A4 17" to 18" wheel upgrade....pros & cons?

Comhrá

I'm pondering a wheel upgrade from 17" to 18" for my 2016 A4.

I'd only consider OEM wheels but would going from 17" to 18" sacrifice much by way of comfort, road noise etc? (Mostly town driving and main roads, motorways etc.)

The more opinions I read, the more I'm confused and wondering if I should leave well enough alone and stick with the original 17"s which don't look too bad in fairness.

irish bloke

17" to 18" isnt going to make much of a difference looks wise. Hundreds of Audis out there with both.

19s minimum are really where you want to go if its a looks based decision, which i assume it is

grogi

With 18" you get: less comfort, worse fuel efficiency, more expensive tyres, more birds.

Alanstrainor

grogi wrote: »

With 18" you get: less comfort, worse fuel efficiency, more expensive tyres, more birds.

Going from 17", I'd almost expect tires to be cheaper. There's far more selection of 18" tires than 17" when I last looked...

Go for it OP, there will be minimal difference. Road noise will depend on the tires you choose.

GustavoFring

Have you priced the wheels? New model wheels are hard to come by and you could by looking at 2k easily once you've got tyres on them.

I don't think the difference will be that great to be honest, you probably isn't really notice.

Comhrá

grogi wrote: »

With 18" you get: less comfort, worse fuel efficiency, more expensive tyres, more birds.

By the time I was able to afford the A4, it was far, far too late... :(:(

Lord Nikon

I never hear road noise, radio drowns out the sound.

Comhrá

GustavoFring wrote: »

Have you priced the wheels? New model wheels are hard to come by and you could by looking at 2k easily once you've got tyres on them.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322161762829?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322161762840?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

GustavoFring

Ah I assumed you were buying them new from a source. Much better way of doing it via eBay. I'd go with the second ones btw:)

grogi

tippman1 wrote: »

By the time I was able to afford the A4, it was far, far too late... :(:(

Maybe its still to early then...

R.O.R

GustavoFring wrote: »

Ah I assumed you were buying them new from a source. Much better way of doing it via eBay. I'd go with the second ones btw:)

Option 1 are the standard A4 S-Line wheel in Ireland and they look very well. Still a touch small perhaps.

millington

There will be no noticable difference on 18s really. If you went to 19s it would look a lot better, might be slightly less comfortable but not much really.

bazz26

The problem with going to 19" is that the OP has an A4 SE so the ride might be a bit high for 19" on the SE suspension.

irish bloke

bazz26 wrote: »

The problem with going to 19" is that the OP has an A4 SE so the ride might be a bit high for 19" on the SE suspension.

If he reduces the tyre height to compensate then there should be no issue regarding rolling diameter.
Granted the suspension is not set up for bigger wheels, but you cant have it all unless you buy the sports model...

grogi

grogi wrote: »

With 18" you get: less comfort, worse fuel efficiency, more expensive tyres, more birds.

Comfort would be negligible imo and most definitely fuel efficiency won't be different.
Tyres as mentioned quite likely cheaper.

Truckermal

Lord Nikon wrote: »

I never hear road noise, radio drowns out the sound.

Same here I have 19" on mine and normally listen to music on my own and when I'm not the wife giving out has the same effect.

OP I can give you my wife if you like???

Actually just thinking I'd be happy to take your wheels in P/X for mine and they have 4 new premium tyres for nothing...

bazz26

Truckermal wrote: »

Same here I have 19" on mine and normally listen to music on my own and when I'm not the wife giving out has the same effect.

OP I can give you my wife if you like???

Actually just thinking I'd be happy to take your wheels in P/X for mine and they have 4 new premium tyres for nothing...

The wheels or the wife?

Comhrá

Truckermal wrote: »

Same here I have 19" on mine and normally listen to music on my own and when I'm not the wife giving out has the same effect.

OP I can give you my wife if you like???

Actually just thinking I'd be happy to take your wheels in P/X for mine and they have 4 new premium tyres for nothing...

Can she do detailing and valeting? .....and use a powerwasher?

Truckermal

bazz26 wrote: »

The wheels or the wife?

Both!!

tippman1 wrote: »

Can she do detailing and valeting? .....and use a powerwasher?

Afraid not I do all that...

carsfan2

Tippman1, you are around Midwest I think. I was in Audi limerick yesterday where they have a brand new blue A4 with the second wheels you showed on it. They don't look that much better than the standard 17" in reality I thought. Not worth the effort or outlay in my view.
If you're around there have a look. It was parked down the far side of the showroom.

Comhrá

carsfan2 wrote: »

Tippman1, you are around Midwest I think. I was in Audi limerick yesterday where they have a brand new blue A4 with the second wheels you showed on it. They don't look that much better than the standard 17" in reality I thought. Not worth the effort or outlay in my view.
If you're around there have a look. It was parked down the far side of the showroom.

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll drop in there tomorrow for a look. Funny, I actually like those rims. I know they're just a 1" increase in size but I think 19" looks a bit too large for an A4, ok on the A5,6 & 7 though. Beauty in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

carsfan2

They look good just not sure if 2 grand good.
The car was parked outside down narrow far side of the showroom. It has wood trim too that looks dreadful but obviously someone has ordered it and likes it. Hope it's not gone.

pburns

tippman1 wrote: »

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll drop in there tomorrow for a look. Funny, I actually like those rims. I know they're just a 1" increase in size but I think 19" looks a bit too large for an A4, ok on the A5,6 & 7 though. Beauty in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

OK vested interest here but I have some experience in this regard. I collected an A4 last week & got the 10 spoke diamond cut alloys - the 2nd one in the pic list. I was a little worried because 10-spokes I'd seen on late B8s looked v nondescript. I am delighted with them though - look really sharp. For me it makes the car and ride comfort is still better than my old A4 on 17"s.

I think they *do* effect road noise & the SE does ride higher than an S-Line. For me tho it's just a more comfort-oriented look & on 18s a better compromise for Irish conditions.

mickdw

I don't get how people are saying to go with a 19 inch wheel.
I've 18 inch on an A5 and to change from that to 19s make the car terrible to drive. I can't imagine it's any better on an A4. If you want to really drive your car, don't go beyond 18 would be my view.
19 might look good but that is the only advantage unless you are running around on carpet smooth surfaces.

khamilto

I've gone from 225/45R17 to 225/45R18 to 225/40R18 back to 225/45R17 on the same car.

The difference from 225/45/17 to 225/45/18 was noticeable in terms of noise and comfort. The difference from 225/45/18 to 225/40/18 was also noticeable in the same terms.

People saying 'I reckon' should probably do back to back comparisons with their own cars before reckoning.

I'm tempted at going to 195/65R15 wheels due to the cost decrease and the massive difference in comfort level.

JoeA3

mickdw wrote: »

I don't get how people are saying to go with a 19 inch wheel.
I've 18 inch on an A5 and to change from that to 19s make the car terrible to drive. I can't imagine it's any better on an A4. If you want to really drive your car, don't go beyond 18 would be my view.
19 might look good but that is the only advantage unless you are running around on carpet smooth surfaces.

I dunno. Maybe it depends on the car and the drivers perception of what is acceptable. I'm driving a Golf on 19's and to me it feels absolutely fine. An A4 on 19's would probably feel limousine-like to me.

freddieot

I still favour the bigger wheels but many can come with lower tyre walls (not sure about the sizes you mention for Audi).

I've damaged a few tyres in potholes over the years. I like to have a wall of at least 45/55. Really big wheels with 35/40 walls are too easy to damage and the cost of new tyres is usually pretty steep as well. Depends where you drive I suppose.

tossy

The tyre wall size is a percentage of it's width so it's all relative

18's do look the part and if done right i.e Good wheels and tyres it can work. The problem being most people's experience of 18's would be from poor quality wheels and tyres.

The wheels for sale linked here going for stupid money. You'd need your head examined to pay over 1k sterling to have a set of wheels every second other A4 driver would have. You are well into aftermarket BBS money there.

millington

khamilto wrote: »

I've gone from 225/45R17 to 225/45R18 to 225/40R18 back to 225/45R17 on the same car.

The difference from 225/45/17 to 225/45/18 was noticeable in terms of noise and comfort. The difference from 225/45/18 to 225/40/18 was also noticeable in the same terms.

People saying 'I reckon' should probably do back to back comparisons with their own cars before reckoning.

I'm tempted at going to 195/65R15 wheels due to the cost decrease and the massive difference in comfort level.

OK well in that case our A6 is on 20s and I've driven the same model on 18s and there is as good as no difference.

carsfan2

I took a test drive in a current model s line A4 that had 19" alloys and the ride was very good I thought.
Maybe things have improved over the older model?

JoeA3

The tyre walls might be higher than the old model? Wheel arches seem to be getting bigger and bigger... look at the new Passat. Anything smaller than 18's on that car look like castor wheels under a massive couch.

Comhrá

Tippman1, you are around Midwest I think. I was in Audi limerick yesterday where they have a brand new blue A4 with the second wheels you showed on it. They don't look that much better than the standard 17" in reality I thought. Not worth the effort or outlay in my view.
If you're around there have a look. It was parked down the far side of the showroom.

tippman1 wrote: »

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll drop in there tomorrow for a look. Funny, I actually like those rims. I know they're just a 1" increase in size but I think 19" looks a bit too large for an A4, ok on the A5,6 & 7 though. Beauty in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

I checked out the blue A4 this morning and I have to agree 100% with you.
The wheels were nice but not that nice.....to be honest, I'd be a bit slow to shell out too much for them......and the wood inlays - :eek: reminded me of something out of an Austin Cambridge from the mid 1960's, but I did like the shade of blue. As kitch & tacky as anything I've seen for a long time.

carsfan2

Have to agree re wood trim.
Totally wrong for the car. I presume it's a customer order.
The 19" s line alloys are a nice wheel and the car can easily take them in my opinion but again I am not sure if they are worth the outlay and won't make the car any more valuable in a trade in.

bazz26

You also have to look at the cost of tyres, when you start hitting 19" the cost of tyres can start rocketing depending on the fitment and brands.

grogi

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Going from 17", I'd almost expect tires to be cheaper. There's far more selection of 18" tires than 17" when I last looked...

Go for it OP, there will be minimal difference. Road noise will depend on the tires you choose.

No, they are not...

For 225/50/17 V or Y you're looking at around €120-€125 a corner for a premium tyre.
http://www.eiretyres.com/search?vehicleTypes=PKW&season=SO&width=225&profile=50&size=17&speedRating=V&priceCategory=premiumbrands

For 245/50/18 V or Y will cost €130-135...
http://www.eiretyres.com/search?vehicleTypes=PKW&season=&width=245&profile=40&size=18&speedRating=V&priceCategory=premiumbrands

Not a massive difference, but still there...

SBPhoto

Tippman1 how are you finding the A4 compared to the A3. I have the A3 Sline 150 and am changing in January 17 and am looking at the A4 190 SLine, Has to be diesel for me as i average about 30,000k a year and am VAT Registered

Truckermal

SBPhoto wrote: »

Tippman1 how are you finding the A4 compared to the A3. I have the A3 Sline 150 and am changing in January 17 and am looking at the A4 190 SLine, Has to be diesel for me as i average about 30,000k a year and am VAT Registered

Interested in this as I was thinking about downsizing to the A3 next time but they are smaller than the B8 A4.

maddness

Go for the bigger wheel even if it's just to tame the under steer.

Voodoomelon

mickdw wrote: »

I don't get how people are saying to go with a 19 inch wheel.
I've 18 inch on an A5 and to change from that to 19s make the car terrible to drive. I can't imagine it's any better on an A4. If you want to really drive your car, don't go beyond 18 would be my view.
19 might look good but that is the only advantage unless you are running around on carpet smooth surfaces.

Agreed, my 20"s crash and jump over our roads. In France last week it was a whole new experience, smooth as butter, ridiculously comfortable.
But some cars need big wheels to stop them looking awful, I wouldn't count an A4 as one of them.

Comhrá

SBPhoto wrote: »

Tippman1 how are you finding the A4 compared to the A3. I have the A3 Sline 150 and am changing in January 17 and am looking at the A4 190 SLine, Has to be diesel for me as i average about 30,000k a year and am VAT Registered

I'm very pleased overall with my A4. The difference from the A3 is more noticeable that I thought it would be.

Obviously there's more interior space but the A4 is a more comfortable car and the standard seats are better too.

The A3 was a more nimble driver but the A4 is grand though not really a 'driver's car.
I have the 1.4 TFSI petrol and it's a very quiet car, reasonably economic and the S-tronic auto is very smooth.

The 2.0 190 TDI should be nice and quiet on the move too, but I've read elsewhere that front wheel-spin can be an issue, especially on wet roads.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/audi/audi-a4-20-tdi-190-sport-manual-2015-review/

http://www.whatcar.com/news/2015-audi-a4-20-tdi-190-ultra-review/

pburns

SBPhoto wrote: »

Tippman1 how are you finding the A4 compared to the A3. I have the A3 Sline 150 and am changing in January 17 and am looking at the A4 190 SLine, Has to be diesel for me as i average about 30,000k a year and am VAT Registered

I seem to remember someone on here (think it was the guy who manages fleets) saying the 190 would be better with Quattro - FWD felt a bit compromised traction-wise on wet roads...