Date:         Fri, 23 Oct 1998 09:00:01 -0500
Reply-To:     Jim Fritz <jfritz@DECORAH.K12.IA.US>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Fritz <jfritz@DECORAH.K12.IA.US>
Subject:      You guys are awesome!
Comments: To: "Vanagon@VANAGON.COM" <Vanagon@VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

A happy ending to the Tire Saga....

My local dealer couldn't find the right Yokohamas.  I called customer service at Yokohama USA.  They told me the Yoko Y370 LT 195/75-14 was discontinued.  I believed them and went back to the list for help.  Within 6 hours I had 13 replies from you.  Many said try the Michelin MXTs.  Others said they'd just bought the Yoko Y370 in the past several months.  Mark Sheflo (thanks Mark!) gave me a Yoko part number and said, "here, call your dealer with this".  Instead I called Yokohama USA and asked for that part number and didn't tell her what the tire was.  She looked it up and SURE ENOUGH, they still make them (although she said it was an obscure OE tire that was currently backordered but going into production in 6 weeks again).  I told her that I had people recommend this tire specifically and she said, "You own a Volkswagen camper, don't you?!?!?!?!?"  She laughed when I told her what I was doing but was very nice and helpful.

Long and short of it:

The Yokohama Y370 LT 195/75-14 is available!  It is an 8 ply tire with a D rating.  Ask for Yoko part #37047.

The  Michelin MXT 205/R14 also came highly recommended.  Its part number is #73568.

I'm unsure in the battle between the two which is better.  I think it boils down to: do you like Macintosh or Dos....its a personal preference and each camp is adamant about their own (I luv my Mac G3!)

Thanks to all who responded.  What an incredible resource.  Now if we can just quit bitchin' about Rednecks and the Bus Depot   :-)

Jim

91 Passat
89 Westy
66 Beetle
jfritz@decorah.k12.ia.us
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