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Audi A4 TDI 2.0 S Line / Black Edition - Tyre Performance (19"low profile) - RAB99

I am disappointed with the performance of the wide tyres on my current vehicle an A4 Black Edition 2.0 TDI Audi. These are 255/35Y R19 Continentals - in particular with their contribution to fuel economy; also performance as soon as I am off of a level tarmac surface; as well as handling when cornering at speed.

Looking back when I previously owned an earlier A4 sports edition this came with 235 /45Y R17 tyres. The handling of this vehicle was one of the things I liked a lot about the car.

I want to get back to something like the performance (and costs!) that I used to have. Can anyone suggest a new solution, swapping perhaps to different rims and tyres?

Audi A4 TDI 2.0 S Line / Black Edition - Tyre Performance (19"low profile) - skidpan

Smaller wheels may not fit over the brakes.

Any change from standard spec will need approval from your insurers.

May also affect Audi warranty.

Might be better to change cars.

Audi A4 TDI 2.0 S Line / Black Edition - Tyre Performance (19"low profile) - Hamsafar

Try the Audi A4 forum, as the likelyhood of someone else having tried an A4 with various tyre/wheel comparisons on here is very low...
www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?24-A4...4

Audi A4 TDI 2.0 S Line / Black Edition - Tyre Performance (19"low profile) - Bronan the Brobarian

Lol, firstly, changing wheels/tyres does not affect warranty.

Secondly, smaller wheels will obvioulsy fit over the brakes unless the brakes are mods or he goes for 14" wheels.

Yes, you should inform your insurer (not ask for their approval, THEY work for YOU, not the other way around).

Do not change cars because you don't like the wheels/tyres, that would be ridiculous.

Edited by Bronan the Brobarian on 15/05/2018 at 18:24

Audi A4 TDI 2.0 S Line / Black Edition - Tyre Performance (19"low profile) - RobJP

Lol, firstly, changing wheels/tyres does not affect warranty.

Secondly, smaller wheels will obvioulsy fit over the brakes unless the brakes are mods or he goes for 14" wheels.

Yes, you should inform your insurer (not ask for their approval, THEY work for YOU, not the other way around).

Do not change cars because you don't like the wheels/tyres, that would be ridiculous.

To quote you back at yourself, 'LOL'.

Smaller wheels MAY (or may NOT) fit over the brakes, it all depends on the spec the car was supplied with when new.

If it has Audi's 'uprated brake pack' then that will have a minimum wheel size - probably 18".

Even without, the the smallest wheel you can get the current A4 fitted with is 17" - which comes with 225/50 profile tyres. So anything smaller won't have been through 'type approval', and an insurance company is entirely entitled to INSIST that the wheel/tyre size combination is normally available on that car, and to refuse cover if that is not the case.

To state that you'd just fit whatever you wanted, and then inform them of the fact, and they'd just have to live with it, is rather disingenuous.

Audi A4 TDI 2.0 S Line / Black Edition - Tyre Performance (19"low profile) - badbusdriver

Lol, firstly, changing wheels/tyres does not affect warranty.

Secondly, smaller wheels will obvioulsy fit over the brakes unless the brakes are mods or he goes for 14" wheels.

Yes, you should inform your insurer (not ask for their approval, THEY work for YOU, not the other way around).

Do not change cars because you don't like the wheels/tyres, that would be ridiculous.

To quote you back at yourself, 'LOL'.

Smaller wheels MAY (or may NOT) fit over the brakes, it all depends on the spec the car was supplied with when new.

If it has Audi's 'uprated brake pack' then that will have a minimum wheel size - probably 18".

Even without, the the smallest wheel you can get the current A4 fitted with is 17" - which comes with 225/50 profile tyres. So anything smaller won't have been through 'type approval', and an insurance company is entirely entitled to INSIST that the wheel/tyre size combination is normally available on that car, and to refuse cover if that is not the case.

To state that you'd just fit whatever you wanted, and then inform them of the fact, and they'd just have to live with it, is rather disingenuous.

Either way, given the thread is 4 years old, is it likely the OP's question is still unresolved?!

Audi A4 TDI 2.0 S Line / Black Edition - Tyre Performance (19"low profile) - Engineer Andy

The OP can easily check for compatability by referring to the plate on the inside of the driver's door or the owner's handbook, which should give which tyres and wheel combinations can be used as standard with the car.

I just changed those on my Mazda3 from 205/55 R16V to 195/65 R15H which was allowable by Mazda (plate and handbook, and I checked with my dealership), and I also checked with my insurer and it was fine, well, better than fine - I actually got a reduction in my premium of £15 and (as a long standing customer) they waived the fee for changing my policy mid-year (normally £25).

In addition, the new, smaller alloys (still the Mazda OEM design) were nearly £60 cheaper, each, and the tyres cost about £20 each less before a lucky discount. £320 saved on replacing all wheels and tyres (less than £600 including fitting [which I didn't have to pay for in the end - another story] as opped to well over £900 for 16in versions).

Ultra low profile tyres are blimmin' expensive and don't last long - something a LOT of premium car buyers (especially second hand cars) don't always realise. The 18in tyres fitted to the latest gen Mazda3 cost £130+ because they are an unusual combo of width and sidewall percentage. God knows how expensive these Audi ones cost.

The OP may be able to make a decent amount of money back if they sell the 4 existing wheels and tyres to some mug wanting them as posing bling for their Audi, to offset the cost of buying new alloys and tyres, assuming they will fit (as skidpan says) over the existing brakes. Two sizes down seems rather a lot to me for compatability - one, perhaps, two...

Audi A4 TDI 2.0 S Line / Black Edition - Tyre Performance (19"low profile) - Cyd

Saab 9-3 Aeros came with Conti Sport Contacts from the factory and mine had a brand new set on when I bought it. they were ok for grip in the dry, but I was disappointed with their wear rate, noise and wet traction.

I'd had Goodyear Eagle F1 DSG2s on a previous car and found them excellent, so after some research went for a set of Eagle F1 Assymetric 2s on the Saab. And what a transformation!! Wear rate is slightly better than the Contis, but much more important the wet traction is way superior as too is the wet ABS threshold. Also, they are much much quieter. I went for standard load (rather than extra load) and they are also more comfy.

Mine are 235/45/17. I'd thoroughly recommend F1s to anyone.