Winter wheels

Author
Discussion

Andymac87

Original Poster:

2 posts

114 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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This is going to be my first winter with my Audi. It's an A5 Quattro and I was thinking of getting a spare set of alloys with winter tyres on them. Any advice on what would be best, size and tyre make etc?

Cheers

Dr G

15,159 posts

241 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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Welcome to Pistonheads; try and source yourself a used set of genuine Audi 18s.

I've only driven on Vredestein Wintracs in yucky conditions (and not hard enough to test ultimate adhesion) but had no cause to complain and the car never felt phased or lacking in grip.

shtu

3,407 posts

145 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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Yep, secondhand genuine wheels is the way to go, preferable to new copies.

For wheels that are way more likely to bounce off the occasional kerb\verge, slight scruffiness doesn't matter, and the genuine ones are usually far more damage-resistant than the copies.

RobbyJ

1,565 posts

221 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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It depends on your tyre size really. I've had a range of winter tyres over the last few years, Khumo's, Nexen, Falken and Pirelli. The best cheap but competent winter for the Q5 is probably the Falken at about £95 per corner in 18". I don't think they do the Nexen in the right size for Q5's but they are excellent. Had a set on my S4 and still use them on my wifes Passat 4Motion, a real hidden gem of a winter tyre IMHO. I've got Pirelli Sottozeros on my RS6 now and they are probably the worst I've had but I guess they have the make more of a performance vs winter ability compromise given their speed rating.

JuniorD

8,616 posts

222 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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I had thought about putting winter tyres om My A4 a couple of years ago. The guy at the tyre place talked me out of it saying that I'd need narrower wheels and would therefore need to take it to Audi to have the ABS or traction controls adjusted or something. Didn't know what to make of the advice but gave it a miss.

Kell

1,708 posts

207 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
JuniorD said:
I had thought about putting winter tyres om My A4 a couple of years ago. The guy at the tyre place talked me out of it saying that I'd need narrower wheels and would therefore need to take it to Audi to have the ABS or traction controls adjusted or something. Didn't know what to make of the advice but gave it a miss.
Sounds like rubbish to me. You will need narrower wheels - primarily to stop build up of snow between your wheels and brakes, but I've never had to do anything else WRT to sensor on the three cars I've had them fitted to.

The best advice is to call Audi and say you're interested in buying a set of genuine wheels and tyres. (Just make sure you're sitting down when they tell you how much they want.)

Then, once you're armed with the correct wheel size, offset and width. Try and buy a set of wheels online and get new or part worn tyres to fit.

For an FYI, my A6 is on 17" winters which are 17x7.5J ET45, but the official Audi figures are 17x7J ET42.

As for tyres, I'm on Dunlop Winter Sport SP3s on the Audi and Pirelli Snowsport 190 on the Mini. Not found either tyre wanting.

shtu

3,407 posts

145 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
JuniorD said:
Didn't know what to make of the advice.
Waffle.

Check the handbook, you will find the correct winter tyre\wheel sizes in there. No adjustments required.

RobbyJ

1,565 posts

221 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
Generally the specs are the same for most manufacturers but some spec smaller diameter wheels as steel rims are a common choice for winters on the continent. Regardless if you get the same size and load rated winter tyres for your car they will perform better in all road conditions at temps of 7 degress C and below according to most motoring organisations. Even last winter which was a mild one I had a couple of occasions when I was probably driving too enthusiastically where I'm sure my winter tyres saved my bacon on cold slippery and icy roads. Especially if you plan on keeping the car for 2-3 years plus they pay for themselves anyway. You're going to wear out tyres over that kind of duration so you may as well wear our the right tyres for the job, and if you buy a set of second hand genuine alloys you'll be able to sell them for pretty much the same price when you get rid of the car anyway so financially it makes sense really too.

The other benefit is that if you buy winter tyres you also guarantee the rest of us a mild snow and ice free winter throughout which you will moan about wasting your money on winters (like my Dad did to me non stop last winter!) wink

Dazzled

266 posts

225 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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I bought a second hand set of original Audi 17" wheels and Dunlop winter tyres last year from E bay. Took the 19" alloys off my A6 Quattro in November and didn't swop back until April.
Straight swop, no adjustments needed other than reseting the tyre pressure monitor. Top speed is reduced to 115mph but their performance over 3 separate trips to the Alps was amazing. Depth of snow will stop you before lack of traction.
Oh and the ride is much more comfy on the higher profile tyres.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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Do it, when the temps are low they are superb, I have a spare set for my S4 with Michelin Pilot Alpins.

RammyMP

6,729 posts

152 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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I've got 255 35 19s on my A5 during the summer, bought a set of 17" genuine Audi winter wheels off Ebay for £280 before last winter. They had Pirellis on them but they are now worn down. I'm going to change them for Nokians, they are getting good reviews. £100 a corner from pneus online.

s4tronic

245 posts

125 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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I have used Dunlop Winter Sport 3D on both 4wd Audi S4 and on FWD Seat Leon FR and either was transformed and almost unstoppable in the snow. As others have said depth of fresh snow will defeat you bur you will not lose grip.

Maracus

4,229 posts

167 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
I'm selling my genuine 17" Audi alloys with excellent Nokian winter tyres on. They are on eBay wink

PM me if you want more info.

Shameless plug!

blank

3,439 posts

187 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
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I have winter sport 3d for my TT.

They're great in snow but in my experience of these and Nokians vs premium summer tyres then snow is the only time they're better.

Find the smallest size that will go over your brakes and buy second hand genuine wheels from eBay or similar.

Adrian E

3,248 posts

175 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
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I'm picking up a set of A5 S-line 8.5x18 wheels with part worn Dunlop winter 3D tyres in a few weeks - our Sportback is on factory 9x20s and from experience of trying to drive my 8.5x20 equipped S8 in slippery conditions we decided to bite the bullet and get some 'sensible' sized wheels for the rotten weather, as the S5 won't have the option of sitting unused if the weather goes all arctic on us.

Have a look at the tyre pressure sticker on your car and assuming it lists tyre sizes from 17 or 18 to 20" sizes, pick the smallest that are claimed to fit. For our car Audi actually recommend an 8" diameter wheel for winter fitment, but given A5 S-line wheels are pretty ubiquitous on the used market (the 5 spoke jobbies) and the tyre size on the part worns are the same as those on the tyre pressure sticker I'm happy to go with them.

Rolling radius difference is only about 1-2%. In theory you can go into the instrument cluster coding and change the rolling radius to account for the difference, but since the data isn't published to make the change and Audi don't seem to know what to change it to, probably best left alone. I plan to note the figure for the 20s as they are and try to find a model with the size wheels I'm fitting to compare values to.

Andymac87

Original Poster:

2 posts

114 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2014
quotequote all
That's great help guys. Thanks.

Would A3 225/40R18 7.5 alloys fit ok?

I've got 255/35R19 8 on my A5 just now

Cheers

Adrian E

3,248 posts

175 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2014
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A3 wheels will most likely have the wrong offset - you're best off sticking to another set of A4/5 wheels tbh

If you post a pic of your wheels I can look up the specs for your existing ones, which might help narrow it down. Also have a look at the tyre pressure sticker on your own car and look at the listed tyre sizes - if it lists a 17" fitment then post what that is, as it's probably the smallest you can go. On ours there's nothing less than an 18" wheel that'll fit (presumably due to brake size)


Kell

1,708 posts

207 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2014
quotequote all
Adrian E said:
A3 wheels will most likely have the wrong offset - you're best off sticking to another set of A4/5 wheels tbh
And PCD.

Adrian E

3,248 posts

175 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2014
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That's true - will be 5x100 still, unless they've changed it on the newest models?

Kell

1,708 posts

207 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2014
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In terms of rolling radius differences, I've always found this tool incredibly useful:

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html