phillies21

Hi, all,
New here, but thought it was that time of year to start the winter tire discussion for the 2017 S7. I've been researching all the options from last years winter tire postings, with many good options. However, I'm leasing my S7 and prefer not to pour too much money into wheels that I won't be keeping.
So I came across a great deal from Achtuning in Washington:
Audi 4G8 073 017 018 8Z8 OEM 19 Inch Winter Wheel and Tire Set

They have brand new Audi overstock wheels from last year with tires mounted and balanced for $1,495 delivered. These are the same wheels that Audi recommends for our S7's and sells for $3,300. So I pulled the trigger and ordered the wheels. 19" Audi Winter Wheels with Dunlop Winter Sport 3D tires and OEM Audi caps included. Ordered on a Monday and received them on Saturday (cross country delivery). Put them on yesterday using all the stock tools from the Audi tool kit (except a hydraulic jack) and it went super smooth. Only issue is the tires are shipped with only 18psi, so make sure you get them pumped up before installing and driving.

Drove them yesterday and they were great. I'll check back after we get snow and report on the tire traction. I've had Blizzaks in the past - they were great in snow, but seemed to be a bit nervous on dry highway. These Dunlops feel stable on the highway. These are performance winter tires - a bit of a trade-off. They are not as good as Blizzaks in deep snow, but should be comparable in light snow and ice. So I'll use my SUV in the deep stuff, and I won't be pushing them on too much on the dry pavement.

In terms of looks, their OK. Not as nice as the original Black Optic 20"ers, but I'm ok getting a more stable rim for potholes and a narrower tire for the snow. The Hartmann's look nice, too, but for half the price, I'll go with these.

No need for any spacers or special lug bolts or anything. These just bolt right on as is. No need for TPMS sensors, as previous posters have noted that the S7 monitors the circumference of the wheel, so you only need to reset the monitor on the MMI after all the wheels are at the correct pressure. Also, remember to go into the MMI and in Car Settings, remember to click on the air suspension setting for changing a tire.

I have no relationship with Achtuning, but wanted to pass on what I believe is the best deal out there for winter tires for our fine vehicles.

phillies21

Update: Had our first snow here in the Philly area - only a couple of inches, but mixed with freezing rain. Tires did phenomenal - great control with acceleration, cornering, and braking. Very pleased with the performance in the snow and ice. I've had Blizzaks on previous performance cars. They did well in snow, but on dry pavement, they seemed to
"wander" a bit at highway speeds. I believe this is because they aren't performance winter tires.

On dry pavement, the Dunlop tires seem quiet and smooth with no "wandering", and they perform well in rain. Overall, I'm very pleased with these and would highly recommend them, especially at 50% off the Audi prices.

phillies21

I also was able to get a few photos so you can see what they look like. Not as nice as the original wheels, but certainly acceptable for winter driving: