About to take delivery...

[Ike]

After a few weeks of searching for just the right M3 I've given up and will be picking up my S4 tomorrow night. I hadn't driven an MT S4 yet and was focusing on M3s but had the chance to drive an MT and liked it a lot more than I thought I would.

After almost buying a white S4 with 40k on it I found a black one with 17k and CPO til 6/2011, maintenance and factory warranty til june of '09 for just $700 more. I wanted white, but I can live with black. :p

I'm coming from a modded Evo, so the S4 power and handling are nice but not doing a whole lot for me. However, I know the S4 will be a much better overall car and daily driver. Also, I'll enjoy the torque of the V8 and the great powerband of the engine. It's sad, but after not even having cruise control for the last 3+ years I'm looking forward to having a little luxury. My wife will be happy as well... She loved driving the Evo but hated being a passenger in it.

My only question concerns wheels. I'm trying to decide between cheap winter wheels or wheels I really like and using the stockers as winter wheels. There seem to be a lot of cheap replica wheels out there for the S4, are they all the same or are there replicas that are better than others?

Thanks for reading,
Ike

[norsecarnut]

Your wheels would be pretty sweet on my Avant. Do you have a matching spare?

[MOFSTEEL]

Your wheels would be pretty sweet on my Avant. Do you have a matching spare?

No matching spare.

[Ike]

I guess someone forgot to tell me it's hijack the noob's thread day

[Buegie]

My only question concerns wheels. I'm trying to decide between cheap winter wheels or wheels I really like and using the stockers as winter wheels. There seem to be a lot of cheap replica wheels out there for the S4, are they all the same or are there replicas that are better than others?

I guess it depends on your price range. If you can afford a new set of wheels, use the stock ones for winter. If you can't you can find a cheaper set and use those for winter. Or just buy a set of snow tires and switch them on your stock wheels every winter.

[skiS4fun]

I use 19's in the summer and 18's in the winter. I went with the Hartmann 19 RS4's and they have been great. Good price to. But I don't want to expose them to winter so I put on a set of BBS 18's in the winter.

[VMRWheels]

We have sold several winter tire setups with our 18" v708 wheels. What kind of wheels are you looking for?

[V8S4Fun]

I guess someone forgot to tell me it's hijack the noob's thread day

That was good!

Let's get some pics up as soon as you can!

[amremt]

I found myself in your position just four months ago after picking up a cpo 05 s4. After doing quite a bit of research on wheels I decided to go with vmr v708 with goodyear eagle 245/35/19 f1 allseason tires. I decided to go with this setup b/c after selling my stock rims and tires I was only out $1300 for rims and tires. The setup looks much better than stock and for the price I won't be worried about taking the rims in the snow. Look at all the rims on the b6 picture thread too.

[Sharkfin]

I would keep the stocks as your winter wheels with some nice winter tires and buy a sweet set of 19s or 20s for the summer months with summer tires. Swap them when the temperature change comes.

[channad]

save your money for 19s in the summer. Use the stock wheels for winter. Just wait until you have some good quality wheels. No use spending the cash you can put toward a set of quality wheels.

[PenguiN]

Keep the stockers for winter and buy a quality set of wheels for summer.
Like my 19lb Champion wheels for $3400.
BTW, you should buy my car instead.

man those wheels look sexy!! have any idea how much they weigh?

[skunkoncrunk]

man those wheels look sexy!! have any idea how much they weigh?

19lbs is what he said above.

[MOFSTEEL]

man those wheels look sexy!! have any idea how much they weigh?

Yeah, 19lbs on the wheels themselves.
I'll throw one on the scale tomorrow to see what they weigh with tires.

[Ike]

Well, got the car tonight and everything went smoothly after weeks of drama and walking away from car after car that I thought I was going to buy. I don't think I could have made a much more dramatic jump from one performance car to another going from modded Evo to S4. I'll always miss the Evo, maybe some day I'll have another. However, for now I'm getting used to the S4 and I think I'll be happy with it. At the very least my 100 mile drive home was far more comfortable and less noisey than it would have been in the Evo. But, it's kinda hard to not miss about 100whp in a car that weighs several hundred pounds less.

I checked out the tires, but silly me only checked two or three of the tires at the dealer... Turns out I have 3 Goodyears and one Continental So, looks like I'll be buying an extra Goodyear when I find my new set of wheels and tires. Will look tomorrow in the daylight to see just which Goodyear Eagles I'm going to be living with for a while. If they're the all seasons I'll probably just drive them through the winter and get some summer wheels and tires.

I'll try to get some pics up soon. Any suggestions for a good vendor that carries a lot of S4 goodies? I think a short shifter and an exhaust might be in order... I know I won't get any performance gains for the exhaust but maybe making the S4 loud will make me miss the Evo less.

[eweu]

I checked out the tires, but silly me only checked two or three of the tires at the dealer... Turns out I have 3 Goodyears and one Continental

Ugh. Be sure to check your spare. That's where the 4th Goodyear is most likely.

When I got my CPO it had new tires all around including the spare. However, the spare turned out to be severely bent and cracked (only visible from the back of the wheel). How the dealer let a CPO out the door with a cracked rim is beyond me. How someone could mount a tire on a bent rim is even more mind boggling. Luckily, the dealer took care of everything.

[Ike]

Ugh. Be sure to check your spare. That's where the 4th Goodyear is most likely.

When I got my CPO it had new tires all around including the spare. However, the spare turned out to be severely bent and cracked (only visible from the back of the wheel). How the dealer let a CPO out the door with a cracked rim is beyond me. How someone could mount a tire on a bent rim is even more mind boggling. Luckily, the dealer took care of everything.

The spare has road rash and is a Pilot Sport So, my guess is the previous owner had a blowout and rather than getting the same tire just bought whatever someone local had. Silly, but it's the only thing that makes sense to me because all 4 tires have a ton of life left on them. I didn't get it from an Audi dealer and it's a 1 owner CPO... As far as I can tell it sat on a showroom floor for a while and was sold after the B6 arrived and somehow the original owner got them to CPO it as oart of the deal. It's either that or carfax has some bad info and there is an owner missing from their report. So as a result I've got free maintenance and standard warranty left for a while and then the CPO til 2011. I negotiated my price based on what CPO cars were selling for and made them undercut those prices because I was told the CPO didn't transfer with Audi. I found out a short time later that if it was CPO'd before a certain date that it will once I fill out the paperwork and pay the $150.

[Ike]

Liking the car more and more... However, it's almost a little too refined. Maybe a little more exhaust noise will fool me into thinking it's a little faster and take away some of the Enya like zen I'm feeling

[Beelzeebub]

not to derail the thread of OP, but i have 2 questions since we are on the topic:

1. Why do you have to downsize wheel size for winter tires? I see a lot of folks running 19" on summer tires but run 18" or 17" on winter wheels. Can you just run the same size?

2. Why have a separate set of wheels for winter when the All Season tires have been invented?

[guglielmo]

Some quick answers

1. Cheaper and it is better to have a narrower snow tire.

2. All-seasons are great but they don't compare to a good set of winter tires.

3. A really good excuse to buy some new rims.

[Meradin]

not to derail the thread of OP, but i have 2 questions since we are on the topic:

1. Why do you have to downsize wheel size for winter tires? I see a lot of folks running 19" on summer tires but run 18" or 17" on winter wheels. Can you just run the same size?

2. Why have a separate set of wheels for winter when the All Season tires have been invented?

1. The shorter side walls on the 19 cause the tire to flex less which provides less traction in the snow. You want the tire to flex more in the winter to keep a better contact patch on the road.

2. Dedicated season tires will perform much better in their season then an all year tire. You don't need a separate set of wheels just the tires. The S4 generally comes with summer only tires and you don't want to use them in the winter. From personal experience, even a 1/4 inch of snow on the road will make you slide like you wouldn't believe. Most users on the forum run snow tires in the winter if they get snow in their area and that makes the S4 like a tank in the snow. All season tires just can't give you the best of both worlds.

[Maverick]

The spare has road rash and is a Pilot Sport So, my guess is the previous owner had a blowout and rather than getting the same tire just bought whatever someone local had. Silly, but it's the only thing that makes sense to me because all 4 tires have a ton of life left on them. I didn't get it from an Audi dealer and it's a 1 owner CPO... As far as I can tell it sat on a showroom floor for a while and was sold after the B6 arrived and somehow the original owner got them to CPO it as oart of the deal. It's either that or carfax has some bad info and there is an owner missing from their report. So as a result I've got free maintenance and standard warranty left for a while and then the CPO til 2011. I negotiated my price based on what CPO cars were selling for and made them undercut those prices because I was told the CPO didn't transfer with Audi. I found out a short time later that if it was CPO'd before a certain date that it will once I fill out the paperwork and pay the $150.

you can do a JHM short shifter mod and maybe VF supercharger kit if you want more power!!! lol

[Maverick]

Yeah, 19lbs on the wheels themselves.
I'll throw one on the scale tomorrow to see what they weigh with tires.

I wonder how your Champion wheels look on my Denim blue B6.
It's so hard to find a perfect set of wheels for blue cars. Fak

[Daddie]

Can you fit 17" wheels on the S4?

[Sharkfin]

Some quick answers

1. Cheaper and it is better to have a narrower snow tire.

2. All-seasons are great but they don't compare to a good set of winter tires.

3. A really good excuse to buy some new rims.

So why is it better to have a narrow tire during the winter?

[...Mark...]

So why is it better to have a narrow tire during the winter?

A wider tire will have to plow a wider path through the snow which causes more resistance. The narrower the tire the less resistance and the easier you can get through snow. Also it does help to have more of a sidewall like mentioned above so that the tire can flex to maintain a contact patch better..

[Beelzeebub]

1. The shorter side walls on the 19 cause the tire to flex less which provides less traction in the snow. You want the tire to flex more in the winter to keep a better contact patch on the road.

2. Dedicated season tires will perform much better in their season then an all year tire. You don't need a separate set of wheels just the tires. The S4 generally comes with summer only tires and you don't want to use them in the winter. From personal experience, even a 1/4 inch of snow on the road will make you slide like you wouldn't believe. Most users on the forum run snow tires in the winter if they get snow in their area and that makes the S4 like a tank in the snow. All season tires just can't give you the best of both worlds.

This is going to be my first winter with the S4. I have Michelin PS2 tires on the oem 18" Avus rims right out of the dealership. I would presume they are summer tires since:

1. I dont think Michelin makes PS2 all season tires (i think they are called something else)

2. the tread pattern doesnt look like typical all season tires.

Sometimes we get snow here in north NJ, sometimes not. Last winter we had snow fall only about 3 or 4 times. I am trying to justify the expense on a new set of wheels. I do not like to keep swapping tires on one set of rims because of the likelihood of damage to the rims.

Im curious to hear of your experience with even 1/4 inch of snow fall on summer tires. Is it really that bad? Even while driving gingerly? Ive driven on snow with all season tires and it wasnt too bad unless it was really icy and on an incline/decline.

Sorry OP, not intending to derail thread. thanks.

[Sharkfin]

A wider tire will have to plow a wider path through the snow which causes more resistance. The narrower the tire the less resistance and the easier you can get through snow. Also it does help to have more of a sidewall like mentioned above so that the tire can flex to maintain a contact patch better..

So basically I'm screwed with a 245/30/20 tire, sweet!

[Rippin]

Im curious to hear of your experience with even 1/4 inch of snow fall on summer tires. Is it really that bad? Even while driving gingerly?

Yes, it really is that bad. Braking traction is practically non-existent with summers in even light snow. Don't risk it, get winter tires.

[...Mark...]

So basically I'm screwed with a 245/30/20 tire, sweet!

I wouldn't want to run a nicer rim and tire setup in the colder months anyway w/ all the sand and salt.. TheY can get pitted up and destroyed relativley quickly..

[Beelzeebub]

Yes, it really is that bad. Braking traction is practically non-existent with summers in even light snow. Don't risk it, get winter tires.

ok...Im convinced. now...to start saving up...

[EYE4SPEED]

I thought it was best to keep all the tires the same brand as well as within 1/4" or so being the same height (treadware) to avoid messing with the Quattro?

[Ike]

I thought it was best to keep all the tires the same brand as well as within 1/4" or so being the same height (treadware) to avoid messing with the Quattro?

That's a good idea with any car.

Still looking for some vendor suggestions so I can go mod shopping :)

[sakimano]

actually, I think the narrower tire has a narrower contact patch with the road...thus more weight per square inch is contacting the surface, creating more grip on soft surface. Wider tires = wider contact patch = less grip = greater likelihood of sliding.

Further, narrower tires on smaller wheels with higher sidewalls = less likelihood of rim damage when smashing through salt/sand/rocks/ice.

'Plowing' through the snow is not as much of a concern with a 340hp 300tq V8 powered small sedan...it's all about grip.

A wider tire will have to plow a wider path through the snow which causes more resistance. The narrower the tire the less resistance and the easier you can get through snow. Also it does help to have more of a sidewall like mentioned above so that the tire can flex to maintain a contact patch better..

[c4racer]

I guess it depends on your price range. If you can afford a new set of wheels, use the stock ones for winter. If you can't you can find a cheaper set and use those for winter. Or just buy a set of snow tires and switch them on your stock wheels every winter.

right - I did the latter. I like the stock wheels better than most of the aftermarket ones. I picked up a set of wheels / tires from Tire Rack and the wheels were only about $150 each.

I need a second set of wheels because I swap back to the summer tires in-between trips to the snow. Since it doesn't snow where I live I can plan that way

[c4racer]

Yes, it really is that bad. Braking traction is practically non-existent with summers in even light snow. Don't risk it, get winter tires.

even all seasons are pretty crappy in the snow. Which is why I call all-seasons "no seasons". They basically work half-assed in all seasons but not really well in any one season. Summer tires work great in dry and rain as long as temps are above upper 30's. Which covers me pretty much all year here in Northern CA.

[Ike]

even all seasons are pretty crappy in the snow. Which is why I call all-seasons "no seasons". They basically work half-assed in all seasons but not really well in any one season. Summer tires work great in dry and rain as long as temps are above upper 30's. Which covers me pretty much all year here in Northern CA.

Still not sure how this thread got turned into a tire discussion... I guess I'll just go with it.

All seasons, it really just depends on what all seasons we're talking about. If anyone thinks an ultra high performance all season is going to be good in winter they're in for a bit of a surprise. Most of those tires have a tread that is designed for good dry grip and the only thing that makes them an all season is the compound. However, technically most Nokians are all seasons and are about the best winter tires available. Basically, just do some research on what tire is best for your needs. If you're in an area that gets a lot of rain but stays warm there are even summer tires you'll want to avoid.

[norsecarnut]

We just got the Nokian WRG2 in today. Getting mounted Friday...and I thought they looked like animals in the photos, wow they are the coolest combo of performance design plus sipe-mania.

http://www.nokiantire.com/en/tire_wr...?season=winter

Going to mount these on the stock 18x8 oem rs4 look-alikes. However I don't want to wear them out unnecessarily so I'm deciding on 19x8.5's now too because there are 2 track events I want to attend next month. I suppose I could stick with these stock tires/wheels through the events and then swap tires and deal with the 19's in the spring....let the $4k+ make money instead of sit around the garage.

Either Hartman reps or BBS or OZ is where I'm headed so far though.

Opinions?

[sakimano]

Hey there. Are there Nokian Hakkapelittas 2 in 18"? Thanks

We just got the Nokian WRG2 in today. Getting mounted Friday...and I thought they looked like animals in the photos, wow they are the coolest combo of performance design plus sipe-mania.

http://www.nokiantire.com/en/tire_wr...?season=winter

Going to mount these on the stock 18x8 oem rs4 look-alikes. However I don't want to wear them out unnecessarily so I'm deciding on 19x8.5's now too because there are 2 track events I want to attend next month. I suppose I could stick with these stock tires/wheels through the events and then swap tires and deal with the 19's in the spring....let the $4k+ make money instead of sit around the garage.

Either Hartman reps or BBS or OZ is where I'm headed so far though.

Opinions?

[Callsign_Jester]

Still not sure how this thread got turned into a tire discussion... I guess I'll just go with it.

haha, Congrats with the car man and welcome to AZ!

Heck why not, actually some good information and a wake up call for some people who were about to go sledding in their S4 this winter