Originally Posted by Traction
So far after a couple 6 inch snow storms my new Nokian 8 studded tires have not been very impressive. They are okay to a point, but any slip, and the traction goes away. Not very predictable. Even on icy intersections they don't have great grip either. I only have a couple hundred miles on them but when I first put them on they were the loudest tire ever on dry pavement. Sounded like I had chains on, but have gotten a little quieter. They are 205/65-15's on a 02 Camry, and the 5 different sets of Blizzaks on 3 other Camry's over the years seemed better. The 50% worn WS-80's on my 12 Camry inspire more confidence, and also work better the new Michelin X-ice's on my Tahoe. I guess I will just have to deal with them for a few years though. I'll see how they do in an ice storm, which is why I wanted them, but starting to wonder. I'll be doing the 10 minute swap to my Cooper Evolutions often, which work well on this car when dry.
Studs are kind of a tradeoff these days. Way back when, studs were about the only way to get any traction on ice, but as tires have evolved the rubber is good enough it's sufficient in most situations. But, on sheer ice, studs are still totally unbeatable. The problem is on everything else, studs suck. They ride and handle terribly, they're super loud and they tear up the roads. Your braking and grip will actually be a bit worse on dry and wet roads. If you don't regularly get sheer ice, studs are honestly not going to be great for you.
I live in one of the snowiest places in the continental US. Not only that, but we tend to have a lot of days where it gets JUST warm enough to melt a bit, and then cold enough to freeze every night, so I do have some experience in these sorts of things. I've never owned, nor do I want, a 4WD, but with care and snows on all 4 corners I always make it home.
Now, there is another angle here, as well. Tires do need some break in, and snows suffer for it more. Given as those Nokians still have the paint on them, I'm guessing they're not broken in yet. Most manufacturers recommend 500 miles or so to get all the lubricant from the molds off the tire. That said, the Hakka is a top tier snow tire and both from anecdotal evidence and testing, they are pretty consistently top of the heap in terms of performance. Give it some time and then see if you like them. I've never known Nokian to make a bad product, and snow tires are what they do.
