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Subject:Re: Vredestein Comtrac Winter tire
From:Dennis Jowell
Date:Tue, 15 Nov 2016 16:27:32 -0500

David
I guess I was really lucky. Go my 4 Vredestein from tire easy for $104 each plus free delivery to Vermont. I ordered them through the Internet on 11/9/16 and I got them 3 days later.
Dennis J.

Dennis Jowell
Scotch Hollow Farm
Newbury, Vermont 

> On Nov 15, 2016, at 3:00 PM, David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> That's one of the web places I found them, $140, free shipping.  But I got
> a better deal from Les Swchabb, locally.  $103 per tire, plus $20 shipping,
> plus $13.95 mounting, lifetime balance, lifetime rotation, includes road
> hazard protection.  If I bought them online I would have to pay $20 for
> mounting and balancing, no lifetime, no road hazard protection.  For me,
> $147 package including road hazard protection, with a go between to handle
> warranty adjustments if needed, beats $160, no lifetime, no road hazard, no
> one local to handle anything.
> 
> mcneely
> 
>> On Tue, Nov 15, 2016 at 11:37 AM, KIM BRENNAN <kimbrennan@mac.com> wrote:
>> 
>> try Tiresbyweb.com. it is where I got mine.
>> 
>> Sent from my iPad
>> 
>>>> On Nov 15, 2016, at 1:58 PM, David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> So, I found that tires-easy no longer has the Vredestein Comtrac (all
>>> season) tire.  It is listed now as "out of stock."  My inquiry as to when
>>> it might be available got an answer of "Not known."  I think that
>>> tires-easy's business is finding odd lots from dealers and shippers, so
>>> they may never have the tire again, or any given tire.
>>> 
>>> I found two other web dealers who offered the tire, one for $140 no
>>> shipping charge, one for $130 plus $20 shipping.  I called the latter and
>>> got them down to $138, no shipping charge, but really wanted to buy
>> locally
>>> from someone who would handle any warranty needs and who would keep the
>>> tires balanced and rotated.
>>> 
>>> Discount Tire, my preferred tire dealer, said they could not get the
>> tire,
>>> something about not having a "relationship" with Vredestein USA.  I
>> didn't
>>> inquire as to what "relationships" two tire companies might have ;-}.  A
>>> manager at Discount did say that Vredestein USA offers a lot of
>> commercial
>>> tires (this is one), and that Discount does not handle commercial tires.
>>> I've seen a lot of delivery vehicles at their shops getting tires,
>> however.
>>> 
>>> I found a very helpful young man at my local Les Schwabb dealer, who said
>>> he didn't know the tire or even the company, but he spent a lot of time
>>> looking for it.  He then quoted me $103 per tire, $20 shipping, and
>> $13.95
>>> lifetime rotation and balance for the 195R14C.  The load index is 106 (D
>>> rating), and the tire bears the mountain peak and snowflake symbol.  I
>> told
>>> him to order five of them for me.  I will replace my Hankook RA08s with
>>> them, and he will credit me $125 for the five of them, bringing my out of
>>> pocket down that amount.  One has less than 1K miles, the other four have
>>> just over 5K (rotated).
>>> 
>>> If anyone wanted to come to Spokane to get them and would give me $250
>> for
>>> all 5, and be here next week for sure (meet me at Les Schwabb for my
>>> appointment, not set yet, or come to house after), I would sell them to a
>>> list member.  Otherwise I'll just take his credit, as I don't want to
>> have
>>> them laying around while I try to sell them.  Email me privately and
>> we'll
>>> talk.  I won't ship them.
>>> 
>>> mcneely
>>> 
>>> On Sun, Nov 13, 2016 at 10:15 AM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com
>>> 
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> This is a regular problem with these special tires (Nokian/Vredesteins)
>>>> especially in our oddball sizes. I guess the winter tire production and
>>>> then allocation to the US occurs late summer and when these tires are
>> gone
>>>> that is it until next year. This makes some additional benefit to go to
>> a
>>>> wheel upgrade to get onto normal size tires with the need load capacity.
>>>> 
>>>> Dennis
>>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
>>>> Of David McNeely
>>>> Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2016 11:41 AM
>>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>>> Subject: Re: Vredestein Comtrac Winter tire
>>>> 
>>>> tires-easy.com no longer lists the Comtrac M&S.  I have looked for it
>>>> from another source, but so far no luck in our sizes.  mcneely
>>>> 
>>>>> On Sun, Nov 13, 2016 at 5:08 AM, vw_van_fan_Mark <madvws@cox.net>
>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> The "C" in 195R14C does NOT stand for Load C.
>>>>> That C stands for Commercial.
>>>>> That C means the tire is meant for Commercial use.
>>>>> Commercial tires can have various load letter ratings.
>>>>> The letter load rating will be elsewhere on the tire.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I see that various websites show the wrong load rating for the
>> Comtracs.
>>>>> The correct load letter rating is on the tires.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Mark
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Dennis Jowell wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> David,
>>>>>> I purchased my Vredestein Comtrac All Season 195R14C C/6PR from
>>>>>> Tires-easy.com. Free delivery. Thanks Dennis for the suggestion.!
>>>>>> Even though the m&s tires say " 195R14C "on the tire they are also
>>>>>> rated "D" as per the sidewall for the extra weight our campers carry.
>>>>>> Dennis J
>>