cmhanna14

I have a 2014 RS7 with the upgraded 21" wheels with 275/30 tires. I live in the north east and they only seem to make summer performance tires in that size, so I need to get a new set of downsized wheels and tires for the winter months. I really do not want to get the overpriced set from the Audi dealership, but I also don't want to get a set that look to exotic or like a tuner car...if you know what I am saying.

Does anyone have any recommendations on wheels that will fit and look great? Or has anyone been able to find an all season or winter tire in the 275/30/21 size.

Thanks,
Chris

16RS7

Dunlop has SP Winter Sport 3D 275/35/21s (at Tire Rack)


My question to everyone is: would 275/35/21s fit on the RS7?


They would have a radius of 13.75mm more than the 275/30/21 stock performance tires

wordsworth03

Achtuning sells good quality replicas of Audi OEM wheels. Their website shows which ones will clear the RS7 brakes. They have some nice 20's that would work well with the RS7.

As far as 275/35/21, that is too much of a change. The diameter of the wheel/tire will be nearly 4% greater which generally is not acceptable. You probably would have rubbing issues as well. Tire rack does have the Pirelli Sottozero 3 in 285/30/21 which will most likely be fine and probably not rub if you are not lowered. You are brave if you run 21" winters my friend!

cmhanna14

I spoke with both a tire shop and Audi dealer and both said there shouldn't be any problem with clearance with the 275/35/21 winter tires. It is obviously bigger, so may throw the speedometer.

Does anyone have any experience running the SP Dunlop 275/35/21 winter tires? If so, did you have any issues?

Thanks

16RS7

thanks for the reply.


20s make more sense for sure, but I have the 21 OEMs and I want to get an upgrade for the summers, so it would be nice to be able to use the stock 21s for the winters


probably pushing it though, as you suggest

dg144

I have a 2nd set of wheels 20" and use Pirelli Sottozero 240's, great tires. I live in the greater chicagoland area in the NW Indiana snowball, the car is amazing on these tires. I am looking forward to our first snow set for this Saturday!!

SENS8

I am in the northeast and the RS7 has been my daily driver for 30,000 miles.

I wish I had timely heard the wise advice of Wordsworth above. Instead I have a second set of the stock 21" wheels and the Pirelli Sottozeroes. I have suffered a blowout each year (despite careful driving, and necessitating the A7 spare tire kludge, but still no fun changing a tire in the snow and cold).

I hope you have gone with 20" for winter, instead.

The Sottozeroes however provide a worthwhile improvement in snow, slush, and ice over the Dunlop all-weathers which I had on my S8.

zman100

I had the same dilemma. I ordered tires/wheels from Tire Rack. They specifically pointed me to 3 sets of wheels that would clear the RS7 brakes. They shipped them in and I took them to the dealer- the wheels would not clear the front brakes. Long story short- it took several months, lawyers and the intervention of my credit card company to get a refund. So, the story on Tire Rack is they are great if everything gets shipped correctly and absolutely a nightmare if something is not right. Check out the online reviews- I wish that I would have. After all that I gave Audi the $$ for their RS7 winter tire package. At least I know it is going to fit.

LeicaNut

I had the same problem with my RS7 and living in the Northeast, after going to Eurotire and other aftermarket dealers around NY metro areas, just coughed up the $$ for the Audi Winter Tire package. Now I love driving the car all year long.

Tisbury

Here's my question. I purchased a '14 RS7 on Saturday. For the past five years I've been driving an A6 with zero problems with the all-weather tires. We live in northern Iowa and the winters are bad, but the street department is worse. They are horrible at plowing and I know I'm going to rip off the front end, but that's another post for another day.
Today I want to talk about the winter tire debacle...
This thread is very helpful, but not nearly as detailed as it needs to be.
First off, how are you guys buying these expensive cars, but don't have your own tire guy? If you are ever looking for a dedicated tire/wheel guy, just pm me and I'll send you my guy's info. You'll never talk to anyone else about wheels/tires ever again, guaranteed.

Now, obviously 21's and 20's will fit over the calipers, and 19's have been tried, but they rub, so we have to go 20 or 21. Bridgestone doesn't make Blizzak's in 21 yet, which forces me to do 20" rims. I'm completely stuck on Blizzak's unless you guys have something significant I need to know.

What nobody seems to have mentioned is the need to purchase the replacement sensors and valve cores for the new rims. Did you guys do this? Or did you just drive around all winter with your car telling you your tires are all flat?

For future reference, here are the part numbers:
Sensor - 7PP907275F
Core - 420601361A

Also curious, has anyone figured out the skinniest possible tire that will fit? Curious as that would greatly improve traction.