Date:         Tue, 11 Oct 2011 09:55:56 -0400
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject:      Re: New tires
In-Reply-To:  <BAY152-ds1506AAB2406143F5951D89A0E20@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> If snow driving is really an issue you should use the Hakkapelittas for
> all four. Especially since the Hankooks are not that good even for rain.


I second Dennis's opinion that there is no substitute for snows in all 4
corners if you are in a region where snow is common. No all-season tire -
not even the Hankooks - can compare with a good directional snow tire when
driving on snow and ice. The Nokian snows are an excellent choice (although
we don't carry them). We carry the $99 Kumho Power Grip 185R14 directional
snow tire for the more budget minded -
http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=185KC11  

I should add that snows are not necessarily a good year-round choice, though
(unless of course you live in a climate where they're necessary). The rubber
compound that gives a snow tire its extra grip also wears faster, so you'll
chew through tires faster than if you used all-season tires during non-snowy
months. I picked up a spare set of used Vanagon wheels for my Westy so I
could have two sets of tires/wheels - a set of Hankooks and a set of snows -
and swap them out in the winter. The investment in the snows is largely
offset by the fact that their use prolongs the lifespan of my Hankooks
(which are now only on the van 8 months a year), so in the long run the only
real cost was the used wheels. 

Finally, I must respectfully disagree with Dennis regarding the Hankooks in
rain. While they are only a so-so snow tire (which is the case with any
"all-season" tire), I have always found them to be extremely sure footed in
rain. In fact I would say they're among the best I've used on wet roads (and
I've used many over the years). 

As always, you can find our article on choosing the right Vanagon tire at
http://busdepot.com/details/tires.jsp

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  www.busdepot.com
  (215)  234-VWVW

_____________________________________________
Toll-Free for Orders by PART # :  1-866-BUS-DEPOT