Yes it's April - What winter tires? (Just got winter rims today)

I run 235/85R16 studded Duratracs during the winter. I live on a ski area in southern VT and we get hit pretty hard. I coach ski racing in the winter so if I've got a race to go to I'm on the road regardless of the conditions. That tire combo has never let me down, great in deep snow, ice, and not to bad at all on dry roads.

 

I know what you mean dude.

I'm in Toronto so we get a lot of icy roads. And the cottage is up in Minden/Bancroft area. Even when we get 6"+ didn't have a problem with the Nokian. The hakkapeliita don't come as studded so they're safe for southern Ontario.

I got my full set from Kal tire for around 700cnd. After seeing how great they are I'd easily pay upwards of 1000 for them.

 

@Joe23
I priced the R2 SUV's yesterday and your sale price was a great deal. I was quoted at stock sizes $910 for 4 and $1105 with balance, install taxes etc. Now when I got home I looked at the Hakkapeliitta LT2. Haven't heard any reviews on this vs the R2 but it looks more aggressive. Making the decision before the end of the month.

 

IIRC the Lt ones are studded. I'd double check with whoever you're getting them from.

 

LT comes in studded and non studded based on their website but it isn't clear.

 

Most hakks are available studded and non-studded. LT2 is definitely available in both.

 

I would recommend the R2 if you want unstudded and the 8 or the new 9 with factory studs if you want studded. I have the 8 with studs.

 

Pulling the trigger on the hakkas R2 as we speak...i do the Toronto Sarina trip and back every weekend. That kitchener/woodstock/London corridor is a crapshoot on any given day in below 0 temps, and guaranteed to be shitty in NW winds. Not to mention carnage on the 402 I'm sure you're familiar with...I will have put them thru their paces come March next year

North shore lake Erie is my old stomping grounds...you near tobacco country?

 

Big thanks to @Joe23 and everyone else. I just placed my order for R2 Suv’s in stock sizes. I don’t nessecarily see much nasty snow around here but we get lake effect and lots of drifting from the fields. That said 3 years back we had drifts across the main road that were 16’ on one shoulder and 12” on the other.

Guy at Kal Tire said the R2 was superior to the LT which he mentioned was 10ply!!! Now to order TPMS for my spare OEM Off Road rims and look into ordering the programmer tool. I know I will be making at least one trip to the GTA for the bike show and who knows what weather the 401 will throw at us. Better to have good snows. Our last bike show trip saw 40+ vehicles in the ditch or guardrail between TO and Windsor.

 

Currently south of Windsor less than 100 yards from Lake Erie. Grew up with tobacco all around me between Simcoe and Dover. Those fields were our playground as kids. I have been down every backroad along the coast from Windsor to Dunnville and at least a few more right to Fort Erie.

 

Worked nine years in tobacco as a kid...we used to own the Causeway Restaurant on Long Point, the fish farm in Forestville, just up from Turkey Point. Have a place on the St. Clair River as well now.

Getting my R2's strapped on my buggy today...just in time by the sounds of it!

 

My cousin’s in-laws own the TP hotel so we have all the landmarks covered by our respective families.

Which fish farm washed out into Lake Erie at Normandale years ago? Yours is too far away isn’t it?

 

Ahh, the TP hotel...spent many a wasted night there.

I know the fish farm in Normandale, thats east of TP...ours was in Forestville, up the TP hill heading north, second left (west) by about 2 miles.

SCS or PDSS??

 

When that farm ruptured and ran into the lake my uncles driveway which runs to their house on the bluffs was gone. There was a massive gorge and he almost drove into it. He slowed down because it was too bright for the forest at that time of year. If it wasn’t for the trees that got washed away he might not have noticed anything until he drove right off the cliff (that wasn’t there yesterday) and into the drink. I believe it also washed out the main road through Normandale. Just one massive gorge cut down to the lake. Hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of earth washed right into the lake. Water is something to be respected and feared.

Anyway the two of us will get to make reviews of our new R2’s soon. Right now there are 2 tires in stock OR sizes in Ontario. I might be waiting a week or up to a month.

We moved to Brantford when I was 8. I would have been PDSS. I was at the now demolished Dover public until gr 3. I had cousins at both. You might know of a few Cullimore’s (mother’s maiden name) or the Sheppard’s (also her side).

 

wow, hadn't heard the damn ruptured...I left that area in 86...found this

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/20...s-of-fish-roads-also-washed-out-in-normandale

Cullimore and Sheppard sound familiar...I'm sure that there are some common acquaintances. I'm VHSS

 

Well my Nokians came in today. Compared to driving in 4wd this morning on stock tires I was blown away at how they performed in 2wd with the R2’s.

Now I cant say enough about these tires. Now Kal tire in the other hand. Nothing but horrible. Ordered the tires. Was told it could be 30 days to come in. Called after 2 weeks to see if there was an updated eta so I could have my TPMS sensors installed in my spare OEM OR rims. They would call ang get me an answer. Called a week later same thing. After 3 attempts each a week apart my forth call got me an answer. They were sitting on the floor. So no answers after 3 calls and no call once they actually showed up. So I offer to drop the rims off and we will sort the swap sometime later. Alls good and buddy says I might be able to get you in at 5:30 today but I will have to call you back in 30 minutes. I leave and the clock is ticking. I just finished a 12 hour night shift and told buddy I need to know an answer so I can be up and back in for the appointment if we can do 5:30. After 2 hours I call back and was assured it is sorted and to come in at 5:30. Tires will be mounted and we just need to do the swap. 5:30 and the rims are still in boxes. I am now running on 3 hours sleep and waited another hour and a half.

Love the tires. I just don’t know how Kal can be so bad. They make Crappy tire look competent. Somebody isn't going to be happy once I finish chatting with head office at Kal. I honestly think the whole experience couldn’t be more unbelievable if I was on an episode of Punk’d.

 

was this the leamington shop?

 

Windsor. They were very pleasant but when you say you will get back to me I expect that. It’s not like I waited 15 minutes and then started freaking out. A week is lots of time. Mistakes happen. But how many mistakes are you allowed before you are held accountable? Especially when I am waiting for an answer for an appointment that YOU offered as a possibility and I have been up all night on night shift and need to sleep before I come back. I ended up with 3 hours sleep and then the tires weren’t on rims yet so I waited instead of in and out. I would have waited until next week when the first snowfall rush was over.

I feel I was patient and reasonable. I planned ahead and did everything so that I wasn’t going to be in on the first snowfall rush. I don’t know if the tires were there for days or literally showed up that morning but they needed my call in order to find them. Apparently Kal called when I was asleep and told my wife my truck was ready. She told them it was in the driveway so they must be mistaken. The guy swore it was ready and told he I could pick it up anytime. Then I show up at 5:30 and the tires aren’t on the rims and the sensors aren’t mounted so leaving the spare rims with them was a waste of time.

 

So I just got off the phone with the manager from Kal tire. Explained all of the issues I have had. Manager asked the cost of the tires. Almost $1100. I had previously explained my wife was about to buy snows as well but there is no hope in hell in buying from Kal at this point.

I am being refunded the whole almost $1100 plus I am being offered cost for my wife tires. I was also offered 3 free oil changes which I declined as I felt he had already been more than fair. A free set of tires and another at cost? For as much swearing as I have done at Kal the last few days I have to give them credit for going above and beyond and actually admitting responsibility for what has transpired. I have had bad experiences before. But how a company deals with issues is how I truly judge them. At the moment I am feeling pretty good about Kal. Now I am really loving Nokians.