snows - do i need new wheels?
10-23-2006, 06:33 AM
#1
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snows - do i need new wheels?
My car (new in Feb) came with Goodyear Eagle LS2
235/45 R17's. They are in theory, all season, but when reading reviews, people really wouldn't buy again to use in the snow.
One of the reasons I got an AWD was because I wanted something decent in the snow.
Now - I buy snows I assume, and use these Goodyears in the summer til they wear out enough to justify buying summers as well.
The big question, Do I need to buy new wheels too? Or do I trust someone like Direct Tire (or?) to swap them over. They always did ok with my former Celica but, this is an Audi.
thanks
235/45 R17's. They are in theory, all season, but when reading reviews, people really wouldn't buy again to use in the snow.
One of the reasons I got an AWD was because I wanted something decent in the snow.
Now - I buy snows I assume, and use these Goodyears in the summer til they wear out enough to justify buying summers as well.
The big question, Do I need to buy new wheels too? Or do I trust someone like Direct Tire (or?) to swap them over. They always did ok with my former Celica but, this is an Audi.
thanks
10-23-2006, 07:10 AM
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All seasons are a compromise. If you're in NE, get some snows.
You can pick up an inexpensive set of 16x7" wheels (which would be better for snows anyway) on the cheap either in the classifieds here or on eBay.
Put some Dunlop M3 or 3Ds on them and you've got a great setup for winter. A second set of wheels makes the changeover much easier, reduces wear on each set of rims, and allows you to get some nice dedicated summer tires when the all seasons wear out. They'll wear a bit quicker than all seasons, but will perform quite a bit better.
You'll find this recommendation has a strong consensus following here.
Good luck.
Put some Dunlop M3 or 3Ds on them and you've got a great setup for winter. A second set of wheels makes the changeover much easier, reduces wear on each set of rims, and allows you to get some nice dedicated summer tires when the all seasons wear out. They'll wear a bit quicker than all seasons, but will perform quite a bit better.
You'll find this recommendation has a strong consensus following here.
Good luck.
10-23-2006, 07:11 AM
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Not advisable to keep swapping tires on same rims. The bead will get worn, then not seal correctly.
Grab a "beater" set for the winter and get some decent winter rubber. My OEM cont's sucked in the snow.
And I also thought that "quattro" was the be all, end all. But it comes right down to the contact patch (tire meets the road) and all-seasons can't do it all.
And I also thought that "quattro" was the be all, end all. But it comes right down to the contact patch (tire meets the road) and all-seasons can't do it all.
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10-23-2006, 08:07 AM
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You don't -need- to buy new wheels, but you may -want- to
As a general rule, 16" snow tires will be cheaper than 17" snows, although that is changing as more and more cars come with 17s stock. 16" wheels will also allow you to run snow tires with larger sidewalls, which it is generally thought will improve traction in the snow. A third benefit to buying winter wheels is that you will end up saving yourself $160/yr by not having to pay a shop to remount tires. This alone makes buying dedicated wheels a good idea.
That said, you don't <i>have to</i> buy dedicated winter wheels. There is no harm in remounting tires a number of times. That is a myth.
Buying snow tires IS a good idea. They are night-and-day better in snow than all-seasons. This is especially important with AWD. AWD helps you get moving, but it doesn't help you turn or stop, so it can be easy to lose track of how much traction is actually available. Snow tires will make a huge difference for that.
That said, you don't <i>have to</i> buy dedicated winter wheels. There is no harm in remounting tires a number of times. That is a myth.
Buying snow tires IS a good idea. They are night-and-day better in snow than all-seasons. This is especially important with AWD. AWD helps you get moving, but it doesn't help you turn or stop, so it can be easy to lose track of how much traction is actually available. Snow tires will make a huge difference for that.
10-23-2006, 08:26 AM
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Here's why it's a good idea to buy wheels...
They can be gotten SOOO cheap. Two seasons and they pay for themselves.<ul><li><a href="http://classifieds.audiworld.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi?db=autoparts&website=&lang uage=&session_key=&search_and_display_db_b utton=on&results_format=long&db_id=29152&a mp;query=retrieval">click</a><