Audi Advocate

Am pissed having not got winter tires this year on the S4 - unlike last winter lots of snow & ice in the Northeast this year. Am using the wife's Hankook snow tire clad A3 instead. Fun but not the same fun as the S4 in the snow!

JD15

I definitely wouldn't recommend using summer tires if it's snowy or icy, but summer tires are passable if the temperature drops a few degrees below 40 and are driven on conservatively. I have driven on them in the high 30s multiple times before changing tires in the fall, and it isn't like the grip decreases dramatically between 41 degrees and 39 degrees.

2011SVT

Am having Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4s installed in about an hour to replace the stock Michelin PS3s (which are great tires except in the cold and snow where they are like skis).

Now spring can come next week. I am convinced that putting the snow tires on will be like the groundhog not seeing his shadow!

Tweakophyte

My A4 came with summer tires. The sales guy tried to talk me out of it because of the seasons here in CO, and he said most people get all seasons, but I assumed it was because he was trying to get me into a car on the lot.

Turned out he was right.

Driving home from Vail the roads were a little snowy, but they were well-traveled, so they were not too bad. I'd been driving in the snow for years, and in the A4 for months. The ride up was not bad at all. If I remember, it was around 20 degrees F... could have been colder.

Coming out of a corner, going 35-ish, I hit the gas a tiny bit too hard... I mean a tiny bit... and the rear came out. From there it was literally slow motion counter-steering down a straight portion of Hwy 70. I kept it on the road for several fish-tails before the highway turned, and I did a semi-controlled wipeout into the center ditch.

I call it a "free lesson" because I ended up with a tiny scratch in the car, and a much better understanding of the properties of rubber.

That was about 13 yrs ago, and I still play back both the argument with the sales guy, and the wipeout. :-)

At the time I would have told you I was very experience snow-driver. I'd spend 3 heavy seasons in Tahoe and Vail with my GTi (albeit on AS biased towards snow), and could do goofy things like e-brake perfectly into parking spots. I'd also driven the sport tires on the A4 in sub-freezing weather many times.

Long story... 'nuff said.

Tifosi

Follow the link for another real world experience: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho...1#post24400231.

Audi Advocate

Ironically read your post yesterday - spotted this at the dealer today. Yes, those are the OEM Conti Sports on it. Brand new A4 in the hands of the thoughtless. Hopefully he/she did not do as much damage to the other guy.

Winter tires should be manadatory in Ontario as they are in Quebec.

Evlengr

I live in DC and it was under $1400.00 to get Good Conti Extreme 18"s with MODA wheels.

Aside from the life and death issues involved. If you nick your front bumper it will cost you more than that to get it fixed.

I have my summer 19"s in the garage right now and can tell you no way would I drive with those on my car. They are just like solid hockey pucks atm.

DrVolkl

I meant it's not worth it not to have all seasons. As I should on my 997, just been too lazy to get around to it, plus I have an FJ which I should be driving more...

2011SVT

Update: These have been fabulous tires for the winter. They really do just about everything very well. As those of you in the Midwest know, the rest of winter and spring for that matter have seen their fair share of snowy/cold days this year. Wish I would have gotten these sooner!

The UPS man just delivered my Pilot Super Sports yesterday wrapped around 19" BBS CH-R rims for summer (going to leave the PA4s mounted on the stock 18" rims and just swap wheels). Now all I need is the summer.....