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TSiWRX

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  • 2 months later...

Been reading your posts on tires for a while and thought I would let you know my experience. Ordered some Nokian Hak-7's for my 2007 VW GTI on Dec 1 from Tires by Web. Your arguments and data for studded tires was influential in making the decision to go with the Hak-7's. They shipped out Dec. 2 by Fed-Ex ground and are currently in transit.

 

My only issue was with the order form. I checked shipping address is same as billing address, and it returned an error. It took me a couple of times before I decided to just fill in both billing and shipping info boxes, and then the order went through without a hitch.

 

Other than that, the ordering process was painless, and it appears that the shipping is too. I obviously can't comment on the returns/ warranties area.

 

I will update when the tires get to Montana.

 

-bsd

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I've priced Nokian's with them, and found that they seem to be higher than other retailers. For example, purchasing four Nokian WRG2 SUV's for my wifes car from TireSavings.com is still over $100 cheaper with shipping charges than tiresbyweb's price, even with their 'free' shipping (which is obviously built into the tire price)..

__________________

~Scott

'05 Outback 2.5i Wagon

Willow Green Opal/ Moss Green Metallic

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Thanks, bigskydoc and rock2534. :) You too, Outback.

 

 

----

 

 

bigskydoc -

 

My local friends were right: I'm likely going to really enjoy my studded tires only minutes out of a season (REF: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/sparco-drift-141596.html - post number 84) :redface: - but a few of those minutes came today.

 

It's our second snowfall of the season, and still nothing to really write home about. Barely a dusting. But this AM's commute saw glare-ice formed at the more often traveled (but untreated) feeders from secondary streets onto main thoroughfares. Temperatures were in the high 20s.

 

Others slid. I did not. :) No, I didn't purposefully test, for I had Anna in the back, taking her to school - but treading carefully or not, ice is ice, and this afternoon, my wife told me that her ABS (her '09 FXT is equipped with a set of Xi2s) did activate this AM. I did take the U-turn to head to her school with a little verve. There was again no untoward wiggle of the tail (which is common, as I discussed elsewhere with outahere, when I'm on my 3Ds), but again, I didn't really push it, as there was oncoming traffic.

 

I'm going to try to hunt-down an ungroomed parking lot (one that I'm familiar with) tonight. Chances are slim, though, as crews have salted/treated their lots all day today, to prevent icing. :(

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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Glad you opened this thread TSi+WRX, I've been looking at getting a set of Nokian's from them because I've found they are cheaper there (for my tire size anyways). Glad to know that I would actually get my tires if I ordered from them!
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I've priced Nokian's with them, and found that they seem to be higher than other retailers. For example, purchasing four Nokian WRG2 SUV's for my wifes car from TireSavings.com is still over $100 cheaper with shipping charges than tiresbyweb's price, even with their 'free' shipping (which is obviously built into the tire price)..

__________________

~Scott

'05 Outback 2.5i Wagon

Willow Green Opal/ Moss Green Metallic

When I got mine, they were a lot cheaper than they seem to be now. I paid about $160 per. Last time I looked they were over $200. I like them, but that is a bit much.

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I've priced Nokian's with them' date=' and found that they seem to be higher than other retailers. For example, purchasing four Nokian WRG2 SUV's for my wifes car from TireSavings.com is still over $100 cheaper with shipping charges than tiresbyweb's price, even with their 'free' shipping (which is obviously built into the tire price)..[/quote']The local Nokian dealers blow them away. Nokian doesn't tolerate online discounting so they basically charge MSRP plus shipping. If you want a good deal, buy a tire brand that is discounted on the web. I've purchased five sets of Nokians in the last two years, but if I had to order them online I'd buy another tire.

 

Their price for Hakka R 225/45r17 - $221 each and you will have to get them mounted.

 

Local dealer price including mounting and balancing: $197.

 

Been reading your posts on tires for a while and thought I would let you know my experience. Ordered some Nokian Hak-7's for my 2007 VW GTI on Dec 1 from Tires by Web. Your arguments and data for studded tires was influential in making the decision to go with the Hak-7's. //
And I'll bet $100 that he's never driven a car with studded tires in his life. Thats not to say that modern studded tires aren't the hot set up for areas that have snow covered roads most of the time, or lots of hills. According to NOAA, Kalispell averages about 65" a season, so if you drive a lot, especially if you are out early or late, that's a decent choice, just no hooning around when the pavement is dry....

Who Dares Wins

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The local Nokian dealers blow them away. Nokian doesn't tolerate online discounting so they basically charge MSRP plus shipping. If you want a good deal, buy a tire brand that is discounted on the web. I've purchased five sets of Nokians in the last two years, but if I had to order them online I'd buy another tire.

 

Their price for Hakka R 225/45r17 - $221 each and you will have to get them mounted.

 

Local dealer price including mounting and balancing: $197.

 

^ Actually, my local contact (a fellow long-standing local car-club member who has an extremely solid local reputation both for tire costs as well as specialized alignments provided by the shops he manages, so no, he's not the type to not know what he's doing) could not beat Tire By Web's prices on the Nokians - all that he could do was match them, and even then, he'd still have to charge for mounting - the price difference would've been about $100 higher, had I gone local. Even here in NE-Ohio, Nokians don't come cheap, and fewer people, even counting the true enthusiasts, drive on them, due to that.

 

Your locals may be able to offer better deals, but for others, that may or may not be true.

 

 

-----

 

 

RE: studded tires:

And I'll bet $100 that he's never driven a car with studded tires in his life.

You really don't read anything that anyone else posts, do you? :lol:

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/sparco-drift-141596.html

 

^ That was back in July.

 

Since that time, I've continued to repeatedly tell others in many different threads, in many different communities - including Luke of Tire Rack, with whom I'd debated this at-length, live, over the phone - that I've never had studded winters to call my own before, that although I've driven with studded tires, none have been sets which I've had continuous and extensive experience with....and what's more, their care/condition as well as brand-make were, to me, less than ideal to formulate a true assertion from (case-in-point: my mother-in-law's Camary is shod with Bridgestone WS70s this winter, I don't DD in her car, and although I'm able to formulate a well-reasoned and decently reasonable set of driving impressions from taking her car out on a few spins in my favorite assessment spots, I cannot say that I have a full picture of their performance strengths or shortfalls, given my limited experience with them - like I said on NASIOC, while I'm lucky to get to drive many different winter tires, given my physical location and local associations, I will very rarely point my fingers at one specific tire, for I do not feel comfortable rendering such specific recommendations without extensive personal knowledge).

 

And you might have done well to check posts 118:

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3179940&postcount=118

 

and 139:

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3179940&postcount=139

 

Or even just my direct reply to bigskydoc above (post number 6 in *THIS* thread), to which I'll expand in that both my mother-in-law's WS70-equipped vehicle, as well as my neighbor's Dunlop 3D equipped Porsche Carrera 4 (a truly daily-driven 993, and yes, although his tires are wider than mine, both of our 3Ds data back to the same purchase period, so it gives me at least *some* criteria for comparison) both also triggered ABS at such intersections, on that very same morning.

 

And if that's not enough:

 

In your own "failed" (remember, you chose to call it that, not me!) thread on NASIOC:

 

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2078358

 

Yes, I think we all got that reference to LegacyGT, since you've posted it five times. So what year SpecB do you own?

 

My intention was to make this a thread with the pertinent results of various winter tire reviews.

http://www.jerzeedevil.com/gallery/files/4/thread_failed.gif

 

What snow tires do you own?

 

A question to which I'd replied:

 

You'd already asked that question, and I'd already replied (remembering that I'm LGT+WRX, there:

 

^ OK, so you basically just want to talk about YOUR tires, right?

 

So it doesn't matter at all, that the LGT.com thread has plenty of other tests? Let's list the tests referenced on that thread, how about it?

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/2010-winter-tire-tests-146153.html - dating to September with its initial posts....

 

ADAC

Consumer Reports (including actual discussion/analysis of their data)

TireRack

Auto Review

Auto Zeitung

Auto Bild tests

AMS

vibilagare.se

"Behind the Wheel"

Aftonbladet

Teknikensvarld

Auto Express

Za Rulem

 

and heck, note that I even credited you, there:

 

Crossing this one over from NASIOC:

 

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2078358

 

Garandman's OP, in-particular, has some Finnish and Swedish data I don't remember seeing, so far. :)

 

:lol:

 

So you basically don't like it that someone else is posting in "your" thread, right?

 

That no-one else's citations of various tests are pertinent?

 

:lol:

 

How does this facilitate discussion, at all? How does this facilitate an exchange of knowledge?

 

Yes, I think we all got that reference to LegacyGT, since you've posted it five times.

 

Isn't it a valid outlink reference?

 

So what year SpecB do you own?

And how is this relevant to the discussion? I thought the purpose of this thread was to post about various tests as well as the tires tested, and discuss those results in a critical manner?

 

But as my Profile shows, I don't own a SpecB. I've simply been daily-driving my '05 2.5GT 5MT since May, 2005. It's nothing special, but why are you being condescending? Is it not enough that we simply share a love for our Subarus?

 

My intention was to make this a thread with the pertinent results of various winter tire reviews.

And how is anything of what I've posted or referenced *NOT* pertinent to the results of various winter tire reviews of this year?

 

If we are to freely trade information here, in an attempt to truly learn from one another and to better ourselves - to enrich our own knowledge-base - why would anyone ignore another valid thread, particularly as they are found in another highly-regarded and highly technically oriented Subaru community?

 

http://www.jerzeedevil.com/gallery/files/4/thread_failed.gif

I don't see how.....

 

Do you mean it failed because you're refusing to discuss the actual issues?

 

Or do you mean that it failed because I've brought in more information - pertinent information - to discuss?

 

Or did it fail because I'm asking questions about the tests/tires and actually discussing those results in a critical manner?

 

What snow tires do you own?

I'm currently on my 4th season with a set of Dunlop SP WinterSport 3Ds. A set of Michelin X-Ice Xi2s have been serving duty on my wife's '05 WRX and '09 FXT for 3 seasons. I also have a set of Pirelli Winter Carving studded tires, which I will rotate into a "deep winter" role, as my 3Ds are nearing their winter-wear platforms.

 

But how is that pertinent to the thread, if what you're looking for are reviews, and to discuss those reviews?

 

I thought that this thread was not to discuss personal issues, as you scolded krzyss and wayward167 for doing?

 

So why are you turning it personal, now? and targeted specifically at me, for that matter?

 

But as we're getting personal, now that I've answered your questions, how about you answering some of my questions in post #16, above?

 

All I want to do is talk about winter tires. :) I just want to talk tires, with fellow tire nuts - and if it's about winter tires, all the better.....

 

and

 

If anyone is interested I can post the current Consumer Reports ratings for snows and Performance Snows. Currently their top-rated snow is the Michelin X-Ice xi2 and the top-rated performance snow is the WRG2. The General Altimax Arctic pops up as a price/performance leader and is substantially cheaper than most others on Tirerack.

 

Oh, and just BTW, that was *last year*.

 

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5022881-Recommended-snow-or-winter-tires/page4

 

^ Once again, the top one is for 2009. The bottom one, 2010.

 

This year (i.e. "current"), speaking of only the "overall" rankings, it's a three-way tie in what would be the mixed-bag "Performance Winter/All-Weather" sub-category, between the Nokian WRG2, Hankook Winter i*cept evo, and Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3; in the "Studless Ice & Snow" sub-catgory, it's the Hakka R that "came in first."

 

But again, one runs high risk by simply looking at the overall rankings. A lot of winter-tire enthusiasts highly debate the Consumer Reports tests, and most do not agree with, in some form or another, the testing methodology and/or overall rankings and/or even individual-tire conclusions.

 

----

 

So, let's discuss the specifics of the CR results (for this year), then.

 

What should strike the reader is that of the two well-known landmarks in just the "Performance Winter/All-Weather" categories - the Nokian WRG2 and the Dunlop 3D - their break-out data is decidedly different, in one way or another, from that which is seen in the various *very* highly rated overseas tests (including ADAC, Auto Zeitung, Auto Bild, AMS, and Auto Express).

 

And that leads to two big possibilities:

 

Either the testing conditions differed greatly, or, alternatively, that the tires tested are somehow differently formulated (and perhaps even carries greater differences, for sizing and speed-rating can even affect a tire's tread-pattern).

 

But other possibilities exist:

 

Does it instead have something to do with testing methodology? Should this be the preferred focus, then, should we weigh less or even completely discard the Consumer Reports results due to glaring mistakes: i.e. "snow traction" is quantitated only via acceleration - not even braking.....?

 

And why not also benchmark the "Studless Ice & Snow" sub-genre as well, by including the Xi2, the "winner" in that sub-genre, from the previous year?

 

 

----

 

 

Oh, Garandman, if this discussion is somehow not pertinent, please let everyone reading this thread - including me - know why.

 

 

So, about that $100..... :p:lol:

 

 

 

----

 

 

Thats not to say that modern studded tires aren't the hot set up for areas that have snow covered roads most of the time, or lots of hills. According to NOAA, Kalispell averages about 65" a season, so if you drive a lot, especially if you are out early or late, that's a decent choice, just no hooning around when the pavement is dry....

 

Once again, the perception that modern premium studded tires somehow cannot "perform" in clear-dry or clear-wet conditions is completely false.

 

The fact that the Nokian brand - your exclusive recommendations and the objects of your immense and repeated praise - dominating the hard-core European tests with the studded Hakka 7 (i.e. Auto Review - http://www.autoreview.ru/_archive/section/detail.php?ELEMENT_ID=73796&SECTION_ID=2173 - and the NAF - http://www.naf.no/Forbrukertester/Dekk/Dekktester/Vinterdekktest-2010/), testifies to this fact. In these tests, the actual hard quantitative data repeatedly shows that the Hakka 7, under those specific clear-dry and clear-wet conditions, easily surpasses the performance of the Hakka R.

 

No tire can do it all, every one of them is a compromise.

 

If your winters are cold (and yes, it's just fine even if temperatures dip into the upper 30s) and mostly rainy or dry, with little chance of real snow accumulation or icing, then a good all-season tire with decent tread-depth is really all you need - and will actually keep you safer, based on current data.

 

If there's more snow and slush, an "All Weather" or Performance Snow may be a better match. These tires can even handle lots of fresh powder, as long as you remember to keep their tread-depth above 6/32".

 

If your biggest concern is ice, but temperatures rarely dip below zero F., and if local laws are amenable to studs - AND, EVEN MORE SO, that *you/your passengers* do not mind their noise intrusion - then premium studded tires are, by all data from the last half decade, without a doubt what you'd want to go with.

 

But if noise/legality is a problem, or, alternatively, your area sees a significant number of days with below-zero (F.) temperatures, modern premium "Studless Ice & Snow" should then garner your buying dollars.

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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TSI+WRX, I've now put you on ignore here as well as NASIOC, so if you are posting for my benefit, you can spare everyone the pontification and just pm me.

 

You post thousands of words of advice about snow tires, but you still have never actually driven a car with studded tires.:lol:

Who Dares Wins

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Actually, he has, but since you have him on ignore, you wouldn't know that. ;)
Grand, I'm sure he'll post a couple thousand word treatise.

 

Summary of useful info: if you live in the Northeast, WRX-sized Nokian R's will cost you roughly $40 per tire less than tiresbyweb. Closer to $50 for WRG2.

 

By contrast, tirerack prices for Michelin X-Ice Xi2's were substantially cheaper than Costco (where I bought my last set, this month) even factoring in installation. So those seem to be a good deal mail-order.

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Actually, he has, but since you have him on ignore, you wouldn't know that. ;)

 

^ :lol:

 

It's sad that Grandman has had to resort to personal attacks, to try to make his points. :(

 

It's interesting - can't find a good solid point, so redirect by making nonsensical remarks, and refuse to answer actual debate points. Yep, that works for elected politicians, so why not for any other argument? :lol:

 

TSI+WRX, I've now put you on ignore here as well as NASIOC, so if you are posting for my benefit, you can spare everyone the pontification and just pm me.

 

You post thousands of words of advice about snow tires, but you still have never actually driven a car with studded tires.:lol:

 

Bring up the big word of "pontification" again, right? Didn't you say that about me, on a thread concerning various speed-detections countermeasures, on NASIOC?

 

That's funny:

 

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=31010121#post31010121

 

'Cause when NASIOC OG Steve, without anyone's asking, came by there to stand up and vouch for me, you didn't reply to that thread anymore, there, either.....

 

He's a scholar when it comes to this sort of thing, and has educated me over the years. Thanks for all the info LGT+WRX!

 

:lol:

 

So, go ahead and try to redirect, go ahead and make the attacks personal. I will simply continue to combat misinformation with the truth. :)

 

And the only reason why I've had to type so much is to counter the misinformation that you've given out. :( PMs to you, alone, would do no good to counter the problems in what you've written for the public to see. The real issue is if someone would take your advice without knowing the counter-arguments against it.

 

To me, it really doesn't matter what another person decides: that's their right.

 

What matters to me is that they have the right information to base their decisions from. That they make an informed decision, based on the truth as we know it to be, today.

 

I'm not in the habit of attacking anyone's personal opinions - but to render such opinions as the truth, when it clearly defies all current data and knowledge on the matter? That's then something that I can argue against: but I argue against the ideas, not the person. It does no good for me to PM you to tell you that you're wrong: by the many threads we've interacted on, it's clear that you wouldn't hear of it, anyway, so what's the use? Instead, your public recommendations to others - that's worth the debate, again in-public, so others can decide, for themselves, where the errors may be, be it on your part, or mine.

 

http://craphound.com/images/xkcdwrongoninternet.jpg

 

Reminded of this little gem, from another thread I was reading today. :lol:

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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Nope - my trip to Dubai was a big question mark, in terms of out-of-pocket spendings, at the time I was shopping for tires, so I decided to go the route of the Pirellis @ Tire Rack, as they presented a significant monetary savings.

 

Based on the replies here, though, next time, I won't hesitate. :)

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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The local Nokian dealers blow them away. Nokian doesn't tolerate online discounting so they basically charge MSRP plus shipping. If you want a good deal, buy a tire brand that is discounted on the web. I've purchased five sets of Nokians in the last two years, but if I had to order them online I'd buy another tire.

 

The closest "local" dealer is 3 hours away and can't get Hak-7's for my rig. I could go up to Canada where they have them, but that is about 4 hours distant... and I would have to drive my summer tired GTI on winter roads to have them mounted. I could take my wife's AWD winter tired rig up to pick them up, but then I would be in the same boat as ordering by web except that I would be out 8 hours of driving. So in your example, I would save $96 minus 8 hours of travel.

 

You might infer from my pseudonym that I can occasionally afford to not require "the best deal", and you would be correct. In this case, I specifically want the Hak-7's, not necessarily "a good deal." So, for my situation, Tires by Web fit the bill. All I have to do is wait for them to show up on my door step, drive two blocks to the tire store, and be done with it.

 

 

And I'll bet $100 that he's never driven a car with studded tires in his life. Thats not to say that modern studded tires aren't the hot set up for areas that have snow covered roads most of the time, or lots of hills. According to NOAA, Kalispell averages about 65" a season, so if you drive a lot, especially if you are out early or late, that's a decent choice, just no hooning around when the pavement is dry....

 

Clearly I stepped into the middle of something between you two, but...

 

Coming from a place in Alaska where the annual snowfall routinely exceeds 200 inches, and my daily, 40-mile one-way, commute was on a highway that, thanks to temps that wavered between just above freezing during the day to just below freezing during the night, was frequently covered with inches of ice with rainwater running on top of it, I wasn't so much interested in his experience with these tires as I was the studies that he has linked to on various sites. These studies support the contention that modern studded tires perform quite admirably on clear-dry and clear-wet pavement despite the reputation these tires historically have. They also point to the Hak 7's as some of the best, if not the very best, of the studded variants.

 

I am on 24 hour call to the hospital and have to be there within 15 minutes of being called, no matter the weather. We have a lot of mixed driving with black ice accumulation, especially at intersections. If the snow is deep, I take my wife's AWD rig, but if I don't get her car back to her in time, the kid doesn't go to school so I try to use my rig as much as possible.

 

You haven't lived until you've drifted a 28,000 lb fire engine down an icy highway and slid a 56,000 lb tanker down an icy hill responding to calls!

 

- bsd

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^ Holy &^*! :eek: I hope to never have that fire-truck drifting experience!!!!! :eek:

 

----

 

I wish my wife would be more tolerant of cabin NVH.... Heck, her FXT is already a rattle-trap, so why not, right? But she refuses. :( The best I can do, for her, are the "Studless Ice & Snows," and as with you, bigskydoc, she just has to be at work, too, no excuses.

 

Most of my work can take a 24-36 hour detour, so if push came to shove and the icing was truly that bad (she's a native winter driver, so she's accustomed to coming to a full stop well before the actual intersection, knowing full-well that's where the ice would be), we could mount my studded set to her FXT, and let her be on her way; that would take me no more than 30 minutes to do - even faster, if I just left my car on jackstands :lol:

 

If my current experience (I once again had to tell myself to slow-down, today) with the Pirellis are any indication, you'll enjoy the studded Hakka 7s immensely. They should not only be quieter than my Pirellis, but should also offer even better objective and subjective performance.

 

There really wasn't much snow at all, in my specific neck of the woods today, here in NE-Ohio, but certain areas did see some of the slipperier stuff: it's a weird feeling on the studded tires - hanging a U-turn via an un-plowed cut-out in the median, for example, the car starts slipping for a fraction of a second, and then grips, and then slips, and then grips. Even the tail-happy nature of the vehicle (addressed by outahere in the "Sparco Drift" thread I OP'ed; which is exacerbated by my choice of overkill anti-roll bars :redface: [i'm doing that one by trial-and-error]) is no longer evident. Certainly, I haven't *really* pushed, yet, but I'm starting to get happier with the right foot. I do hope I find good ungroomed parking lot that I'm familiar with, soon, so I can really figure things out......

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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............. These studies support the contention that modern studded tires perform quite admirably on clear-dry and clear-wet pavement despite the reputation these tires historically have. They also point to the Hak 7's as some of the best, if not the very best, of the studded variants..............

 

Yes, the idea that studded tires suck on wet asphalt pavement still persists after all these years. In reality, as the tests show, they are no worse, and usually better, than the "ice and snow" non-studdable tires. This may not be true on concrete pavement though.

 

I sometimes visit the tire forum at Consumer Reports, and the resident tire "nut" advised another member that studs increase braking distances on wet pavement. As a blanket statement, that just is not true.

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I'm, soooooooooooooo jealous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a good way, though. :D

 

Look at those awesome studs.

 

Happy (and safe) motoring. :)

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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225/40/R18, manufactured in Finland.

 

Very happy. Over the last week, we have had just about every winter road condition imaginable short of those wonderful sub-zero (Fahrenheit ) roads. Deep snow followed by rain with slush build up followed by icing followed by clear wet during the day freezing at night to clear dry this afternoon.

 

The traction has been stellar as expected.

 

It took a little bit of getting used to because I can feel the tires "give" ever so slightly when initiating turns. I suspect this is due to the softer rubber. In fact, when stopped at an intersection, I have a surprising amount of play in the steering wheel compared to my summer tires.

 

The biggest surprise has been slush traction. Of course, they can't make up for the fact that I kept my low, wide-profiled tire size, but there is a big improvement. I can feel them wallow at first, but then they get a bite and I can feel the traction improve.

 

On ice, wet clear, dry clear and hard pack snow, it is hard to tell that I am not on dry pavement. The exception is when I accelerate abruptly on ice/ snow. Then I can get the one drive wheel to spin, but I have to work at it. None of the oft dreaded issues with traction on the clear roads so far.

 

Noise is really only noticeable at low speeds. No VH issues so far, but I haven't taken it on a long highway trip yet.

 

All in all very happy. I wish that I could compare them to some cheaper studs and non-studded winter tires for all of our benefit, but I am not THAT well off.

 

Cheers

 

-bsd

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^ Maybe we should swap for a while (you might never get your set back, though.... :lol:)?

 

Given that the Hakka 7s rank well above the Pirellis in terms of NVH, I am not surprised that you're doing well, in that regard.

 

And as with you, I'm also still trying to get used to the driving dynamics of the studded tires. The few short-mileage tours that I've done with friends' sets/vehicles definitely did not fully acquaint me with the more subtle feelings I am now attuned to.

 

The slip-grip-slip-grip cycle still throws me for a little loop, but the traction enhancement in the slippery stuff is just ridiculous. I honestly don't think I'll ever go studless again, for my "deep winter" set, and from this point on, will likely seek "the best" studded winters that fit my specific performance requirements.

<-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges

'16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family

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