A4 Avant Tyre Advice

[robm82]

Hi everyone,

I need some advice on buying some tyres for my 10 plate Audi A4 Avant. Now I have always bought tyres from the likes of KwikFit, but this time I have been shopping around. As part of "shopping around" I phoned the local Audi garage for tyre prices, and told the advisor of my tyre size and what I was after. I had already got a quote from the Audi website where you put in your reg number and it comes back with correct tyre sizes. In this case it brought back the speed rating as V. Now the guy at the Audi garage said that I had to get a Y rated speed index tyre as this is what is designed for my car, and also that it might make my car insurance invalid if I have an accident and I have the incorrect speed rated tyres.

Is this really true, and can someone possibly advise as to what speed rated tyres I should or can get on the Avant? What tyre do you use/like as I would like to find a good tyre for my A4 Avant.

My tyre size is: 225/50/R17

Thanks in advance for any advice given.

[Crazyfool]

I use Michelin SP3's. I certainly wouldn't buy from Audi.

Try http://www.blackcircles.com

[satsu]

The speed rating represents the maximum speed that a tyre can sustain. V is 149mph, W is 168 and Y is 186 so unless you have a de-restricted S4 or spend a lot of time on a fast track or autobahn then I would consider any of these to be perfectly safe. Unfortunately it is still true that some insurers will still try any tactic to wriggle out of paying a claim but if one tried to tell me that having tyres rated for "only" 149mph was a contributing factor to an accident at normal (double-figure) road speeds then I'd throw the book at them and be confident that the ombudsman would back me.

I had two sets of PS3s and they are pretty good but this time I paid a little bit more for a full set of Michelin Pilot Super Sports and they are noticeably better in the wet and the dry. Not sure if they do either of these for 17" rims, mind you!

Blackcircles have good prices plus clubcard points and have been fine for me. Others on here have mentioned services who just sell the tyres but that means finding our own fitter. Finally, I have heard that my local Audi garage is being much more aggressive with their pricing and matching tyre prices like they have been doing against indie servicing. Given that the tyres will actually be fitted by an ATS / Kwik Fit mobile van man then I'd have no worries about it being done there - give them a call and see what the price looks like

[rafletcher]

At present Audi will "price match" tyre prices - but why would you bother when the likes of Blackcircles or Event Tyres will come to your home/place of work and fit and balance the tyres whist you get on with other stuff.

Of the current A4 Avant range only the 3.0TDi Quattro and the S4 exceed 149mph so if you have anything else you're ok on V rated tyres.

[andyam]

I've picked up...Continental Sport Contact 3. In 225/50/17 98y

[ScottyUK]

I had the need for two tyres and since it was about to be serviced asked Audi if they could do it whilst in. They could so I told them the price they'd need to match. After some keyboard bashing I was told that the price was cheaper than they could buy them for. The receptionist then asked me where I was getting them from as she needed some new tyres