I put studded 185R14  Nokia-C2's on this weekend--I'll give a report on
their performance after the first snowfall which will be soon here in
Northern Vermont!!!

Chuck Seleen
K9 BUS
91 Vanagon GL

----- Original Message -----
From: Rico Sapolich <JKrevnov@AOL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2001 9:15 AM
Subject: Re: winter tire thoughts

> In a message dated 11/6/01 10:42:28 PM, gwilke@LIVEMUSIC.ORG writes:
>
> << Yokohama said that they are making the 356 but they don't
>
> recommend them for snow. >>
>
> Geoff,
>
> It has been my experience that they should tell you that they are
absolutely
> useless in snow.
>
> It has recently been pointed out to me that I am a one of vanishing breed
> because I still switch to dedicated snow tires.  But, then again, my feet
> stay dry through most of what Mother Nature brews up each winter.  I
greeted
> my first winter in the driver's seat of a 2WD Vanagon shod with Yoko
356's.
> All it took was one snowfall before I was franticly searching out a pair
of
> Hakkapeliita 10's.  Mounting the Hakka's with a100# bag of sand hovering
over
> each rear wheel solved that problem.
>
> From my experience, I can make two endorsements:
> 1/  Nokia Hakkapelitta C2's.  These replace the Hakka 10's which are no
> longer made.  I ran a set on a Syncro last winter and I noticed no
> difference.  Previously, I ran the Hakka 10's year round for more than 2
ye
> ars and they performed well the whole time.
>
> 2/  For years I used Vredestein Snow++'s on Volvo's only switching to
Hakka's
> when the Vredesteins were no longer readily available.  The two seemed to
> perform the same in snow, but I preferred the Vredesteins because they
were a
> little quieter on dry pavement.  If a ready source for the Vredesteins
comes
> up, I have enough confidence in the product that I will use them again.
>
> Rich