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Date:         Fri, 11 Sep 1998 11:48:26 -0500
Reply-To:     ray.wei@US.PWCGLOBAL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Yi-Ruey Wei <ray.wei@US.PWCGLOBAL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Wrong Tires from PO, ramifications? (Where is MXT?)
Comments: To: David Bogle / Architecture <bogle@BWAY.NET>
Comments: cc: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

> now since >the tire rack doesn't have the MXTs and my FLATS wants $108 ea installed, where >else can I compare prices? See the attached post:

"Sminkey, Scott" <ssminkey@XYPLEX.COM> on 08/10/98 08:00:01 AM

Please respond to "Sminkey, Scott" <ssminkey@XYPLEX.COM> To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM cc: Subject: Re: tire choice

I put Michelin MXT reinforced tires (205/70R14 99S) on my 91 camper and have been very pleased with them. They have about 15k miles on them and very little tread wear so far. I paid $73 each for them at NTW (now NTB) in August 96. I spoke to someone at Michelin and she said that this is the replacement for the discontinued MXL rein- forced tires that came on the camper. The Michelin part number is 73568. The MXTs have a more aggressive tread pattern than the MXLs and look more like an all- season tire.

For New England winters, I have been changing over to Nokia Hakkepeliitta NR09 195/70R14 tires since I bought the camper. These tires don't quite make the required load rating, but I figure that since I don't load up the van in the winter, I'm probably ok. These tires have been just great in the snow. I remember that one of my road rally friends loved these tires for dirt roads.

- Scott Sminkey '91 Westfalia camper ssminkey@xyplex.com

Mike O'Mara <omaramik@GTE.NET> on 08/30/98 12:12:49 PM

Please respond to Mike O'Mara <omaramik@GTE.NET> To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM cc: Subject: Re: Michelin MXT Tires for my '87 VANAGON GL

Always lot of talk here about tires!

Wanted all to know that I just placed the much talked about Michelin MXT 205-70R14 tires on my Vanagon GL Wolfsburg. I had been using the Yokohama's as replacements for my original Michelins due to the cost difference. ($50 each versus $80). However, Yokohama no longer manufacturers the correct Load Range tire in this size.

FWIW: I think you should NEVER take a chance on the NON-reinforced tires. If a salesman gives you a song-and-dance about the H or V or ?? rating - WALK, no run, elsewhere. One hears stories about the tires going BOOM! in the worst places - "for no apparent reason" like a road hazard. Seems to me that the tires were stressed and just gave way! After 200K miles (+/-), I have never even had a flat tire on my Vanagon.....and I drive hard! (Knock wood - and buy good tires!)

HAD A TOUGH TIME FINDING the Michelins here in Seattle area. Several tire dealers couldn't or wouldn't order them - often trying to sell me higher speed rated tires rather than the reinforced, or Load Range C products. (I keep a file of who gives me BAD service - no more of my business!) Big retailer here, Les Schwab, wouldn't order them. Discount Tire would - but for $110 each plus mounting. At first this seemed to be the only way to go. To spend over $500 total for new rubber, just put me on a mission. Also, I considered the LT route but was concerned about the ride.

Good News! I would try COSTCO! The people at any store could not order them (I tried 5 different stores - some multiple times each), it was not in there "book" and had no special odering information for this tire in the "special" book. I decided to TRY to get COSTCO to order them. Persistence paid off! I called Michelin and they told me COSTCO could order them. I was provided the Michelin order number. Went back to the COSTCO store(s), still no luck. E-mailed the COSTCO Corp from their own website and was given the good news - the store could order them. I got COSTCO (local store - Kirkland) to order them from Michelin after being informed by the tire buyer how to do so. They arrived in a week, got 'em mounted and they are keeping me on the road as we speak. Icing on the cake - $78.99 each plus tax. Cherry on top - Costco had a special "$28 off " 4 tires deal that week so the mounting and balancing was free! COOL, HUH???!?!?!

For any of you who want to press your COSTCO tire salesman into service, the COSTCO item number on the tire and on my receipt is #66044. Maybe if we buy these often enough, they will realize they have a market besides Dodge Caravans and Toyotas . Let 'em know you are out there!

As me dear, saintly departed Mother always said, "Better to be lucky than good!"

Good luck to ya'!

Michael O'Mara '87 Vanagon '98 Jetta GLX - (Ms Carol, my wife, let's me drive it occasionally, if escorted) We have a lurid VW past: Karmann Ghia(1), Bugs(4), Super Bug(1), another Vanagon, Cabriolet(1), Audi 5000(1)

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