# winter/summer rims



## tommyknocker (Feb 10, 2012)

i have a question for you about rims change. at the moment i have the 5-twin-spoke titanium. I chose them at the moment of the order and I'm still really happy with. problem is they're very delicate and mounting\unmounting winter tires is a risk, my dealer is a good professional but producing scuffs or scratches is very easy and i don't want to risk, I would like to have 2 sets of complete summer/winter tires. So I was looking for a nice aftermarket set form oz or bbs, but even if some of the rims themselves are really really nice, at the end I have the impression they don't blend in properly. this is off course a personal point but unfortunately the line not to look "tuned" on the tt is very thin. I had a good offer from my dealer for a new set of 5-parallel-spoke Star, and in a moment of weakness I bought it. 
Now I'm undecided on witch is best to go on summer or winter?
What's Your advice?

Thanks!

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?res...authkey=!AALN6zW3oZqXato&v=3&ithint=photo,jpg


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## Jonnyy (Feb 12, 2016)

I prefer the alloys on the picture of the car at the bottom. So i suppose you should have the summer tyres on the alloys you prefer, as you will have those on the car for more months of the year. Did you buy genuine audi tt alloys from your audi dealer? I am also looking into a 2nd complete set and cant find any new genuine ones online but if you can order direct from a dealer that would be great.


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## tommyknocker (Feb 10, 2012)

A costumer changed mind at the last after the order was made and they put me in contact with. I think you can order the rims directly in Audi but I'm afraid price would be ballistic. On eBay you can find many offers usually tyres are included and wheels look 
genuine, from buyers that changed mind after buying. 
That's what I had in mind, summer for the bottom model and winter for the top.

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## Rev (Nov 17, 2015)

Only thing is, the top wheels are forged and the bottom ones aren't (as far as I remember). So maybe the top ones will feel nicer, reducing unsprung weight can have a big impact. But, maybe the weight difference isn't so big, and you won't notice it.

I also prefer the bottom wheels, and wish the TTS came with those wheels as standard (and forged), I think they suit the car really well. The standard TTS spokes (in UK, the top wheels) kind of remind me of wine bottles xD


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## tommyknocker (Feb 10, 2012)

Very interesting, I assumed they were both no forged due to the price. If so the top one are gaining some points. As soon as I get it I'll put them on a balance, if forged they'll weight below 20 kg ? Is correct?

Now that you say that it's true never noticed they look like 4 bottles , strange the bottom one in uk are available only in silver and not in titanium, in silver the loose a bit in my opinion .

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## Rev (Nov 17, 2015)

Just checked the Audi.de site, yeah its strange, usually forged wheels are more expensive, but not with Audi Oo
And I agree the titanium colour is much better!
If the style of the wheel is the same, the forged will be lighter and stronger, I'm not sure how these wheels will compare, only one way to find out


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## tommyknocker (Feb 10, 2012)

You definitely right it's even stated, never realised before. Obligation for winter tires ends in april I'll put both on the balance to see if audi is not a liar! Even if, there's a change audi is honest but the weight is similar on both since I red that some very good quality cast rims are similar in weight to medium quality forged, standing the fact that forged are more resistant. Otherwise would be a good new since forged aftermarket are insanely expensive!
Yeap Titanium look better but I'm afraid its very difficult to repair\repaint the rim compared to the bare alluminum, but is still strange titanium is available Europe wide except uk.

ps also on the audi.it is mentioning forged vs cast...


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## CiLA (Oct 31, 2015)




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## tommyknocker (Feb 10, 2012)

[smiley=bulb2.gif] [smiley=bulb2.gif] [smiley=bulb2.gif] [smiley=bulb2.gif]


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## tommyknocker (Feb 10, 2012)

finally changed back to summer tyres (here it's a 15days of constant 25 c° during day...poor winter tyres).

test wasn't really scientific, had no weight balance handy there, but i weighted by hand both wheels and had the impression forged one are a bit more heavy compared to the 5 stars ones. as said it might be just an impression but at least are on the same weight, maybe the forged one are more resistant.

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?res...authkey=!AO04khDXa1HY-Lo&v=3&ithint=photo,JPG


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## DHFerguson (May 19, 2016)

I got a price of $1,100 delivered from Tire Rack for a set of Continental 225/50R-17 WinterContact SI tires mounted on Sport Edition SE-16 17" x 7.5" wheels. I having some health issues, so, I can't hump around tires for awhile. I lent my truck to a neighbor in trade for his swapping on the Blizzaks out of my garage attic. The dealer wanted almost $4,000 for winter tires on Audi wheels. When I told them about the Tire Rack price, he offered to buy them from Tire Tack, swap them out for $50/swap AND he will store the other tires/wheels in between. What a deal!



















The Sport Edition center caps look kinda cheezy, and there are no lug nut covers, so, I swapped them for the Audi 'star' caps. They don't sit tight against the hub (~3/16" gap), but, they'll probably hold. I bought a second set on EBAY for $40 in case I loose one.



















The ride is much better than my 19" stock wheels/tires. We're just getting our first significant snow, so, I'll have to see how it does.


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## Cobstar (Dec 12, 2006)

DHFerguson - Your winter rims look great.


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## Matrix (Apr 11, 2016)

I 2nd that. I'd like a set too.


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## tommyknocker (Feb 10, 2012)

Nice touch! [smiley=thumbsup.gif] [smiley=thumbsup.gif] [smiley=thumbsup.gif] [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


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## sherry13 (Oct 8, 2013)

Spoke to someone at an Audi centre about winter wheels fairly recently. He had a huge winter tyre in front of him, complete with snow chains and a massive promotional poster about the subject behind him.

"You don't need 'em" he said.

"It's only if you go into mountains somewhere and the temperatures are sub zero. Then, you'll need 'em".

"London is never bad enough for Winters, it's a huge expense".

He did have some advice though, which is if you are going to do it, buy them on the continent where the market is much bigger for obvious reasons and thus cheaper. Though not sure about transport costs to the U.K..!

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## tommyknocker (Feb 10, 2012)

with quattro you can run with reasonable safety over dry snow on summer tyres. Manu posted me a video driving over snow to joke me about winter tyres. Problem is in Italy legislator made compulsory the use of chains\thermic tyres on some selected roads during winter period. Paradox is formal winter period is up april and in the south of italy it's not uncomon to have 20 deg or more...but you can be fined anyway if you get the wrong police man to stop you while driving with summer tyres and no chains onboard... Bureaucracy's delights!



sherry13 said:


> Spoke to someone at an Audi centre about winter wheels fairly recently. He had a huge winter tyre in front of him, complete with snow chains and a massive promotional poster about the subject behind him.
> 
> "You don't need 'em" he said.
> 
> ...


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## DHFerguson (May 19, 2016)

We got 11" that last snow, too much for the limited ground clearance Last night we got 2", so, I took it out for a blast on the unplowed dirt roads along the river this morning (sunny, 15 degrees).










Accelerated and turned very well, but, stand-on-it braking was disappointing.
I didn't push it too hard, but, I was able to make nice 90 degree turns without braking going in and it would pull hard coming out without the rear end stepping out very far. It's still too new & pretty to stuff it into a snow bank, though.


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