I don't think it was ALL the tires fault....then maybe it was.

Vanagons handle very differently than the earlier buses. When I bought my 85
GL in Alaska, the first winters drive with ice/snow on the road gave me the
same treatment you got. I was shocked...so very different than my '68
air-cooled bus. After I spun out in the middle of a straight but uphill
road, I tried to regain my composure and went straight to the tire shop. Got
Goodyear studded Alaska winter tires all around. Never a problem again.
Those puppies were like cat claws gripping the ground.

I had been driving for 20 years in Alaska and never owned a studded tire or
chains. But the way the "85 GL handled, studs in winter were a must. But
after I put them on winter driving was a snap.

My $0.05 worth.

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

John Klun wrote:

>
> This has been my first vanagon driving experience in the snow and I
> didn't like it.  I used to have an Aerostar van and it was better in the
> snow.  Maybe it was the tires...