I'm in the process of ordering a 2011 A4 with the Premium Plus Package. I know that I want to upgrade the wheels and on a lease it would be an additional $400 to buy just the 18" all-season wheels and tires OR $725 to buy the entire 18" Sports Package which includes the wheels, tires, sports seats, 3-spoke steering wheel and sports suspension. Unfortunately, I live in New York and I would have to first go out and then buy 4 all-season tires (about $750 for 4 on tirerack) to replace the summer performance tires they ONLY come with. So now I'm up to $1400 for the package plus the tires. Is it worth all of that extra $ or should I just spend the $400 on the wheels?

 

I know its a lease, but a selling price of only $725 for the Sport package???? That's 50% off its list! Honestly, its a complete no-brainer. You can make a few bucks back selling the summer tires.

I wish I could have gotten a sport package for $725. Wow. Again.... WoW!

 

Sport package is worth the money. Its not so much the wheels than it is the seats, steering wheel and the lower suspension. You will enjoy the car more since everything makes a difference. $725 for everything is a steal.

 

These are valid A4 points

 

Thanks for all of your responses. I decided to go with the sports package..drive off the lot with the summer tires and buy the winters in October and swap them each season. My local tire guy says if I buy the tires through him (although a bit more than tirerack) he will swap them and balance them each season for no additional charge. Now that's a no-brainer!

 

By the way...those special 10-spoke wheels on the sports pack sure are pretty, but Audi seems to enjoy showing the car in those 5-spoke ones I'm giving up. I do wish those Germans would be a bit more flexible on wheel and tire combinations. I'm confident that they'd sell alot more cars!

 

Comment on the sports package: I ended up not going with the sports package for my 2011 A4 because I did not see the value. The suspension is a bit stiffer but not significantly (imho) and the standard seats are not bad at all. What made me really ticked off was the fact the price for the package is the same for AT and MT yet you (obviously) don't get the paddle shifters when getting the MT. Not fair.

Comment on the wheels: I agree the 5-spoke wheels seem to show up on all ads and brochures but the 17" 10-spoke wheels look the best (again, imho). I had to go through hoops to get them on my car. The sales guy was absolutely firm he could not swap the 5-spoke wheels for the 10-spoke wheels, he almost killed the deal and then he had to go home (sic!), his manager stepped in and voila, I got my 10-spoke wheels...

 

I could be wrong, but I think the OP means that that $725 is the add'l cost of the package amortized over the term of the lease...in other words, the cost of the sport package adds $XX per month x # months = $725 over term of lease. If that's the case, then it's really not 50% off the list...

 

Good choice on the Sport package. As expected the suspension is sporty-firm, but not harsh. The Sport seats are nicely bolstered as well.

Recommend you get a relatively inexpensive set of 17" or 18" rims for the dedicated snow tires rather that swapping tires seasonally on the sport rims. If space is an issue there are many dealers and tire shops that will store your wheels for a reasonable fee.

 

The sport package is a $1450 MSRP add-on. The way I've built the car, on a 42-month lease the residual is 50% so during the 42-months, I'm paying $725/42 per month (plus tax of course).

Regarding the ride, the guys over at the Audi dealership told me that the sports-tuned suspension is about 30% firmer than the regular ride...subtle but noticeable. Any firmer on those 18" rims (I was told) and it would make the body and suspension too rigid and uncomfortable. Sounds like those guys know what they're doing.

I just can't understand for the life of me, why Audi is so rigid about their tire and wheel combinations. When I complained to Audi of America (by phone) I asked "How many 18" or 19" sports packages do you sell in the Northeast, given that all-season tires are not an option?" "Not many" was the reply. The A4 with the sports package is a nice alternative to the S4 for those of us who don't have the extra $15-20K and a little more flexibility from Audi would probably boost its sales around my area as well as Chicago and the Midwest where 4+ months of snow is a fact of life. Oh well...another $750 out the window on tires!