Daniel,
The MXT's will help the handling.... but so would new springs...
talk to Steven X about the special order... www.syncro.org

The westy's lean to the left because of all the weight on that side... And
the springs sag over the years... even my 90 sags 1 1/2 inches below new....
and that's just sitting in the garage... worse on turns I'm sure.

I have bought 6 MXT's 3 years ago for $106 each.... You're getting a good
price 3 years later in the 90's!

Bill

----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel Schmitz" <djs@gene.com>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, July 17, 2000 5:59 PM
Subject: Moral support...

> Sears is having what they tout as the biggest Michelin tire sale of the
> season. So, I visited a local Sears Auto Center for a price quote.
>
> I have the alloys on my '87 Westfalia full camper. I can get 4 Michelin
> MXT's in 205-70R14 at the sale price of $105 each. Including mounting
> and balancing and road hazard protection, I can be out the door for
> $560. (some sale!)
>
> In contrast, I can order the same tires though my local Wheel Works for
> $93 each, and the whole bill comes to $505. Not a whole lot of savings,
> but then I thought $93/tire was expensive, so it's all relative. I've
> not seen the MXT's cheaper than this.
>
> Obviously, I'm leaning towards Wheel Works price. But I feel in need of
> moral support before I plunk down 5 large for tires. I need to know that
> my van, which leans more in turns than the Andrea Gail did right before
> she capsized in "The Perfect Storm," will indeed handle better. This is
> a van that tends to make you "hold on" when going around corners. I've
> replaced the shocks and that helped a bit. I also inspected my swaybar
> linkages, and both are fine. It's the tires, mediocre General Ameri 400
> passenger car radials. They must be almost flattening out when I take a
> turn. Increasing their air pressure did not help much, either. They just
> suck at being tires.
>
> This van leans in turns a lot more than my '82 Adventurewagen, which is
> more top heavy. That van has the correct tires, though, (but not MXT's)
> so I am sincerely hoping that a new set of tires for my '87 will improve
> things.
>
> Although the tire thread has been beaten to death, it's a lot of money
> to spend on tires, so any words of encouragement will help.
> Specifically, words to the effect that MXT's will change my life, and
> that they are the best tire for the alloy-wheeled Vanagon. Those kind of
> words.
>
> Dan
>
>
> --
> Dan
> __________________________________________________
> Dan Schmitz - Genentech Automation Engineering
> djs@gene.com (650) 225-6119
> __________________________________________________
>
> "I'll so offend to make offense a skill
> Redeeming time when men least think I will"
>
> W. Shakespeare
> Henry IV, Part 1
>