Q7 Buying Advice
03-12-2019, 06:22 PM
#11
AudiWorld Super User
Yeah going smaller greatly reduces cost, 245/60/18 which is roughly same OD as 20in OEM wheels on TireRack lists 39 matches under "Light Truck", cheapest of em is $488 for a set of 4 and I bet you'd get more milage out of em than a set of 20in performance passenger tires... You'd also have nearly 6in of sidewall which will ride more comfortably and take potholes/rough roads much better.. $600-700 will get you a real nice set of shoes, and not budget ones either... 265/60/18 is a an inch bigger but has 55 Truck tire options and tons of all terrain and all season choices starting at $550 a set.
Truck tires take vehicles this heavy and regularly last 40k+, and if you pump em up to like 50psi+ they handle pretty darn well too.. they are naturally grippy and predictable, there are tradeoffs of course but you'd be surprised how well you can still smash corners even with truck tires, the sidewalls are super stiff with alot more mass. but fuel economy in city takes a small ding due to weight, highway speeds its pretty much the same fuel economy.
18in is a sweet spot for price and availability, you really wont find much truck tires larger than that and if you do the prices go up dramatically.. unfortunately thats as small as you can fit over the front brakes w/out mods.. I love my 17s with All Terrains, we got a blizzard coming down tomorrow (12in+) and its one of those rare times I'm really looking forward to tomorrows commute.. jack up the air suspension, turn off the traction control and lets get sideways..
Truck tires take vehicles this heavy and regularly last 40k+, and if you pump em up to like 50psi+ they handle pretty darn well too.. they are naturally grippy and predictable, there are tradeoffs of course but you'd be surprised how well you can still smash corners even with truck tires, the sidewalls are super stiff with alot more mass. but fuel economy in city takes a small ding due to weight, highway speeds its pretty much the same fuel economy.
18in is a sweet spot for price and availability, you really wont find much truck tires larger than that and if you do the prices go up dramatically.. unfortunately thats as small as you can fit over the front brakes w/out mods.. I love my 17s with All Terrains, we got a blizzard coming down tomorrow (12in+) and its one of those rare times I'm really looking forward to tomorrows commute.. jack up the air suspension, turn off the traction control and lets get sideways..
Last edited by dreadlocks; 03-12-2019 at 07:53 PM.
03-12-2019, 06:32 PM
#12
I can verify that too. Our 2011 Q7 had 20”s. When I found this 2015 to replace it I was concerned because it had 19”s. After driving it now for 18000 miles I’m convinced that the 19”s are a better choice for this application.
03-12-2019, 10:35 PM
#13
AudiWorld Junior Member
Thread Starter
Has anyone had air ride suspension reliability issues? I would assume that becomes problematic and expensive over time.
03-13-2019, 06:13 AM
#14
AudiWorld Super User
Thanks. It sounds like most of the engine is covered; at least all of the very expensive bits. Is the DPF changed during the update? I read something saying it isn't on the European models but changing the DPF was part of the US settlement.
That makes sense to me. It's too bad those 21" S-Line wheels look so good...
Has anyone had air ride suspension reliability issues? I would assume that becomes problematic and expensive over time.
Air Suspension is rather reliable, mostly just stuck check valves (usually when below freezing), sometimes a new pump.. rarely struts are replaced
03-13-2019, 06:33 AM
#15
DPF was not charged on our 2015. Not sure if is on the pre 2013s or not. Regardless it IS covered under the extended warranty. One thing you will notice on them after the fix is more frequent DPF regeneration. It is not unusual to hear the cooling fans running after a short drive when a regen does not have time to complete.
03-13-2019, 12:17 PM
#16
AudiWorld Junior Member
Thread Starter
DPF is unchanged, Transmission (expencive bit) is modified, yet not covered.. so beware. 21in wheels woulda stopped looking good for me after my wife drove em around and tried to parallel park.
Air Suspension is rather reliable, mostly just stuck check valves (usually when below freezing), sometimes a new pump.. rarely struts are replaced
Air Suspension is rather reliable, mostly just stuck check valves (usually when below freezing), sometimes a new pump.. rarely struts are replaced
DPF was not charged on our 2015. Not sure if is on the pre 2013s or not. Regardless it IS covered under the extended warranty. One thing you will notice on them after the fix is more frequent DPF regeneration. It is not unusual to hear the cooling fans running after a short drive when a regen does not have time to complete.
03-13-2019, 12:40 PM
#17
AudiWorld Super User
8spd Aisin, on the 2011+, previous years had 6spd, think Aisin too.. they are rather reliable if you ignore Audi's nonexistent service intervals for it and very reliable relative to Audi's auto slushboxes.. . but I was just pointing out that not everything they ****ed with for the fix is covered, @yrk2.7t@curbside can restore the original shifting behavior and engine braking from pre-tune if you dont like the way they behave post-fix.. and post fix reliability is TBD honestly... I'd say 90% of complaints post-fix that I've seen are due to the transmission retune, shifts like a gasser and holds onto gears far outside the power band and tries to avoid peak-torque & efficiency because thats where NOX emissions are the worst.
No there are a multitude of reasons why diesels are poor choices for short commutes, primarily because direct injection diesels w/EGR will carbon up the intake/valvetrain trying to get up to operating temps.. TDI's that are only driven a few miles all the time will clog up within a few tens of thousands of miles, even pre-DPF models.. Direct Injection gassers suffer these problems too, but less so because gasoline exhaust has much less particulate matter than Diesel.. If you dont ever let it complete a regen your fuel economy will go to the crapper and your going to be heat cycling your exhaust/turbo/sensors excessively... If you remove all the emissions crap you still are subjecting engine/oil to excessive wear and tear operating it so frequently outside full operating temps and getting rather poor fuel efficiency.. Diesels are made to run, if your wife's just going to pick the kids up every day from the neighborhood school and get groceries then you should stick her in a gasser or ev because a diesel will just cost more to own/operate for those drivers.
You should check out: https://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/...-forum-faq.htm
No there are a multitude of reasons why diesels are poor choices for short commutes, primarily because direct injection diesels w/EGR will carbon up the intake/valvetrain trying to get up to operating temps.. TDI's that are only driven a few miles all the time will clog up within a few tens of thousands of miles, even pre-DPF models.. Direct Injection gassers suffer these problems too, but less so because gasoline exhaust has much less particulate matter than Diesel.. If you dont ever let it complete a regen your fuel economy will go to the crapper and your going to be heat cycling your exhaust/turbo/sensors excessively... If you remove all the emissions crap you still are subjecting engine/oil to excessive wear and tear operating it so frequently outside full operating temps and getting rather poor fuel efficiency.. Diesels are made to run, if your wife's just going to pick the kids up every day from the neighborhood school and get groceries then you should stick her in a gasser or ev because a diesel will just cost more to own/operate for those drivers.
You should check out: https://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/...-forum-faq.htm
Last edited by dreadlocks; 03-13-2019 at 12:56 PM.
03-13-2019, 01:06 PM
#18
AudiWorld Junior Member
Thread Starter
8spd Aisin, on the 2011+, previous years had 6spd, think Aisin too.. they are rather reliable if you ignore Audi's nonexistent service intervals for it and very reliable relative to Audi's auto slushboxes.. . but I was just pointing out that not everything they ****ed with for the fix is covered, @yrk2.7t@curbside can restore the original shifting behavior and engine braking from pre-tune if you dont like the way they behave post-fix.. and post fix reliability is TBD honestly... I'd say 90% of complaints post-fix that I've seen are due to the transmission retune, shifts like a gasser and holds onto gears far outside the power band and tries to avoid peak-torque & efficiency because thats where NOX emissions are the worst.
No there are a multitude of reasons why diesels are poor choices for short commutes, primarily because direct injection diesels w/EGR will carbon up the intake/valvetrain trying to get up to operating temps.. TDI's that are only driven a few miles all the time will clog up within a few tens of thousands of miles, even pre-DPF models.. Direct Injection gassers suffer these problems too, but less so because gasoline exhaust has much less particulate matter than Diesel.. If you dont ever let it complete a regen your fuel economy will go to the crapper and your going to be heat cycling your exhaust/turbo/sensors excessively... If you remove all the emissions crap you still are subjecting engine/oil to excessive wear and tear operating it so frequently outside full operating temps and getting rather poor fuel efficiency.. Diesels are made to run, if your wife's just going to pick the kids up every day from the neighborhood school and get groceries then you should stick her in a gasser or ev because a diesel will just cost more to own/operate for those drivers.
You should check out: https://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/...-forum-faq.htm
No there are a multitude of reasons why diesels are poor choices for short commutes, primarily because direct injection diesels w/EGR will carbon up the intake/valvetrain trying to get up to operating temps.. TDI's that are only driven a few miles all the time will clog up within a few tens of thousands of miles, even pre-DPF models.. Direct Injection gassers suffer these problems too, but less so because gasoline exhaust has much less particulate matter than Diesel.. If you dont ever let it complete a regen your fuel economy will go to the crapper and your going to be heat cycling your exhaust/turbo/sensors excessively... If you remove all the emissions crap you still are subjecting engine/oil to excessive wear and tear operating it so frequently outside full operating temps and getting rather poor fuel efficiency.. Diesels are made to run, if your wife's just going to pick the kids up every day from the neighborhood school and get groceries then you should stick her in a gasser or ev because a diesel will just cost more to own/operate for those drivers.
You should check out: https://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/...-forum-faq.htm
It's sounding like my hope of getting a well maintained Q7 TDI to 150k miles without major repair costs is pretty realistic. If I can get a ~100k mile Q7 TDI in the $15k-20k range and get at least five years out of it without any problems, I would be very happy.
03-13-2019, 01:21 PM
#19
AudiWorld Super User
as long as you can get it up to operating temp >90% of the time (drive it at least 10-20mins), and regularly take it out for 30m or more so it has time to regenerate when needed then you should be just fine w/a Diesel.. the longer the commute the more people love diesels, when you got a few hours a day of commuting the fuel savings can really start adding up fast and quickly exceed the somewhat higher maintenance costs that come w/hiring competent diesel mechanics.
I've only got a 15-20min commute right now and am driving a 4cyl gas beater to work, I use the diesel for travel (90% of my miles), bad weather or when the whole family is on an outing together.
I've only got a 15-20min commute right now and am driving a 4cyl gas beater to work, I use the diesel for travel (90% of my miles), bad weather or when the whole family is on an outing together.
03-13-2019, 01:58 PM
#20
AudiWorld Super User
I guess I hinted at it but didnt come out and say it, Diesels generate very little waste heat.. if it was not for emissions control equipment (cuz they pollute terribly when cold) you could idle your diesel all day long and it'd never reach operating temps without actually driving it.. this is generally the reason why they suck for short trips and all the issues that result from that.
For example, It gets cold here in the winter, when I scrape ice off the window and drive the 4cyl gas turbo to work and can hit WOT on the highway as I pull out of my neighborhood, by the time I catch up with traffic ~1mi away at the first light I can turn on the heat and warm my frozen *** up.. when I drive the Q7, I get to finally turn the blower motor on ~6-8mi into my 12mi commute.
*edit* here's a post about carbon fouling from the front page of this subforum: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-...i-bug-2913868/
For example, It gets cold here in the winter, when I scrape ice off the window and drive the 4cyl gas turbo to work and can hit WOT on the highway as I pull out of my neighborhood, by the time I catch up with traffic ~1mi away at the first light I can turn on the heat and warm my frozen *** up.. when I drive the Q7, I get to finally turn the blower motor on ~6-8mi into my 12mi commute.
*edit* here's a post about carbon fouling from the front page of this subforum: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q7-...i-bug-2913868/
Last edited by dreadlocks; 03-14-2019 at 07:50 AM.