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Author Topic:   Buyers beware - Nokian
Consumer Advocate
unregistered
posted November 12, 2000 03:32 PM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
I want to caution everyone that last winter several Nokian salesmen were caught hardselling their tires in this website. They pretend to be independent customers and post all kinds of biased information on Nokian tires while smearing all their competitor with unproven rumours.
Consumers should be warned to take some of the messages with a grain of salt and do your own research. Nokians are good tires but they are definitely not the best when you consider the numerous amount of other winter tires out there.
BUYER BEWARE

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Charles
unregistered
posted November 13, 2000 05:26 AM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
Would you please described your tire knowled-
ge on tires to have any credibility! Wich
tires are better than Nokian's and why?
Would please indicate in wich part of Ameri-
ca you leave in order to sized your priority
when it comes to select wich winter tire is
the best for you?

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Craig
Member
posted November 13, 2000 06:46 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Craig     Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
Watch out Consumer Advocate! Sounds like a Nokian salesman to me, probably straight from Finland!

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Charles
unregistered
posted November 13, 2000 06:51 PM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
I not from Finland, but a plain guy from
Canada with 25 years experience in the tire
business. Over my 25 years career, I never
seen any (including all the big names that
you all know) winter tire brand with such
an high consumer satisfaction index. You
could not believed the major brands wich we
stop selling since we have started selling
Nokian tires in 1979. It is purely amazing
good product, very well adapted to severe
winter conditions. In case you don't know,
the Finn's at Nokian Tyre invented the first
winter tire in the world back in 1934, there
expertise is so high that the others can't
catch up.

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Craig
Member
posted November 14, 2000 06:26 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Craig     Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
I don't argue the fact that Nokian is a very good tire, but to say that nobody else can catch up is a bold statement. The Swiss thought nobody could catch up with their watches but how many Swiss watches do you see today? Be careful. Pride comes before a fall.

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William
Associate Member
posted November 15, 2000 02:31 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for William   Click Here to Email William     Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
Nokians seem to be a "Cult" tire of sorts. I have had both Nokians and Blizzaks on a BMW 535 and a Ford Contour, and for the weather we get here in Calgary and in the mountains, the Blizzaks fare much better on the highway.

Nokian makes a good tire to be sure, but there are options out there. Deciding what is best for your driving habits and conditions seems to me to matter more than the engineering or the mystic arouind the tire itself.

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Lou
unregistered
posted November 15, 2000 07:21 PM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
This consumer advocate guy is not knocking Nokian. He is simply giving a factual statement. I visited Nokian's own website www.nokiantyres.com and the tire test for Hakka Q clearly said Bridgestone MZ02 won the ice and snow traction category. Hakka Q only beat them in the wear test - Q proabably will last one more season in real life. I don't understand why so many "independent" consumers get so defensive about whenever somebody says they prefer brands other than Nokian. Where do these people find such free time to defend Nokian 24-7... unless you people are Nokian salesmen??

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Lou
unregistered
posted November 15, 2000 07:30 PM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
Who was the first mass producers of computers - Wang. They owned 99% of the commerical computer market back in the early 80's. Where are they now - bankrupt!
Who invented the cellular phone - Motorola. Motorola owned 99% of the cell phone market back in the early 90's. They got complacent and now has less than 20% market share.
IBM,Compaq also thought nobody could ever catch up. Wake up buddy, in today's market, whoever can afford to hire the engineers and buy the equipment will win, and believe me when it comes to money Bridgestone and Goodyear have far more of it than Nokian.

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scottg
unregistered
posted October 16, 2001 09:57 AM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
(I realize this a reply to a very old post)

Lou, as soon as you start thinking that the biggest companies can only come out with the best products, you're in trouble.

Yes, I own Nokian tires. Q's to be exact. Do you know how long Nokian has been making winter tires? I personally had never heard of Nokian tires a year or so ago. But I'm not part of the rally racing scene and I've always used all-seasons in the winter. When I started thinking winter tire, I started thinking Blizzak. And that's what most people think.

I don't know which tire is the best. And unfortunely, I do not have the resources do try several brands on my car before making a buying decision. I only know two people with non-studded winter tires. Alpins on a new Passat and Blizzaks on a Cirius. They both really like their tires.

From my research, Blizzaks have an edge in overall stopping and acceleration. But I was concerned about treadlife. The Nokian Q's(the cult tire - as some people call it) seem to offer really good lateral stability with good treadlife. In fact, my car tracks better with the Nokians, then it does with the stock Firestone's.

I do not have anti-lock brakes, but I can hammer on my brakes on a snow covered road and my car stays nice and straight. With the all-seasons, the car tends to go to the right, with the potential to lose the back end during a panic stop.

I'm sure Blizzaks, Alpin's, Observe's, Conti's, etc.... all work great. But Nokian is what I chose. Whether I put Nokians on my second car, remains to be seen. Where I live, only one tire chain sells Nokian(along with Blizzak and Yokohoma), and except for the Nokian NRW's, you'd be hard pressed to know that the store sells anything but Blizzaks. The Nokian and Yokohoma are hardly mentioned unless you specifically ask for them.

Were IBM PC's better than Mac's or the Amiga? Not necassarily, but the powerfull influence of IBM made the pc the standard around the world. Bridgestone has had an extensive tire sales network in North American for many years. It makes it a tad easier when you need to promote a new line of tires.


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Ryan
unregistered
posted October 24, 2001 12:13 PM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
I think the main thing to remember when using the internet is that yes, it's a great source of information - both good and bad information!
Whether what Consumer Advocate alledges is true or not I don't know. I do know that I'm highly critical of most all things I read - especially the ones online.
How do we know "Consumer Advocate" isn't a Goodyear salesman? Like he/she says though, buyer beware.
As for defending a product that you yourself have already purchased, well that's just human nature. After all who wants to admit they made a bad buy?

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scottg
unregistered
posted October 29, 2001 11:45 AM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
I agree with you. Nobody like to admit when they've made a purchase they're not happy with.

I'll be sticking with my Nokian's for a few years(I hope), and then I see what's out there for new technology.

Just put four studded tires on our old Camry. Our recent ice and snow just melted, but I managed to find a bit of ice and the car feels like a tank. And sounds like a tank on dry pavement.

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RadioSteve
unregistered
posted November 03, 2001 10:01 AM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
Well - heated debate! There are a lot of Nokian fans out there, and they are not all Nokian salespeople. I just purchased my Hakka 1s this October, in preparation for the winter. They are on the car - and I am amazed at how well the car handles. I am also amazed at the lack of road noise. I will report later on winter performance.

I must say, I bought the tires because a certain amount of "geek appeal" and the fact that I am of Finnish ancestry. I also own a Nokia phone (I know, it's probably made in China, but the company is Finnish!).

So, anyway, buy great tires - but choose them based on what YOU are comfortable with, not on what some salesguy or "consumer advocate" tells you, whether here or in the tire store.

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FrankC
unregistered
posted November 03, 2001 11:17 AM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote
RadioSteve
Are your quiet Hakka 1's studded or unstudded. I'm trying to decided whether to stud my Hakka 1's before I mount them. Live in Denver with more dry than snow, but drive into the mountains with frequently lots of snow. Run snow tires 6 months/yr.
Thanks for your reply Frank

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scottg
unregistered
posted November 07, 2001 10:41 AM           Edit/Delete Message Reply w/Quote

I'm curious about how much quieter Hakka 1's with studs are in comparison to a standard winter tire with studs. I just put four studded, Kelly-Springfield tires on our Camry and takes a bit to get used to the noise. No big deal as it is are second car, and we don't take it out of town.

On the Nokian world-wide site, they have a new tire that is studded and also has the characteristics of the Q. On the N.America site it is listed as not available in North America.

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