I have a 2003 A4 Avant, and I need to get some new tires. I'm looking for touring tires, probably summer only (I have to buy winter tires considering where I live). The car is completely stock, and I drive it on both back roads and highways, and generally am fairly aggressive in it. Any recommendations for tires that are both pretty good handling and last for a decent amount of time? My mechanic has recommended Coopers, but I've never bought them before for any car.

 

michilin pilot sports 2.

 

I hear good things about Pirellis, but my personal favorite has always been Toyo Proxes T1R though those are a summer only high performance. I have Cooper Sports on my baby now and it got me through the last vermont winter. Well, January on since thats when I bought it.

Anyway, as far as backroads, you mean dirt? Or the finer twisties of this grand state? Dirt is okay with the T1Rs if you can handle a little slippage, but once you hit tarmac they are relentless and dont let go. Look at www.1010tires.com and you can see what fits your rims (or shop for new ones). I think the ToyoProxes T1Rs run about $150/tire for 17 inch rims. Very inexpensive, and Toyos always last for me, granted the Proxes are a high performance so they *will* wear out a lot faster than a touring tire. I have yet to put them on my current car so I couldn't tell you there. Had them on Subarus and other cars before, and a friend of mine had them on his Hyundai Tiberon V6 and loved them too.

Whereabouts in VT are you?

--
Andrew~

 

Oh, and don't forget to give your full-size-spare some loving too! At $150 a pop, thats cheap for an Audi. I had minor maintenence done today at the stealership for $420. that was just the 60,000 mile checkup.

 

For a summer tire I like either the Falken FK452 or the Azenis ST115. Both are pretty quiet, sticky and wear well. I'm running the FK452's on my S4 & TT and the Azenis' on my Avant. I take it you are running the stock 16" wheel.

 

Could be 15, 16 or 17 inch. I think the 15s were standard.

Then again, I'm talking about the sedan, I can't imagine it being different for the Avants, but stranger things have happened...

I have heard good things about Falkens, can't say anything about Azenis, never hear of 'em before, but then again a surprising amount of people haven't heard of Toyo either.

 

Andrew - I've got 16" wheels on my Audi. I do a bit of dirt road driving in it, but mainly the twisties up and around where I live (on the northern border of St. Albans). Really, I don't push this car too hard - I have a Jetta VR6 and a motorcycle which I enjoy far more for more aggressive driving. The Audi is around mainly to haul my dogs around (one of whom is so large that I simply had to buy a station wagon). The tires I need to buy are going to be summer-specific only - all-season tires absolutely will not work for where I am (on an unmaintained road at the top of a ridiculously steep hill). I had some Toyos on my Jetta, and killed them in no time at all - with the extra weight of the Audi, I didn't think they would last worth anything.

Beefyosito - I'll have to take a look at the Azenis'. As I've never bought tires for a station wagon before, it's really helpful to know what works well.

Thanks to all - now, time to do some shopping!!

 

that is the trade off of higher grip tires I suppose, I've always had really good experience with Toyo's, but theres good and bad experiences for everyone. I like Toyo's because I can get a set for $600 for my 17 inch rims (Which I haven't done yet, because I am deciding if I want new rims at the moment, in which case I will want taller and wider)...

I also am off to look into Azenis, price wise and see what they can handle.

On one of the many cars I have had (I'm on my 5th), I had a Nissan Truck (little baby one) and I had Toyos on it, I think the geolander observe or something, I don't remember, but those lasted forever (Granted that was the longest I ever kept a vehicle, a little under a year and a half, but based on 18,000 miles of treadwear, they still looked new). So like I said, it all depends on personal experience. I'll always recommend Toyo because they have always done what I want, to be fair I really haven't tried many others, though I will say I liked the cornering of my Scooby with them as much as I like this Audi with Cooper Zeon Sports, so I would imagine the Audi being inherently better than a Subaru...

Let me know what you find on Azenis tires. And how many miles did you get out of your Toyos and what kind were they if you remember?