ahmingus

Just lost another Goodyear Assurance Triple Tread on my 99 A6 Q. They are noisy and have never balanced correctly. It's time to get some new tires.

I have the OEM 16" wheels. I think my wheels are toast (lots of vibration around 65mph when shop says are balanced).

Should I just get some cheap steel wheels (I'm not in it for looks) or should I upgrade to some 17" replicas or aftermarket wheels? I'm thinking of getting Michelin mxv4's for tires. This car is my "beater" so I don't want to spend an arm and a leg... Thoughts?

EastSix2.7T

if your not looking for looks/performance i say go for 17" reps

BernieBenz

wrench or DIY.

LuvnhatemyA6

This may also tell you which wheel is bent. One new wheel = much cheaper than 4 steel ones.

koz4.2

when they obviously aren't. If you have a bent wheel, it'll never properly balance. Get it fixed, or replace it. Inexpensive 17" wheels will bend at the drop of a hat, stay away. If you want 17s look for a good set of used OEM ("fat fives" or "pie plates") from a reliable source. As for your tire choice, I used to run MXV4's on my Volvo and was not impressed. They were not cheap, but performed like they were. If you're looking for a great, inexpensive yet well made all season tire, I'd recommend the Bridgestone Potenza G 009. It replaced my MXV4s, was cheaper in price but not quality, and out-performed them by a long shot.

Koz.<ul><li><a href="http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=AR4&url=%2Ftires%2Ftires.jsp%3FtireMake%3D Bridgestone%26amp%3BtireModel%3DPotenza%2BG%2B009" >Click!</a></li></ul>

ahmingus

Great advice...can Discount Tire perform reliable a check on my wheels? (probably where I'll get the best price on tires).

Also, can anyone point me in the right direction for a reliable source for used OEM wheels?

koz4.2

and knowledgeable people, sure, they can check your wheels for you. The best wheel balancing equipment I've had experience with has been with <a href="http://www.gsp9700.com/pub/features/how.cfm">Hunter Road Force</a> and this <a href="http://www.ammcoats.com/products_wheel.aspx?id=461">Coats Laser Balancer</a>. As for wheels, if you need to replace them, ask around here, and keep an eye on the AW classifieds.

Koz.