Replace potentially old tires when they still have tread?
 

I have the OEM Michelin tires on my TL and they have a good amount of tread left, but no matter what PSI I inflate the tires to (right now 35), the sidewall bulges a lot where the tire and ground contact and cornering has been affected. I checked the tires and they don't have a leak. I'm assuming that this is occurring because they are old or getting old and the sidewalls don't have enough strength anymore. I'm not sure when these were installed since I purchased the car used last year.

I remember last winter these tires didn't hold up too well. I'm just on the fence if I should pick up a new set of all seasons with winter soon approaching. What would you guys do? Feedback appreciated.

You have OEM tires on from 2003??

take a penny and with Lincoln facing you- put him headfirst into the tire treads
If his head disappears- you need tires

The MickeySlipalins do seem to lose air when aging, as I have that problem now too.
sidewall collapse?- never heard that one and spent my life around cars

Also- min. allowable is 2/32 inch depth, but at 4/32 your tires are really shot as far as braking and wet weather performance
That is for street tires--

Race tire- we shave them down to 3/32 to race and 4/32 for wet tires!

I meant the same brand and model of tire that was equipped on the car stock. Not the same ones from 2002/03.

I'm assuming you meant to say "if his head disappears, you DON'T need new tires". Like I said, the tires have good tread left, so that is not a concern. My question is this: should old tires be replaced even though the tread is still good.

Yes I mistyped, you are correct
If Lincons head disappears- your tires are above the LEGAL min spec
Essentially UV rays kill tires as well as other elements
If you think the performance has fallen off- replace them
4 years is about max- just like car batteries
Look for cracks on the sidewall and in the treads

Thats what I am doing now, 2 need - 2 ok but... get 4 new tires that are better than OE for the same price or less

That's what I was looking for. Thanks 01tl4tl.

Have a look at tire rack for choices and reviews-
think about going a step wider from 205 to 225 for example

Would that be wise to go wider from 215 especially with winter coming up? I won't have a winter set - unless I can catch a phenomenal deal. With the $100 off, free shipping, and no tax from discounttiredirect.com, I was thinking about pick up the forum favorite - the Yokohama Avid VS4 for $404 (not including installation).

I have the Yoko Avid V4S on my car and like them very much. They are a step up in performance class from the Michelins. I think you will find them to provide a more supple ride with better cornering ability. On top of all this they also wear better than the Michelins which is suprising given the previous qualities I mentioned. I have 45K on mine right now and will probably get another 20K judging by tread remaining. There are some negatives. The Yokos will flat spot on cold mornings. This goes away in about 4-5 miles of driving. Because they have a more aggresive tread pattern you can feel the tread bite the road. This is good because you have more feedback, but they don't have quite the smooth roll of the Michelins. Lastly, in my opinion the Michelins performed somewhat better in light snow, but this is not surprising when you consider the Yokos are HP tires. $404 is a very good price and I would consider them strongly. Good luck...

We dont have winter out here so I run summer tires.
I see people that drop back to 16"-17s from 18s for the winter, but a size wider should give more contact patch- which is usually good
Ask the tire place for their opinion

I am a service writer for a place that sells tires, and on snow, you do NOT want a wider tire. Stick with the 215/50.