I just replaced the Pirelli P-Zero 265/35R20 Y99 tires on my A7 with the new Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 275/35ZR20 tires. (They don't make this tire in 265/35/20.) I immediately noticed how much smoother the ride is with the Michelin tires (even though there is only an extra .14" of sidewall.) My Pirelli's only had 6,500 miles on them, so it's not like I went from worn out tires to new ones.

I also immediately noticed how much louder they are. I don't mean just a little louder. I mean really loud. Tire pressures are 38 front and 41 rear just as printed on the driver's door label. At 35mph, I can't hear half of the music at volume level 5. At 45mph, we had to talk over the tire noise. At 65, the waffling wah-wah-wah-wah-wah sounds like truck tires. Road imperfections that I no longer feel, I hear loud and clear. I'm not sure I'll keep these tires very long.

Speaking of radio volume... I replaced my tires because one had a huge unrepairable puncture in the tread. It went flat overnight. When I started the car the next morning, I backed out of the garage and started down the driveway. Only because we turned off the radio did we hear something wrong. I got out, saw the flat tire, and slowly backed the car up the driveway where it stayed until the flat tire was replaced with the spare. I started the car a second time to pull it into the garage. I started the car a third time and drove over two miles before the low tire pressure warning finally came on. If we hadn't turned off the radio and had driven a block or two before noticing the flat, we could have done serious damage the rim.

 

[QUOTE=AAAAAAA;24486944]I just replaced the Pirelli P-Zero 265/35R20 Y99 tires on my A7 with the new Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 275/35ZR20 tires. (They don't make this tire in 265/35/20.) I immediately noticed how much smoother the ride is with the Michelin tires (even though there is only an extra .14" of sidewall.) My Pirelli's only had 6,500 miles on them, so it's not like I went from worn out tires to new ones.

I also immediately noticed how much louder they are. I don't mean just a little louder. I mean really loud. Tire pressures are 38 front and 41 rear just as printed on the driver's door label. At 35mph, I can't hear half of the music at volume level 5. At 45mph, we had to talk over the tire noise. At 65, the waffling wah-wah-wah-wah-wah sounds like truck tires. Road imperfections that I no longer feel, I hear loud and clear. I'm not sure I'll keep these tires very long.

QUOTE]

Wow - tire noise has not been an issue with any of the reviews I've seen so far. Will be interesting to see feedback from others...

 

Damn, that's really a bummer. I was hoping this tire would be a better choice for those frustrated with the loud summer tires.

The last generation Michelin A/S was a pretty noisy tire as well with it's aggresive tread pattern.

 

I changed my Pirelli tires at 7700 miles and went with the Conti DWS Extereme Perf 265-35-20 last fall, now almost a year latter with no issues. They don't handle as well as the PZero but they are way smother and with half the noises of the Pirelli tires, I'm very satisfied with the Contis. I brought them from my Audi dealer they were cheaper than at Tire Rack by about $100

 

FWIW, as discussed many times in the forums, the tire pressure recommendation on the door pillar is for maximum loads - 4 people and a full trunk. The manual lists the PSI for normal loads. While it probably wouldn't contribute to the noise issues you're having, handling, ride and uneven tread wear can be affected if the tire pressures are set too high for the load.

 

Whoa, AAAAAAA. You stopped me dead in my tracks with your comments on how loud the Michelin Pilot A/S3's are. I've got a P+ A7 with the 19 inch wheels, and 29,000 miles on the OEM Goodyear LS tires. These tires are OK, not great, and seem to get louder and louder as the tread wears thin which I don't like. I need new tires before winter and was leaning strongly towards the Michelins, and want an A/S tire. Otherwise I was considering the Bridgestone RE970A/S Pole Position (can they make these tires names any longer, I wonder?) Most of my driving is highway, and I am an average driver; and not agressive when road conditions deteriorate. Any other experience and comments much appreciated. Any reason why trhe 19 inch tire may run quiter than "A to the 7th power" suggests on his 20 inch wheels?

 

I have the 19" RE970AS and I have to say, these are the best A/S Ultra High Performance tires I've ever owned (incl. Michelin Sport A/S, Conti DWS, Yokos, etc.). Quiet, decent ride, great handling and quiet; 16K miles and almost half the useable tread remaining. The only downside is they're rated just ok in moderately deep snow.

 

Too bad bridgestone doesn't make that tire in a 20".

 

And conversely, last time I checked, Conti doesn't make the DWS available in a 19". Not sure why Conti and Bridgestone don't offer them accordingly with the growing popularity of both size wheels and many Audis coming with either size since 2011/12.

 

Continential does have 19 as I have a set the problem is the run out very quick