>>>>> "com" == com <pjjohnsen> writes:

com> I am running the Michelin Artic Alpin 4x4 on my 2001
com> Pathfinder SE (3.5L w/ 5 speed). Here is my review after one
com> full winter: Good tire in dry (quiet - much more so than the
com> stock Toyo's). They do walk a little in pitted out highway
com> situations and over metal grated bridges. This is expected
com> with all the siping in the tire. Let's face it you don't buy
com> a 4x4 to be a racer, however when pushed hard around turns
com> this tire feels solid. Good tire in the rain - we get plenty
com> of it out here and lately I drive this car more in the rain
com> (semi-retired from year round biking to work, hope to come
com> out of retirement next year :-) ). Additionally, I was
com> looking for a tire that had good tread wear and review
com> pointed this way (check out tirerack.com for a bunch of
com> reviews). Great tire in snow, we get plenty of it on
com> Mt. Hood (not so far this year) and central OR. We also get
com> a lot of variable conditions from tons of near freezing wet
com> to black ice. This tire inspires confidence. Running my
com> Toyos for the first two winters, I couldn't wait to get into
com> 4x4 mode and had a couple of scary 50 mph slips on black ice.
com> None of that with the artic alpin. I almost never have the
com> abs kick in either, again not the case with the stock Toyo's
com> (which is like comparing apples to oranges, but the only 2
com> tires I have ever had on this SUV). Driving style Generally
com> I drive pretty fast but always with large stopping distances.
com> I would recommend this tire as an excellent winter tire. I
com> have had Blizzaks on a Volvo and would attest to the fact
com> that they wear out too quickly. Not sure the longevity of the
com> Artic Alpin 4x4 as of yet. Thinking about getting a set of
com> winter Michelins for a BMW 525i. The only other winter tire
com> that I have heard great reviews on is the Nokian Hakka...,
com> volvo purests in Vermont would run nothing but on their 240
com> wagons, that is another story (go MRG!).

Hi,

Interesting review, indeed.

What is the behaviour on very wet snow ?

--

Herve Regad-Pellagru

second-system effect: n. (sometimes, more euphoniously, `second-system
syndrome') When one is designing the successor to a relatively small,
elegant, and successful system, there is a tendency to become
grandiose in one's success and design an elephantine feature-laden
monstrosity.