markcincinnati

History: Between my wife and I, since 1977, 33 Audis, 3 BMWs (2 of them X3's). In 2013 we configured an SQ5 Prestige. We drove it, virtually incident-free for nearly 94,000 miles and ordered a 2018 SQ5 Prestige earlier this year: Prestige, Matador Red, Rotor Gray leather, cold weather, summer-tires; we live in Cincinnati, home of mostly "moderate" winters, little snow, some cold-snaps, typically one "big-time snow event" (that comes quickly and leaves the same way, usually about two or three days and bye-bye). We ordered the SQ5 with the summer tires because Audi puts "the world's worst" all-season tires on the cars bound for the US, apparently because the product planners in Germany don't get Americans proclivity for year 'round rubber. Besides, we didn't want the top-end speed limiter engaged.

Our experience has been that Audi chooses good to very good summer only tires; but, they "live fast and die young," often good for a maximum of 14,000+ miles, sometimes only 12,000 miles (if you care about handling, hydroplaning, etc.) The short version: We go ahead and take Audis, with their short-lived tires, knowing we will swap the tires out for ultra-high-performance all-season tires something north of 10,000 miles.

As "luck" would have it, Costco began touting a $70 discount + installation of tires for $.01 for a 10-day time period starting 11/17. Also, as circumstances would have it, Costco is an authorized Michelin dealer/installer. We researched tires at Tirerack cross-checked our findings with Consumer Reports and googled Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ to confirm the standing of the Michelin UHP A/S as the current winna and champeen. We ordered the 255 x 45 x 20" Y rated tires at Costco. One business day later we made the appointment for the installation. We had to pay the full "normal" price because we actually ordered before 11/17.

We had the new shoes mounted, "Michelin" balanced (using a technology different from road-force balancing), lug-nuts torqued and tires nitrogen filled on Saturday, 11/18. The process at Costco entails them turning the car over to you with a "request" that you drive a minimum of 25-miles and immediately return to the tire center to have the lug-nuts re-torqued. We went 28 miles over a variety of roads and at speeds up to 93MPH. We came back to the Cosco tire center, they re-torqued and put the lug-nut caps back on.

We inflated the fronts to 38psi and the rears to 35psi. When we had the tires installed the temp had risen in Cincinnati to 67F. The next day they had fallen to 24F. We knew the tire pressure would likely drop due to the cold, so we chose the inflation numbers with this in mind.

We drove 220 miles on Sunday -- Cincinnati to Columbus, around Columbus for errands and back to Cincinnati. Speeds on the Interstate: up to 88MPH, typically ~ 80MPH on the mostly 70MPH limited highway.

Conclusion:

Much quieter than the UHP summer only Continentals the car came with.
Noticeably better (sharper, quicker) turn-in
A sense of "less" rolling resistance
Smoother ride
An improved ability to take corners and curves -- and at higher speeds

Downside: The tires are so smooth, so quiet and have so little "friction" it is impossible to "go slow!" Indeed, 85MPH seems like crawling along.

With so many Audis and BMWs under our collective belts, we can, without qualification (other than the "downside" above) say, these tires are TRANSFORMATIVE.

If you live in the US and where you live goes to a temperature average below 45F for "the winter" and if you have perhaps light to moderate snow and you have an all-wheel-drive vehicle such as an SQ5, these tires seem to offer true ultra-high-performance attributes with year 'round temperature tolerance and good winter precipitation performance. If you live in Cleveland, well, maybe dedicated winter tires may be required. But, if you live where multiple-inch snowfalls are not typical, these tires will completely change the character of your SQ5 and can be used all year.

Our SQ5 is at this moment just a bit shy of 12,000 miles. We did not keep the OEM tires, what would have been the point. They might have had a maximum of 2 or 3,000 miles left and our weather plus the $130 (total) off of the already low Costco price made this pretty close to a no-brainer.

In fact, I'm getting four of these for my 2018 S4 Prestige.

This is the most impressive change we've ever felt due to tires in decades and dozens of Audis.

Then, after all of the above, we went to the membership desk, gave them our Costco credit card and they refunded $130 to the card, effectively disounting the tires by the Michelin "rebate" + "throwing in" free mounting, balancing, and installation.

Check it out.

Transfer

The AS3+ really is a remarkable tire. You made a great choice and sounds like your experience is matching mine when I had them on an X1 for awhile. What summer tires came on your 20” wheels? My 21s came with the new Pirelli Pzero PZ4 and I was impressed with them in the little time I had them on before going to my winter setup. Ride comfort and noise were excellent.

markcincinnati

They were Continental's -- they were not on Tire Rack and when I entered them into google, I got nothing. They were quiet -- until the AS3+'s. They actually seemed pretty good -- but the turn-in was a bit vague compared to the AS3+'s. I asked about them at the dealer and they are "NA" in North America. They must send them by the shipload to the Mexican SQ5/Q5 factory, and although they must pass muster for use in the US, they aren't sold here. Audi probably got them at a "high value" -- a quantity purchase.

I had, previously, always gone with Continental Extreme Contact DWS 06's -- and I thought they were quite good, too. But the Michelin's have made a believer out of me. Now, if they actually have some durability (warranty is 45K miles), then I will become a Michelin AS3+ evangelist.

I'll try my plea again: Audi official: Please allow customers who order their cars to choose from an inventory of "shoes" that, for the US market, includes the Continental DWS 06's, the Michelin AS3+ and the Pirelli PZero All-season Plus. The Grand Touring tires you put on Audis equipped with the "all season" option are, with all due respect, crap.

AndroidRobot

FYI stock Continentals are ContiSport 5 since I have them on my SQ5. I ordered the same tires from Costco for my SQ5. Hopefully they're competent installing them. My localish Audi dealer wouldn't match their pricing and I wasn't going to spend $1200 for a set from them.

markcincinnati

In Cincinnati, Costco ONLY sells Bridgestone and Michelin.

Ngerstman

I’ve often found that Michelin tires have very stiff sidewalls and while that improves performance, it makes the ride much less comfortable. How do you compare the ride comfort from the oem tires? Thanks. Regards. Ned.

AndroidRobot

I don't know what they sell here. Michelin for sure, besides that I have no idea.

CompleteNewbie

Thanks for the review of the AS 3+. Maybe its the impetus to discard my Pirelli P7's (albeit it on an A6 w/ 19in) after only 5k miles (ruining the driving experience)
BTW - which Costco did you use here in Cincy ?

TYJ

Great review, but why did you start a new thread instead of continuing on your original thread on the same topic?.. .https://www.audiworld.com/forums/q5-...t-yep-2936827/

AndroidRobot

When I said I ordered the same tires it was directed at the Pilot Sport A/S 3+ not the stock sh*ty Continentals. In my opinion the ContiSport 5's are loud vs the Pirelli P Zeros I had before. Hopefully these Michelins prove to be far better.