# Tires

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/tires/2895>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [August 10, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tires/2895 "2007-08-10T15:17:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mary2e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e19adc/32.png) [@mary2e](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mary2e)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tires/2895/1 "2007-08-10T15:17:38Z")

</div>

I was wondering, when do I shoul I buy new tires for a Lexus RX330. I currently have 32k miles and the tread looks like it is wearing down.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2007, 4:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tires/2895/2 "2007-08-10T16:00:14Z")

</div>

[b]Take a penny, and insert it into the tread groove. If you can see the top of Lincolns head when doing this, the tires need replacing.

Tester[/b]

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2007, 4:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tires/2895/3 "2007-08-10T16:15:31Z")

</div>

I will only add this to Tester’s response, measure the middle and both sides.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2007, 4:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tires/2895/4 "2007-08-10T16:16:04Z")

</div>

Many tires have wear indicator bars molded into the tread. These bars are straight lines running across the tread from one side of the tire to the other.

When the tread wears down to match the height of the wear indicators, it’s time for new tires.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2007, 4:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tires/2895/5 "2007-08-10T16:23:49Z")

</div>

Yes, go by the wear indicator bars. The penny trick was useful in the early days before wear bars came into vogue.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Midwest\_honky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Midwest\_honky](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Midwest_honky)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2007, 5:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tires/2895/6 "2007-08-10T17:53:43Z")

</div>

The others have mentioned the wear bars and they are the right way to go in checking tread. The penny is a nice back up but I would shove it head won into the groove and if you can see Lincoln’s head, time for new tires.

Don’t be too upset if the tires show wear at 32k miles. The manufacturer may have put on soft tires that wear easily. Typically, soft tires give better road handling performance but at a shorter life span. Harder tires last longer, but are not as good for high-performance driving.

Good luck!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2007, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tires/2895/7 "2007-08-10T18:49:32Z")

</div>

You can buy a tread depth gauge for under $5. If the amount of tread is less than 2/32 of an inch, then you are ready for tires.