18" or 19"??

[Brendan999]

hi - just took delivery of my A4 Avant 1.8T (Ibis white) a couple of weeks ago and am considering upgrading the wheels on them but struggling on whether to go for 18" or 19" wheels. (Preference will be 19")

Appreciate any thoughts and also any advice/experience on whether the ride/performance quality will be severely affected if I do opt for the 19"??

[onemanparty]

19" are great on my A4 But if I can I always try and upgrade the Alloys. I could never tell the difference between 18 & 19" ride wise.

Can I ask what Alloys are you looking at?

[Audi Happy]

19" it's got to be. i know it's a bit boy racer but the bigger the better when it comes to alloys.

[kodkod.84]

I think 19s look better on the B8- as the car has got bigger over the B7 the wheels need to size up as well in my opinion.

[Brendan999]

19" are great on my A4 But if I can I always try and upgrade the Alloys. I could never tell the difference between 18 & 19" ride wise.

Can I ask what Alloys are you looking at?



Thanks! I'm still looking around at the moment, but saw some from OZ that I quite like.

I would prefer 19" for the aesthetics appeal, jsut worried how my 1.8 T would cope with them and also the ride quality.

[Brendan999]

I think 19s look better on the B8- as the car has got bigger over the B7 the wheels need to size up as well in my opinion.


19" are great on my A4 But if I can I always try and upgrade the Alloys. I could never tell the difference between 18 & 19" ride wise.

Can I ask what Alloys are you looking at?


19" it's got to be. i know it's a bit boy racer but the bigger the better when it comes to alloys.


Thanks all for your reply. If not too much trouble, can you pls send me pics (or links) of your A4??

[Audi Happy]

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/picture.php?albumid=182&pictureid=609[/IMG]Not the best picture, i'll try to get a more side on view for you later today, weather permitting.:beerchug:

[Brendan999]

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/picture.php?albumid=182&pictureid=609[/IMG]Not the best picture, i'll try to get a more side on view for you later today, weather permitting.:beerchug:

Thanks. Good looking ride you have there.

[HighwayTG]

I chose the 19'' as they look good and fill out the wheel arches but you pay a price ; the ride is much harsher when combined with the S-Line suspension ... I drove an SE with standard 17'' wheels and I have to admit it was way more comfortable, especially over those dam speed bumps :zx11:

[troc]

I chose the 19'' as they look good and fill out the wheel arches but you pay a price ; the ride is much harsher when combined with the S-Line suspension ... I drove an SE with standard 17'' wheels and I have to admit it was way more comfortable, especially over those dam speed bumps :zx11:

That's why I decided not to spec 19" with my S4. The 18"s already ride stiffly enough :)

[sunil1234]

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/picture.php?albumid=182&pictureid=609[/IMG]Not the best picture, i'll try to get a more side on view for you later today, weather permitting.:beerchug:
To the OP - go for 19"s on your upgrade choice

Audi Happy, how do you keep these clean. My wife has these on her a4 2.0 tfsi cab and no matter how frequently i wash them with meguiars and coat with autoglym wheel sealant i am still getting dust sticking. I havent tried any harsh wheel cleaners but wonder if that will get the baked on bits off and how to prevent it increasing?

ta

S

[HighwayTG]

Sunil1234

These 19'' are difficult to clean and stay clean, one short drive, especially in this weather and the shines gone .... thank god for hand car washes. :o

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/picture.php?albumid=274&pictureid=929

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/picture.php?albumid=274&pictureid=930

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/picture.php?albumid=274&pictureid=931

[sunil1234]

thanks i am finding this out the hard way. Specifically wondered what else u did to avoid stubborn brake dust spots remaining?

Time to invest in a pressure washer i think as the brake dust is beginning to stick and other commitments mean i cant wash both cars each week:(

[mkc]

I keep mine spotless by using Chemical Guys Wheel Guard and then a warm wash mitt to get the dust off. If you have stubborn marks can I suggest a used toothbrush (one that is not too harsh that it will mark the alloys) and undiluted Chemical Guys Blue Wheel and Rim Cleaner. Various places stock this on the net.

Wash with a washmitt and the best shampoo you can afford, then work the toothbrush and the blue wheel cleaner. It is a bit harsh so wear gloves and rinse with clean cool water after from a hose if you can. Then plaster the wheelguard on and leave for about 10 mins and then buff off with a microfibre. Make sure you put this into every corner of the wheel.

You should then find that nothing but warm water and a washmitt will keep them looking good. Dont use a sponge, use a washmitt that allows you to use your fingers to get into every part of the wheel. Water should bead on the wheel like it does on a waxed panel. Ive been using baby wipes to keep mine clean between washes.............sad eh

You can also use a clay bar to remove brake dust and a wax if you like to ensure nothing marks the wheel during these winter months. Every couple of months take the wheel off so you can wash behind the spokes.

I do the same on the chrome exhaust tips.

Dont let a power washer near your car IMHO

[Audi Happy]

Sunil1234,

I just got some of this and it works fantastic, may seem expensive but you can dilute it up to 5 to 1 so you gey alot for your money. Then polish with Zaino Z2 pro. It seems top work for me.

Check out www.detailingworld.co.uk ( but be carefull i got hooked and it's cost me a fortune on cleaning kit )

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/wheels-and-tyres/valet-pro-bilberry-wheel-cleaner-1-litre-/prod_499.html

[Audi Happy]

Brendan999,

Better picture from the side showing the wheels.

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/picture.php?albumid=182&pictureid=932

[Brendan999]

I chose the 19'' as they look good and fill out the wheel arches but you pay a price ; the ride is much harsher when combined with the S-Line suspension ... I drove an SE with standard 17'' wheels and I have to admit it was way more comfortable, especially over those dam speed bumps :zx11:


That's why I decided not to spec 19" with my S4. The 18"s already ride stiffly enough :)


Mine is the SE with 17"s, so standard suspension which gives me a pretty comfy ride at the moment. That's why i'm trying to convince myself that putting 19"s on them will still give me a decent ride. My new born will be a passenger so just want to make sure i don't make the wrong decision. :p

[BMWBig6]

For cleaning wheels, I highly recommend P21S wheel cleaner (gel formulation). It's also sold locally as "S100" brand in Harley-Davidson dealerships or other motorcycle shops. P21S has confirmed the S100 wheel cleaner gel is the same as the P21S product, but it's only available in smaller spray bottle formats.

You *almost* don't have to wipe the wheels after spraying P21S (or S100) because most of the dust will wash away with high pressure water. I still end up wiping mine though (perfectionist). It works best if you let the spray gel stand on the wheels for 15 minutes or so. And it's safe for modern wheel finishes (recommended by Porsche), and will not etch or discolor wheels (pH level is not acidic).

[steve1234]

Hello,

Well - I think I'm probably in an unusual postion to be able to help on this as I have 18s and 19s for my car. It was such an early car that the 19s were not available so I had it with 18s and then bought some 19" new style RS6 wheels.

The 19s look great, no question there and the RS6 style really do suit the car. The only trouble is that it drives better on the 18s!!!!

At the start of the winter I destroyed a 19" rim in a pot hole (I live in sussex and expect to do at least 1 wheel per year on the commute!!!). I have since replaced this rim but I am going to see the winter out on the 18s with which I have no pot-hole problems!!!

So I suppose you have to ask yourself what the car is mainly used for, if it is in town and on motorways the 19s will probably be fine and look great (and survive!!). If you are going to go down country lanes or pot holed roads then think about some cool 18s....... Many of the 18 styles look bigger than the design that Audi have chosen as standard.

[onemanparty]

I will post a picture of 20 Spoke 19" once I get my car back from the dealer. I had a blow out on the M6 today :aargh4:

But the Audi dealer has let me a TT TDI until tomorrow when I get my car back. Which I have to say I was very impressed with:approve:

[Brendan999]

Hello,

Well - I think I'm probably in an unusual postion to be able to help on this as I have 18s and 19s for my car. It was such an early car that the 19s were not available so I had it with 18s and then bought some 19" new style RS6 wheels.

The 19s look great, no question there and the RS6 style really do suit the car. The only trouble is that it drives better on the 18s!!!!

At the start of the winter I destroyed a 19" rim in a pot hole (I live in sussex and expect to do at least 1 wheel per year on the commute!!!). I have since replaced this rim but I am going to see the winter out on the 18s with which I have no pot-hole problems!!!

So I suppose you have to ask yourself what the car is mainly used for, if it is in town and on motorways the 19s will probably be fine and look great (and survive!!). If you are going to go down country lanes or pot holed roads then think about some cool 18s....... Many of the 18 styles look bigger than the design that Audi have chosen as standard.

Thanks Steve1234 - my commute is mostly in town driving so i should be fine (though I feel your pain on the destroyed wheel)... btw, do you have any pics of your car with the 18"s that you can share?? just want to see the diff with the awesome looking 19"s that have been posted thus far.

[onemanparty]

19" 20 Spoke

Not the greatest picture in the world, But I do not take the camera to work and I pick up my new car on Monday :D

4731

[Chrisroberts21]

Highway TG

Who cares about the ride ! The car looks BOSS !!

:beerchug:

[BumpyAudiOwner]

I have an s_line 2008 audi a4 avant with the 19" alloys and I can honestly say that it is the worst ride quality I have ever experienced in any car I have ever driven. Whilst they look good I hate every single journey in teh car. I am now spending my time searching the internet for some sort of replacement spring/damper kit that may improve the ride quality (and this in a brand new two month old car) . Anyone with any suggestions on this please let me know.

[ScottyUK]

I'd recommend test driving cars before buying them :dunno:

[BumpyAudiOwner]

Good advice Scott.

And I guess by Inference that means: Never buy a Brand New car model until the dealer has a demonstrator And by further inference, never believe what the dealer says regarding ride quality until you experience it yourself.

Further to this, I have spoken to two different Audi dealers about this ride quality problem (Swindon and Salisbury).

It seems that there is no adjustment to soften the suspension on the S-Line Audi a4's. They were both adament about this as they had received a number of similar queries - THIS SHOULD BE VERY TELLING FOR ANYONE CONSIDERING AN S-LINE AUDI A4.

I asked about the possibility of installing SE suspension and springs. The dealer said that this was not supported but would not give an explanation as to why.

Basically Audi are aware that this is an issue but offer no resolution for it.

If I was asked if anyone shoudl get a new Audi A4, I would say avoid the S-Line and especially avoid the larger wheels.

Thoroughly miffed off having spent £34 k on a new car to find that even my Honda s2000 on lowered and stiffened springs and lower profile tyres has a much smoother ride. My previous BMW 3 series had similar larger alloys and low profile tyres and had non of the ride quality issues that the Audi A4 S-Line does.

:(

[ScottyUK]

I recently test drove an S-line on 19" and I found it fine. In fact there was a little more roll than I'm used to. It's certainly more compliant than my B6 S4 and hence I'm happy with it and have placed an order for it. My 4 month pregnant wife is also happy with it and confident it's fine for the new baby and existing sprog.....but it could all be relative to what you are used to or the roads where you live.

Have you checked whether you have the S-line suspension (30mm drop - a zero cost option) or the Sport suspension (20mm drop - standard). In theory it should be Sport as you "can't get" the 30mm drop with 19" wheels but perhaps they put 19"s on a 18" wheel built car :confused:

Not being funny but I assume you've checked the tyre pressures.

Just ideas but ultimately I guess it's a risk that goes with being an early adopter. :(

[onemanparty]

I have an s_line 2008 audi a4 avant with the 19" alloys and I can honestly say that it is the worst ride quality I have ever experienced in any car I have ever driven. Whilst they look good I hate every single journey in teh car. I am now spending my time searching the internet for some sort of replacement spring/damper kit that may improve the ride quality (and this in a brand new two month old car) . Anyone with any suggestions on this please let me know.


Thats your opinion. But I have had a an A4 3.0TDI quattro on 19" and the ride was fine. If you want a hard ride try my S3 now thats hard.

A4 S line is better in ride quality than a 3 Series M Sport 19" with run flats

[Brendan999]

After a lot of thinking and great advice/experience from everyone here, I have surrendered to the appeals of the 19"s..... and now, absolutely enjoying my car even more. Even looking at it makes me wanna smile.:D I actually don't find the ride quality to differ to much from the original 17"s I had on before.

BumpyAudiOwner - I have the SE suspension and the ride quality with the 19"s on is still very good (hardly notice the difference). Good luck in your hunt for a more comfortable set of suspension/springs.

[Audi Happy]

I've got 19's on my s-line with 20mm drop and the rides fine, better than my old alfa GT which only had 17's, Perhaps the roads are better in sunny Yorkshire than Swindon area ???

[mkc]

18s on the 30mm S Line suspension and compared to my tramlining, run flat tyres, 17inch wheels, "Sport" suspension on my out going BMW this Audi drives and feels way better.

I hated the SE suspension when i had a test drive. You could go over a bump and I felt that the car just went up and down like jelly until it got the next bump and did it all again.

[JohnH99]

I hated the SE suspension when i had a test drive. You could go over a bump and I felt that the car just went up and down like jelly until it got the next bump and did it all again.

I have one of the ex demo launch SE's and I thought the suspension was quite solid on the 5 spoke 18s. Was it possible to get a sport suspension option on those models?

[onemanparty]

I have one of the ex demo launch SE's and I thought the suspension was quite solid on the 5 spoke 18s. Was it possible to get a sport suspension option on those models?

Sport suspension was not and I do not think ever will be an option on A4 SE.

I have a Test Drive in an A4 3.0TDI quattro SE on 18 5 Spoke before ordering an S-line - Personally I liked the SE Suspension and could only just tell the different between Sport and SE