Topic: Okay, I'm officially ready for the snow.

[Guy]

Just installed Nokian Hakkapeliitta R on the Volvo. I had the RSi on the TL and I tought these were the best winters I ever had. Well the R is another step up from the RSi. Very smooth and quiet on dry asphalt with good grip, incredible traction and control on snow and slush (tested on the 5 km access road to ski slopes )Yes, they are a little more expensive but they are worth it in my opinion. Much better than the Gislaved NordFrost 5 they replaced. Nokian also advertize them as the lowest rolling resistance winter tire available. If I gain .1 or .2 L/100 km, that's worht it.

I also considered the new Hakka 7, but since I was not going with studs, I preferred the R which has more sipes. Highly recommended!

[Shnak]

I'm one of those who thinks cars look better with black steelies in the winter. There's just something "Canadian" about it.

So cheap, poor-looking steel rims are quintessentially Canadian? To each their own but I still don't buy it. I'm still mystified when I see people who clearly just put down like 50K+ on a new car and they're rolling on black steelies in winter. For like 20 bucks more a rim they could have purchased half-decent looking alloys and not hated the way their beautiful new car looks for 5 months.

If you think black steelies look better than alloys that's your perspective but I just can't agree. Just about the only scenario I'd opt for steelies over alloys would be on some sort of winter beater.

In the winter when there's snow, ice, slush everywhere, black steelies look better than alloys. There, I said it.

[blur911]

I'm one of those who thinks cars look better with black steelies in the winter. There's just something "Canadian" about it.

So cheap, poor-looking steel rims are quintessentially Canadian? To each their own but I still don't buy it. I'm still mystified when I see people who clearly just put down like 50K+ on a new car and they're rolling on black steelies in winter. For like 20 bucks more a rim they could have purchased half-decent looking alloys and not hated the way their beautiful new car looks for 5 months.

If you think black steelies look better than alloys that's your perspective but I just can't agree. Just about the only scenario I'd opt for steelies over alloys would be on some sort of winter beater.

In the winter when there's snow, ice, slush everywhere, black steelies look better than alloys. There, I said it.

This winter we've had about 3 days of snow, ice and slush everywhere.  I'll stick with my nice shiny alloy wheels on the Audi and Subaru.  Maybe black steelies only look better on a Hyundai