Anyone running newer Nokian WRG2's?

**BLUEH20** · 12-21-2008, 06:29 PM

We, here in Washington State, are going through the on going saga of the true value of studded tires in comparison to current technolgy used in winter/snow tires. Of course we are looking at the massive damage provided by studded tires to our road ways and the cost to constantly perform repairs.

Stud effectiveness falls off quickly after the first snow season due to lost studs and wear factors that place the studs at tire level with greatly reduced performance improvement if any.

I have recently intalled the Nokians on my XC70 and they are just a bit better than "AWESOME", but just a bit. I will let you know more at the end of the summer driving season 2009 so that I can compare them on both the XC70 and my SLK320 roadster.

As to the emblems on the side wall--the one I like best is the "Leaf"--yep this is also a green tire.

**bbbuzzy** · 01-23-2009, 07:43 PM

Bump!

Just looking for more real world feedback. TIA.

**PGI007** · 01-24-2009, 12:47 PM

After 2 months of winter, wet and dry snow, ice, pack - still great tires. They grip well in all conditions so far encountered, at least for urban S Ontario driving. I have also been playing with the car on snowy roads to test the Haldex system, and it too performs well in keeping the car straight with no spin (referencing another thread).

**Dubhead** · 01-26-2009, 11:23 PM

I live outside Seattle, WA and have been looking at the Nokian tires for a few years. I am very interested in replacing my tires with these but have not had much luck finding shops to install tires ordered online for a reasonable cost or good dealers (Discount Tire, Les Schwab) who carry this brand. I also would like to get my tires filled with nitrogen as it has been a boon to keeping consistent tire pressure in my tires on both my Volvo and Toyota RAV4.
If anyone has suggestions I am all ears! Guessing it will be around $600-700 to get these installed.

Cheers!
~Dubhead

**BLUEH20** · 01-27-2009, 10:22 AM

Dubhead,

Live just out of Seattle myself: actually Wenatchee.
Have the WR-GU SUV in standard size 16's. They are everything that is advertised. Purchased my here from Dick's Tire Factory--$706.48. JR had to order them as I bought them early-long before the white stuff fell.

My wife noticed a difference immediately--it is primiary winter ride. Her comments--They look rounder and are a lot quieter. The rounder comes from the hard sidewalls that do not give the apperance of a flat area where the tires meets the road.

I like them so much that I am putting Nokian's on my SLK this spring when I take it out of winter storage--just have to deciede on the style.

**bobo9** · 01-27-2009, 11:03 PM

With regards to Nitrogen they do keep a consistent tire pressure. But if you have to pay for it. Consider this, the air we breather is about 90% nitrogen and the machine that converts (filter) air will pump about 97% of it in your tires. Plus anytime you fill your tires you must use nitrogen. You also get a "Green Tire Valve Cap"

Most tire (Michelin) and auto manufactures (Honda) has sent us Bulletins. As they do not endores it. At my work place (Honda Dealer in Vancouver B.C.) they had a saleswoman come in to convice us how good it is to have nitrogen in tires. After we brought her to the brink of a "Breakdown" she admitted it was a ploy from the Sales Dept. Business Office to sell an $90.00 + taxes (Cdn) tire road hazzard warranty. Basically $90.00 for Green Valve Caps was her words.

As long as it's free or min. expense, go for it. Just becareful of the sales pitch
"Airplane tires use it" "Truck tires use it" and "Race Cars use it" "It has no moisture in it to corrode your rims from the inside, as it will save you gas and the enviroment too!

I had reminded her "My XC70 is neither a Transport Truck, Race Car or Airplane! Regular compressed air has worked for this long

**bbbuzzy** · 01-28-2009, 08:52 AM

While I agree that the benefits of using nitrogen for a regular passenger vehicle seem negligible, just for the record, air is not 90% nitrogen. It's widely recognized as 78%. Sorry to be persnickety, I'm a scientist. Carry on!

**bobo9** · 01-28-2009, 10:34 PM

Thanks for the correction. (I was not a good chemist

)

I was hoping to share some information for those on the "Fence" about paying $$$$$$ for Nitrogen. Just wanted to share my experiences in the Auto motive Dealership Service Dept. side of things.

I am not against it, just don't want to see people get taken advantage of. As I see it a lot, like selling a Hy-bird to an 80 yrs old senior who barely drive a max. 6,000 km/yrs for the purpose of saving gas. When in fact they would never realize the "fuel cost savings for the premium of a Hy-bird vehicle"

Today I had a customer come in for his pre-paid "Green Package" to have Nitrogen install/pumped into a recently purchased used Honda Element.
His words were "They just bombarded me to buy it, in fact I don't even know what kind of Road Hazard warranty I got.

We can get it for free on our cars. But no one in the Service Dept. bother to have it installed in there personal vehicles, including both my Volvo wagons.

**bbbuzzy** · 07-14-2009, 07:47 PM

Another bump! OP here again, and I'm just wondering how the Nokians are doing on the dry roads, especially for people who drive the car hard. Is the handling better than the OEM Pirelli STR? How fast is the tread wearing? TIA.

**Ozzie** · 07-17-2009, 06:48 AM

05 XC70 running Nokian WR's 235/60R 16 year round for 1.75 years. Great in dry, wet, snow upper midwest driving conditions and daily 50 mile Chicago commute. Rotation every 6,000 miles. 34 lbs psi.

Great tires

. I've just gone over 30,000 miles and just begun to notice slippage on aggressive starts when the pavement is wet.

Ordering a new set in the Fall unless I find a sale sooner.

Oz