K9COP

Hey, Noob to this forum, but had Audis for a while (Ur-Quattro, RS6 etc..) and I've just bought a new to me 2005 A8 SWB 4.2. in upstate NY.
At the moment it has the 19" 'Turbine' wheels on it, and has the wrong size tyres, but that's not my question...

I want to swap to the '08 S8 'twin five spoke' rims. The press shots say that the 08 S8 had 265/35/20 tyres on it (yes, I'm english), but tirerack says that the '05 20" tyre option was 255/35/20.

I'd like to go with the 265's, but logic says 255's.

Is there anything actually stopping me using the 265's? Clearance issues etc?

That's the first question, more to follow! She hasn't exactly been cherished....

Thanks guys.

K9

p.s. jake sent me, and said Misha and the guys could help... LOL

mishar

Welcome! If you are talking about OEM S8 rims they are 20"x9" ET46 and you can use 255/35x20, 265/35x20 or 275/35x20. Wider ones gives you better handling and a bit more of sidewall.

If you are opened for suggestions, you should not go for 20's. Actually, it is better to go for 18's. That would improve ride quality, braking and real world handling. There is a guy around who switched to 17's in order to survive potholes (after braking few rims and tires).

I am driving 285/40x18 Continental Extreme Contact DW (DWS would be all season) on 9.5"x18" ET45. Very happy with them. I like the looks too. Never really cared for fashion.

K9COP

Thanks for the info man. Appreciate it. I sadly, am both subject of fashion, and having spent so many years convincing people that size doesn't matter, kinda a victim of bigger is best too!. But, the point is for me with the S8 rims, I like the factory look, and they are suitably subtle for me. The other 20's look a bit 'limo' and not quite 'sporty' enough for me. 265's seem easier to find in 20" though, and they'll definitely fit the A8 as opposed to the S8 ok, Yes?
I will off load the 19's when I'm done I think. Maybe keep them as a winter set... I remember when I first got my Omega, it was like 'oooo, look, it has 17" wheels on it. How did they make them THAT big?'... how times change eh?

Looking forward to what is clearly quality knowledge on here, and putting right the gremlins in my car that in the words of the last owners finance house 'needs to be rescued from him' (the owner) LOL

Thank you Sir,

K9

transporter2004

I swear by the Hankook Evo V12. I drive about 35K per year and have bought pilots my whole life. This tire is great in the rain, low noise and handles great when pushed. Buy them from Tire rack as they have replaced 3 for me free of charge. I drive the NJ Turnpike 2 hours to and from work. 85MPH potholes and everything else you can imagine. Two sidewall bubbles, and a 2" bolt, tire rack replaced the tires free of charge. No shipping, nada. now,,,,they were 2-4 months old.
But hey, the opportunity is there and you will be impressed by the tires. No need to spend $200+ per corner, unless you heat them up on a regular basis.
just my humble opinion.

MP4.2+6.0

The original OEM spec for the S8 in the US at introduction in 2007 was 265/35-20 on the 20 x 9 factor rims. First shipped in the US with a modified twin seven spoke design. Judging by not great used wheel prices and a lot of them initially on the take off market, not an apparent styling success or high demand item, but it made that 20" fitment more accessible in the used market. Believe that wheel is cast and painted.

In some PR materials Audi later talked about using a 275/35 tire on the 20's for S8's, but unclear to me if/how many got shipped as such. Separately there was the sport wheel option on the standard 4.2's, which morphed over time through 19's and then into 20's. In the 20's that's a 20 x 9 in a forged (higher strength) and polished wheel, and shipped w/ a 275/35-20. That wheel, and one of the 19's that is forged, are at the lower end of the (relatively heavy) Audi D3 OEM wheel weights across a variety of diameters and widths.

Back to your original question, 265/35 would be considered the "common" S8 OEM tire size in the U.S.. But, as your question probably suggests, it is kind of an oddball/uncommon tire size w/ limited choices. There are more choices in 275/35 20's, and often at better price/performance points. FWIW, on at least the Yokohama ADVANs that were often shipped w/ S8's new, word was the 265 and 275's really had the same tread width (even though nominally 10mm different), and the only difference was the reduction in the sidewall by about .2" in radius. From having looked at several literally up close when new at the dealer, that was my informal sense as well.

Clearance wise, both 4.2's and 6.0/W12's have been shipped new w/ 275/35-20's whether on sport suspensions or non-sport, so they clear in full. I can tell you that from my own experience. Even w/ moderate spacers they clear for that matter. D3's (like most cars) have an optimistic speedo, and w/ the 265's and 275's in the OEM sizes the error is incrementally also reduced over the 255 default fitments on 18's and many 19's.

Finally, if you are into appearance in part and want "bigger," you can also look in two other directions: 265/40 20 is one. That size now being used on the D4's. Is somewhat larger in diameter and beyond D3 fitments, so approach cautiously. Other is 255/40-20. Just beyond the 275/35-20 diameter wise. Used in front Panamera fitments. Two interesting things: at least in some tires, the actual tread width is MUCH more generous, far beyond the nominal 255 and really more like a 275. And, in some tires the pricing is better; can come up where the 275 crosses over to Bentley advertised fitments (owned by Audi) and the given 20" 275 tire was apparently priced for the perceived bigger bucks Bentley crowd I guess.

yetis

I just added 19" wheels for winter wheels and I don't think I am ever going back to 20"s. the 19"s are materially lighter and the ride quality is so superior. I can only imagine decent 19"s rims and summer performance tires...

K9COP

Holy smokes! Awesome info, thank you, so here is the wheel and tyre combination I have been wanting:



That is wearing a 265/35/20, which is what I think I'll go for. The car has 255/55/19's on it at the moment (yes, 55 profile) which have thrown the ABS, TCS etc lights on. It has a few dash lights, but hopefully getting the rolling radius under control will settle things down.

Thanks guys,

K9

Admin: not getting any notifications of new messages, what am I doing wrong?

MP4.2+6.0

1. Yes, the later S8 wheel. You could find it in 19's I think if you look for the S6 version too.

2. Yes that current tire would be WAY off the D3 spec. And so big that if you encounter snow with the car it is likely to really start to get badly stuck in the fender wells and perhaps cause issues.

3. Be careful/realistic about issues w/ the car. If the ABS and other lights are on on, you most likely won't find relief with the wheel and size change. The wheel sensors usually just look for relative differences, not absolute size. It is possible I suppose the car has some outer parameters where it throws a light (don't recall any posts about this historically though), and I'm thinking those codes/light might be more about the gear ratio calculations. Anyway, not convinced you will find relief on those, unless you find a disconnected or broken sensor.

4. Related to #3, do yourself a favor and get the car codes scanned (referred to here on the board as VAG-COM or VCDS for the non-dealer preferred flavor). You may find it has some sensor, control unit or other issues, and reading the codes will isolate it.

5. Back to tire size. You have never said the driving conditions or type of tire. If you are upstate NY, and this is an only wheel set, I expect you are looking at least at all seasons. And in that case, do be careful as you go down in profile. It will be a pretty radical step down given what you say is on the car now. The 265's have another .2 inch less sidewall in turn than the 275's, and both are wide to start for winter. Per prior post, make sure to look at the real 265 tire choices. They are limited, like only half as many as the 275s. See TireRack site.

mishar

Those tires are way too big, but I don`t think that`s the reason for the faulty codes you have.

K9COP

Ok, Ok, I understand. My intention was to be able to run the A8 through the winter, but not be my daily driver. I have a 2000 Land Rover Discovery (yes, I'm limey! And a career cop? Oh dear...) and the Disco will be my winter daily driver. Having just passed 162,000 miles, I'm sure she'll be fine! LOL

I found those rims in 19" easily, but the 19's on the car now just look so teeny, maybe that's just because of the ridiculous sidewalls on there now.

Anyway, one of the very few sensible things that the dealer said when I went there this week, was that the wheel speed and transmission speed sensors may be having a conflict with the different rolling radii, causing a conflict. Kind of had some logic in it, but as it needs a battery probably anyway (keeps going flat when cold), I'll have the dealer do the battery change as I understand it needs an MMI reset or something, and run the VAG-COM on it as well. I'll fill you in on my latest main dealer experience later, but the words dick, arrogant and little spring to mind...

This is great advice I'm getting on here, thanks guys, hopefully I can get the car nice and settled, so that I can start to enjoy it without the electronic nannies chiming in all the time.

K9