> I called Bus Depot to see if they have the Hankook RA08 tires
> in stock. The ones on the website say 185R14.  The rep told
> me they will be getting those tomorrow but they do have the
> 195R14 in stock. I've perused a few tire websites and am
> still confused as what those numbers are.  I currently have
> 205 70R 14's and was happy with them (except they are car
> tires). Is it just that the 195's are a little wider than the
> 185's? Maybe I want them instead.

See this page:

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

There you can type in all various tire sizes and compare them. (The "middle
number" on a 185 or 195 R14 is 82.)  In a nutshell, the 195 is about 1/2"
taller and 1/3" wider than a 185R14. So the difference is small.

> ... I've heard they're a mess in snow.

To the contrary, the Hankooks are the best all-season tires I've ever used
in snow, and I've used most of the name brand ones. (And yes they are rated
for frigid temps, being an all-season tire.)  I highly doubt you will find a
better all-season tire for winter weather. That said, they are just an
all-season tire, not a snow tire.  No all-season tire can compare to a well
designed directional snow tire like a Vredestein or Nokian in severe winter
weather. (On the other hand, many of the name brand alternatives, such as
the Yokohamas and Continentals, are not even all-season; they are summer
only and should not be driven in snow at all. So if you don't do need a tire
that can do double-duty, the Hankook is a good choice )

> perhaps if you live someplace very wet,
> a little extra width would be nice for wet roads.

To the contrary, alll other things being equal a NARROWER tire will handle
better on wet roads (less tendancy to hydroplane), while a wider tire will
handle better on dry roads. Of course the difference between an 185R14 and a
195R14 is small enough that any difference will be fairly minimal.

See http://busdepot.com/details/tires.jsp for more on choosing Vanagon
tires, and also on the Hankooks.

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  www.busdepot.com
  (215)  234-VWVW

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Toll-Free for Orders by PART # :  1-866-BUS-DEPOT