Should I bail on OEM 19" wheels?
05-18-2010, 03:09 PM
#21
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But I am jealous!
05-18-2010, 04:34 PM
#24
Whether you're on the 18s or 19s, the outside diameter of the tire is the same. With 18's you have more sidewall and less wheel, the 19s have more wheel and less sidewall. Tire compound and driving style affect the wear more than anything else.
05-18-2010, 05:24 PM
#25
When the stock 19s on my car are clean, the S4 is a different car. I don't hear folks with 18s saying the same thing. Personally, I feel like I'm in a more unique car when the tri-spokes are clean & shiny. Others feel that way too. The M3 owner at the car wash felt the same way; complimenting the car's look over & over. Sometimes, I'll get the car washed - without a wax - but with the wheel & tire package. That's how important those 19s are to me...
05-18-2010, 08:05 PM
#26
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as an impartial non-B8 S4 owner, I have to say, I think the RS6 style wheels are fantastic (5 triple spoke)
With that being said, what do they weigh? Compare the weight of the stocker 18s vs. 19s to get an idea if there's a performance gain to be had with a lighter 18.
The 18" wheels look pretty cool too. All in all, I'd personally get the cheapest ones (18s) then use them as snow wheels if you live north. Sell the 18" tires for $600-700...and use the $800 you saved on the upsize to put that 1400-1500 towards some quality lightweight 19s with good tires if you feel the need to go big.
With that being said, what do they weigh? Compare the weight of the stocker 18s vs. 19s to get an idea if there's a performance gain to be had with a lighter 18.
The 18" wheels look pretty cool too. All in all, I'd personally get the cheapest ones (18s) then use them as snow wheels if you live north. Sell the 18" tires for $600-700...and use the $800 you saved on the upsize to put that 1400-1500 towards some quality lightweight 19s with good tires if you feel the need to go big.
05-18-2010, 08:13 PM
#27
No kidding, I dream of owning a set like HRE's, but I can't justify spending that kind of money on wheels that according to reports can bend and break just as easily as reps that cost 1/4 the price. I understand the forged/lightweight appeal, but at this point in my life it's moot point.
But I am jealous!
But I am jealous!
If you are looking for HRE reps., check out VMR710 and VMR718. VMR has a pretty good reputation around these neck of the woods.
05-19-2010, 08:56 AM
#28
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Its cosmetic, thus personal preference no right or wrong. I think the stock 18s are butt ugly and I love the 19s, as does everyone who has seen the car. For $800 the upgrade is a bargin.
05-19-2010, 08:59 AM
#29
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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.
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.
Has anyone actually measured this? It certainly looks like the 19's fill the wheel well more than the 18's. Are you saying this is an optical illusion due to the larger wheel? It seems to me that the wheel AND tire are smaller on the 18's, but I admit I haven't measured (most dealers I've seen only have the 19's in stock).
05-19-2010, 09:14 AM
#30
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Has anyone actually measured this? It certainly looks like the 19's fill the wheel well more than the 18's. Are you saying this is an optical illusion due to the larger wheel? It seems to me that the wheel AND tire are smaller on the 18's, but I admit I haven't measured (most dealers I've seen only have the 19's in stock).
Here's a tire size calculator link, and I ran the numbers below:
http://www.powerdog.com/tiresize.cgi
