New tyres required for Audi A4 Quattro Sport 2004

[Mattlan]

Don't let the "sport" moniker throw you, this is the B6 2004 1.9TD with 130bhp!! Tyres are 235/45 17

Original fitting were Dunlop Sport Maxx, currently with Continentals as I was looking to get better tyre wear, but haven't achieved this again, over the last ten years I have been averaging 12000 miles max per set of tyres ( even wear, balanced and tracked on fitting, rotated where appropriate), pressures as per the handbook and checked weekly.

Car is used for commuting, so 7~8 k per year, and I drive to the conditions / safety margins where applicable, and don't think I drive hard, ie plenty of space in front, no hard braking etc.

So, does anyone else have this issue with this model? I appreciate it is a heavy solid car, and that the torque is a factor but surely I should be getting better than 12k / set?

Just looking for new set at the moment and all premium branded stuff is £85 ++ / corner fitted, which for a 13 year old diesel barge is a bit galling ( I would acknowledge that the four patches of rubber are the most important safety feature on the car)

Short version, cheaper tyres to achieve better than 12k a set

[phumy]

I changed from Continentals to Dunlop Sport Maxx`s and I found the difference was huge, a much better ride on the Dunlops, I have an RS2, age of the wagon has no meaning when looking at decent tyres, mine is 22 years old

[Mattlan]

much jealousy ensues,

I would concur that the Dunlop is the better tyre all round, but it's really the wear aspect I'm trying to get to the bottom of....is it really justifiable to only get 12k out of a set of quality tyres ( be they Goodyear, Conti's or sport maxxes) is it just that this setup , ie Quattro, TDi will wear them so quickly??

[SteBrown91]

I imagine that's quattro causing the wear. Q7s only get 6-8k out of a set

[phumy]

Why should a Quattro system eat up tyres faster than a 2 wheel drive system?, think about it, having power and torque going through only two wheels its 50% for each wheel, on the Quattro system its going through all four wheels so only sees 25% at each wheel, surely that should mean less wear. Have you had the tracking checked, are your tyres wearing evenly all the way across the tread pattern? Do you regularly swap the tyres around?

[Mattlan]

Phumy, even wear, balanced and tracked on fitting, ( and I'm very conscious of any knocks/bangs to the tyres/wheels post fitting) unidirectional so only front to back at @ 6000 miles

just can't seem to get more than 12k out of a set and it bothers me for what is now a barge , ps Conti's, goodyear and Dunlop sport maxx's all the same

[Andy JB]

Try Goodyear Eagle F1, I've previously used the sport tyres of Pirelli, Contis and Dunlops on my 2.0 TFSI DTM 235/40/18 and while they have a higher treadwear (harder) than the latter, they handle better IMO and last much longer than any of those previously.

I also fitted them on my A6 Allroad Q4 245/40/19 and find no difference with wear rate with Quattro than FWD so far

[Mattlan]

cheers Andy, will look into them

[Mattlan]

and, to conclude the thread, new ......wait for it.......Dunlop sport maxx's all round. £366 fitted (although I say fitted, just checked the tyre pressures all round.....should be 32 all round,,,,values ranged from 33.5 to 37

[phumy]

Mattlan said:

and, to conclude the thread, new ......wait for it.......Dunlop sport maxx's all round. £366 fitted (although I say fitted, just checked the tyre pressures all round.....should be 32 all round,,,,values ranged from 33.5 to 37

And you've had a couple of days, what are your thoughts on them?

[Mattlan]

now they are all re-pressured its like coming home, comfortable but grippy, smooth and quietish, but are they worth £91.50 each fitted?? if I could be sure of getting a little more mileage out of them I would be happier!!

[si_xsi]

I have the Dunlop sport max on my R32 and after 12000 miles they are on 5 mm all round so quite impressed, obviously have haldex 4wd. Good luck..

[daemon]

Dunlop Sport Maxx RTs on our A45 AMG.

Very pleased with them. 10,000 miles of hard use so far.