Had a similar thought myself after a minor fender-bender last year. Insurance adjuster did glance at my tires, but honestly, seemed more interested in tread depth and overall condition rather than matching brands or models. Still, I wouldn't risk it—especially with luxury cars, handling can get sketchy real quick if tires aren't matched properly. Better safe than sorry, you know?
Had a similar situation myself a couple years back—rear-ended someone at a stoplight. Adjuster barely glanced at brands, just checked tread and wear patterns. Honestly, matching tires isn't usually a huge deal from an insurance standpoint, but from personal experience, mismatched tires can really mess with your handling, especially in wet conditions. Ever felt your car drift weirdly on slick roads? Not fun... I'd say it's worth paying attention to, insurance aside.
"Ever felt your car drift weirdly on slick roads? Not fun..."
Yeah, I've definitely noticed that weird drifting feeling you're talking about, especially when the tires aren't matched up. Makes me wonder—do you think insurance adjusters should pay more attention to tire brands and compatibility, or is tread depth really enough? Seems like a small detail, but maybe it could make a difference in safety... Glad you brought this up, honestly hadn't thought much about it before.
I've felt that drift too, especially after replacing just one tire instead of the whole set. Always wondered if mismatched tread patterns or sidewall stiffness could play a bigger role than just tread depth alone. Does anyone know if insurance companies ever factor in tire compatibility when assessing fault or payouts after an accident? Seems like something they'd consider, but maybe it's too minor a detail for them to bother with...
I've wondered about that too, but honestly, wouldn't insurance companies mostly care about tread depth and overall tire condition rather than matching brands or patterns? I mean, from their perspective, as long as the tires meet basic safety standards, maybe the specifics of compatibility are just too detailed for them to dig into. But then again, if mismatched tires could genuinely affect handling enough to contribute to an accident, you'd think they'd at least consider it...
On a related note, does anyone know if tire shops or mechanics have guidelines about mixing different tire brands or models on the same axle? I've always just replaced tires individually as needed (budget reasons, obviously), but now I'm wondering if that's actually a bad idea safety-wise. Maybe there's some official recommendation out there that I've been ignoring all this time.
