audirb

Ready to get some winter socks and shoes for my 2017 S8 Plus. Looking at the 2017-18 Audi Winter Wheel & Tire Packages brochure https://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/...ochure_web.pdf I see three different items listed for the A8/S8 (last year's brochure only listed two); "Audi A8, 2011+", "Audi S8, 2013+" and "Audi S8 Plus, 2016+" (the S8 Plus option is more expensive). There is only one description below, so what is the difference between these three packages and what are the part or order #'s for each of these? I'd to understand what the difference is and make sure I get the correct one. Thanks.
Link to Audi brochure above doesn't appear to be working but here it is at dealer's web site Audi Westwood New Audi dealership in Westwood, MA 02090

Stevereddy

Why pay so damn much for an Audi package when excellent aftermarket can be had for so much less?

audirb

I'm actually not paying that much, it's part of a deal; so I just want to understand what the differences are.

MP4.2+6.0

Not what I would do nor what I would pay--nor did I w/ an S8.

But, sticking to what is here, the wheel package ways it is w/ 19's and 235's in a 50 series. Is that what you want to do? That would be among the skinny tire type approaches to lots of road crud. Certainly a strong school of thought to go that way for snow regions, at least with endless road crud if that is top of list.Not sure many are running 235's and 50 series on S8's though. But consider that question on preferred size g first.. FWIW, if you want the somewhat skinnier approach, 245/45 will get you there in a 20. 265 or 275/40 is the "full width" 20" sizing.

The tires in that package are about $760 for four at TireRack, shipping maybe $70, and figure mounting and balance at about $100. https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tireModel=SP+Winter+Spor t+3D&partnum=35HR9WS3D&vehicleSearch=false&fromCom pare1=yes At least the generic Dunlops are only H rated; I like the Dunlops but in my preferred sized I always end up w/ at least V rated. Your S8+ should have TPMS, which is maybe why the brochure has a higher price for the Plus. But do the math, wheels are like 3 grand, for unremarkable cast. I can buy D4 forged many spoke wheels in good shape for like a grand give or take a few hundred, all day long on many, many EBay ads, all the time.

Mike911A8

I have also been looking into the wintertime tire issue for my S8+, and I think my long term solution may be A/S tires. Tire rack lists a couple in the 275/35-21 size. I am beginning to believe that the Plus can't really take advantage of summer high performance tires, or all of its power, for that matter. First of all, autobahn type speeds won't work on the highways where I live, and the transmission programming in manual mode impedes aggressive back road driving because it upshifts at various RPMs below red line. I find that I can affect the shift points a bit by throttle application, but I then have to worry about over boost kicking in at about seventy percent throttle. You just can't have such uncertainty during aggressive driving in a turn. Maybe I can get this sorted out, maybe not. If I can't, that's OK because the S8 is so good in all other aspects that I can do without trying to toss a 4600 pound car around back roads, and I've got other cars for that.

I dont need dedicated winter tires; I have a SUV for significant snow. For me, the issue is temperature. A few years ago I mounted Michelin A/S 3's on my 1985 911, primarily because there wasn't much else available in its tire size, and that has become my cold weather car; I don't drive it in snow, and it can be driven very hard. My plan for this winter is to let the S8 sit during the relatively few cold days and alternate with the 911, which isn't exactly penance. That way, I buy some time before I have to make a decision on tires.

Mike

audirb

Thanks everyone. I'd be paying significantly less that the Audi list prices so the economics for me are different that described on this thread. Anyway, the bigger question is what setup makes most sense. I live in New England so we do get a bunch of snow and the roads aren't always great, so, I definitely need/want a snow tire setup that can handle this. I put my Porsche Cayman GTS away for the winter (my "small" fun car) so the S8+ (my "big" fun car) will be the everyday winter vehicle for me (when I'm not driving my wife's F-Pace!).

MP4.2+6.0, you make some good points, as usual. I will be exploring the 20" wheel option but think I'd be better off with the 245/45 size navigating the white stuff. The only tire available in this size from Tire Rack is the Pirelli Scorpion which gets great reviews but is in the "Light Truck/SUV Performance Winter/Snow" category as opposed to the 265/40 Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D which also gets great reviews but in the "Performance Winter/Snow" category. Any thoughts between these two tire options on a 20" wheel? Thanks.

audirb

After digging into this further, the 245/45 SUV tire would not be a good match according to Tire Rack. While the 265/40/20 Dunlop would certainly work, they suggested considering a 255/40/20 tire even though the diameter is 2.1% smaller than stock (driving 68.5MPH will read 70 on the speedo) because this opens up other tire options and because of the improved snow traction. Specifically the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 and the Pirelli Sottozero Series II, both of which, interestingly are more costly, which has the 265/40 Dunlop looking better. Thoughts? Thanks.

Stevereddy

tire rack is NOT the holy grail. Try tiresbyweb.com. I have used them many times, they carry Nokian, one of the best winter tires made! I run them as dedicated winter setup on three vehicles!

BTAudi

Not preferred but your could always go 275/35R21. Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D. I'm at 680hp and getting great traction in the cold weather, no snow experience with them yet . Having driven in 130 in plus snowfall winters I would recommend 20's or 19's and you'd be fine at 255-265 width. Tire rack is the holy grail after you consider their free tire warranty which I have used on $300 Michelin Pilot Super Sports on several occasions. Few tire distributors can match their prices after you factor in the tire warranty even when you include shipping costs.
Here are the Dunlops on 21s

MP4.2+6.0

FWIW, I am running the Conti DWS-06 A/S's for my second season of trying that way. But I have a wheel set to flip back to winters in short order if not satisfied. Having used winters on both the 2006 D3 A8 and on the 2000 C5 A6 4.2, I was pleasantly surprised.

So, on your question meantime, my go to tire is... the Dunlop Winter Sport 3D, and its predecessors the M2 and M3. It has all the necessary traction for me for on road. Most importantly, it has the winter rubber formulation you would expect AND the many sipes (or equivalent little blocks in some others) needed for good stopping and other grip. My number 1 concern is sure stopping. In Tahoe that can mean essentially glare ice, downhill into intersections or on roads needing quick full stopping. No doubt they pass for that. For deep woods wading in backwoods Sierras or N.H. or wherever, nah, but its an S8/A8 not a Land Cruiser. Also in contrast to a lot of winters (as in Blizzak's and a bunch of others at home in the more off road and tougher scenarios), quite manageable on road noise. While handling is not a summer w/ good weather, it is decent since they are designed with road use in mind. As in, if you are in Germany on the Autobahnen a fair amount and want to run comfortably by good weather, it is something like a Dunlop or the SottoZero. Speed ratings on these are usually at least H (130MPH) and often V (155).

On sizing, 265/40-20 IS a D4 OE size, and probably by far the common one in USA. FWIW, I found with my stock S8 tires at 275/35-21 and a GPS check, those were themselves a bit optimistic. Do NOT assume a stock set up is accurate--it is usually a bit optimistic as I describe a bit more at end. I run the DWS's in 275/40-20, and counterpart summers in the same. Those are dead nuts correct in crosschecking speedo with a GPS app at USA highway speeds. That is, basically a 28.7" static diameter tire as a reference mark. The alternate D4 OE sizes that pencil out at either 28.3" or 28.5" in static diameter are going to be somewhat optimistic. That optimistic speedo reading is the norm for car manufacturers since they get major fined if it reads low, but face no consequences AFAIK if it reads high.

Net, if I do go full winters, it will most likely by the Dunlop 3D's in the 265/40-20. The price swings me, relative to a SottoZero or example I might find at 275/40. The slightly optimistic speedo doesnt worry me, and by winter a little more fender well opening is maybe a good thing. Alternate would be the SottoZero at more $$. Having run those on the D3 W12, about the same feel and results as the Dunlops, but pricier. From experience too, if you damage one there aren't a lot of used SottoZero's around on eBay to fill in for one if need be, while the Dunlops are usually findable for a one off need. In the D3 sizing, there was no good Dunlop option to begin with, so I ended up w/ the Pirrelli's. The Q5 has the Dunlops on it.