your S02s last? somehow i managed at least 16K on my rear S02, i say at least because they were on the car when i got it, although im assuming they were pretty new when i got the car used. there were a lot of highway miles, but i also did my share of aggressive driving. i would say the one thing i avoided was any type of burn out.

Tedow

[QUOTE]Originally posted by brerspidur if you went through So3s in 10K miles, how long did your S02s last?