snow tires for v8q

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

several people have asked me what to get for v8q snow tires.

i have 7 X 15 factory steel wheels, very expensive at $110 a pop
but that was during the days when i had UFO brakes and nothing
else out there fit.  since the conversion i bought a 6 X 15
steel ($50) for a full sized spare and it fits nicely all around.

for snow tires i have some odd brand riken, which i bought after
exhausting all other possibilities.  this was late winter when i was in
the market and everything else was sold out.  i could not even get the
factory recommended 195/65 size so i settled for 215/60, which is the same
size as the regular tires.  these tires are TR rated for 120 mph but i
would never dream of driving that fast with them.  they work well enough
in the snow and ice, but are terrible in the wet and dry. 

the factory recommends 195/65-R15 and 7 X 15 wheels for winter tires. 
those of you who want to save a buck could almost certainly get by with
the much cheaper 6 X 15 wheels.  but if your car has UFO brakes, check to
see if the wheels you are buying will fit.


eliot