19" wheels ordered- Am I mad?

Dutchie

I've ordered 19" Alloys on my Audi A6.

I cover approximately 45-50k kms per year, am I mad ordering 19" wheels taking into account Irish roads, ride comfort, road noise, tyre wear etc.

BTW they look class!

thanks.

What size rubber is going on them? I have 225 45 18s on the ZT which is stiffly sprung and 'tis quite comfy. If it's main roads you're driving on you'll be fine.

MetzgerMeister

The tyres are more than likely going to be wicked expensive for 19" alloys!

mondeo

What style did you go for? I have 17's on my A6 and think their a perfect size for the car.

Ardennes1944

pic/link/description?

Dutchie

255/40 R19 i think. The last set of 18's i had, ate front tyres and had very poor ride comfort.

Well if the 18s were on the same car I can't see these being any better for comfort, although 255 40s would have a decent lash of rubber. What 18s were you running on, was it on the same car?

hanloj1

big alloys do look class man. i've 18's on me a3 an they look the job. bit close to wheel arche sometimes. put up pics when you can.

Matt Simis

Dutchie wrote: »

255/40 R19 i think. The last set of 18's i had, ate front tyres and had very poor ride comfort.

Well expect considerably worse with the 19" then...

Btw what model (engine) A6 do you have? 255's all round is madness for anything but the big engined Audis.
To put that in perspective an Audi S8 (4.2 V8) has thinner 245-45 all round (18"). Very wide wheels on the front will give heavy, sluggish steering and murder bushings and rubber mounts, put extra strain on the power steering etc. You will also reduce fuel economy and increase slippage in icey/wet weather.

Not to sound like a total dick, but I honestly wonder if you actually put any thought into this other than looks?

Dutchie

Matt Simis wrote: »

Well expect considerably worse with the 19" then...

Btw what model (engine) A6 do you have? 255's all round is madness for anything but the big engined Audis.
To put that in perspective an Audi S8 (4.2 V8) has thinner 245-45 all round (18"). Very wide wheels on the front will give heavy, sluggish steering and murder bushings and rubber mounts, put extra strain on the power steering etc. You will also reduce fuel economy and increase slippage in icey/wet weather.

Not to sound like a total dick, but I honestly wonder if you actually put any thought into this other than looks?

Absolutly no thought went into this except that i think they look good.

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Matt Simis

Dutchie wrote: »

Absolutly no thought went into this except that i think they look good.

Fair enough, I dont always practice what I preach anyhow and have done similar!

I think you should be aiming at 245 max tyre width (and make up as much sidewall height as possible). Give us your models stock tyre/wheel size (assume 17"?) and we can tell you the sweet spot size wise for the 19inchers.

hanloj1

class. good choice of alloy. any pic of car included.

Absurdum

don't forget the ultra dark tints and Lidl chrome strips!

mondeo

I don't like the look of those alloys at all.

JJJJNR

If you select XL (extra load) tires you won't have any issues on Irish roads (within reason). I've been using 18's up and around the Wicklow mountains for years (summers only) with these type of tires and they make a huge difference where the normal load ones were being eaten.

I myself and some of the guys on here picked up a second set of wheels for winter tires (in my case 205/50/16) I can't recommend this enough you'll be sorted all year round.

mickdw

I hate that style wheel. I just think they are hideous. Having said that, I realise that its a newish audi wheel but the design doesnt agree with me at all.
I have 245 40 18s which are factory spec. I driven my car on 255 35 19 and it is simply lunacy on our roads in relation to comfort and ability to just drive the car normally. 19s are also a factory option on mine.
I wouldnt go for 19s on an A6.

VolvoMan

19" alloys on Audi suspension are going to be painful....

PaulKK

Dutchie wrote: »

255/40 R19 i think. The last set of 18's i had, ate front tyres and had very poor ride comfort.

You'll be grand, I have 255/35/18 on the rear of mine, and I don't have any problems.

Your profile height is 5% bigger than mine so it should be fine.



You will seriously need to lube up when your getting new tyres though.. I'm paying about 150 quid a corner for my 18s delivered and fitted.. for Falkens from Camskill.

n97 mini

Matt Simis wrote: »

You will also increase slippage in icey/wet weather.

How does that work?

PaulKK

n97 mini wrote: »

How does that work?

You are spreading the force over a larger area meaning you produce less grip.

Narrower tyres on ice = more force on a smaller area meaning more grip.

Think of it like an ice skate vs a pair of runners on ice.

Nissan doctor

As with the issue of grip on ice/snow, the same can be true of standing water on motorways etc, wide tyres are much more prone to aquaplaining then narrower ones.

For that sort of mileage a year it would be very hard to justify 19" alloys. Keep in mind that there are no economy biased 19" tyres so, as with all high performance tyres, grip take priority over mileage so you'll be looking at 2 sets a year even if tyre pressures/alignment are kept perfect.

I got 22,000kms from my last pair of rear 255/35/19 and I don't go hard on the car. The fronts currently have about 28k on them and need changing.

YouTookMyName

Camskill, is your new favourite website and company, Keep away from buying Sunnys!!

-Corkie-

YouTookMyName wrote: »

Camskill, is your new favourite website and company, Keep away from buying Sunnys!!

+1 on the Sunnys. They are out of stock for Vredstrein Ultrac Senntas in all sizes and I need 9 of them..:(

PaulKK

-Corkie- wrote: »

+1 on the Sunnys. They are out of stock for Vredstrein Ultrac Senntas in all sizes and I need 9 of them..:(

Would you not consider the Falken FK452?

I've used Falkens for the last 3 years, great tyre.


The ones I have from Camskill are made in Japan too so they aren't your usual budget chinese/thai/whatever stuff.

I know the Vreds are highly reccomended too but I can't justify the extra wonga when the Falkens are so good.

-Corkie-

PaulKK wrote: »

Would you not consider the Falken FK452?

I've used Falkens for the last 3 years, great tyre.


The ones I have from Camskill are made in Japan too so they aren't your usual budget chinese/thai/whatever stuff.

I know the Vreds are highly reccomended too but I can't justify the extra wonga when the Falkens are so good.

I might try them if I cant get the Vredstreins. I heard they are a good tyre aswell..:cool:

JJJJNR

Some of the Chinese tyres are ok, I've two hero tyres on and they're grand.

Guy:Incognito

JJJJNR wrote: »

Some of the Chinese tyres are ok, I've two hero tyres on and they're grand.

In fairness, nothing bad is going to be called Hero.

n97 mini

PaulKK wrote: »

You are spreading the force over a larger area meaning you produce less grip.

Narrower tyres on ice = more force on a smaller area meaning more grip.

Think of it like an ice skate vs a pair of runners on ice.

Surely more area = more friction?

Ice skates are narrow for skating. You turn them sideways for stopping.

Ice skates aren't a great example unless you think it through, they work due to the force they exert no the ice, cutting into it, when turned sideways they are in a different direction to you are going, its like pushing a trolley with the wheels faced sideways. junior cert science book would go along way, chuckle chuckle !

pajo1981

PaulKK wrote: »

You are spreading the force over a larger area meaning you produce less grip.

Narrower tyres on ice = more force on a smaller area meaning more grip.

Think of it like an ice skate vs a pair of runners on ice.

Are you sure about that? Ice skates offer lateral grip because they cut a grove in the ice - skinny tyres won't don the same thing (although, they will perhaps improve things in the snow).

As for your spreading of the force theory: while there is less pressure on a wider tyre, there is also more rubber in contact with the ground- this means that the grip is constant.

pburns

A bit late to be asking the question now they're ordered OP:)!

The A6 is a well proportioned car, doesn't have big Subaru-like arches, doesn't need 'em IMO.

Matt Simis

We are all going a bit off topic, but there is much more "meat" to the query of grip and width than should be in this thread. Suffice to say, thin vs wide varies:

Wikipedia wrote:

Being thinner, the tire will have more pressure on the road surface, thus allowing the tires to penetrate the snow layer and grip harder snow or road surface beneath. This does not compensate when the snow is too deep for such penetration, where the vehicle will sink into the snow and 'snowplow' the snow in front. In this case, wider tires are preferred, as they have a larger contact patch and are better able to 'float' on top of the mud or snow.

• For Snow, Slush and heavy water in Ireland, thinner tyres are better.
• For Ice its a bit of a crap shoot, but there are debates on which is better. Studded tyres are much better and are generally of moderate (normal) width, but not "wide".
• For mild water and dry road, wide tyres are better.
• For MPG and wear, thin high pressure tyres are better.

However the wide vs thin debate on Ice refers to Winter tyres, wide Summer tyres are lethal on Ice, but I would suspect the wider they are, the worse.

n97 mini

So basically for all but 4 weeks of the last two years wider tyres have been more appropriate.

maddness

The A6 needs at least 18"s. Those 19"s are the business.
Well done man.:D

frandman

Dutchie wrote: »

I've ordered 19" Alloys on my Audi A6.

I cover approximately 45-50k kms per year, am I mad ordering 19" wheels taking into account Irish roads, ride comfort, road noise, tyre wear etc.

BTW they look class!

thanks.

yes you are mad, and you will deeply regret it next year when your looking at your new wheels that look like ****e.

Matt Simis

n97 mini wrote: »

So basically for all but 4 weeks of the last two years wider tyres have been more appropriate.

Are you forgetting the [heavy] rain?
Even then, you need the minimum widest tyre for the situation, a (presumed) 1.9TDI does not need/benefit 255s for all the reasons in my first post.

Dutchie

Thanks for all the feedback, after careful consideration i think i'll 'downgrade' to 18"s

The garage have not ordered the car yet as i have to confirm all my options.

I think 19"s work in countries with near perfect road services only, non-primary routes in Ireland will destroy the wheels, tyres, suspension, my patience and my wallet.

wellbutty

I have these 19's on mine three years now, Kumho 235x35x19 tyres, getting around 20000-25000 km out of them. Tyres are €140 from my local seller

dougie-lampkin

WRC cars practically use space savers on ice stages (granted, they're studded), so in keeping with that theory I'm hanging onto my 145/70 R12s for the coming Winter :pac:

http://www.tiremedia.com/images/blog-img/pirelli-blog-14028.jpg

n97 mini

Matt Simis wrote: »

Are you forgetting the [heavy] rain?

We don't get heavy rain any more, since the seasons corrected themselves. We get glorious sunshine and snow... the way it's supposed to be.

Matt Simis wrote: »

Even then, you need the minimum widest tyre for the situation, a (presumed) 1.9TDI does not need/benefit 255s for all the reasons in my first post.

You're saying 255s are the minimum you should use if you have a 1.9TDI... does that include the 'felt spec ones?

Anan1

Dutchie wrote: »

Thanks for all the feedback, after careful consideration i think i'll 'downgrade' to 18"s

The garage have not ordered the car yet as i have to confirm all my options.

I think 19"s work in countries with near perfect road services only, non-primary routes in Ireland will destroy the wheels, tyres, suspension, my patience and my wallet.

It all depends on what's important to you. If you drive like a granny and appearance is everything then get the 19"s. Personally, i'd have 16"s, 17"s tops.

Matt Simis

n97 mini wrote: »

We don't get heavy rain any more, since the seasons corrected themselves. We get glorious sunshine and snow... the way it's supposed to be.

We got massive flooding 24mths ago and do indeed get heavy downpours in the "new Ireland". We just get less long misty periods. Unexpected aquaplaning is IMO more likely now than before.

n97 mini wrote: »

You're saying 255s are the minimum you should use if you have a 1.9TDI... does that include the 'felt spec ones?

Thats actually the opposite of what I said!? The minimum on a 1.9TDI I would use is a 225 width tyre. The max I would use is a 245, but I would do so grudgingly on a FWD car. The problem (among many problems) with FWD is if you put sharper steering (and kinder on suspension) narrower tyres on the front (vs rear) you will induce even more BS understeer antics. I would prefer a quality 235 setup all-round.

Given the fact an A6 cannot fit large diameter wheels the max size I would use is 18". An A8 could fit 19/20" with the same or more sidewall than the 18" on an A6. The size of the car matters, which is why Golfs rolling on 18 and 19" is loltastically retarded.

samsemtex

This is a dreadful idea by you. If you go off the motorways at all and hit a pothole at speed you will break a wheel or possibly two. And have you seen the state of Irish roads lately? Even relatively major roads are being neglected and large potholes are developing in them.

Audis have horrific ride comfort on standard wheels not to mind 19s with a profile of 40.

Wide tyres ARE worse on snow and ice. Thats why rally car snow tyres are skinny. They are also much more prone to aqua planing. And as for saying we dont get heavy rain? Nonsense, I have 215s on my car and I had a serious moment on the M8 today. The car got very slithery.

A pair of 255s on a 1.9tdi Audi is the most stupid thing ive read in a long time. What is the point? Large fat tyres are for grip in powerful cars. You are going to be spending insane money on tyres and wheel repairs.

ShadowHearth

Can we get a sign on this thread: felt spec in making.

I don't want to be a dick, but I can bet these are going 1.9 tdi Audi...

teednab-el

Nothing more than 17" wheels should be going on an Audi A4 1.9TDI. They dont look right when any thing bigger go on this model of car.

samsemtex

I always cringe when I see big wheels on A4s. They look atrocious to anyone with taste but the lads driving them think they are the business. Although when you see the thought that goes into this kind of choice does it surprise anyone?

EPM

Some people seem to be forgetting it's a new A6 the OP is ordering. I'd also assume the new model too.

Matt Simis

EPM wrote: »

Some people seem to be forgetting it's a new A6 the OP is ordering. I'd also assume the new model too.

What does that actually change though? Having looked at the new C7 Brochure, Audi will sell you from 255-16" to 255-20" with 225-17" and 245-18" in there too... there seems to be no consistency at all.

Audi seem to be just fitting the tyres to the wheels as opposed establishing the "best" setup for the car and working customisation from there.

EPM

Matt Simis wrote: »

What does that actually change though? Having looked at the new C7 Brochure, Audi will sell you from 255-16" to 255-20" with 225-17" and 245-18" in there too... there seems to be no consistency at all.

Audi seem to be just fitting the tyres to the wheels as opposed establishing the "best" setup for the car and working customisation from there.

Well the last couple of posters were going on about A4's and not A6's. Lunacy on either IMO but just trying to keep it on topic.

EPM

EPM wrote: »

Well the last couple of posters were going on about A4's and not A6's. Lunacy on either IMO but just trying to keep it on topic.

It wont be a 1.9tdi either in a new model A6 as a few posters have been mentioning.

conneem-TT

Matt Simis wrote: »

What does that actually change though? Having looked at the new C7 Brochure, Audi will sell you from 255-16" to 255-20" with 225-17" and 245-18" in there too... there seems to be no consistency at all.

Audi seem to be just fitting the tyres to the wheels as opposed establishing the "best" setup for the car and working customisation from there.

The 255-16 is a misprint in the Irish brochure, it should be 225/60 R16.

That is the only inconsistency I can see in their wheel/tyre options. They offer a selection to suit what a buyer want's, comfort, performance, the blinged out look , the agri look or a mix of performance and looks, while keeping the rolling circumference the same ect...