I have 18" Nitto NT555s on my Maxima right now. The left rear tire has a small gash that worries me and the right front tire has a rubber plug from a nail hole. I'm pretty cautious about driving aggressively because I'm afraid one of these may not be able to take the strain and blow out when I'm going 80 and I won't be able to stop.

So my question is, is it ok to swap just these two tires for a different brand, like using S03s instead of new Nittos? The Nitto's are directional, so I can't swap sides, but I can swap front to back. I'd think using different tires with different grips\tread would be inherently unsafe.

 

Mismatched tires are ghetto. But not dangerous as long as the same tire is on the same axel.

Why not just buy two new Nittos?

 

I guess I would be most worried about standing water. If you had two radically different tire designs when you hit a large puddle, you might have different resistance. I mean, if one pumped all the water and the other created a ton of drag, I doubt you would track straight.

 

I'm considering it, but I'd like to try some new tires, if it's safe. I'm hoping to find some that work exactly in tune with my driving style. The Nittos are nice, but I've never felt entirely safe on them.

 

I'm a sucker for roadside puddles and I'll run through them every chance I get, so this is definitely an issue. But just with regular driving, if some wheels are grippier than others, I could see it being a problem.

 

Tan, how about selling the remaining 2 good tires and getting a new set of 4?

 

I just realized the irony of your subject title. You are worried about having mismatched tires, yet you plan on mounting a nitrous tank inches away from your head......

 

The nitrous tank was a joke . The tires issue has been on my mind a while, since I found that gash in the left rear tire. With enough shearing force from a hard turn, that gash could widen and shread the tire and the car will lose control. So I want to replace the tire soon.

 

Hmm, didn't think about that. They still have plenty of tread on them (one year old, maybe 12K miles on them). I'm not sure where I could sell them, because if I did, I'd sell my stock 16" alloy wheels too. I'd try ebay, but not sure if it's worth the trouble. I can't afford 4 new tires right now, either. Most likely, I'll get 2 new Nittos to replace the bad ones.

How was the NIO meet?