So my project "don't bust the budget" got an extension. In short, I am proving to my wife that the buying and maintaining a car for $1000/year all in is still a viable possibility. It was originally a 2-year plan to end in February but due to some unfortunate occurrences, it got extended a year or more.

One of the reasons I chose my 1990 240 DL sedan over some over used cars was that it had nearly new tires. In retrospect, this was a mistake as the tires on it are badly flat-spotted, hard as a rock and grip like oiled glass on wet or or snowy surfaces.

Locally there are a set of used Michelin xzx...

http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/pts/3245745121.html

Owner says they are older but mostly sat on a shelf in his garage. Around here mounting and balancing at a used tire shop is about $12/tire all in so this would fit in my budget quite well. My other thought is just to bite the bullet and get lower priced snow tires and drive them year round (only commute 14 miles per day round trip). What would you guys do?

I am looking at one new u-joint, an alignment, new rotors and pads on the front so a large chunk of my budget will disappear in one swipe when I do this.

Those Michelin XZX haven't been made since the 80's. They are very very old.
You can (and should) buy new pretty cheaply in the avail 14" that fit the stock rims, a 195/75-14 or 195/70-14

I did not buy them, but Coker kept making them for many years as Michelin tires under license. I seem to remember correctly, they still offer them in certain sizes.

I will no longer buy used tires over about 6 years old.

I WILL buy one tire or two from my tire shop - I have been dealing with the same shop since 1963 and they do sell take offs.

They check out any tires they sell and have given me a pair of fairly new, worn-out tires for my storage trailer for the cost of mounting.

Look around for an owner-operated shop and ask them for some newer take-offs.
--
'96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '12 XC70, the first three are mine, heh, heh, 525,000 miles put on 10 bricks

I did try to find some newer take-offs but the Volvo tire is so old-school in its dimensions that very few non-beaters roll with them anymore. Up here, even the Honda's and Toyota's that ran the same profile and size are into the rust-bucket status.

Now I just have to run to the PnP and get a spare wheel so I can keep the best of the worst on the old tires.

I've given up on used tires. It seems as though tires worn on a car that was improperly aligned may have wear that might not be noticable upon visual inspection.
--
1966 122s, 1968 142s, 1969 144s, 1979 245dl, 1989 244gl

How bad are your rotors? If approximately the required thickness and not grooved too
badly they could be used for a while longer.
Sitting on a shelf is NOT good for tires - the cord rots and they surprise you when you hit
a sharp bump or something (maybe even a speed bump).
It would be better to buy cheap new tires.
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Oklahoma

The rotors are in spec thickness but badly warped. In the sunny southwest I would leave them but up here in NWI there is just too much threshold braking in the slick winter conditions. Last winter (which was unusually mild) I ended up locking up the right front long before the left front (worst warpage I have ever seen) in the couple of slick driving experiences.

I might look for better condition junkyard rotors instead as we still have 3 240's in the local PnP.

I've not had much of a problem with warpage. Worse from grandson not recognizing
the sound of metal on metal.....
Had one 164 disk down to about 5/16" thick....
--
George Downs Bartlesville, Oklahoma

As far as I can tell, the rotors are aftermarket and probably of lower quality, one piston was seized on the caliper of the donor car so it probably had a dragging brake and there was significant rust on the hub mating surface so I am guessing it was never cleaned off before the rotors were installed.

At very slow speeds and light braking you can feel the high-spots where it grips, loses grip and grips again...like I said, there are really bad.

Odd how we go about budgets...

I've bought used tires once. I was after the rims, in the pick'n'pull, but decided to take the whole wheels. Still running them after 10 years, which isn't something I'd recommend to anyone. Yes, I see the beginnings of dry rot.

Alignment is a big chunk of change, knowing the only thing your car ever needs is a tweak of the tie rods for toe-in. I've tried several DIY techniques and probably shortened the life of several sets of front tires learning what really works, but of late I'm getting good results using a hunk of 1/2" EMT to gauge the toe-in setting.

I might save on new rotors too, unless they got trashed by someone ignoring their protest noises.

Those Michelins do sound nice from here. Wonder how long they sat. My 10-year old JY tires need to get replaced. I think the description of yours -- oiled glass -- fits the feeling I got from them one day in a thundershower.

Yes, that's true how a budget can be trashed in one fell swoop, but more often these days of plastic, in one swipe.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Yeah, I have bought many a used tire but never a set.

The rotors cannot be saved as both fronts have excessive run-out. They were junkyard rotors anyway. Of course I have not checked to see if I have bearing run-out but since everything else that would point to bad bearings is absent...

The alignment is just one of those things I do not have the patience for. I replaced the tie rod ends and ball joints not that long ago (with shiny new ones from the junkyard) and I git a bit off on the drivers side...besides, the steering wheel was already off a tick when I got the car.

What difference round tires and proper alignment make! The car tracks straight (no surprise) and only vibrates on braking due to the warped rotors. I can even hit the brakes and let go of the steering wheel without acquainting myself with the curb.

Over the years I've bought both new and used sets of tires--so I don't have a problem with "used"----however---I worked for both Peugeot and Renault in the '70's -- that's the era of the XZX tires. Michelins are made of a high natural rubber content and they will degrade with age. I'd stay away from these unless they really do look pristine--and are cheap. -- Dave

They were both pristine and cheap plus I got the date code off them and they are only about 7 years old. That being said, decided to bit the bullet and get cheap Cooper tires instead when Sears ran a promo for a free alignment with 4 tires...and failed to specify the tires involved. All told, a little over $350 with tax and all handling fees.

Hello all
ahh yes the diy alignment.
it really can be trick business. if its just toe than do-able.
as for used tires its one of the items i dont cheap out on. and i have been known to cheap out.
tires have a date code on them and a google search will explain. its pretty simple.
My friend owns a tire store and says its against the law for him to sell tires of a certain age but i forget the age. they do have a shelf life.
anyhoo i get good tire prices new from him and the few used tires i ever tried used tires they were poo poo!
i believe tires are important to safety but you can probably get a good used set if they arent too old or have a flat spot.
good luck
Mike