the shank

so i have a 2001 a41.8t, quattro with sport and have 37,000 miles. so the tires the car came with were perellis and they are now "cupped". audi says to call them up, that they shouldn't be like that already, and now the representative at pirelli says that that tire is made to only go up to about 20 - 25,000 miles. has anyone else run into this problem? the tires are the sport tires. there still seems to be a lot of tread but the road noise is getting irritating.

also, i'm looking into getting some tires that will also work in the snow and ice. i live in california, but definitely like to go snowboarding. someone out there help me out. i want to get a good tire with long life, that can do everything. hahah.

thanks
the shank

ex-quattro PETE

I've never heard of anyone getting 37K miles out of the stock Pirellis (P6000, right?). Most people throw them away after 15-20K miles.

One thing you have to realize, high perf. summer tires don't last nearly as long as all-season grand touring tires. That's the tradeoff of having better handling/traction/grip.

If you're looking for a long-lasting all-season tire in size 225/45/17, pretty much your only choice is Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. It is very expensive though. If you're willing to accept a little shorter lasting tire (and much less expensive), then look into Sumitomo HTR+. Also, someone recently reported good feedback on Falken 512.

Phil type 951

intersting.....I get about 5-15k out of tires... I must be doing something wrong.

ex-quattro PETE

This is usually caused by doing a lot of slides through turns (taking turns at high speeds), maybe also combined with running too low of an air pressure in your tires. This would cause the sides of the tread area to be worn more than the center.

Regardless of how it happened, you've definitely got enough life out of these mediocre tires. Time to get new ones ;-)

the shank

oh, i'm definitely going to get new ones. i'm thinking the low tire pressure is not a scenario. i usually run them a little higher than recomended. . . i can't rule out the turning at high speeds though. come on, i'm driving a quattro - sport. haha

i did get news that pirelli will give me 50% off my next tire purchase, if i buy pirellis... but i think i'm looking to get off that brand. what do you think of dunlops?

thanks for your info pete... i guess i was a little lost about those tires.

ex-quattro PETE

I don't know of any good all-season Pirelli or Dunlop tires that come in size 225/45/17. See my other response for recommendations.