I'm surprised that more Brickers haven't commented on here saying that the tire dealer's advice is quite careless and should not be heeded. I am fortunate enough to live in a southern location (no rust for me!), so Winter tires are totally unneeded (seen snow once at college, and not at home in several years). However, I've read many posts from Brick owners who not only talk about the different tires they have for Winter and Summer, but even the different rims they use!

If your suspension is in good shape, then you'll likely see a performance difference between Winter and Summer tires. You sound like you've got a solid set right now (if you've run them for three years without complaints), but if they're snow tires and you're looking to get some good Summer tires, then by all means upgrade, if you're willing to spend the money. I've got some nice BF Goodriches that were recommended by the board, but I would have loved to get my hands on the Yokohama Avids if they had been in stock. However, if my car's suspension had been going, then it would have been much smarter for me to fix that which was broken. As it was, the car was (and is) in good shape.

Quite simply, the car never gets too "old" to stop caring about tire performance. On the other hand, the parts of it can. If your shocks and bushings are in bad shape, then they should be replaced, not only as a comfort and performance issue but also for safety. If they're in good shape, then you can upgrade the tires and expect some measure of improvement.
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'89 244 GL--25/22 ipd sways, Volvo truck amber turn signal lenses