Which of these wheels would you choose?
03-10-2010, 06:01 AM
#22
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I disagree with the looks of the 08 rims. They don't seem as I don't know how to put it, big or masculine enough. I don't like all the recesses in the rims. But my opinion 
I just like the 05 18".
I just like the 05 18".
03-10-2010, 06:03 AM
#23
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Rather than replacing wheels, what about just spacers? Nice clean look, all still factory OEM wheel look, but it cleans up the look of the car in a pretty material way. Tucked in, somewhat "weenie car" tire look of endless Toyotas, Hondas, GM's and even lesser Bimmers and Merc.'s becomes all there, serious planted appearance. <$400 total all in new for top quality spacers for all wheels, vs. up to several times that just for clean used wheels alone let alone tires. Or, just the rear, where you see the biggest difference, is less than $200 (audi rear track is less than the front, typical on many cars and probably also related to manufacturer preference toward understeer for less capable lowest common denominator drivers--once upon a time they needed more width up front for FWD packaging, but that was back in late 60's Audi C1's and Citroen "salami" cars) Plus, the spacers are useful for any wheel you have mentioned. I think with spacers, even the baseline five spoke 18" wheels can take on a whole new light.
http://www.finishlinewheels.com/AUDI...07/A-58783U78/
03-10-2010, 06:29 AM
#24
AudiWorld Super User
Nice wheels
Those are the "old style" RS4 wheels. 9x20, 46mm offset. And, FORGED, so rugged for a 20." 4 1/2 pounds heavier than a "new style" RS4 twin seven spoke wheel, but that is really because the new style is very light for a 20", not because the old ones are unusually heavy for their diameter.
Probably hard to find the old style in a clean set used very frequently. As a new wheel from Audi, very expensive. A grand or more, each.
Also available from "S line" A6's and others in lesser diameters. Those are not forged and not brush polished (spokes only on the A8 ones; interiors and side spokes are nicely pain finished) either. Of course, it is called the "old style" RS4 wheels since it was used on older RS4's; I think those were 19's. Maybe a 9" width? If you would go w/ 18's, the original C5 RS6 wheel is an 18 x 8 1/2. This same design. Has a 30 mm offset so pushes the wheel further out toward the fender edge. Looks very good on the car. I have tried it for fitment and looks and it is good. Again, Audi OEM, rugged and designed for the heavier weight cars like the C5 RS6 was and the A8 is as well. True older RS4 will have a more aggressive offset like this as well.
Probably hard to find the old style in a clean set used very frequently. As a new wheel from Audi, very expensive. A grand or more, each.
Also available from "S line" A6's and others in lesser diameters. Those are not forged and not brush polished (spokes only on the A8 ones; interiors and side spokes are nicely pain finished) either. Of course, it is called the "old style" RS4 wheels since it was used on older RS4's; I think those were 19's. Maybe a 9" width? If you would go w/ 18's, the original C5 RS6 wheel is an 18 x 8 1/2. This same design. Has a 30 mm offset so pushes the wheel further out toward the fender edge. Looks very good on the car. I have tried it for fitment and looks and it is good. Again, Audi OEM, rugged and designed for the heavier weight cars like the C5 RS6 was and the A8 is as well. True older RS4 will have a more aggressive offset like this as well.
Last edited by MP4.2+6.0; 03-10-2010 at 06:35 AM.
03-10-2010, 07:14 AM
#25
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Those are the "old style" RS4 wheels. 9x20, 46mm offset. And, FORGED, so rugged for a 20." 4 1/2 pounds heavier than a "new style" RS4 twin seven spoke wheel, but that is really because the new style is very light for a 20", not because the old ones are unusually heavy for their diameter.
Probably hard to find the old style in a clean set used very frequently. As a new wheel from Audi, very expensive. A grand or more, each.
Also available from "S line" A6's and others in lesser diameters. Those are not forged and not brush polished (spokes only on the A8 ones; interiors and side spokes are nicely pain finished) either. Of course, it is called the "old style" RS4 wheels since it was used on older RS4's; I think those were 19's. Maybe a 9" width? If you would go w/ 18's, the original C5 RS6 wheel is an 18 x 8 1/2. This same design. Has a 30 mm offset so pushes the wheel further out toward the fender edge. Looks very good on the car. I have tried it for fitment and looks and it is good. Again, Audi OEM, rugged and designed for the heavier weight cars like the C5 RS6 was and the A8 is as well. True older RS4 will have a more aggressive offset like this as well.
Probably hard to find the old style in a clean set used very frequently. As a new wheel from Audi, very expensive. A grand or more, each.
Also available from "S line" A6's and others in lesser diameters. Those are not forged and not brush polished (spokes only on the A8 ones; interiors and side spokes are nicely pain finished) either. Of course, it is called the "old style" RS4 wheels since it was used on older RS4's; I think those were 19's. Maybe a 9" width? If you would go w/ 18's, the original C5 RS6 wheel is an 18 x 8 1/2. This same design. Has a 30 mm offset so pushes the wheel further out toward the fender edge. Looks very good on the car. I have tried it for fitment and looks and it is good. Again, Audi OEM, rugged and designed for the heavier weight cars like the C5 RS6 was and the A8 is as well. True older RS4 will have a more aggressive offset like this as well.
Also, do you have any pics of your whole car?
Thanks.
03-10-2010, 08:33 AM
#26
AudiWorld Super User
Yes as far as what came on my car
...the "old style" RS4's. Those are visible in my brake mod pictures in the link in my autosignature below. I now use the "new style" RS4's--the twin seven spokes with the polished face and the nice gray glossy finish on the spoke sides, inner hub center and the barrel/rim. On the ones in the picture of yours, those areas are also painted, but are silver in color. Also nice.
03-10-2010, 08:45 AM
#27
AudiWorld Super User
Spacers are...
something that fits between the wheel and the hub. It moves the wheel out further toward the fender line. If you look at any up model toward the performance end relative to any lower "base" model, typically the wheels get both wider and move out toward the outer fender--certainly any RS and the S's to a fair extent, the M Bimmers or even the 335i's with better wheels, the AMG flavors, etc.
Here is a little feature piece AW ran (back when these were done more) on a car nicely done w/ spacers--his are as aggressive as it gets pretty much: https://www.audiworld.com/news/07/re...ides-2006-a8l/ Notice they are an OEM wheel, but if you look carefully notice how the wheel is positioned further out in the wheel well toward the fender edge. Subtle at first, but after you drive behind a few performance cars where the wheels are further out and then most Toyotas, Hondas and so many other things where they are way tucked in, you see the difference. My experience is "car guys" tend to notice nice wheels more when coupled with the spacers than without (or with lower offsets; see next paragraph). Do beware, if you are prone to curb rash, you want to be thinking the wheels are now another 3/4 to 1" further out typically.
You can also achieve the same thing if you use a numerically lower offset wheel--basically in the low 30's if you don't want to be too radical. For OEM though those are rare. Best examples would be the recent 19" RS4 wheels, and then the older C5 RS6 wheels. The newer RS4 wheels would probably be milled for the TPMS sensor. I know the RS6 ones are not.
Best known quality Euro spacer brand is probably H&R. ECS sells some store brand ones, and MTM has them, among others. Often around on the used or ebay markets too if you look and know exactly the width and type you want.
Here is a little feature piece AW ran (back when these were done more) on a car nicely done w/ spacers--his are as aggressive as it gets pretty much: https://www.audiworld.com/news/07/re...ides-2006-a8l/ Notice they are an OEM wheel, but if you look carefully notice how the wheel is positioned further out in the wheel well toward the fender edge. Subtle at first, but after you drive behind a few performance cars where the wheels are further out and then most Toyotas, Hondas and so many other things where they are way tucked in, you see the difference. My experience is "car guys" tend to notice nice wheels more when coupled with the spacers than without (or with lower offsets; see next paragraph). Do beware, if you are prone to curb rash, you want to be thinking the wheels are now another 3/4 to 1" further out typically.
You can also achieve the same thing if you use a numerically lower offset wheel--basically in the low 30's if you don't want to be too radical. For OEM though those are rare. Best examples would be the recent 19" RS4 wheels, and then the older C5 RS6 wheels. The newer RS4 wheels would probably be milled for the TPMS sensor. I know the RS6 ones are not.
Best known quality Euro spacer brand is probably H&R. ECS sells some store brand ones, and MTM has them, among others. Often around on the used or ebay markets too if you look and know exactly the width and type you want.
Last edited by MP4.2+6.0; 03-10-2010 at 08:49 AM.
03-10-2010, 05:29 PM
#28
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something that fits between the wheel and the hub. It moves the wheel out further toward the fender line. If you look at any up model toward the performance end relative to any lower "base" model, typically the wheels get both wider and move out toward the outer fender--certainly any RS and the S's to a fair extent, the M Bimmers or even the 335i's with better wheels, the AMG flavors, etc.
Here is a little feature piece AW ran (back when these were done more) on a car nicely done w/ spacers--his are as aggressive as it gets pretty much: https://www.audiworld.com/news/07/re...ides-2006-a8l/ Notice they are an OEM wheel, but if you look carefully notice how the wheel is positioned further out in the wheel well toward the fender edge. Subtle at first, but after you drive behind a few performance cars where the wheels are further out and then most Toyotas, Hondas and so many other things where they are way tucked in, you see the difference. My experience is "car guys" tend to notice nice wheels more when coupled with the spacers than without (or with lower offsets; see next paragraph). Do beware, if you are prone to curb rash, you want to be thinking the wheels are now another 3/4 to 1" further out typically.
You can also achieve the same thing if you use a numerically lower offset wheel--basically in the low 30's if you don't want to be too radical. For OEM though those are rare. Best examples would be the recent 19" RS4 wheels, and then the older C5 RS6 wheels. The newer RS4 wheels would probably be milled for the TPMS sensor. I know the RS6 ones are not.
Best known quality Euro spacer brand is probably H&R. ECS sells some store brand ones, and MTM has them, among others. Often around on the used or ebay markets too if you look and know exactly the width and type you want.
Here is a little feature piece AW ran (back when these were done more) on a car nicely done w/ spacers--his are as aggressive as it gets pretty much: https://www.audiworld.com/news/07/re...ides-2006-a8l/ Notice they are an OEM wheel, but if you look carefully notice how the wheel is positioned further out in the wheel well toward the fender edge. Subtle at first, but after you drive behind a few performance cars where the wheels are further out and then most Toyotas, Hondas and so many other things where they are way tucked in, you see the difference. My experience is "car guys" tend to notice nice wheels more when coupled with the spacers than without (or with lower offsets; see next paragraph). Do beware, if you are prone to curb rash, you want to be thinking the wheels are now another 3/4 to 1" further out typically.
You can also achieve the same thing if you use a numerically lower offset wheel--basically in the low 30's if you don't want to be too radical. For OEM though those are rare. Best examples would be the recent 19" RS4 wheels, and then the older C5 RS6 wheels. The newer RS4 wheels would probably be milled for the TPMS sensor. I know the RS6 ones are not.
Best known quality Euro spacer brand is probably H&R. ECS sells some store brand ones, and MTM has them, among others. Often around on the used or ebay markets too if you look and know exactly the width and type you want.
03-19-2010, 08:16 AM
#30
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I replaced my original pie plates that came with my 05 A8L with these 20x9 oem forged wheels shortly after I bought my car. I like the more aggressive look yet it does not shout, "Hey, look at me!" (kind of like a nice Omega instead of a Rolex).
