Too cheap to buy snow tires

Is driving in the snow with stock tires that bad? My 97 A4Q was great.

If you can afford a S4, you can afford winter tire

Yes

mm

The stock S4 tires are SUMMER PERFORMANCE tires. They are not even all season rated. Their performance will absolutely SUCK in the snow or on ice, to the point of being extremely dangerous. You're spending $40K on a car, don't scrimp on proper tires for the conditions. Quattro will help your traction a little, but the tires will be the limiting factor. Four tires times zero traction at each tire is still zero traction. Quattro is not going to help you stop or corner any better on snow and ice with the stock tires either. Either get snow tires or leave the S4 at home when it's slick out. I don't want to read about your new baby getting all smashed up because you were too cheap to get proper winter tires. I think you'll find nothing but agreement with me if you search the archives.

End of Rant. ; )

MarkFank

The A4 comes w/ Goodyear RSA's which are all-season rated. The Bridgestone RE040's are strictly performance tires. Buy some snows to protect your car if nothing else!

beerguy

Here in the southern suburbs of Minneapolis we got 12 inches of snow yesterday. My wife had our A6 Quattro so I was forced to drive the S4 with the factory Bridgestones. The quattro drive helped the S4 go through deep snow pretty well. However, on the hard packed snow surface and ice the car is a death trap. There is absolutely no traction on these surfaces and I slid halfway through an intersection at a red light, even though I had been only been going 15 - 20 MPH. Fortunately, others saw that I was in a bit of trouble and let me procede. My Michelin Pilot Alpins from Tire Rack showed up today (of course) and they are now being mounted. I can't wait to try out the S4 with appropriate winter tires.

Lazlo

Because you are going to have to buy tires sometime. When you buy snow tires, you just buy more tire up front. Therefore, you won't be using you summer tires at the same time (obviously). The only real cost is the rims to mount them on. Granted, with an S4 there are limited options. But even if the rims alone cost you $600.00, over the course of three years this will cost you $200 per year. Pretty cheap insurance on a $40,000 car.

MoMan

A set of snows w/wheels is still cheaper than a wrecked S4, plus it looks nicer.

camosun

Re: Is driving in the snow with stock tires that bad? My 97 A4Q was great.

camosun

The problem with stock tires is not getting going - quattro is great - the problem is stopping

1/13 Accident

Camosun is absolutely correct. My wife took our S4 to work yesterday. We live on relatively steep hill. Boston had its first snow storm of the year. An inch or two on the ground as she pulled out of the garage. She went down the hill slowly (5-10mph)- and slid right through the intersection and hit a parked car. The front bumper is damaged and to make matters worse the S4 bumpers are backordered. The Bridgstones are terrible. I ordered winter wheels and tires
from the Tire Rack yesterday.