Anyone have experience running Nokian snow tires?
12-14-2003, 03:19 PM
#5
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Excellent experience with Hakkapeliittas
Stumbled into a used set of Hakkapeliittas for my 83 Prelude when I was in college. VERY aggressive tread and excellent in the snow -- went though anything the low ground clearance would allow. And I'm someone who makes up excuses to go driving in the snow on purpose. Bought a second set of Hakkapeliitta NR09s and used those for a couple of winters too.
Went with Michelin Pilot Alpins for the S4 after reading good reviews of snow performance here. Also because I thought due to tread pattern they might be a bit quieter/smoother on the non-snowy highway which is most of my winter driving here in VA.
Would most definately recommend Nokians though.
J.T.L.
02 S4 Santorin/Silver/6 dealers: feel free to break my trim and scratch my car, it's not like you're servicing a Lexus or anything.
Went with Michelin Pilot Alpins for the S4 after reading good reviews of snow performance here. Also because I thought due to tread pattern they might be a bit quieter/smoother on the non-snowy highway which is most of my winter driving here in VA.
Would most definately recommend Nokians though.
J.T.L.
02 S4 Santorin/Silver/6 dealers: feel free to break my trim and scratch my car, it's not like you're servicing a Lexus or anything.
12-14-2003, 03:38 PM
#6
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I have the Hakka NRW on my Coupe, and Hakka Q on my S4...
They are simply awesome. The NRW (now replaced by WR) are more like a high speed winter tire (H rated), excellent in snow, but not as good on ice due to the slightly harder thread compound for high speed operation.
The Q is a better winter tire, I've ran them on my ex-A4 and now my S4, can't be any happier. They are possibly the best winter tire out there, plus they wear surprising well, mine have tons of thread left after 2 winters, and I drive on dry pavement a lot here in Calgary.
Here's a pic, notice the aggresive thread pattern.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/41218/100-0010_img_small.jpg">
The Blizzaks are great too, I hear they are absolutely the best on ice. However they tend to wear quite fast, and the lower 50% thread is made of all season compound, pretty useless if you keep on using them as winters.
The Q is a better winter tire, I've ran them on my ex-A4 and now my S4, can't be any happier. They are possibly the best winter tire out there, plus they wear surprising well, mine have tons of thread left after 2 winters, and I drive on dry pavement a lot here in Calgary.
Here's a pic, notice the aggresive thread pattern.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/41218/100-0010_img_small.jpg">
The Blizzaks are great too, I hear they are absolutely the best on ice. However they tend to wear quite fast, and the lower 50% thread is made of all season compound, pretty useless if you keep on using them as winters.
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12-14-2003, 04:18 PM
#8
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Very accurate
<center><img src="http://www.nokiantyres.com/Flash/banneri_H4.gif"></center><p>
I think your evaluation of the NRW/WR vs. the Q (now 2) is very accurate.
The 2 is the real cold weather tyre. The WR is intended as a tyre capable of handling high speeds and taking the summer heat.
http://www.nokian.com/passenger_car_winter_tyres_en.html
The 2 should never be driven in the summer heat!!!
In Europe I tried to get some 2's but Nokian absolutely refused to sell them to me. I took it all the way up to the company in Finland. No way. They used the excuse of the heat in Europe but didn't have an answer when I pointed out that the same tyre is sold in North America where temperatures can be even higher. The real reason, I think, was to protect the Scandinavian market from parallel imports from the continent.
Anyway, Take a look at the new Hakkapeliitta 4. This one is apparently also not available in North America.
http://www.nokian.com/index_en.html
It is pretty obvious that Nokian keeps the best tyre technology for Scandinavia. Only after a year or two do they release it into North America.
It is also pretty obvious that the pace of advance today in winter tyres far out paces that of any other type of tyre!!!
Stephen<ul><li><a href="http://www.nokian.com/index_en.html">http://www.nokian.com/index_en.html</a</li></ul>
I think your evaluation of the NRW/WR vs. the Q (now 2) is very accurate.
The 2 is the real cold weather tyre. The WR is intended as a tyre capable of handling high speeds and taking the summer heat.
http://www.nokian.com/passenger_car_winter_tyres_en.html
The 2 should never be driven in the summer heat!!!
In Europe I tried to get some 2's but Nokian absolutely refused to sell them to me. I took it all the way up to the company in Finland. No way. They used the excuse of the heat in Europe but didn't have an answer when I pointed out that the same tyre is sold in North America where temperatures can be even higher. The real reason, I think, was to protect the Scandinavian market from parallel imports from the continent.
Anyway, Take a look at the new Hakkapeliitta 4. This one is apparently also not available in North America.
http://www.nokian.com/index_en.html
It is pretty obvious that Nokian keeps the best tyre technology for Scandinavia. Only after a year or two do they release it into North America.
It is also pretty obvious that the pace of advance today in winter tyres far out paces that of any other type of tyre!!!
Stephen<ul><li><a href="http://www.nokian.com/index_en.html">http://www.nokian.com/index_en.html</a</li></ul>
