Having trouble finding Nokian tires

[RobVonSAAB]

Where do you guys order studded Nokians? Any online stores?

[Geoff]

The Nokain tires US website has (or had) a distributor locator. There's a chain called Vianor that sells in New England and NY (you're in NJ right?) that carries Nokian. I've also had local places order them in. I don't typically buy tires online unless I can get a real good deal and can use a tire machine to mount them myself, otherwise it's typically the same price to buy locally if you shop around.

On a similar note, I've run Nokians for near 15 years and last year we bought a set of General Altimax Arctic for my wife's car. They're an old Gislaved tread pattern, made cheap in Asia. We liked them so much I got a set for my 9000. I think they were $106 each including mounting, balancing, valve stems, and studs. We're both picky about snow tires and my wife said that these are the best show tires she's had since the Hakka Q. (since then she had some Michelin Arctic Ice, Brigestone blizzaks, Nokian Hakka 1s, Hakka 2s, and Nordman 2s (Nokian off-brand)).

[RobVonSAAB]

Sweet! Thanks for the info. I'll have to check those Generals out. I am looking for a very aggressive studded tire. The best ones I've had were Hakkepolita 10s. They shedded snow like a beast.

[Jordan]

General is owned by Continental who also owns Nokian so it was rumored that they came out of the same Nokian factory with the older tread pattern. I've never tried the Artics studded, but have been through 3 sets without studs, and they are great.

They haven't made Hakka-10s for a long time now, but I picked up a set of studded ones from an old rally guy and I use them for rally-x. They were old, but well taken care of.

[Geoff]

If you thought the Hakkapeliita 10s (~20 year old technology?) were good, you'll be very satisfied with the Altimax Arctics, which are probably a 5-8 year old technology. I used to run the 10s about 15 years ago and they were very good for the time. About 4 years ago my dad gave me a set of new 195/70/15 Hakka 10s (light van tires, which were made after the passenger car 10's were discontinued) mounted on 88+ C900 wheels, they were too tall for his C900. I put them on my 9000 and they worked OK but they weren't nearly as good as a modern snow tire and I wouldn't have put them on my wife's car. Obviously the compound was a bit hard due to them being a few years old when I got them and the compound was probably specific to a much heavier vehicle, but still....

General is owned by Continental who also owns Nokian so it was rumored that they came out of the same Nokian factory with the older tread pattern. I've never tried the Artics studded, but have been through 3 sets without studs, and they are great.

Almost... General is owned by Continental who also owns Gislaved (another Scandinavian tire company). Brigestone's European arm owns a controlling share of Nokian.

The General Altimax Arctic are the old Gislaved NordFrost 3 tires.
Gislaved NordFrost 3:

General Altimax Arctic:


Up until I tried these tires I wasn't a fan of the Gislaved tires because I had tried some older-technology Gislaveds that I didn't like (of course they were also old, worn, and the compound had gotten hard). But these have changed my mind.

[Crazyswede]

Chris Rizzon used to sell the Nokian tires and the Nordmanns and now he mostly has the Altimax tires and I agree they are less money and a good tire. I would have bought a set this winter had I not discovered I had several nokia/nordmanns left in my tire pile.

[Geoff]

I also discovered that I have one of your Nokians in my tire pile.

[Crazyswede]

I also discovered that I have one of your Nokians in my tire pile.

how did it get there? Is it any good?

[RobVonSAAB]

Wow, as always you guys have impressed me! Ill order a set of those Generals asap. I hope I can get them factory studded since I don't own a stud gun. I have 6 Hakkepolita 10s but they are all pretty old and the studs are shot. Just like you guys said the compound gets harder with age and they won't work nearly as well. My driveway is on a hill and in the winter it gets pretty treacherous. I never understood why people will have brand new cars but won't invest in a set of steelies and some snow tires. I would recommend them all the time and only a few customers in that I had in NJ would actually buy them.

[Crazyswede]

Its not abnormal for me to have spent more money on my snows than for my car.

[RobVonSAAB]

Just ordered them. Thanks again for all the help guys! Tire rack had them for $73+$15 for studs each. If I'm not mistaken that tread pattern on the Artics looks very similar to the Hakkepolita 7s on our 9-5. And they are excellent tires. I'm with you guys, tires are prob the most important investment you can make.

[Geoff]

how did it get there? Is it any good?

You left it in the garage at the house we rented for NEFR. It's a Hakka Q with maybe 25% tread left or less, mounted on a rusty wheel. Normally I'd say that a snow tire like that is no good but I won a winter rallycross outright on a set of those tires that were even more worn... driving your car!

[Sam]

Its not abnormal for me to have spent more money on my snows than for my car.

To your point, i've already paid more for my parking garage this year than I paid for my spg. Makes me feel like i'm doing something right beating the system! I also got my nokian snow tires for $50 after reselling the volvo rims they came with.

[RadioFlyer]

Nice work! I love finding deals on tires. Found a brand new set of snows in my dad's garage this summer and talked him out of them in exchange for making that much extra room in his garage.

Once found a set of brand new studded snows for $35 in California on a trip to pick up a Saab. The guy worked cleaning out foreclosed houses and got to sell whatever he found. Benefited him to fire-sale everything and move large volumes. I lucked out!

Though I would love a set of Hakkas, I figure anything I can get for free that still has life is fine with me.

[SwedeSport]

I am gonna try the Firestone Winterforce tires for my next set of snows.

I have heard they are a good tire for the money.