Where to Get Best Price for Nokian Winter Tires?

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

SubLGT

Joined
Jan 31, 2006
Messages
4,455
Location
Idaho
There is a "local" Nokian dealer (Tire Factory) about 40 miles from me in Smelterville, Idaho, and there is a Discount Tire store only 9 miles from me. Given that DT only carries a very limited range of Nokian models, and the other dealer is 40 miles away, I am also considering online dealers.

Tiresbyweb looks like a reputable online dealer, but at $200 each for a Nokian R2 (s&h included) I am wondering if I can do better.

I have read some forum discussions elsewhere that online Nokian dealers are usually more expensive than the local "brick and mortar" Nokian dealers, but I have no idea if that is true or not.
 
DT Direct and get the tires sent to the DT store.

Or Tire rack delivered to your home, get DT to install them.
 
^ DT Direct does not have the Nokian R2 to sell. TireRack sells zero Nokian tires.
 
Call these guys in the morning, they are I think the largest wholesalers of Nokian tires in the USA. They can tell you what dealers you can contact since they sell only to dealers. Sometimes I've found that the local non-chain tire company can get you a great deal you just have to connect them up with a good wholesaler. I would think Idaho is prime Nokian country!

http://www.greertire.com/default.asp
 
I've found that many Volvo dealers carry them. Call around.

I bought a set of Hakks 10 years ago, and I recall eBay being the cheapest at the time. However, Discount Tire may be able to order you any variety. I'd just stop by the store and ask.
 
Dunn's Import Service in Middleton, WI is a Nokian dealer. They have a good website with contact info you can Google. Been in business a long time, I can vouch for their ethics. I'm sure they'd be happy to ship tires to you, and you may dodge the sales tax on an out-of-state sale.
 
I found my indy tire shop (albeit far 1hr) beat the online stuff and installed them.

I used John & Sons tires in Manchester NH. They likely have no website as the one guy was still using books and a phone (no computers) to sell tires. The place is quite old school.

Call around more , prices vary wildly to put it mildly. The quote for my 2005 Legacy GT with Nokian WR G2 was close to $1000 locally but $780 at John & Sons.
 
Originally Posted By: dparm
It's hard to get winter tires this time of year. I would wait.


It's probably true that most dealers have yet to order their winter tire inventory, but tiresbyweb seems to be ahead of the curve, and has the Nokian R2 in stock.
 
Originally Posted By: SubLGT
but tiresbyweb seems to be ahead of the curve, and has the Nokian R2 in stock.


So it's likely that it's old stock from 2012. Do you want to buy tires that are already somewhat old even before you put them on? Normally, I wouldn't much care, but winter tires are all about soft rubber. Over time, the rubber hardens and the tires don't perform as well in winter/snow conditions.

I would ask tiresbyweb to give you the mfg date code.
 
^ The R2 was introduced in Jan 2013. No risk of buying "old" tires, IMO. They could have been manufactured in late 2012, but I don't see that as a problem.
 
Last edited:
In some cases the best winter tire prices are in October.

Nokian tires usually don't get the best results in "Consumer Reports" tire tests. Michelin, and even Hankook, often beat Nokian.
 
I put little stock in Consumer Reports' tire tests...Tire Rack has better methodology as well as consumer feedback...asking CR about toasters or washing machines? OK...but tires? I don't see it...

Goss Tire (now Viator) in Morrisville, VT had good Nokian prices, less than $100 ea. out the door and on the rim...I really wonder about Tires by Web (or the other online sources of Nokian tires)...and how they price tires.

E.G. Sumitomo HTR Z III in 245/45R18 (my Mercedes' size)

Tires by web price: $238

Tire Rack price: $129 (special, normally $139)

That's a heck of a difference!
 
Last edited:
CR tests very limited specs of winter tires.
Snow traction is the distance car takes to accelerate from 5mph to 20mph.
Ice braking is from 10mph on skating rink.
Nokian are getting better notes in German or Russian tests where more parameters are checked. Germans usually test snow only: stopping from 50km/h (~31mph), acceleration to 50km/h and timed course.

Krzys
 
Originally Posted By: SubLGT
They could have been manufactured in late 2012, but I don't see that as a problem.

Typically, most summer tires are manufactured during Summer, so they're ready when people start their winter tire shopping in the Fall.
 
According to research by the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute, new winter tires can be in storage for up to 3 years with no adverse effect on ice traction.
 
Originally Posted By: krzyss
CR tests very limited specs of winter tires.
Snow traction is the distance car takes to accelerate from 5mph to 20mph.
Ice braking is from 10mph on skating rink.....................

Krzys


Even worse, CR tests winter tires for dry braking, wet braking, and handling, under warm temperature conditions instead of cold temperature conditions, presumably for the benefit of those folks who want to use their winter tires in the summer.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

C
Need a tire rec - 09 Honda CRV
2 3
Replies
48
Views
2K
Chester11
TacoFergie
Nokian R5 winter tires, what is your experience?
2 3
Replies
53
Views
12K
Just a civilian pilot
Quattro Pete
All Weather Tires for Crosstrek?
3 4 5
Replies
99
Views
10K
The Critic
G
TireRack and Discount Tire association
Replies
12
Views
2K
hrv
NormanBuntz
Some 2023 tire prices have become insane
2
Replies
29
Views
4K
andrew_j
Back
Top