Hey everyone,

I'm a newbie, so i thought i would introduce myself. My name is John and i'm from Chicago, IL.
Anyway, it's getting to that time of year again where i'm in the market for some winter tires for my newly acquired Cooper S.
Here in Chicago i need a good winter tire for the amount of driving i do. I have to drive on the highway a lot so studded tires are out of the question.
So I've been hearing a lot about the brand called "Nokian" on some other forums. Has anyone had any experience with this brand of tires?
I've researched them quite a bit and they seem like pretty good tires. Anything made in Europe (Finland) must be good….right?
They do seem a bit pricey, but if they are half as good as the reviews seem to suggest, then i have no problem paying a little bit more for them. Safety is something i absolutely will not sacrifice in the winter.
Something really caught my eye about this particular tire though. According to the Nokian Website "the Hakkapeliitta R can save you .21 gallons of gasoline for every 100 miles you drive compared to a standard all-season tire". Seems pretty incredible - i'm always trying to increase my MPG in any way possible.
Anyway, has anyone heard of these Hakkapeliitta R Tires? I'm trying to place an order for my tires within a couple days so i'd like to know what i'm getting into before i buy them if anyone has any experiences or advise, thanks!