2 Yrs ago I put new Michelin tires on my car. The day I got them and picked the car up at the dealers , the tires sidewall's looked brown or faded. Not new & black. But they were supposed to be new tires. I thought they would shine up after some tire dressing. They still look the same ( old)- what could that be from ?? sally

The brown appearance is called "blooming," and is the result of an antiozonant tire companies put in tires to protect them from UV, ozone and other environmental damage. As you drive, the substance is "squeezed" out of your tires and turns brown. It is unusual for tires to be brown when they are new, however. You should be able to get rid of the blooming by thoroughly cleaning the tires to remove any blooming and leftover tire dressing. Use a brush and soapy water - whatever car wash you're using will do just fine. After the tires are clean and dry, apply tire dressing. The tires should be black, but the discoloration will reappear because blooming occurs each time you drive. Depending how many miles you go, it could take weeks or months to reappear.

Sally... Some manufacturer*s are using less in their tires of a product call "Tire Black". This could be the reason it didn*t look new from the start. It is more prevalent in some manufacturers than others....Since your tires have never been able to shine-up after time. My suggestion for you is: On every tire this is a BIRTH DATE. This is called the DOT (Dept of Transportation) number, every tire has one. Drive into a reputable tire dealer and ask them to tell you what the birth date of your tires are...Have them show you how to find it. This will tell you if these tires were new two years ago or had been sitting in inventory for years...? Michelin is a quality manufacturer,however~ IF the birth date is more than 6 years ago, it is recommended the tire be replaced. This website will help show you where to look. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=11