Thanks to some of you as well as to some on CLUBLEXUS.COM, today my dealer
installed a set of 4 NOKIAN WR all season tires on my '03 LS430, replacing
the OEM Dunlop SP5000s. While it's a bit early for snow here, the new tires
arrived yesterday and I wanted to experience them so I had them installed.
So far I can't tell any difference in the ride vs Dunlops, although I never
really could tell any differences between tires anyway. I let the dealer do
the work because he had the Hunter balancing machine that you guys suggested
and put the wheel weights "inside", out of sight. They did a good job.

Anyway, I'll keep reporting on the Nokian WR tires that are warranted for
50,000 miles and don't need to be removed in the summer. Even my dealer
wants reports and says if they are as good in the snow as the
recommendations on the internet, he might stock them for customers.

I've been following this thread and also decided to put the Nokia
tires on my '03 LS430.

I called the dealer, and he told me that Nokia had discontinued those
tires in the size I needed (225/55-17).

I'm looking elsewhere now to find the tires. I have a hunch he was
mistaken.

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 19:14:32 GMT, "B. Newman"
<bernardnewman (AT) comcast (DOT) net> wrote:

I don't think the WR's are discontinued since my tire dealer (largest
suppler of Toyota/Lexus tires in Ontario, Canada) has quick access to them.

Make sure he knows its the WR and not the NRW. The NRW have been
discontinued and replaced by the WR.

"Helmar Herman" <BenAndMarsha (AT) mail (DOT) com> wrote

Helmar/Ben, I sent you a private Email. Those tires are READILY available.


"Helmar Herman" <BenAndMarsha (AT) mail (DOT) com> wrote

Just out of curiosity, is NOKIAN TIRE related to NOKIA Cell Phones?


"B. Newman" <bernardnewman (AT) comcast (DOT) net> wrote

Yes it is. The Nokian tire group is a spin off from the parent Nokia
company (the cell phone guys).

"B. Newman" <bernardnewman (AT) comcast (DOT) net> wrote

Spin off (no longer related) or subsidiary (still related, hence the name
staying the same)?


"Car Guy" <nothing (AT) something (DOT) com> wrote

Not sure. Here is a blurb of their company info from
http://www.nokiantyres.com/index_en.html

NOKIAN TYRES GROUP
Nokian Tyres is the largest tyre manufacturer in the Nordic countries and
one of the most pro? table companies in its industry worldwide. The company
develops and manufactures summer and winter tyres for cars and bicycles, and
tyres for a range of heavy machinery. The company is also the largest
manufacturer of retreading materials and retreaded tyres in the Nordic
countries.

Nokian Tyres runs the Vianor tyre chain, which is the largest and most
extensive of its kind in the Nordic countries. The chain comprises approx.
160 of its own retail outlets across Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia and
Latvia. The company's product development, administration and marketing
functions as well as the majority of production are located in the Nokia
facility in Finland. Bicycle tyres are also manufactured in Finland, at the
Lieksa plant. In addition, the company has contract manufacturing in Poland,
the USA, Russia and Indonesia. Nokian Tyres has its own sales companies in
Sweden, Norway, Germany, Switzerland, Russia and the USA.

Nokian Tyres primarily operates in the tyre replacement markets. The company
's key success factors include the continually upgraded product range and
innovations that deliver genuine added value to the customer. The focus
strategy adopted at Nokian Tyres has enabled the company to outperform the
average annual growth in the tyre industry. Despite the powerful growth, the
company has retained its position among the most pro?table tyre companies in
the world.

In 2002, Nokian Tyres booked net sales of EUR 479.2 million and employed
some 2,585 people.

Nokian Tyres plc was founded in 1988 and it was ?rst listed on the Helsinki
Stock Exchange in 1995. The company's roots go back all the way to 1898,
when Suomen Gummitehdas Oy, or the Finnish rubber factory, was established.
Bicycle tyre production began in 1925 and passenger car tyre production in
1932. The company's best-known brand, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta tyre, was
launched in 1936.



Major Years in the History of Nokian Tyres

1886 The first car to use a combustion engine is developed
1888 Mr. J.B. Dunlop invents the pneumatic tyre
1898 The Finnish Rubber Works is founded
1904 Factory set up in the town of Nokia
1925 Bicycle tyre production starts
1932 Car tyre production starts
1936 First Hakkapeliitta tyre manufactured
1945 New tyre factory built in Nokia
1967 Nokia Corporation established - Rubber, Cable and Paper Divisions
1968 Tyre factory expansion
1974 Production of bicycle tyres and inner tubes starts in Lieksa
1981 Tyre factory expansion
1988 Nokian Tyres Limited established as a joint-venture company
1995 Nokian Tyres plc shares float on the Helsinki Stock Exchange
1996-2001 Tyre factory expansions


"B. Newman" <bernardnewman (AT) comcast (DOT) net> wrote

Looks like there is no connection, now or before, to Nokia cell phones.

"Car Guy" <nothing (AT) something (DOT) com> wrote

Actually it's the other way around. The Nokia cell phone unit is a spin-off
from the parent company. Its core business is making tires.


In article <9xIjb.2475$F31.355683 (AT) news20 (DOT) bellglobal.com>, nothing (AT) something (DOT)
com says...