S3 8P Tyre Wear

[kayemill]

My 2011 S3 BE went in for it's first service yesterday. When I went to collect they told me to be aware that my front tyres were almost needing changed. ( They are also replacing yet another wheel for the lacquer coming off under warranty )

Measured sizes were 3mm and 2mm. However these were measured on the inside of the tyres. As in the front drivers tyre which is at 2mm on the inside is still at 4.5mm on the middle to outside.

They said that it needed the wheel alignment done which would be £120+vat. I thought this seemed a bit steep. However he said it was 4 wheel laser alignment and was required because of the Quattro 4 wheel drive.

I have a few questions.

1) Is this price excessive for wheel alignment?
2) Is there a special wheel alignment required for my car or can I just pop down to the local tyre fitters?
3) Is there something wrong with my car that I need new tyres after 6000 miles? (Rears are at 4.5mm)

My last car, a 2008 S3 had the same Vredestein Ultrac Cento tyres on for 2 years over 16,000miles.
Tyres on this car are Continental Sport Contact 2.

Thanks in advance.

 

[NHN]

For an audi dealership, its not excessive, for laser well relative again to the system employed & company using, which of course is a dealer which will cost more.

Dealers also follow strict calibration regimes whereas allot of other tyre places maybe do not.

You can get it done cheaper for sure, but make sure its a good system used.

Tyre wear is down to number of factors, brand, roads, tracking, driving style etc, but 6k isn't to bad if it was 4.5mm all round, but uneven wear definitely needs addressing.

 

[kayemill]

For an audi dealership, its not excessive, for laser well relative again to the system employed & company using, which of course is a dealer which will cost more.

Dealers also follow strict calibration regimes whereas allot of other tyre places maybe do not.

You can get it done cheaper for sure, but make sure its a good system used.

Tyre wear is down to number of factors, brand, roads, tracking, driving style etc, but 6k isn't to bad if it was 4.5mm all round, but uneven wear definitely needs addressing.

There is a garage fairly local to me which does four wheel alignment using a Hofmann system. They are £78 including vat.
Would it be worth the saving or just spend the extra and get the dealer to do it?

I don't intend changing the tyres until they are needing changed, however should I get the alignment done now with the existing tyres or once they are replaced?
Also will not replacing the tyres and not getting the alignment done now do any damage to the car?

 

[NHN]

Well next question is, do you yourself follow a regime of swap 2 at a time or all 4?

 

[kayemill]

Well next question is, do you yourself follow a regime of swap 2 at a time or all 4?

To be honest, the last time I needed 4 new tyres I bought a new car!

I would have thought all four at once so that's why I was thinking of running them all down a bit longer. The fronts, although worn on the inside are far from illegal.

 

[LEE69]

I use www.AlignMyCar.co.uk you can get a 5% voucher to use (it all helps) they are the only local people i trust to do mine.They have the hunter system.Kwik fit do but theres are painted blue and last i heard no-one was trained to use them.

 

[NHN]

As long as you don't have any steering issues then yes that's the best option tbh as no point tracking then maybe doing again, best to start fresh.

 

[kayemill]

As long as you don't have any steering issues then yes that's the best option tbh as no point tracking then maybe doing again, best to start fresh.

Think I'll go with that. I'll also be going back to the Vredesteins I had on my last car.

 

[NHN]

Sessanta's, albeit replaced by manufacturer with Vorti's to market now, are superb tyres.

 

[kayemill]

Sessanta's, albeit replaced by manufacturer with Vorti's to market now, are superb tyres.

It was Ultrac Cento that were on mine. If I can get them again I'll go with them. As I said they lasted me 2 years and never had an issue.

With all the things I've had wrong with this car I'm kind of wishing I just bought four new tyres for my 2008 and kept it!

 

[Don23]

Hi you could try these guy's i got my last car done here and was spot on: Revolution Motorstore