After admiring all the other A6's with S4 rims out there, I decided to invest in a set for my 2001 Avant. As much as I like the "classy" look of the stock wineglass rims, I just can't stop equating them to "pizza cutters". The stock setup was fine for December to May but, In June I wanted a dedicated Summer shoes.

Here's my story.....

For three months, I was being consistently outbid on Ebay at prices over $1400 (complete tire/rim package). Everytime I searched Ebay under "S4 rims tires" I kept on seeing those replicas from the Wheel Exchange or some knock-off place like that. Replica's were a last resort for me. Everyone from the forum convinced me that OEM was the way to go.

One day, Chris Clark from Texas tracked me down on email and asked me if I was interested in his stock S4 rims/tires. Chris told me that they had less then 800 miles on them and they were "perfect" - not a scratch or nick to be found. His S4 came with the OEM set up (225/45-17 P6000). I originally wanted 235's but was hard pressed to spend another $600+ for new tires (I really wanted the S-03's). After two phone calls with Chris we decided on a price and my check was "in the mail". Chris was extremely accommodating. He sold me all four rims/tires for $1,100 shipped!! What a deal. I couldn't believe it.

A week later, the rims arrive. The brown-uniformed delivery guy was nice enough to leave them on my back patio. I was giddy when I saw them. Chris did an excellent job packing each rim/tire individually. The strategically placed cardboard protected the rims from any unnecessary dings. The tires were so new that the red stripe was completely visible. The rims also included the factory balancers and lug-nuts. If I had the time that night I would have mounted these myself but, I didn't.

I decided to go to the local tire shop and spend $20 to have them professionally mounted. As soon as left the shop, I decided to take it on the highway and check for vibrations etc. At 95mph I couldn't feel a thing. At high speeds, cornering was much improved. The ride was a tad bit stiffer but, not by much. Everyone on the Tire Forum mentioned that the P6000's were loud at high speeds - I didn't notice anything over my stock Michelin 205's. Before I purchased the rims, a co-worker informed me that I should really invest in a full allignment.

Here's where it gets better.....

A week before my rims arrived I had my Avant at the dealer for an oil change. I happened to have a conversation with one of the technicians and I told him that I have a set of OEM S4 rims being delivered. He told me that I was in luck if they have the factory installed wheel weights and stock P6000's. As it goes, Audi will rebalance and realign any vehicle with an OEM wheel/tire package - under warranty. I made a mental note and quickly scheduled a return visit (after I spent the $20 to have the new tires/rims mounted). Audi actually discovered that both of my front rotors were slightly warped. So they replaced them. By the time I picked up my car, Audi had rebalanced all 4 wheels; performed a full 4-wheel alignment and replaced my front rotors with new ones. Audi provided $400+ of service - all for free. My drive home took me along the Mass Pike and down 495. A stretch between Hopkinton and Milford provided me with enough space to accellerate to 110. The car was solid the entire way.

I absolutely love my Audi warranty.

PS - I also invested $15 in the Audi valve stem caps. They add a nice look to the rims.

PSS - These rims are extremely easy to clean.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/32631/avus_rims_arrive1.jpg">

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/32631/avus_rims_arrive2.jpg">

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/32631/avus_rims_with_audi_caps.jpg">

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/32631/wineglass_rims_stacked.jpg">

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/32631/p7160023.jpg">


<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/32631/teds_2001_a6_avant1.1.jpg">

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/32631/a6_with_avus1.jpg">

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/32631/a6_with_avus2.jpg">

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/32631/a6_with_avus3.jpg">

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/32631/a6_with_avus5.jpg">

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/32631/a6_with_avus4.jpg">

From here on out, this is the closest I will get to other cars in a parking lot.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/32631/p1010122.jpg">