AF 4.2

I am pretty much going to buy the A6 3.2 and the local dealer (as well as most dealers) have many cars with the 17" wheels though they are willing to swap out the wheels for 18" from another car .

I think the 18" wheels give a better look but at the same time I am not looking for a jarring ride. The car mags all complain about the ride being too rough.
How are the 17's and those with 18's are you happy with them ?

thanks

chicagoA6

Although I bought the 17s because of the smoother ride I have to admit when I see the 18s they sure look better. To do it over I'd give up some ride comfort for the looks of the 18s.

See if you can drive the 18s first.

jefman

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/65725/100_0054.jpg"></center><p>I have the 17's. I like the look as much as the 18's. My tire guy was very impressed with their design. He said they are much better than the rims I had on my '01 A6 (16's). He thinks they will stand up very well to NYC potholes and not get out of round. As far as ride comfort goes, the A6 is pretty stiff to start with and most people say the 18's ride harsher than the 17's.

Here's a pic of the rims.

Kwahtro

I got the 18" wheels solely for the looks, and I too was a little worried about ride harshness, though I figured I was willing to sacrifice some ride quality for style. I can't say I've gone over any massive potholes yet, but overall I am finding the ride to be better than I expected based on articles/reviews/word-of-mouth from other people who drive cars with 18" rims. My new 2005 A6 rides at least as smoothly on 18" rims as my 2001 A6 did on 16" rims at the time I sold it (and that was pretty close to the ride smoothness from when I bought it). I can't compare it to the 17" rims though. All I can tell you is my experience, which is so far the ride quality of the 18" rims is better than I expected. FWIW, I also got the tire pressure monitoring system. I wondered how that might affect wheel balance. It seems fine (most of the wheel weights on the rims are opposite the TPMS). Assuming you like the look of the 18" rims better, just decide which attribute is most important to you - style or smoothness. You'll probably be happy if you decide based on that.

Fleuger99

and I love them. I like a firm ride and the 18's do provide a firm ride but certainly not bone jarring. They also add a great finishing touch to the look of the car in my opinion.

Can't you drive both cars at your dealer with both the 18" and 17" wheels and feel it for yourself? Get the 18" wheels!!

Craig

Aidan's Daddy

Trust me, I've been driving on 18s for many years (even tried 19s for a yr. before going back to 18s). What makes a ride a little more stiffer is the suspension (i.e. comparing stock vs. coilovers). Going from 17s to 18s isn't so much of a difference that you or passengers will complain.

17s = better handling, but 18s are nice-looking and proportionate to the size of the A6 (not too big, not too small)
18s = looks great, but less rubber to protect it from potholes and tires are more pricey.

So, you decide. As for me, I've had many chances to go to 17s, but prefer 18s instead.

Life Rules

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/70525/my_new_car2_018.jpg"></center><p>

seehack

I bought the 18" for the looks and worried about the ride. I decided on non sport option to make it less stiff (I test drove a 4.2 with 18" and sport, find it too stiff) and am very happy with the results. Ride is just nice for me. Go over road cracks, bumps and potholes well for me. Good luck.

AF 4.2

thanks to everyone here, I went with the 18" wheels and ended up with the 4.2 - I pick it up tonight

Kwahtro

I forgot to mention in my post below that I too skipped the sport suspension, and as seehack noted, this might help explain the surprising ride smoothness with the 18" wheels. I also skipped the sport seats because I found the thigh bolsters caused too much pain just getting in and out of the seats. I also opted for the all-season tires instead of high-performance tires. One more thing about the wheel weights, they are attached in an unobtrusive manner that doesn't ruin the looks of the wheel.