DrGP

Unfortunately, some will love the 19s and others will not. Some will like the look of the 18" better than the 19s and others will not. Purely a matter of taste. I got the 18s because I didn't Love the look of the 19s. they're just OK for me. Plus I felt the 18s would be lighter and cost less for 18" replacement tires. Actually I think the 18's look better close up, but the farther away you get, the less i like them. But I do like the look of other 19s better than the OEMs. Since you are considering snows or A/s tires, think about this. Get the car with 18" wheels. Sell the tires and buy dedicated winter tires . Then pick up some 19" wheels and summer tires that you really like. Alternatively, sell the 18" wheels and tires. Buy some 19" wheels you really like and put A/s tires on them. Either way you can get wheels you like rather than wheels Audi offers.

MalSer

I chose the stock 18's because I liked their look much more than the US 5 spoke 19's but the 18's sure are a bitch to clean. I might have gone with the Eruopean 6 spoke 19's if they were "standard" for the US as I liked them more. (Going from memory on this point) The break dust on the front wheels is aweful so a "simpler" rim may be more desirable since it's easier to clean. I'm considering getting VMR 718 gun metal rims due to the brake dust (plus they look sweet) but honestly am perplexed whether or not I should go with 19's. Cost isn't a concern but I do not have ADS so ride comfort and road noise are things I'm worried about a bit. The ride on the standard 18's is totally fine to me. Just figured I'd chime in with my 2 bits, to each his own.

Reds4Phil

+1

Smith837

Not sure if you're asking about OEM 19s vs. other 19s, or 19s vs. 18s, but here's my take on OEM 19s vs. OEM 18s...

Which looks better? Debatable and subjective. I like both. The 19s have grown on me and look much better in person than in photos. Head-on photos do not show the depth and curvature of the 19s, which is nice and very distinctive. Agree with others here that it's a must to compare in person.

Which gets noticed by others? Definitely the 19s -- they really stand out. The 18s are much more under the radar.

Which is more comfortable/quieter? Edge to the 18s, obviously. Didn't notice much difference between the 18s and 19s on various test drives, but many factors here. Didn't get a chance to compare on various road conditions, and can't account for how different tires will impact comfort/noise (especially with the 19s, where it's potluck with no way to specify the brand of tire you get).

Which performs better? This is debatable, but the 19s likely have the edge in the curves (better handling), while the 18s likely have the edge on straightaways (better acceleration). If anything, these are very subtle differences.

Which is easier to clean? I'm told the 18s are a pain in the a** to clean, whereas the 19s are easier.

Which is more prone to damage? The 19s, obviously. If you live in an area with lots of potholes, are not mindful of potholes, and/or care about avoiding damage, the 18s are a safer bet.

Which is the smarter financial move? No question, the 18s, especially if you live/drive in a cold climate. The 18s will give you greater/safer/cheaper tire options for winter (whereas 19s are a bad idea in winter for various reasons, and really necessitate a separate winter setup). 19" tires wear faster as well.

FWIW, I was one of the original "can't stand the 19s and how can I get a Prestige car with 18s" people. That said, I ended up with the 19s and love them. I'd still probably prefer the 18s for rougher roads, but the 19s are comfortable enough most of the time. I do plan to put 18s on the car for the winter.

Hope this helps.

997C2S

See them in person. I am very happy I went with 19's. I get quite a few compliments on them.
I am also impressed with the tight wheel well gap.

LeadToRome

Obviously seeing them in person on the car is job 1, and I'll have to figure out a way to do that (most likely I'll give one or anotherof you the thrill of meeting me!) unless I can find a better plan.

Originally I was going to go with the 19's on summer tires and trade to A/S tires as winter came. Now I'm going around in circles a bit with the various options and combinations of 18, 19, A/S, snows and so on.

I guess the only question I have is whether the 19's with A/S tires would be a reasonable compromise for my Mid-Atlantic location where it snows every year but generally not much (last year was an outlier not a trendsetter I hope).

If the A/S on 19's seems reasonable that's what I'm going to do and I can change later on for aesthetics if I want to.

If I really should get snows I'll go with the 18's, put snows on them, and buy a set of aftermarket 19's and put summer tires on them.

So now it's become more of a tire question for me I guess.

MattPec

What's the reasoning for the 19" tires to wear faster? My understanding is that, all things being equal (maintain optimum pressure, rotate regularly, etc), larger tires would wear less due to less revolutions per mile. Over the same distance the smaller tire has to turn more, thus exposing the rubber to more road.

Am I missing something here?

ShadowJet

I personally liked the OEM 19's, but I wanted less of an OEM look so I went with these...





Here's a pic before I put the new wheels on. I think they look good!

koobah

^I realize HREs are exclusive and pricey, but I actually prefer the sporty look of OEMs. Cool wheels nevertheless.

Smith837

All things being equal, I'd completely agree. The question is, are all things equal? The answer is probably less certain than my original statement suggests, so let me just say that I think it's possible that an O.E. 19" tire will wear faster than the O.E. 18" tire, but not necessarily. It really depends on the brand of tire delivered with the car. So for example...

The Pirelli Cinturato P7 (18") has a treadwear rating of 260, whereas the Pirelli PZero Rosso (19") has a treadwear rating of 220. In this case, all other things being equal, the 19" tires should wear faster.

On the other hand, the Bridgestone Potenza RE050A (18") and Bridgestone Potenza RE050A (19") have the same treadwear rating of 140. So these should wear at the same rate. That said, since the 18" tire has a slightly greater tread depth (11/32") than the 19" tire (10/32"), one may want/need to replace the 19" tire sooner. (In this case the 19" won't necessarily wear faster, but might get replaced faster.)

Things get dicier when comparing tires from different manufacturers, since the treadwear ratings are not standardized (the impact of this on tire evaluation is debatable).

Again, I basically agree with you -- just wanted to give the OP pause as to what could happen as a worst case, real-life scenario. One thing I'm trying to figure out though is whether a lower sidewall = less flex = faster wear??? No idea.