New Tyres for A5 Quattro

[ED 209]

Hi,

Does anyone know if you can get away with putting just two brand new tyres onto a A5 Quattro? I was always told that with four wheel drive cars you have to change all four tyres at the same time (regardless of wear), which I have always done on a yearly basis.

I've had my Audi A5 3.0 TDI Quattro for four years now and I absolutely love it with the exception of the tyres, which are around £200 each for 20 inch rims. They only last me a year for a full set (averaging 14K miles per year) and when I change all four tyres, the back two tyres are usually fine. I'm due another change as my front two tyres are nearly at the legal limit, but my back two tyres still have 5mm left on them. It just seems ridiculous to waste such good tyres all because I've been told you have to change all four tyres at the same time on a for wheel drive car.

Although they never fill me with confidence, I did speak to my local Audi dealership and they said it may be possible if the difference between the front two tyres and back two tyres is no more than 3mm. My backs are currently 5mm and the brand new tyres will be 6 to 7mm, so it seems plausible as it would be well within the difference of 3mm?

Thanks.

 

[Donny_DJ]

I'd agree with Audi there. I think changing all 4 at once just cos you have quattro is OTT, just do 2. Btw what 20s are you running and is yours lowered? What's the ride like?

 

[arad85]

New tyres are 7-8mm (just measured my 10 day old set and they are more than 7, less than 8) but yes, I'd run with less than 3mm diff. Our other car is a Touareg 4WD and replaced 2 on there with 5mm on the other set. Always put the new ones on the back though...

 

[ED 209]

Thanks guys. I think with yours and Audi's advice I will give it a try this time and just buy 2 new tyres instead of 4. Why is it important to put the new ones on the back?

I don't know what alloys they are but they look like the traditional double spoke silver alloys and not the black edition wheels, which seem more popular on similar A5s of the same age. The ride can be crashy over poor country roads but fine over motorways and most A roads. You get use to it after a while.

 

[surfer8210]

Thanks guys. I think with yours and Audi's advice I will give it a try this time and just buy 2 new tyres instead of 4. Why is it important to put the new ones on the back?

I don't know what alloys they are but they look like the traditional double spoke silver alloys and not the black edition wheels, which seem more popular on similar A5s of the same age. The ride can be crashy over poor country roads but fine over motorways and most A roads. You get use to it after a while.

I was always under the impression that as long as the tread patterns were the same everything would be fine.
My understanding was that you shouldn't mix different tread types or different models of tires even if they're the same size and everything else stayed the same.
I'm pretty sure that's still the advice recommended by most manufacturers and not only Audi.


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[arad85]

http://kumhotyre.co.uk/kumho-news/should-you-fit-new-tyres-to-the-front-or-rear/ (front WD)

https://www.oponeo.co.uk/tyre-article/better-tyres-in-the-front-or-rear-test-results