My 03 A/R needs 4 new tires (in a hurry) to replace the Goodyear POS that have lasted 30k miles and sucked up a large, scary looking bolt in the tread. I have a question concerning overall owner satistafction, but more specifically WINTER PERFORMANCE.

Background: I've searched forum posts for the past 2 years for feedback on the Falkens and read a lot of it, mostly all good. Lots of you seemed to purchase from Discount tire, but there are no stores close to me in Northern VA. (Ashburn) The car comes off lease in 13 months and I'd rather not sink $1000 in the tires for 4 Pilot Sport A/S. Which I know is a good tire, as I had them on a previous A6 Avant.

I was going to purchase today from the Merchant/Tire Kingdom down the street, where they stock both the Falken 512 and the Pilot Sport A/S. I've had good experiences at this tire store in the past (so I tend to trust them), but the guy-on-duty was trying very hard to talk me out of the Falken and into anything else. He said to ignore the marketing and the M+S designation, it's really a 3 season tire and that I would be unhappy with it based on "his few years working there" and "the feedback he's had from other customers." He said this is just a "cosmetic-performance tire", whatever that means.

He pointed out the lack of sipes "cuts in the tire" as he called them, which is what gives you winter traction. I understand the concept and his point, but I'm looking for reinforcement from AR owners who have had them for a while in 4 season weather that this tire is at least "decent" in the snow considering it's a high-perform A/S tire.

So will I be sorry come Winter that I didn't spend an extra $350 - $400 for the Pilot Sports A/S, over the Falkens...just to get thru one Northern VA winter?

Thanks in advance.

I've been thru 2 winters with them, and felt they were at least adequate, if not better than average.

I also questioned the dearth of siping when I bought them, but came around to thinking they're OK.

I know that there must be >3-4" of snow before I can do decent parking lot donuts -- otherwise there's too much grip and it feels abusive to the car. :-)

good for NY/NJ snow. I'm on my second set. I got about 30 out of them and for $95... It good.

If you want better in the snow then get the Nokian WR.. also four season but with a severe weather/winter rating. Cost a lot more.. but its worth more.

12 months remaining on lease and had to get a new set of tires. Justified the Nokians since I thought I could run them year round. So far I have been surprise at how well they handle in the warm weather. Don't get soft like I thought they would. Excellant rain tire and handled the Minnesota winter better than anything else I have had on a car. They are expensive, over $700 for a set. Now that I am likely going to buy the ar off lease I will probably put on some 18" summer tires and keep the Nokians for winter.

It's a tough decision, wished Audi would have used OE tires that were of good quality.

don't even compair. So with that said, ether will of you two choices will compair the same.

I spent a lot of time listening to the ABS and ESP. For my type of winter driving, snow tires are worth the trouble.

For the other 3 seasons they are great tires and make the car handle the way it should, but Maine winters demand tire respect and the 512s don't cut it.

I'll admit that maybe I let them put the wrong size or maybe it's just my overall bad experience - but I'm really not impressed with this tire. I have 245/45/17's - too low profile, grind hard in the turns, doesn't feel as solid as the Pilot A/S's - overall not impressed.
Sears, where I got mine on sale for $112 a tire, is NOT a place I would recommend ever to anyone! The idiots effective tomorrow will have bought me 5 wheels due to stupidity and in the end are taking back their tires and refunding my whole transaction with them due to my incredible ordeal - they are idiots and have wasted way too much of my time dealing with this crap.

I've just been turned on to AVON tires at Tire Rack and I think I'll order a set for my summer tire.

anybody got any bad experience with them?

...Bridgestone Turanza LS-V ($600 delivered from the Tirerack). The Falkens were adequate during my ski trips (no snow where I live), but I didn't even get 20k mi out of them. I do drive hard on a winding mountain road every day, and to be perfectly fair, I've yet to get 20K out of any tire (ie, OEM Goodyears and Mich A/S).

Interestingly, unlike the Mich's which wore faster in the center, suggesting slightly lower inflation for optimun life, the Falkens are exactly opposite, wearing MUCH faster on the outside tread. If you get them, I'd suggest 40/38 pressure and frequent rotation.

Spyder

The Goodyears were flat out scary in the snow. I put these on hoping they would be better in the snow and the are quite servicable in the snow, but they're not snow tires. If you really want snow performance you have to go with the Nokians, but lots more money. The Pilots are great, too. You'll be fine for getting around in the snow and slop with the Falcons. I found that like the Goodyears, they tended up load up a bit with snow and that turning off the traction control when the snow got deeper improved things greatly.

As with all of this, YMMV.