Re: Best Snow Tires

[Igor Kessel <e6941tb@ix.netcom.com>]

PAULSTERN@aol.com wrote:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I have a '91 coupe quattro and am looking for new snow tires.  I live in
> Colorado and head up to the mountains quite a bit.  Can someone recommend a
> good tire?

Nokia Hakkapellitta. Get Hakka 10 for serious snow or NRW for snow/slush/asphalt.

> I definitly do not want studded snow tires as there is a lot of
> dry road driving inbetween snow days and I like my performance.

NRW-H.

> Also, does it make sense to change the size from the standard 205/60 to a 195/65 
> to get better snow performance?

Absolutely. You want a narrow tire for snow but a wide tire for asphalt.

My 200TQ runs on 205/55/16 Dunlop SP8000 (Z-rated) in the summer and on 
195/65/15 Nokia NRW (H-rated) in the winter. The best of both worlds!
I am planning a similar set-up for the coming A4TQ.

Also to the Thai's question:
As good as the SP8000 are, in snow and/or ice they are downright suicidal. Quattro 
or no quattro. BTTriedT. And, no, all-seasons do not substitute winter rubber, 
although they would be infinitely better in snow than the SP8000.

Once we are on the subject I would like to comment on the ubiquitous question that 
often gets risen on the list - Should one buy seasonal rubber?

Some people don't buy seasonal rubber coz they are reluctant to waste money on 
what they perceive as *an extra set of tires*.

Which couldn't be further from the truth, when you think about it.
A car can not run on two sets simultaneously.
During the time frame that takes such person to go through 2 sets of lousy 
all-season rubber, endangering his life all year round, I'll go through the SAME 2 
sets, only one would be perfect for summer and the other one would be perfect for 
winter.

I've been running on snows in the winter since I bought my first car in '84. And 
from '84 through '89 those were rear-drive 4-speed Ladas, driven throughout 
Russian winters. Northen Russia that is. I am talking *SNOW* here. Capitalised.
I ran domestic-made *Snow Flake* with 6 rows of carbide studs. In all four 
corners. Even with such an outfit a rope and a showel *lived* in the trunk.
In those days having slid off the road in a remote rural area @ -45°C did not 
necessarily mean making it back home alive. I lived to see my brake fluid 
freezing up @ -52°C.

Needless to say, I am a dedicated advocate of using only seasonal rubber (money 
permitting, of course).

-- 
Igor Kessel
'89 200TQ - 18psi (TAP)
'98 A4TQ - already in the port of entry (Boston). Any day now.
Philadelphia, PA
USA