I just picked up my first Audi - an '02 A6 3.0 Quattro. I'd like to put a bit larger wheels on there that give it a more aggressive feel and look, without looking like overkill. I'm thinking 17" rims. How wide should I go to get what I'm looking for? Any suggestions on a nice wheel that retains the Audi look? If you send me a pic let me know the brand and size of your rims. Thanks!

 

Go light and strong. The BBS RKs I run (17x8) are both, but I believe they're out of production and thus very hard to find. Other BBS wheels can also be counted on to be both light and strong.

Good luck.

 

That's a great look on that car. What size tires did you go with?

 

I bought a 99 a6 a few months ago and when I got it, the person had put 18 inch chrome wheels with fake diamonds on the perimeter of the wheel. Not my style. Since I was on a budget, I bought the new B7 RS4 wheels off of ebay, and I was quite suprised with how nice they were. They were around $500 for all 4 and I got 18's so that I could still use the same size tire. The wheels balanced perfectly as well. They arent light weight or anything like that, but they look nice and get the job done.

 

I got my 2003, 4.2 about two years ago. Still had the factory 17s on it. Looked fine but I went with 18, two piece TSWs cant remember the model right now but picture attached. I liked the look on the SL55 AMG and think the 5 split spoke look is great. Obviously it is becoming more popular as more and more rims are going to that style. Needs to be something you love. Go to TireRack.com and Discount Tire.com for ideas as well. I run Michelin Pilot Sport 255/40's on it and it looks elegant but capable. Another to consider is the RS4 five spoke rims on 18's. A buddy of mine has them on a 3.0 and they barely stick out from the wheel well, maybe .25 inch and it looks very aggressive.

See my pic link below.

 

235/45R17

 

Mine has the factory BBS RC 17x8

 

Mine are 18 inch AZA's. I like them a lot and think the size is perfect.

 

Wow thanks guys...those are all great pics. Thesplit spoke styleslook very nice on the A6. They look easier to clean than my old-style BBS deep dish 17s on my former Bimmer...those were very tedious to clean and I never looked forward to the project. I've seen that AZA style before on some websites but they look much better on the car. Decisions decisions. I'd prefer to pick up a used set so I don't have to shell out so much dough.

I'm still torn between 17 & 18 for my A6. They both look nice.

I also really like the look of the wide spokes on the BMW 6-series and wonder how they might look on the A6. I'd have to see it on another A6 before I bought them, but I'm not sure if I can even find them to fit on the Audi.

Any more good wheel pics anyone can post?

Thanks again

Gary

 

Gary,

Do some searching & surfing. You'll find tons of pics.

What size to go with depends, in part, where you live. If you live where the roads are in great shap, you can run with 18"s if you're willing to take a hit on ride quality. If you live where there are potholes and/or rough roads, you'll probably want to stick with 17's. Greater resistance to bending. This can be offset by buying really good, strong wheels, but there are also performance implications. Bigger wheels weigh more and bring the weight farther away from the wheel. This reduces performance and can adversely affect handing dynamics and increase wear on various components. The cheaper the wheel, the more this comes into play because cheaper wheels tend to be heavier. Strong and light is the answer, but it gets more expensive to balance these two competing goals as you go up in wheel size.

You may want to see if there is an Audi Get To Gether (check the regional forum here and on www.audiworld.com) near you. Great way to see a bunch of different wheels and chat with other people to get their impressions.

Good luck.