scottybooj

So i've had my A8L for about 5 months now. I am surprised at how skittish the car seems when encountering irregularities in the pavement, missing pieces of tarmac (not potholes), expansion joints, etc. the car seems to have left/right movement, as if the tires are breaking free for an instant. The tires were new as of february...they are Pirellis (and I forgot the model and sizes as I type this...I will ammend when i'm out of the office)

I was on the Taconic parkway (for those who know...quite a squiggly piece of road that my BMW ATE up!) and going around a high speed sweeper at around 65mph, i felt the car move laterally to the right...quite disconcerting!

Is this a suspension issue, control arm(s) or the tires just sucking???

Thanks alot!

mishar

Pirelli's are not so good lately (except in Formula 1 ). All season's, summer, not winter I hope? How about pressure?

Bad alignment would show more on a rough pavement while driving strait, but it is good to check it from time to time, especially with new tires.

Panelhead

I have the Pirelli Verde Green on my A8. Seem to work fine. Very, good holding, and hopefully long lasting.
The suspension needs maintenance more than normal. The front upper control arm bushings first. Then the front anti-sway bar links. The rear seems to hold up.
It could be a bad tire, belt issue. Or something worn out.
Do you hear noises when going over speed bumps or driveway ramps? This could indicate worn suspension bits.
If you know a good front end shop, take it in. They should identify any worn out components. Plus just an alignment may solve this.
One diagnostic. Make some tight low speed doughnuts in a parking lot at low speed. Go left and right. See if you feel popping or uneven movement.

scottybooj

No noises...tires are all-season...still at the office so I haven't had the time to check the type/specs.

It's weird...the car just doesn't seem ''planted''. If i take a turn and the pavement has a bump, it's fine most of the time. It just seems like the wheel(s) are moving more than necessary.

At 59K miles now...are the bushings shot? That would SUCK.

Panelhead

The shifting sounds more like alignment or a tire issue. At 60K the rubber parts should be fine on a 07. Usually they get noisey before they noticeably affect the handling.
Getting the tires rotated and an alignment may be in your future. Either way, a close look at the tires may indicate a problem.

EHLO

As already mentioned, it could be the two inner front upper control arm bushings.
Mine had a wandering effect similar to what you describe on off camber surfaces until I had them replaced.
I didn't check, but you may be able to get a flashlight in there to see if the rubber has separated from the bushing.

Fez2013

I know the Taconic Pkwy well and it's a nice drive with the right car

Maybe you've got some uneven wear on the rear tires?

mishar

Have you checked the tire pressure? Too high would hurt handling in the way you describe. Or you expect too much from a luxury car?

Gary Knox

Does the car have the OE wheels?

In many cars, if the wheel size is changed, and especially if the offset is changed (centerline of tire is now in or out from the original position), this can lead to tramlining and skittishness in uneven pavement.

scottybooj

Wheels are OE. Ties are brand new as of 6k miles ago and installed by Drake prior to the sale. I would have hoped that an alignment was performed prior to the dealer releasing the car for sale.

As for expecting too much from a luxury car. ..I simply don't understand that comment. This behavior occurs at low and high speeds. So, yes, if my audi performs weaker than a mercury Grand marquis in a particular area, I am concerned