New Tires?
 

My front tires need to be replaced... I am currently running Toyo Proxes ST and I like them, but there appears to be a newer version (Proxes ST II with a different tread design). My rear tires are nearly new and I want the fronts to match, yet the ST is apparantly being phased out and are no longer listed on toyotires.com anymore!

Most economical choice... Right now, I can get the last 2 ST fronts that match my rears. (Do I really want to buy a discontinued tire?)

or...

More costly option... Perhaps I can sell my 2 good rears (Toyo Proxes ST 315/35ZR20) to someone that could use them and buy a whole NEW set for myself? (this would also open up options on other Tire brands and/or models).

What would you do? :dunno:

I would cop those 2 fronts that match...'discontinued', as in replaced by the newer Toyo tread design. No big deal, as long as those 2 prev model tires aren't 'too old'.
GL, mD

I would buy the updated Proxes for the front. You will wear through your rear tires at a faster rate (at least that is my experience with any staggered setup), then you will buy the updated Proxes for the rear at that time. I did that with the Michelin Pilot Sport and Michelin PS2 on my M5. Probably not a big deal to be on two different versions of the same model of tire unless you can't stand to see the different tread patterns.

Also check the revs per mile difference between front and rear to make sure you don't add a new problem. Tirerack usually lists those numbers.

Hm. If your rears are nearly new. go for the phased out S/Ts. maybe you can even find a used set on ebay so that when your rears wear out, so will your fronts (since rears seem to wear out quicker)..

and then u can replace with the Proxes S/T IIs

But then again...
Consider this.. If you replace the fronts with the discontinued tire, then when your rears wear out, you will have to replace all 4 anyway, because at that point you wont want to replace your rears with another discontinued tire. SO why not just replace all four right now, to save yourself some money in the future?

My tire guy disagrees with me about the rears wearing out first. He reminded me that the front tires on an AWD (or FWD) vehicle will accept more of the cornering, braking and acceleration loads than the rears, therefore the fronts will be the ones to wear out more quickly

It stands to reason; All four tires were put on my vehicle at the same time. They all look great except the fronts are beginning to wear out on the outside edges. I was going to have them removed from the rims and swapped from side to side, but it's already too late; one of them has already worn down to the wear bars and both of them are beginning to cup.

It looks like the 2 new front ST's and a new alignment are in order...

Just because a tire is discontinued doesn't mean it isn't available anymore. I'm sure a tire distributor will still have some stock of the ST's a few months after they've been discontinued in case you get a unrepairable flat; this was the case for General Grabber UHP's as they've been discontinued for a while yet Tire Rack and ETD Discount Tires still have stock on them.

i,ll second the notion that the fronts wear quicker, in my short experience with 20 inch staggered wheels my front tyres are wearing slightly more than the rears

I can't make the decision on what to do on your behalf but when you're ready, I HIGHLY suggest looking at the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta! I found the prices to be unbelievably economical, even cheaper then I can buy anything else, and I'm a tire dealer...and I love the tires! Quiet, good in wet, quite grippy.

Vredesteins
 

Those Vredesteins are sweet looking tires! If the wear and performance matches the looks, I'll be all over them when my new discontinued Proxes wear out.... Keep me posted with a long term report! I want to see how they do over time.
:thumbup:

I am interested in a long term performance of these tires as well.