On My Brilliant Nokian Winter Tires

Having lived in Atlanta for 22 years I always wondered why anyone would need an all wheel or four wheel drive sedan. Then I moved to Denver and it seemed that the Subaru was the state car. I was commuting at the time and when the first snow arrived the inch or two turned to slush and my drive to work on the local interstate was alarming at best. After all I had all weather tires. The next snow came innocently enough and though the surface streets were fine, I stopped at the local Starbuck’s drive-thru and after making my purchase I found myself sliding down the hill on a sheet of ice right into traffic. Knowing that I was going to be going to Winter Park regularly during the winter, I sought out some snow tires.

I drive a 1995 Mercedes E320. It’s very heavy and a rear wheel drive. I knew that I needed something to keep myself safe. This was driven home in September 08 when I tried to return from my Girlfriend’s house in Winter Park to Denver during a rain storm. I was watching the outside temperature reading in my car as I headed up Berthoud Pass. Once it hit 32 degrees the snow started sticking. The tires started slipping and about two miles from the top of the Continental Divide I was losing traction fast. Before the spinning of my wheels got too bad I turned around. I didn’t want to get stuck or in a ditch. I went back down and borrowed Kristy’s beater Cherokee for the trip back. I saw a few people that weren’t prepared in the ditch on the way back. Kristy drove my car to Denver later in the week when she came to visit me in Denver.

My search for winter tires led me to Nokian, a Finnish company. Their studded Hakkapeliitta 4 tires came highly recommended through my internet research. I bought them at Meadow Creek Tire in Denver. When they were done applying the studs and mounting the tires the sales guy said, “You’ve got a snowmobile now.” Was he ever right.

Since they’re studded they’re noisy as hell, but driving on ice and snow with these tires really is not much different than on pavement. I can safely out perform any front wheel drive and almost any four wheel drive. They’ve gotten me out of many sticky situations and now I actually look forward to less than perfect road conditions when I drive Berthoud Pass.

For safety and downright fun in winter driving I highly recommend these tires. I’m so impressed that since I need a new set of summer tires I might actually consider Nokian for that set as well.