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I have a 2003 XC and the Pirelli (215/65x16)have performed satisfactorily, but are thin on tread as 40K miles approaches. Any thoughts or recommendations on other possible manufactures.
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You should offer to readers what you want from your tires. What are you most interested in (and related to this, in what climate or area of the country do you live)? As examples, these eight characteristics come to mind (and I'll bet I could think of a few more if you gave me more time):
1) good treadwear (e.g., long treadlife)
2) dry traction (e.g., steering response, predictable cornering, braking, as would be needed in a "sporty" driving style)
3) wet traction (e.g., steering, braking, resistance to hydroplaning)
4) off-road capable (e.g., resistance to sidewall damage from rocks, or resistance to puncture), since you do have an XC.
5) low price
6) low noise level
7) smooth, soft ride
8) able to cope with a modest depth of snow, or "all-season" rated. For serious snow, though, you will need a real "snow tire" -- all seasons are compromises, like everything else in this list.
No tire will be good in more than a couple or three of these catagories. I'll start with a hypothetical suggestion only to illustrate... suppose you're most interested in "sporty" driving on pavement (dry and wet traction), or short stopping distances in any weather -- but you never go offroad. I would suggest my favorite for this, Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2 (from TireRack), which maximizes (2) and (3) -- it can't be beat, for these. However, being W-rated, it's tread life is only modest at best, it doesn't have a smooth ride (stiff sidewall, for steering response, is counter to this), it is awful in any snow (I put on 4 snows in winter), and it's expensive!
Give folks this list reordered according to your personal priorities, and you'll get the best advice from them. Otherwise, they'll advise you based on their priorities, which may not be yours.
Good luck.
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Ken, Great response to my not very well defined question. I live in New England on the coast so I am looking for an all season, wet weather, Good Braking/handling, lower noise tire. I can live with less milage wear and higher $$ to get improved wet braking /handling (2,3,8,6 in order of importance)
using your approach. No off roading.... thx. again, I will ask plenty of the above question in the tire store. Franz
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I am on my second set of Bridgestone Turanza LS H tires. I live in WI and have to deal with winter, as well as the other more delightful seasons. I ike these tires a lot. I can drive somewhat aggressively without any surprises, and they ride well and quietly.
Gustav
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I opted for the Michelin HydroEdge on my 2001, actually moving these onto my 2004 XC70, giving the new Scorpions to the buyer of my '01. The only area the HydroEdge is not considered excelent is its winter rating, but for that season I have dedicated Nokian Hakkapeliitta winter tires on steel wheels.
--
Cam a.k.a. CVOLVO.COM
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Good choice in snow tires! That's what I've been using for years, now.
I started using Nokia (that was their name before the tire business was spun off of the cell phones) back in the early '80's, when Nokia's NR-09 was the winter rallyists' "secret weapon". Then used the original Hakka, and now use their Hakka-2 -- and always fully studded, of course!
But have you heard about the Hakka-4? (I don't know if they ever had a -3)
It's even more revolutionary, both the tire and the studs:
The studs are diamond shaped, instead of round, and so the sharp corners are supposed to bite into ice far better than any current stud! And in four directions, forward (for braking), rearward (for accelerating), and to both sides (for steering and resisting skidding). It's said to improve grip by 4 to 10% -- that's a lot, considering long stopping distances on ice!
The tread compound uses canola oil, for better low temperature adhesion and wear.
http://www.nokiantyres.com/passengercars_product_en?product=610495&name=NOKIAN+HAKKAPELIITTA+4
http://www.finnfacts.com/english/innovations/safety/nokianrenkaat.htm
The Hakka-4 is available in Europe right now -- I'm hoping that next winter they'll bring it here!
Anyway, good luck!
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posted by
someone claiming to be jwernerny
on
Thu Mar 30 03:27 CST 2006 [ RELATED]
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I spent the winter driving through the Rochester, NY area on a set of studded Hakka 4 snow tires. In all, I put about 3300 miles on the set on my '94 964. Of this, about 500 miles were in winter rallies. They are great tries when it comes to snow and ice traction.
There is very limited availability of the tires in the US through back door channels.
I tested these as part of the Snow Tire FAQ's Real World Snow Tire Tests. All of the comments I have about them can be viewed here: http://www.snowtire.info/forum/viewforum.php?f=13.
- John
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John Werner
Sometimes contributor to Rolling
Editor of The Snow Tire FAQ, http://www.snowtire.info/
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Thanks very much for the link -- I really enjoyed that site, and never knew it existed until now! And of course I enjoyed your comments about the Hakka-4.
One of your posts (delivering your daughter's friends on an icy night) reminded me a similar time about 16 or 18 years ago. We and another pair of parents were together hosting a big pre-christmas party for about six little girls, ours and others from the area. Finally, getting late, it was time to get them home, and I piled them in my 245 (with third, rear seat, of course). Yes, the driveway was slippery, but I figured the road would have been salted. Well, I drove the girls around the area (about 4 square miles), dropping each off safely, and as I drove around I felt that I had lots of traction, no problems at all -- they must have salted the roads, I thought. Remember that this was a n.a. '80 245 (little horsepower, lots of weight with maybe 52% on the rear wheels). Now, we never had the TV or radio on because we were giving the kids all our attention. Anyway, I finally finished my "route" and went back to the house, and my wife tells me that the town had declared a "snow emergency" and driving had been prohibited throughout the area because the roads were too dangerous (and had not yet been salted)! Even the cops had not been patrolling, I guess. I never had any trouble (I don't remember whether I had Hakka or Hakka-2 studded tires at that time), but I remember that I then remarked that, in retrospect, I didn't see any other car on the road the whole time, about 45 minutes, that I was out. Well, I know that the cops couldn't have caught me anyway! :-).
By the way, do you know if the Hakka-4 will be available through conventional distribution next winter?
Thanks and best regards,
Ken
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