S4 Cabriolet Winter Tyres

[bluebird]

My handbook suggests dropping from 18" X 8" rims to 17" X 7" for winter tyres on my 2004 model V8 S4 Cariolet but my local Audi main dealer tells me that despite this recc in the handbook, Audi refuse to import 17" steel rims into the UK.

Living in Inverness it is not so easy to hop over to France or Holland to get some and I doubt I could get 4 rims at once into an S4 Cab anyway. Has anyone found a solution to this ?

I should also be interested in hearing from anyone who has or is parting with their S4 and has a spare set of winter rims/tyres for sale.

If anyone is interested in acquiring the number plate S4 00 AHH I could be persuaded to sell it for a vast sum as I have now got a more suitable Scottish S4 plate , S4 Och Aye ( well nearly anyway !)

Bluebird

 

[Draxxusdougie]

Having spent the my first 30 years living in Scotland and previously having lived/worked in the Alps, I've always liked to have proper winter wheels /tyres on my car. I have a 3.0 Q Sport which runs during the summer on 235/45x17 tyres fitted on standard wide alloys. In the winter I use 205/55 x 16 M+S tyres on steel wheels. I got the current set new on-line last November for about £450 (wheels & tyres) they are pukka stuff and served brilliantly over the unusually heavy snow we had in SE England this year. Unfortunately cn't remember what site it was but it was one of the big one that offered a huge choice of tyres including sets of winter wheels - comes near the top of Google and, although it is a UK site, it is parented in Germany. Hope this helps.

 

[Phil.MC]

I run on 19" 235/30r19 S4 alloys with sports tyres on my B6 A4 V6TDi during the summer, but have managed to pick up a set of as new standard 17" A4 alloys for £175 from a local VAG owners club, and have fitted part worn 225/45r17 Goodyear F1 asymmetric tyres which will be ideal for the winter months up here in Scotland. Together with the Quattro system I'm sure they'll be spot-on during the harshest of weather, and will keep my lovely 19" S4 rims nice and clean too.

I'd suggest looking on ebay for a cheap set of steel/alloy wheels and get some decent part worn tyres to wrap them in :thumbsup:.

 

[quattrojames]

I'm sure you could pick up a set of 16" Trapez, or even 17" Star wheels cheap enough from someone who's upgraded. 205/215 55 x 16 will match the rolling radius of your 235 x 18's.

 

[BahnStormer77]

mine came with the early 16" "sport" (Trapez?) wheels... which I quickly swapped for 18" S4 Avus III's (on 235/40/18 Toyo Proxes) and when the ice and snow came along, I replaced the rubber on my old 16's with Vredestein Wintrac Extreme's (215/55/16)... which are simply stunning.... makes you feel like that Audi R8 advert when you're on big icy car parks and everybody else is slithering around... I was able to zip past Range Rovers that were crabbing from side-to-side on icy slopes

If the 16's will go over your brakes (mine are 312mm), then I would highly recommend picking up a cheap set of those* on eBay as an option! (loads of people selling as B6's become cheaper and people start tarting up the models with 16" and 17" alloys)

*16" gives you a MUCH wider choice of Winter tyres... 17's are okay-ish and once you get over 17" all you really have are those Pirelli Sottozero's that are supposed to be pretty mediocre as winter tyres...

Tyres were about £95/corner delivered inc balancing and fitting from my local Merityre who were able to source them in about 6 days in the middle of all the snow last year!

...have fitted part worn 225/45r17 Goodyear F1 asymmetric tyres which will be ideal for the winter months up here in Scotland.

Careful there.... a good plan for for keeping your 19's clean, but won;t keep you on the road any better.... F1 Asymetrics are still summer rubber compound, so you'll still be on "hard plastic" below 8degC and in "hovercraft mode" once it gets icy. Winter typres aren't just about the tread depth, also about the soft rubber compound which is significantly better than multi-pupose tyres once you get below 8degC.

 

[BahnStormer77]

did that answer the question?