RS3 Winter Tyres

[HullRs3]

Just had an email from my local dealer today. One of those generic all customer emails sent to look like it is personalised to each individual client. In it they say... Is your car prepared for the winter months? As the weather begins to turn, you'll find the roads become more challenging and your tyres may need increased grip. By fitting your car with Audi Winter tyres, you'll experience better handling and shorter stopping distances, & not just in the snow. We offer two different types of tyre options for Audi drivers during the cold months: It goes on to say winter tyres to fit over your current alloys from only £540, or a full set of winter tyres and alloy wheels from £875.
You can also take advantage of our Tyre Hotel; a safe& convenient way to store your tyres when not in use. Whether storing Summer or Einter tyres, the Audi Tyre Hotel is designed to keep them in top condition & within easy reach, from just £120 for 12 months.

Now is this just a cunning plan to get customers to buy tyres who don't need them. Do they think they have expensive cars so they can afford to change the tyres/wheels every six months?
I was planning on ringing my local Audi about my break squeal problem but was wanting to be prepared in case they try to pursade me to buy something I do not need considering I bought my car at the end of January this year, & we did have some snow & ice around that time. Surely if I needed them my RS3 should have had them delivered, in fact anyone buying a car in winter should have winter tyres.
I know there are similar threads in other groups but I didn't read these as the RS3 tyre is a one size fit, & so I wanted to see if anyone else hash planned to fit winter tyres or do we start a poll for this?

 

[Dave Hedgehog]

i have contemplated getting a second set of rims with winter tyres

its a bit of gamble in the UK, 2010 we had mental snow, last year almost nothing

 

[Brett Butler]

I put on winter tyres on my S3, the difference is huge, in snow etc. especially breaking in sheet ice, but even in the dry I have no issues, they do not wear that fast, and quite happy leaving them on till you know the cold weather has gone. I don't bother with different rims though.

 

[45bvtc]

I am a committed cold weather/winter tyre user.

Last November I fitted my RS3 with a set of original 5-spoke RS3 wheels and had VREDESTEIN Wintrac xtreme tyres fitted: 235 x 35 x 19 91W XL (Front and Rear). Brilliant traction and braking during ALL cold weather/winter type road conditions (including many miles at -10º C on a wet M6); no problems at all last winter.

For those of you who think this an expensive exercise, I've just sold my 6-year old winter wheels and tyre combos (ex-Audi S3 and Audi A2) for almost 2006 cost; so maximum tyre-to-road winter grip at a very low expense.

As of now, I've just purchased a set of Audi rims for my recently purchased 2011 TT; these rims again will be fitted with VREDESTEIN Wintrac xtreme tyres (£510 for 4 x 225/50 R17 98V XL with rim protection ridge).

An added advantage, of course, is that you can keep you precious original Audi wheels free of potential winter (salt, kerbing in snow and ice, etc.) damage.

 

[HEKTOR]

I would say getting winter tyres is a very good idea. I'd prefer to have a set of winter rims/tyres so its just an easy change over.

I think it is also very good of audi to store your wheels/tyres. They do this in germany and must now be offering the same thing here.

The prices you have been offered seem very good. £875 for 4x wheels & tyres is a bit of a bargain considering how expensive the tyres are excluding the wheels.

It is something to consider for everyone.

 

[gwelsby]

I am a committed cold weather/winter tyre user.

Last November I fitted my RS3 with a set of original 5-spoke RS3 wheels and had VREDESTEIN Wintrac xtreme tyres fitted: 235 x 35 x 19 91W XL (Front and Rear). Brilliant traction and braking during ALL cold weather/winter type road conditions (including many miles at -10º C on a wet M6); no problems at all last winter.

For those of you who think this an expensive exercise, I've just sold my 6-year old winter wheels and tyre combos (ex-Audi S3 and Audi A2) for almost 2006 cost; so maximum tyre-to-road winter grip at a very low expense.

As of now, I've just purchased a set of Audi rims for my recently purchased 2011 TT; these rims again will be fitted with VREDESTEIN Wintrac xtreme tyres (£510 for 4 x 225/50 R17 98V XL with rim protection ridge).

An added advantage, of course, is that you can keep you precious original Audi wheels free of potential winter (salt, kerbing in snow and ice, etc.) damage.

After reading this post I bought 4 wheels and 4 of the Wintrac xtreme tyres for my 62 plate RS3. Had them fitted today and the rear wheels snag the wheel arches when I go over bumps!

 

[T-800]

Hmmmm
No problems here with 235 Dunlop 4D winters.
They'll be going on at the weekend as temperatures look like getting colder.

 

[45bvtc]

After reading this post I bought 4 wheels and 4 of the Wintrac xtreme tyres for my 62 plate RS3. Had them fitted today and the rear wheels snag the wheel arches when I go over bumps!

That's what I'm using and ZERO issues with 4-up.

 

[monkeyboy_marcus]

Getting my Michelin PA4 winter tyres fitted tmw. Originally bought in late 2012, these have seen two seasons with **** all wear, apart from the one that blew out due to a nail but that caused so little fuss on the motorway, other drivers had to flash me for me to realise I'd lost rear tyre pressure (traffic, steady straight line driving @ 50mph) and the rubber stayed snug around the rim preventing any damage. Not cheap (circa £240/tyre all in I think) but you get what you pay for. Brands etc aside, it makes perfect sense to switch tyres on a seasonal basis and you will notice a difference.

 

[Muzza80]

Me too, always run winter tyres.

What most people don't realise is that you don't need snow to benefit from them. Many tests have proven that sub 7 degrees most "summer" tyres lose grip due to the compound hardening leading to greater braking distances and less grip overall. Winter tyres are designed for the cold temps (obviously) and are made with a softer compound that does not harden like summer tyres.

I've a set of Vred Wintracs waiting to go on my car hopefully next week, I just do a swap on to my existing wheels at a local tyre place and it costs me £15 a corner fully fitted and balanced.

 

[45bvtc]

After reading this post I bought 4 wheels and 4 of the Wintrac xtreme tyres for my 62 plate RS3. Had them fitted today and the rear wheels snag the wheel arches when I go over bumps!

1) Are your 'new' wheels 19-inch x 8J x ET50?

2) Are the tyre pressures correct? I use 37psi on the rear on both winter and summer tyres

3) Please check the inner wheel arch liner making sure it's not loose, etc. Also, look for the 'rub' marks. I do get an occasional 'kiss' on the liner but it only seems to happen on one particular piece of road - so I no longer use that piece of road...

 

[gwelsby]

Hmmmm
No problems here with 235 Dunlop 4D winters.
They'll be going on at the weekend as temperatures look like getting colder.

These are the clearances rear and front

 

[Muzza80]

That's not your issue it's the offset of your non standard wheels.

Standard is ET50

Even my ET44 BBS CK 19's rubbed a bit with 235 MPSS. 225 sorted it. What's the offset of those wheels?

 

[T-800]

That'll be your issue especially if the offset is slightly different.

 

[gwelsby]

Thanks a million for that. I knew nothing about offsets. I was about to buy new wheels and tyres until I saw Muzza80's post. I checked with my supplier and the offsets were 35. I've ordered a pair of 45s for the rear. The 35s look ok on the front.
Thanks again,
Gerald.

 

[45bvtc]

Thanks a million for that. I knew nothing about offsets. I was about to buy new wheels and tyres until I saw Muzza80's post. I checked with my supplier and the offsets were 35. I've ordered a pair of 45s for the rear. The 35s look ok on the front.
Thanks again,
Gerald.

PLEASE take care, gwelsby; I think you may (?) still in trouble...

Consider: the standard 8J rim has a 50mm ET and with a 235/35 Vredestein Wintrac Xtream tyre fitted the outside face of that tyre sits 69mm (just measured) off the wheel mounting face: see diagram.

Now with this setup I get the occasional tyre 'kiss' at the rear on full bump.

Now, your first rim had a 35mm ET rim and that would have pushed a 235/35 tyre 15mm further out than a standard 50mm ET rim; you now know this of course.

BUT, you're now going to try a 45mm ET rim and that, for me, will still push a 235/35 tyre 5mm further out than if fitted to a standard 50mm ET rim; I think you may still have a problem with tyre to wheel arch fouling.

Hope I'm wrong, but I'm sure you'll keep us informed...

 

[T-800]

With help from Bluey..... Love it.

 

[gwelsby]

PLEASE take care, gwelsby; I think you may (?) still in trouble...

Consider: the standard 8J rim has a 50mm ET and with a 235/35 Vredestein Wintrac Xtream tyre fitted the outside face of that tyre sits 69mm (just measured) off the wheel mounting face: see diagram.

View attachment 45477Now with this setup I get the occasional tyre 'kiss' at the rear on full bump.

Now, your first rim had a 35mm ET rim and that would have pushed a 235/35 tyre 15mm further out than a standard 50mm ET rim; you now know this of course.

BUT, you're now going to try a 45mm ET rim and that, for me, will still push a 235/35 tyre 5mm further out than if fitted to a standard 50mm ET rim; I think you may still have a problem with tyre to wheel arch fouling.

Hope I'm wrong, but I'm sure you'll keep us informed...

Thanks another million! Can anyone confirm they've had no problems with a 45 offset wheel and 235 tyre? I've also been advised that if I move the wheel too far inboard I may have problems with it impinging on the brake calliper.

 

[gwelsby]

1) Are your 'new' wheels 19-inch x 8J x ET50?

2) Are the tyre pressures correct? I use 37psi on the rear on both winter and summer tyres

3) Please check the inner wheel arch liner making sure it's not loose, etc. Also, look for the 'rub' marks. I do get an occasional 'kiss' on the liner but it only seems to happen on one particular piece of road - so I no longer use that piece of road...

Thanks for that but the problem appears to be with the offset.
Gerald.

 

[45bvtc]

With help from Bluey..... Love it.

Happy you enjoy the humour, Sean; and how well you read drawings...

 

[gwelsby]

PLEASE take care, gwelsby; I think you may (?) still in trouble...

Consider: the standard 8J rim has a 50mm ET and with a 235/35 Vredestein Wintrac Xtream tyre fitted the outside face of that tyre sits 69mm (just measured) off the wheel mounting face: see diagram.

View attachment 45477Now with this setup I get the occasional tyre 'kiss' at the rear on full bump.

Now, your first rim had a 35mm ET rim and that would have pushed a 235/35 tyre 15mm further out than a standard 50mm ET rim; you now know this of course.

BUT, you're now going to try a 45mm ET rim and that, for me, will still push a 235/35 tyre 5mm further out than if fitted to a standard 50mm ET rim; I think you may still have a problem with tyre to wheel arch fouling.

Hope I'm wrong, but I'm sure you'll keep us informed...

Right. Thanks another million for the chat John. I talked to my dealer and to their credit they will take back the wheels I bought in Dec 2013 (but only fitted 3 days ago) and credit them against 4 x 8j x 50ET x 19 wheels. Well done Wheelbase. Now all I need is a map showing the roads I need to keep away from to avoid rubbing....
Thanks again.

 

[Muzza80]

Yeah even ET45 and 235 wont work, like I said my ET44 BBS and 235 MPSS rubbed badly (albeit on my 2010 S3 Sportback but I assume the RS3 is the same), good that the dealer are sorting you out.

 

[45bvtc]

Right. Thanks another million for the chat John. I talked to my dealer and to their credit they will take back the wheels I bought in Dec 2013 (but only fitted 3 days ago) and credit them against 4 x 8j x 50ET x 19 wheels. Well done Wheelbase. Now all I need is a map showing the roads I need to keep away from to avoid rubbing....
Thanks again.

GOOD job, Gerald; you'll be sorted on 8J 50ET (it's the ET that's the killer) and 235/35s all round, no worries...

The problem with the RS3 is that Audi employed a STD body shell, the rear wheel-arches were NOT modified to fit anything other than the 8J rim, why would they. The front wings, however, were used to develop carbon-fibre manufacturing techniques - and an 8.5J rim. Audi sold this 'wider tyres at the front' as a sales feature, of course.

I always find it amusing that our Mk 2 TT has 9J rims front and rear

 

[gwelsby]

GOOD job, Gerald; you'll be sorted on 8J 50ET (it's the ET that's the killer) and 235/35s all round, no worries...

The problem with the RS3 is that Audi employed a STD body shell, the rear wheel-arches were NOT modified to fit anything other than the 8J rim, why would they. The front wings, however, were used to develop carbon-fibre manufacturing techniques - and an 8.5J rim. Audi sold this 'wider tyres at the front' as a sales feature, of course.

I always find it amusing that our Mk 2 TT has 9J rims front and rear

John,
this forum is great. Between you and Muzza80 I've found the ideal solution to a problem I never knew I had<g>. Btw, what is the effect of your 255/30 fronts, apart from making them more likely to scrape my very steep drive?
Btw2, I had my car remapped this week. I'm going to download an iPhone app and do some 0-60 tests before I post the results.
Thanks again to you both.

 

[45bvtc]

Btw, what is the effect of your 255/30 fronts, apart from making them more likely to scrape my very steep drive?

I think you'd be ok on your "very steep drive", Gerald, as (when new) a 235/35 on an 8J rim has a diameter of 641mm and a rolling of 1955mm, while a 255/30 on an 8.5J rim has a diameter of 637mm and a rolling of 1943mm: as shown here after changing summer to winter wheels/tyres yesterday:

 

[gwelsby]

45bvtc,
the problem is not the steepness of the drive per se but the angle between the drive and the road at the bottom. I've scraped the front of a Ferrari F548 when reversing straight down.....
Anyway, I got the correct match of wheels and tyres fitted at Kwik Fit Aylesbury today. Bring on that snow!

 

[gwelsby]

Yeah even ET45 and 235 wont work, like I said my ET44 BBS and 235 MPSS rubbed badly (albeit on my 2010 S3 Sportback but I assume the RS3 is the same), good that the dealer are sorting you out.

Muzza80,
yes, it is good that the dealer sorted me out. Obviously with a purchase more than a year old they had no obligation to do anything, so giving me a full credit for the alloys was very generous. Also, I received an email from them today with a voucher code saying that anyone using it will get £25 off any order, in perpetuity, from wheelbasealloys.co.uk. I got the wheels and tyres from them. A good lot of lads up in Manchester. Anyone interested let me know.

 

[gwelsby]

Gentlemen, here I am, about to sort out some summer tyres. Your advice has always been first class in the past, so I am hoping you can help me out now. I have my original wheels with worn out Contis on in the garage. I have BBS black alloys on at the moment with 235/35 Wintrac Extreme tyres all round. To be honest, I had forgotten that the winter wheels were non-standard size and was going to put summer tyres on them and save the originals for next winter. What's my best option now? Should l just get MPSS tyres on the original wheels? Also, 45bvtc, can you remind me of the brake upgrade you mentioned all that time ago?

 

[Dave Hedgehog]

100% get the MPSS's fantastic tyre, really show up how ***** the OEM contis are

Summary

47i6 upgrade - Brembo parts
Front rotor part number for the 47i6 upgrade is: 8P0.615.301.B

EBC Red Stuff:
Front Pads - DP31210C FRTUNING
Rear Pads - DP31518C FRTUNING

modify the front nearside brake sensor wear cable
1) just cut the cable at the brake pad end
2) strip the outer cover from both inner cables and join and solder together
3) re-fit the outer tube, wrap over and seal
4) refit.

 

[gwelsby]

Thanks a million, Dave. Original wheels are ok for the MPSS, then? Regarding the brake sensor, what does the near-end connector look like? If all I need to do is short-circuit it I could save the original for when I sell the car and pay pence for a connector.

 

[monkeyboy_marcus]

Highly recommend MPSS all around. Last year had the original spec Contis rear and MPSS front and this was OK but now with x 4 new MPSS the car is flying. Let me know if you want the upgrade pads or Brembo sport pads, as I have both going up on eBay soon with plenty of life in them...

 

[ZACK]

Hi I need advice on getting winter wheels and tyres for my 2012 RS3. Really only for two trips to the Alps in Austria. So this is purely functional no bling required. So questions would be:
1. Can I just get winter tyres and put them on the original 19 inch alloys or do I need to buy wheels too?
2. Any recommendations on which tyres or wheels I should go for? Bonus if they are not too pricey.
Thanks chaps

 

[gwelsby]

Hi I need advice on getting winter wheels and tyres for my 2012 RS3. Really only for two trips to the Alps in Austria. So this is purely functional no bling required. So questions would be:
1. Can I just get winter tyres and put them on the original 19 inch alloys or do I need to buy wheels too?
2. Any recommendations on which tyres or wheels I should go for? Bonus if they are not too pricey.
Thanks chaps

Hi Zack. My RS3 is on a 62 plate. No need to change wheels. I bought new alloys just to make it easier to swap from winter to summer and vice versa. If you want some you could try wheelbasealloys.co.uk. They are very knowledgeable and will advise you. The winter tyres I bought on recommendation from this site are Vredstein. Unfortunately, I can't tell you how well they perform as we had no snow last winter! One thing to bear in mind is that there is very little additional cost in getting winter tyres as they make your summer tyres last twice as long<g>.
Sorry I can't be more helpful,
Gerald.

 

[gwelsby]

Highly recommend MPSS all around. Last year had the original spec Contis rear and MPSS front and this was OK but now with x 4 new MPSS the car is flying. Let me know if you want the upgrade pads or Brembo sport pads, as I have both going up on eBay soon with plenty of life in them...

Hi, Marcus. I've not looked at the site for some time so I've only just seen your post. When I changed from my winter tyres I replaced the Contis with with MPSS's. I've had the car chipped up to 410bhp so that may make a difference, but I find that the car squirms a lot under hard acceleration. I suspect that this may be down to the Michelins' extra grip stopping the traction control kicking in. Have you noticed this?
All the best,
Gerald.

 

[monkeyboy_marcus]

Hi I need advice on getting winter wheels and tyres for my 2012 RS3. Really only for two trips to the Alps in Austria. So this is purely functional no bling required. So questions would be:
1. Can I just get winter tyres and put them on the original 19 inch alloys or do I need to buy wheels too?
2. Any recommendations on which tyres or wheels I should go for? Bonus if they are not too pricey.
Thanks chaps

Hello mate, I can recommend Michelin Pilot Alpine (PA) 4 winter tyres, after three seasons of use. They're not cheap but I can't fault them in terms of continuing to provide high performance in adverse wet/cold/snowy conditions in the UK. They show almost no sign of wear either, after a combined circa 18 months of use. I used Black Circles and spec'ed the same tyre dimensions as for summer. Vredsteins have also got good reviews on here.

 

[monkeyboy_marcus]

Hi, Marcus. I've not looked at the site for some time so I've only just seen your post. When I changed from my winter tyres I replaced the Contis with with MPSS's. I've had the car chipped up to 410bhp so that may make a difference, but I find that the car squirms a lot under hard acceleration. I suspect that this may be down to the Michelins' extra grip stopping the traction control kicking in. Have you noticed this?
All the best,
Gerald.

Hello mate, mine's not chipped, for reference. I noticed something like this occasionally last year but oddly enough not this year and I'm driving the same style, although with all four new MPSS, whereas last year it was a mix of original Contis rear and MPSS up front. You may be right in terms of the tyres' grip interfering with the traction control, especially since you have significantly more power compared to stock. Like you describe, I found it under very hard acceleration the steering wheel would twitch about and the car would slew slightly alarmingly, albeit briefly and swiftly under control. Fun and games eh!