Re: '91 200 TQW

[Eliot Lim <eliot@u.washington.edu>]

one last footnote:

i am not convinced that touring or "all season" tires like the eagle GA
are significantly better in the snow than summer tires.  many of these
have tread patterns that are optimized for low noise generation rather
than snow excavation. 

i am running dunlop d80's on my v8 and am quite satisfied with its wet and
dry grip as well as its quietness.  this tire has a pretty similar tread
block pattern as the GA and other "touring tires". it seems to be a better
match to the v8 than the p600's.  the dunlop d80's are M+S rated, so one
day i decided to check out its snow capabilities in a parking lot.  total
garbage.  despite leaving myself miles of space the car slid around with
as much control as a downhill sled.  how on earth did a "M+S" rating ever
get stuck onto its sidewalls?   it is completely useless in the snow,
let alone ice.  

perhaps some "all seasons" are more capable than others, but the
difference between my M+S rated touring tires and my M+S rated snow tires
is night and day.  there's no substitute for real snow tires.


eliot