Hey guys,

Unfortunately I do not know too much about tires or cars in general.

I just changed a flat on my 98 Accord and put the donut on.  I have about 33000 miles on this set of tires i have now.

My roommate mentioned that I might just want to get new tires, they look a little bald.

The tires are Michelin MXV4 Plus.  Do you guys think I need new tires?  33,000 miles seems a little low, I thought they would last longer.

How long should average tires last?  Should I get new ones?

Edited to add: Just normal day to day driving, long trips back home every couple of months from college, I don't race, peel out, etc.

It all depends on the way you drive. I've burned through a set of tires in less than 20k.

If they look bald or have little wires hanging out then it's probably time to get new tires.

Don't have a digital cam or a scanner working, will try when i get a chance.

Two things.  Alignment and rotations.  These are the two things that will assure you get the most out of your tires.

Think about this.  How many miles you got out of your tires has NOTHING to do with whether you need new ones or not.  

Having to replace them earlier than expected only means you need to look at the warranty, your driving habits, and what might be wrong with your vehicle or your tire care.

Tires have "wear bars", right?  

Spots going across the tread where the grooves in the tread are not as deep.

If any rubber on these spots are wearing from contact on the pavement, you need some new tires.

Also there are tread gauges just for this purpose, and the "date on the penny" method.


Bottom line: even if you are not having trouble with traction on dry pavement, I don't want you hydroplaning your way into me as you spin on a wet surface.

At a minimum, I always replace them in pairs on either the front or the back.

I think you should take your car to a qualified mechanic and have them check your tires.

I'm a big Yokohama fan.  We used to buy Michelins here at work since the owner's work works for Michelin and got a discount, but after several bad incidents, the boss finally let me buy something better.  We've had great luck with all of the Yokohamas we've bought from the sporty ones for the boss's BMW to the ones for our station wagons and for our full-size vans.  The rubber doesn't seem quite as sticky as with some of the Michelins we used, but the better tread-life has more than made-up for it.

If you still have a decent tire on each side, I'd consider replacing the set on the front with new tires and moving the older ones to the back to save some money.  The rear tires on a Honda don't do much.z

Are you the original owner? Do you know if the car has been crashed and fixed? Has it bumped a curb hard or sideways? Loan it to any friends? If the body or suspension alignment has been thrown out, the tires will roll down the road fighting each other.

It tells you what to look for in the owners manual. You know, that book that takes up room in your glove box.