Can dealers exchange/upgrade tyres on a brand new car?

[psychopomp1]

As per title, is this possible? Or at the very least can the dealer specify a particular tyre to the factory which Audi do use?

Reason for asking is that I've got a new MY2020 Black Edition A6 Avant on factory order and this will come with 255/40/R20 tyres on 20" wheels. From my understanding, the tyres supplied will be either Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, Pirelli P Zero or Conti 6 Sport but obviously the decision rests with the Audi factory in Germany. I desperately want the car to come fitted with Michelin PS 4S tyres but realise this may not happen. Now it would be great if the dealer gave me the option of upgrading or exchanging the Pirelli/Conti/other brand tyres to the Michelin 4S, otherwise i may have to fork out ~ £800 and almost end up giving away the factory fitted tyres for free.

Cheers

 

[desertstorm]

Audi would argue that all the tyres fitted to the car have been tested and are recommended tyres for the vechicle . We all know that the only thing connecting you and the car to the road is that patch of rubber. Personally I would be with you and want Michelins on the car. The Conti 6 is a very good tyre too. I probably wouldn't be too happy to see Pirelli tyres on the car,Probably the weakest . You can specify so many options on a car these days why not the tyres as well. Audi will be using what ever they can get the cheapest at that time probabaly.

 

[cuke2u]

Yep correct, they're black, they're round and the factory will fit what ever they have in stock. However they will be AO tyres. AO is the Audi Tyre marking which means Audi worked with the tyre manufacturer to develop this tyres, and they have been designed with their vehicles in mind. They can vary in design to, non AO tyres. My Hankook AO tyres have superior rim protection to ones without the marking...

 

[Wdp76]

Well I took delivery 10 days ago of a MY2020 Black Edition Saloon and it has come with Bridgestone Turanza T005 tyres, so maybe it does show it is whatever is cheapest at the time?

 

[MCarda]

My My20 BE came with the P Zeros. I’m not sure if the others have the rim protector on the wall of the tyre, but this has already proved invaluable!

 

[psychopomp1]

Thanks guys, as I suspected deep down there's no way to guarantee a particular brand/type of tyres on a new car. However if the car doesn't come with Pilot Sport 4S fitted as standard then I'm willing to see what the tyres are like before splashing out £800+ on the Michelins.

@Wdp76 & MCarda
How do you find the Bridgestone & Pirelli tyres respectively wrt comfort & dry/wet performance on your Black Edition A6?
Cheers

 

[Wdp76]

I’ve done about 1200 miles in the 10 days so far and haven’t had an issue, although I’ve probably not really tested them yet. I just online and the Bridgestone’s fitted to mine have decent tyre ratings.

I’ve cruised while I break the engine in and feel like I’m still getting used to all the tech.

Mine appear to have rim protectors too, I’ll try and add a few pics to the pic thread although it needs yet another clean already.

Just to add, given the wheel size I’m also surprised at the comfort too. I’ve come from a BMW 3 series with 17” wheels on and I’d argue it rides better.

 

[cuke2u]

Did not the BMW have run flat tyres? They seem to be a standard fit and have a harder ride....

 

[MCarda]

@Wdp76 & MCarda
How do you find the Bridgestone & Pirelli tyres respectively wrt comfort & dry/wet performance on your Black Edition A6?
Cheers

In all fairness, they have been good but I don’t know how they compare as this Audi is a complete different class to the 2009 Leon I had before, and in the 1300 miles of ownership I haven’t had much of an opportunity to test them, bearing in mind most of my driving is within London which isn’t exactly the local race track.

Whilst that being said, haven’t had any loss of traction, but my days of thrashing my Leon around like a hooligan are long gone.

 

[Wdp76]

Yes the BMW did have run flats, I just naturally assumed the A6 would be worse still given their size.

 

[psychopomp1]

Thanks guys. I take it the 20" tyres on the A6 Avant come in 255/40 size?

 

[Wdp76]

The saloon does, not 100% on the Avant

 

[MCarda]

Thanks guys. I take it the 20" tyres on the A6 Avant come in 255/40 size?

Correct, 255/40 on the 20” with the Avant.

 

[elan2s]

Yes the BMW did have run flats, I just naturally assumed the A6 would be worse still given their size.

Runflats have a much stiffer side wall to ensure they do not come off the rim when they are flat so severely affect the ride

 

[ascr]

Bit of a side bar but still tyre related, I had Pirellis as AO on my Avant, had a bog standard puncture, only to find it was unrepairable and I had to get a completely new tyre after 2k miles..... The Pirellis I had, were fitted with sound absorbing foam on the inside surface of the tyre. All the tyre repairers I spoke to said only way to fix the picture (other than using gunk) was to cut away a small part of the foam, but that this would render the tyre ubdriveable... Anybody come across this aswell?

 

[cuke2u]

Yes they are called noise cancelling tyres https://www.pirelli.com/tyres/en-ww/car/pncs-technology

 

[Zakalwe]

I’ve got MPSS on my M240i - very similar though not exactly the same as the MPS4S - they are superb when it’s warm and bone dry (so basically on about 15 days every year) average in the wet and cr@p when cold. I’d be amazed if there was much discernible difference between them and the other options beyond placebo in the conditions this country throws at us 90% of the time.

I also concur with the shout outs for the absolutely superb rim protection on the PZeros versus Fanny Adams on the Michelins.