irenesbob

After causing minor damage to my wheels for the second time, I finally think I know what's going on. I've been drving for 46 years and never hit the rims on a curb with any prevous car I've owned. My last car I sold to my neighbor so I went over and took a look at the wheels and tires I used to drive successfully without hitting the curb to see what I'm doing wrong with the 06 A4. The situation is that on that 02 Nissan the tires were 60-series (the widest, lowest profile I had until that point) and by putting a cardboard box next tot he wheel, the rubber stuck out a good half inch more than the wheel. I went over and put the same cardboard box next to my 06 A4 wheels and the wheel touched the box before the tire did. This is my first car with 45-series rubber on a very wide wheel. It never ocurred to me that the tire would not be there to protect my wheels when I get close to the curb. I tend to park right up against the curb in parking lots on the assumption that the car on the other side might open their door in to me, so without even trying I always pull in right up against the curb assuming that although I might rub off a little black rubber, it would be no big deal compared to the possible dings I might get if I parked in the center of the space. Now that all has to change because even just touching the curb grinds these wheels down. Funny, I would never have imagined anyone would produce a car with a tire-wheel combo that would not provide a rubber cushion against possible damage. I guess it is all about image, style and what they call "high performance" these days. I will try to get with the program and prevent further damage - my aim is near-perfect and over the years I have never had any more than probably a 1/64" contact with the curb but with the A4's tire/wheel setup that is enough to leave grind marks.

PersianPower

I have winter tires on now which leave about half an inch of my rims showing but the stock tires match up with the rims in the center and stick out a bit as u move outwards.

irenesbob

At best, on my car the tire and wheel will contact at the same time and if the curb is not exactly perpendicular and the top sticks out that's where I apparently hit it. Also, since the sidewalls are low the rim sits way lower than the curb, something else I had not been used to. It is not anything that unusual, I simply had not anticipated the problem and now have adjusted my parking style. It is one of those things my ex-wife always said that I am constantly doing things to protect my car from "others" (like snugging close to the curb so no one hits the other side) and than wind up damaging it more myself. Before I get to be 70 I guess I have to learn to let loose and just let what will happen, happen. I have a friend that for several years has parked his 2003 Mercedes Benz on the streets all day in NYC and overnight on the streets near his apartment in Westchester County near me and has never been scratched, dented, etc. If I did that the car would have been attacked and wrecked in two or three months. I have sseen him parked between two pickup trucks each about a foot away and he never gets damage - if I get within a block or two of a pickup it throws stones onto my windshield.