Please help! 17" or 18" wheels for new 2.7T S line?
 

New member planning to purchase 1st Audi, A6 2.7 S Line quattro this weekend. Have the choice of 17" with Pirelli P6 all season vs 18" with Conti 2 performance tires. Did a 17" vs 18" search but none addressed my specific question.
Live in Colorado and drive in the mountains so will still get snows for winter. Have always had 2nd set of wheels for snows in past.
If I get 18" Conti2's will need a second set of rims for snows. If I get 17" with Pirelli's all season can get snows to exchange on same rims and may get by with 30-60 days less per year driving on snow tires cause all season can probably be ok in April and Oct. Taking advantage of current Audi lease deal so 2nd set of rims a negative.
Leaning towards 17" but would very much like opinions as this forum seems to have awesome experience. 18" looks better to me, are a better value since the cost is the same and the 18" rims and conti2 tires are more expensive, and I very well may stay with Audis for a long time so probably can use snow tires on next vehicle or may even keep this one longer. Opinions on wheel size and specifics on these tires please. Thanks!

They'll both work as summer rims get the ones you like the most.

Do you or anyone have experience driving these specific tires?

Get 18s and look for a set of 17 take-offs...not worth the cost of mounting and dismounting snows...
 

...every twice a year.

Had a set of Pirelli P6's once and I have to say I didn't think much of them. Frankly,
 

my opinion on any all season tire is not good. The P6's were a bit too noisy and lacked any real grip IMO.

Not to mention the risk of wheel damage every time you remount. Plus the rebalancing.

Sorry I'm new here. What are take-offs.
 

If I buy the tires at my local discount tires they will mount for free, but I'm sure I will have to pay for balance and stems, etc.

Anyone else driven the Pirelli P6 or ContiSport Contact 2

Have the Pirelli P6s on our avant....
 

I really don't think they are a bad tire. They are reasonably quiet and I think they have good cornering grip in rain and good traction in snow/ice (coming from lake effect snow country in Erie, PA). I am comparing to the Mich. Pilot HX MXMs that are on my 03 which I'm not a fan of. Tendancy to hydroplane, soft sidewalls, and suck in snow. I switch to Dunlop Wintersport M3s for snow but keep the Pirellis on.

For a 2.7T sline, I think I would want a performance tire though : ^ ). Dedicated snows in winter.

Take-offs are original factory equipment "taken off" a car...
 

so you get OEM (original equipment manufacturer) quality, but not necessarily paying retail from the parts department. Many people are not happy with the factory rims and go aftermarket, so they take off the original wheels and sell them.

Check out the classifieds (link under the Marketplace in upper right hand corner of your screen).

I would suggest taking the 18's from the dealer. I had a b1tch of a time finding OEM 18" wheels, but easy to find 17's in the secondary market.

Good luck!