If I want to go from stock 16's to 18's on my 2002 A4 3.0L, do I need to upgrade the suspension or lower the car?? Ive read in some posts that you need to if you dont have the sport package (im pretty sure I dont given the stock 16's and not 17's correct?)

 

well you don't have to do anything... but if you don't have the sport suspension you will have a HUGE gap... Even with the sport suspension there is a little gap

 

what about 17" rims......still a big gap? what your saying is basically if I get bigger rims they will look stupid on my car and im screwed into sticking with the stocks unless I upgade the suspension.

 

ive seen all three set ups: 18s and sport suspension, 18s and regular suspension, and 18s with sport suspension and drop. 18s and sport suspension isnt bad lookin, regular suspension is a horrible looking gap, the drop seriously makes the car look a whole hell of a lot betteer. its not necessary, but highly recommended!

 

^thast what I was trying to say...thanks for rephrasing that! I just put 18's on my car and have sport suspension and have a gap. Some people on here have told me its 'killing' my look. But I think its alright, and if I were to drop mine, I couldn't go alot of places up here! And yeah I like my audi...but no its not a show car... and yes I drive on back dirt roads, trails, and tons of SNOW, so to each their own....

 

As long as the outside diameter of the tire doesn't change it shouldn't affect anything. If you want to run 18's just make sure you run only 35 or 40 at the most. But if the rims& tires arenot lessweight, nothing will improve as more unsprung weight is a penalty.

 

If I were to upgrade the suspension, get the 18s with summer tires, would I be able to use the 16's w/ snow tires or would the 16's no longer fit? Thanks for all the help by the way, I would be pissed if I bought em and saw that gap.

 

They will still fit..

 

Should I upgrade to the OEM sport suspension, or are there better sets I should install if im putting in a new system anyway?

 

if your going to spend the money to buy an pem sport suspension.. you might as well just get some better aftermarket shocks and springs, or coilovers