Andrewembassy

I am in Yerevan, Armenia. Roads are bumpy with lots of pot-holes. Mine is 2000 A6 Quatro 2.4l.
I have 16' wheels with 205/55 tires. Can feel even smallest changes in road surface, every small thing. Will the riding substantially soften if I convert to 15' wheels with wider tires?

TXurS6

If your tire pressures are set high, you can lower them and that will improve the ride a little. Check the recommended pressures for you car and tire size. Do not adjust them too low, you could damage your tires and wheels.

Going to 15" wheels while keeping the same tire diameter will go a long way towards softening the ride. The type of tire you have can contribute to ride quality as well. In general, performance tires have stiffer sidewalls while All-Season tires will have softer sidewalls.

Potomac-Greg

... wider tires (e.g. 235/55) with the 16 inch wheels you will gain height (a bit). Sidewall height will soften things, particularly if you pick a "touring" tire versus "performance." You will lose handling.

Mike Shields

If you are feeling everything and you have been driving on harsh gravel or mixed road surfaces it is possible that one shock or more has frozen in position? It simply will not move or only over a limited range. Have a mechanic friend 'bounce test' your suspension on all four corners while sitting in the driveway.

Potomac2.7T is correct. Hopefully in Armenia you can get Nokian Hakkapiliitta NRW of 205/65-15 "Reinforced". These are designed to run on rough roads/gravel and offer good ride and control benifits, besides being less prone to punctures on rough roads.

-=M=-
Mike

Min's Audi

Well, I am driving 2001 A6 2.4 FWD. Just recently I feel the same things too. First I though, my new michelin Pilot Sport 205/55 ZR tires. low down the tire presure to 31 PSI and still feel the same. Only later part I found out my right rear absorber is leaking which mean it's not functioning as it's supposed to. May be try to low your presure a little bit below recommandation and check all your shock absorber. My agent refuse to change and according to shock test it's only 63, 62,61 and 60 ( right rear ) %. than they agree to change shock absorber.