Winter Wheels or just Tires?

[TechnoCat]

In the past, I've had separate tires for winter, but still mounted on the same wheels. Always had the mountings done by Discount Tire in Kirkland; never a scratch. I'm near Seattle, so winters aren't super-hard on the wheels, and the tires add safety margin more than being a pure necessity.

Is there any good reason to buy another set of rims for my 2011 S4 Prestige (255/35/19) rather than buying and having mounted each year something like the Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D? What are the advantages?

Thanks

[B6UltraSport]

I know a common thing to do is put winter tires on the stock rims and then just buy a different set of wheels/tires for the warmer months.

I personally love having multiple sets of wheels/tires. It makes the switch over so much easier. It costs you each time to have the new tires remounted, not to mention that leaves them prone to getting damaged during the mounting process....

[Tifosi]

Each time you dismount and mount tires, micro damages are done to the wheels which promote bead leaks. If you are set on having dedicated tires for each season, then it is wise to have two sets of wheels/tires and switch them out accordingly. If not, you can just get a set of high performance all-seasons, which is more than capable for the PNW winters, and sell the factory summer tires.

[TechnoCat]

Thank you. I do like having summer tires though; the Dunlop GT Sport Maxx SP is pretty much pure summer. Plus I have to do a lot of driving in places like the convergence zone (e.g. Maltby) that get much more socked in than Seattle/Tacoma, and the La Nina forecasts have me cautious.

What does one do about the tire pressure monitoring system?

[dkky996]

Thank you. I do like having summer tires though; the Dunlop GT Sport Maxx SP is pretty much pure summer. Plus I have to do a lot of driving in places like the convergence zone (e.g. Maltby) that get much more socked in than Seattle/Tacoma, and the La Nina forecasts have me cautious.

What does one do about the tire pressure monitoring system?

US s4 does not have TPMS, not sure about other countries...

[Dr GP]

Have you considered just using All Season tires. IMHO, All season tires are a good option if you don't track the car or encounter significant or frequent snowfall. They are less expensive than UHP summer tires and have a much better tread life. Here in PA we do get winter snows and I have driven through some accumulations with A/S tires on my B6 S4 without problem(Contis and Kumhos). I plan on putting Conti Extreme Contact DWS on my S4 when the OEM dunlops wear out next year. I've already put them on my wife and daughter's Lexus IS 250 AWD. They are really good street tires. And yes, there are no TPMS sensors in the wheels.

[rktskicar]

Thank you. I do like having summer tires though; the Dunlop GT Sport Maxx SP is pretty much pure summer. Plus I have to do a lot of driving in places like the convergence zone (e.g. Maltby) that get much more socked in than Seattle/Tacoma, and the La Nina forecasts have me cautious.

What does one do about the tire pressure monitoring system?

I just run one set of ultra high performance all season tires all year long in the PNW Seattle area and I do a lot of skiing.

Bruce

[apexit1]

The TPMS on our cars work off of the speed that the wheel is rotating. If a wheel is spinning x percent faster than another wheel the system will warn you. The theory is that a wheel with less air will spin at a different speed and it negates the expensive TPMS monitors.

[alexverve]

Have you considered just using All Season tires. IMHO, All season tires are a good option if you don't track the car or encounter significant or frequent snowfall. They are less expensive than UHP summer tires and have a much better tread life. Here in PA we do get winter snows and I have driven through some accumulations with A/S tires on my B6 S4 without problem(Contis and Kumhos). I plan on putting Conti Extreme Contact DWS on my S4 when the OEM dunlops wear out next year. I've already put them on my wife and daughter's Lexus IS 250 AWD. They are really good street tires. And yes, there are no TPMS sensors in the wheels.

all season tires are crap. they are at best equal to worst summer performance tires and worst winter tires. in most categories. including braking. if u like take corners at speed. if u like "feeling" in your steering wheel, get good high-performance summer tires on a set of nice wheels (19"). and use stocks (18" preferably) for dedicated winter tires. u will be able drive to places where no BMW X5/Merc GL/Lexus/etc will ever go. tires = everything... AWD is not enough.

[Dr GP]

Fortunately many of us don't encounter extreme winter conditions and don't NEED Ultra high performance summer tires for use on the streets. As far a s A/s tires for use in the winter, they work just fine in snow under 6" ESPECIALLY in metropolitan and suburban areas where the municipalities clear the roads expediantly. I see you live in Brooklyn. Perhaps that explains your attitude. Obvioulsly, you will not go in winter with summer tires and snow. But I can tell you from experince, A/s tires do work in winter in winter for many of us. No problem in the summer either. BTW, a summer winter set up will outperform A/s tires . But some may not need that level of performance.

[csaudis4]

Right, i'm that lazy guy, who will drive on UHP summers in deep snow and won't care to change tires. This probably will give me better chance to practice like a rally star, hahah, jk.

Anyway, I would rather go A/S instead of summer/winter separately. AWD is not all but it's a reason I ran away from my 135i. I won't have space to store another set of wheel or maybe even two sets for that 135, and switch wheels every time it gets into winter, and then every time it snows (stud tires in snow). I won't switch between two sets of wheels, not to mention three. Now I got AWD, i would rather go one set and drive till it wears out, and show BMW drivers how AWD can drift and handle better in the snow than BMW haha.

[Voltrons_Head]

I run Michelin Pilot Sport A/S all year round. We had some really bad snow this past season and I had the opportunity to drive in the first bad one with the summers that came on the car. Wo! it's amazing the difference the all seasons make. They're perfect for me. I should have ordered a 265 instead of a 255 but what can you do?

[rktskicar]

I run Michelin Pilot Sport A/S all year round. We had some really bad snow this past season and I had the opportunity to drive in the first bad one with the summers that came on the car. Wo! it's amazing the difference the all seasons make. They're perfect for me. I should have ordered a 265 instead of a 255 but what can you do?

Are they the Pilot Sport A/S or the Pilot Sport A/S Plus? I ran the Pilot Sport A/S on my last S4 for awhile. I am currently running the Bridgestone Potenza Pole Position 960 AS tires.

Bruce

[rktskicar]

I agree with Tifosi. If you are going to run seperate summer and winter tires, then have two sets of wheels. Don't keep mounting/demounting tires on one set of wheels. If you are going to have only one set of wheels/tires then run UHPAS tires.

Bruce

[Voltrons_Head]

Are they the Pilot Sport A/S or the Pilot Sport A/S Plus? I ran the Pilot Sport A/S on my last S4 for awhile. I am currently running the Bridgestone Potenza Pole Position 960 AS tires.

Bruce

They are just the A/S. Got them on sale from Tirerack. Under or around $200 each if I remember correctly.

[Dr GP]

BTW, If you are going to consider A/S tires, I would suggest the Conti Extreme Contacts DWS. Tire rack has them rated higer in most categories than the Michelins. ( especially in snow and ice traction) And they are significantly cheaper with better tire wear. Have them on both my duaghter's and wife's Lexus IS250 AWD. Unfortuntely, neither has encountered snow since that were put on this spring. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey...jsp?type=UHPAS

[Seinsmeld13]

I'm going to use my stock 18's for my winter set up as I've purchased 19" PIAA Super Rozza to install for March 2011. The 19" rims arrived yesterday and are beautiful

[dkky996]

I'm going to use my stock 18's for my winter set up as I've purchased 19" PIAA Super Rozza to install for March 2011. The 19" rims arrived yesterday and are beautiful

Post some pics when you get the chance.

[TechnoCat]

Any idea how much the 19" 5 tri-spoke wheels on the 2011 S4 Prestige weigh? If the tri-spokes are heavy, maybe I'll get lighter wheels for the summer and use the tri-spokes for the winter.

[nick71692]

I just got a really nice deal on Tirerack. 235/40 18 Blizzak ws60's and motegi 18" black rims all for $1240 and a $50 gift card back in the mail. I find that to be a pretty darn good deal

[A4_n00b]

It's good to have dedicated wheels/tires for winter. If you minus size to an 18" combo, you have less weight and rolling resistance as well as the benefit of a more narrow contact patch in the snow. Plus, you can keep your 19" 's out of the salt/sand/cinders and keep them looking nicer longer.

[Seinsmeld13]

Post some pics when you get the chance.

I am picking them up this Saturday and unfortunately not installing them until spring, can't wait.

[TechnoCat]

If you minus size to an 18" combo, you have less weight and rolling resistance as well as the benefit of a more narrow contact patch in the snow. Plus, you can keep your 19" 's out of the salt/sand/cinders and keep them looking nicer longer.

I've owned Audis for ~14 years, never had the wheels get manky due to the winter. And winter weather here is unpredictable. Yes, snow and ice... for a few days at a time adding up to perhaps 30... but also rain and a few dry days. Curb rash sometimes, but that's it. That's why I'm curious about the weight/mass of the S4 stock 19s. I'm thinking to have decent wheels and tires on at all times, just switching based on the weather rather than the season, and if I can take the opportunity to lighten the summer wheel configuration, why not?