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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Breckenridge, Colorado
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    48

    Smile Finding Nokian WRs or FSI's at a good price?

    I've been reading the great posts here about snow tires, and have decided to give the Nokian WR's a run or the FSI's (apparently a new tire or a new model from Nokian that is a dedicated snow?)

    I live in the Colorado mtns, and I can find the tires, but holy heck are they pricey. So before I jump, I thought I would ask around where people got theirs. I'm getting quotes at about $159/tire for the WR's and $155/tire for the FSI's not including install.

    Tirerack would be my first choice, but I cannot find Nokians there.

    Any advice would be appreciated, and if anyone has exp'd the FSI, I'd like to hear about them as well--not much info on them on this forum or elsewhere.
    I'm not a complete idiot. Some parts are missing.

  2. #2
    Art's Avatar
    Art is offline Senior Member & VolvoXC.com Supporter
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Red Deer, AB., Canada
    Posts
    4,120

    Default

    Tenmiler,

    Not that this helps you, but the dedicated RSI (215/65/16 - tire alone) retails for $153 Cdn ($128 US) and the all weather WR for $144 Cdn. Both are available at the local Nokian distributor up here (Kal Tire). Best to speak to the Nokian dealer to see which tire (WR/RSI) they suggest based on the winter driving conditions for your region. In my case, the tech at Kal Tire recommended the RSI for our area.

    Since they’re relative newcomers to the market, there’s not much feedback on the RSI’s in terms of actual testing. The RSI’s have superceded the Nokian Q’s and from what I’ve read and heard about them, would make a great choice as replacements, if that’s what you’re in the market for. Nokian has made some remarkable improvements with the RSI over the Q’s on both traction and handling fronts.

    Nokian RSI

    I believe that junior member LNB has recently purchased a set of RSI’s and it would be nice to get his opinion of them when conditions permit.

    The WR?...well, what else can be said about them that hasn’t already been discussed here before. Gibbon’s threads on the WR offer up some sage advice about his experience with these great all weather tires. Definitely worth considering IMO.

    That said, if you live in an area which is subject to severe winter road conditions, it’s probably wise to go with dedicated rubber on all four corners.

    Just my thoughts.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Out West
    Posts
    1,311

    Default

    I am getting a set of 205/60-15 WR's for my widowed mom's Altima, and priced out the Tire Factory, the big mid west mail order guys. They wanted $112.80 each delivered to my door, then add $50 or so for local mounting (~$550). So I called my local dealer where I have bought 5 sets of Nokians in the past, and locked in $420 out the door.

    Moral to the story: shop around. Isn't there a Meadowbrook tire or something like that in Colorado that carries Nokian? I bought some Gislaved Frosts from them years ago.
    '04 XC70, Ice White, Taupe. Original owner (196K miles as of may21). 6 wheel bearings, broken ignition switch, broken turbo downtube flange, failed throttle body, many warped rotors, and a myriad of weird crap. Still my favorite car ever.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Bellevue, WA
    Posts
    14

    Default

    Just purchased, though not installed yet RSI's in the 235/60/16 size from a local outlet of the Tire Factory. A mounted, balanced set of 4 RSI's costs $571.16 including tax. A set of 4 black steel wheels cost $50 per wheel or another $200. Since you mount and dismount twice a year for $54 per set, the wheels are paid for in 2 years of use. The local price was quite a bit lower than purchasing from the mail order (internet) Tire Factory outlet. Stock size WR's ran about $125 per tire, with some outlets offering free mounting and $10 balancing per wheel. The 235 sized WR's ran close to $150. RSI's and WR's are in pretty good stock through the Tire Factory.
    Enjoy the new boots!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Out West
    Posts
    1,311

    Default

    Hey, there's a set of XC wheels on eBay for $405 buy-it-now currently...
    '04 XC70, Ice White, Taupe. Original owner (196K miles as of may21). 6 wheel bearings, broken ignition switch, broken turbo downtube flange, failed throttle body, many warped rotors, and a myriad of weird crap. Still my favorite car ever.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Breckenridge, Colorado
    Posts
    48

    Default

    thanks for the reply everyone, i will keep shopping.

    maybe it's because i called during a snowstorm, but the prices here are not great. $179/tire in denver at swis tire.

    yeah, gibbons, we do have a meadow creek tire near us. they were the dealer that priced me at $826 installed plus tax for the WR's.

    will check out ebay if someone from xc hasn't already been there!
    I'm not a complete idiot. Some parts are missing.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Out West
    Posts
    1,311

    Default

    Hey tenmiler, did you nab those wheels? I noticed they are gone. A year ago, when I didn't know what to do about snows, I would have bought the wheels in a heartbeat to make a dedicated winter set. With WRs, I really don't feel like I need a dedicated set (like I have for our Subaru and Truck which have crumby all seasons for summer).

    I called my local dealer just for fun, he is $615 out the door for 235/60 WRs. That's Burt Brothers, with 5 stores in Utah. They were voted "best tire guys" by one of those off-the-wall alternative weekly news papers that you find in restaurant lobbies
    '04 XC70, Ice White, Taupe. Original owner (196K miles as of may21). 6 wheel bearings, broken ignition switch, broken turbo downtube flange, failed throttle body, many warped rotors, and a myriad of weird crap. Still my favorite car ever.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Manhattan (NYC)
    Posts
    199

    Default

    AFAIK, XC70 wheels are on eBay for another 7+ hours... dunno if these are the same ones...

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEWA%3AIT
    2000 V70 XC SE - Nautic Blue/Beige - Nokians and a bunch of other goodies. VCOA & volvoxc.com stickers.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Breckenridge, Colorado
    Posts
    48

    Default

    hey gibbons, THANKS for the tire estimate. boy i wish i was a little closer to utah. i will call around denver some more to see what's out there--it looks like there are better deals out there than the estimate i was given.

    i did not nab the wheels. with shipping, a cost of $500 for wheels for a car i only have a three year lease on didn't seem like a smart deal. i'd rather pay the $100 year to mount/dismount. at this rate, i'm a volvo xc fan for life, but if the specs on the wheels change with that brand new xc i just know they are working on...

    i know i could sell the wheels after that point. maybe that's the best way to go, but after reading about their condition and looking at my pristene tellus wheels i don't know if i can stand to have beat up wheels on my car 6 months a year.

    maybe i'm nuts. well i AM nuts, but maybe so in this case, too!

    thanks again!
    I'm not a complete idiot. Some parts are missing.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Denver, Colorado
    Posts
    168

    Default Any luck on Nokian prices?

    Hey tenmiller, wondering if you found a good price on the Nokians since you're not too far away from my neighborhood. After a very unstable drive on the Pirelli's on some grooved pavement at 80mph, I'm more seriously considering getting rid of these things early.
    2004 Volvo XC70 - Ruby Red Metallic/Graphite Leather, Premium, Touring, Bi-Xenon, Bluetooth, and iPod Direct Connect
    2011 Honda Pilot EX-L - Silver Metallic/Grey Leather

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