OEM tires...
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Typically I leave my girlfriends house around 3-4am. Around that time in NY the temperature is usually low/high 20's. The car does perform well in the cold, I haven't really ever felt the tires before or after, but I never really slow down for a corner thinking "the tires are cold", I'd assume also under somewhat hard driving they'd warm up.
Even though I own the A5, I think the same theory applies,
I did a bit of research on this one and saw varying temps for the summer tires. I tended to go with the 40F to be on the safe side. I really hated to spend the money on winter tires and wheels (especially putting the stock S-line wheels in temp storage). For me in came down to safety and not wanting to damage an expensive car in an attempt to save $1600 from tire rack on 4 winter tires, wheels and the sensor.
There is a good video on Tire Rack that shows the difference between snow tires, all season tires and summer tires, and there is a shocking difference. Even with only wet roads below 40F would be potentially dangerous due to the summer tires becoming hard. My dealer told me of another Gentleman that just bought an Audi with summer tires and continuesly uses the car with it and so far he's been lucky. To me its not worth the chance.
Tire Rack video:
http://www.tirerack.com/videos/index.jsp?video=26
I did a bit of research on this one and saw varying temps for the summer tires. I tended to go with the 40F to be on the safe side. I really hated to spend the money on winter tires and wheels (especially putting the stock S-line wheels in temp storage). For me in came down to safety and not wanting to damage an expensive car in an attempt to save $1600 from tire rack on 4 winter tires, wheels and the sensor.
There is a good video on Tire Rack that shows the difference between snow tires, all season tires and summer tires, and there is a shocking difference. Even with only wet roads below 40F would be potentially dangerous due to the summer tires becoming hard. My dealer told me of another Gentleman that just bought an Audi with summer tires and continuesly uses the car with it and so far he's been lucky. To me its not worth the chance.
Tire Rack video:
http://www.tirerack.com/videos/index.jsp?video=26
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2,335 Posts
If it's the Dunlop Sport Maxx or Sport Maxx GT tyres you are asking about then these are actually performance summer tyres. I can tell you first hand that in winter conditions these tyres loose a lot of grip.
In general summer tyres start loosing grip once it starts dipping below 8 degrees celsius the rubber compund starts to harden more and becomes less grippy as a result. Also unless your driving on motorways its going to be pretty hard to get heat into the tyres in normal town driving due to its slow stop star nature.
In the UK most people don't bother with winter tyres, but the increased grip level with winter tyres over summer ones is huge. If I wasn't selling my car I would be replacing my stock wheels with proper winter tyres and keep stock ones on my after market wheels.
At the end of the day your tyres are your only contact with the road, quattro or no quattro if your tyres can't grip properly you are comprimising your safety in the winter.
A typical example would be if its at freezing point some one pulls out into the road and you have to quickly move to miss them, with summer tyres your likely to have minimal grip and could easily loose traction. In saying all of this plenty of people use summer tyres through winter and have no issues.
In general summer tyres start loosing grip once it starts dipping below 8 degrees celsius the rubber compund starts to harden more and becomes less grippy as a result. Also unless your driving on motorways its going to be pretty hard to get heat into the tyres in normal town driving due to its slow stop star nature.
In the UK most people don't bother with winter tyres, but the increased grip level with winter tyres over summer ones is huge. If I wasn't selling my car I would be replacing my stock wheels with proper winter tyres and keep stock ones on my after market wheels.
At the end of the day your tyres are your only contact with the road, quattro or no quattro if your tyres can't grip properly you are comprimising your safety in the winter.
A typical example would be if its at freezing point some one pulls out into the road and you have to quickly move to miss them, with summer tyres your likely to have minimal grip and could easily loose traction. In saying all of this plenty of people use summer tyres through winter and have no issues.
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1,184 Posts
You don't even stick around for breakfast?
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6,346 Posts
Probably doesn't like washing up?You don't even stick around for breakfast?
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435 Posts
If you a casual relaxed driver you won't notice much, but it is the extreme situations that they are talking about, things like emergency maneuvers and accelerating in corners are in serious jeopardy. I am surprised you haven't noticed already. When it hit 45 in NJ, I already knew that something was up when traction control started to kick in, a lot.
You have already made it through half the season. In this weather, you wear the summer compound fast, so just take it very easy or else you will be buying new tires anyway. Personally, I would want to go down to 18" anyway in pothole season. I have hit a couple here in NJ that made me glad I didn't have my stock rims.
My recommendation: Decide at the end of the season if you felt your life was in jeopardy a couple of times, and then buy the winter tires for next season. I put mine on in November.
Also, if you have survived the winter so far with your summer tires, then be sure to just get winter performance tires. Obviously, you don't need a true winter tire, and you will enjoy being able to have summer fun in the winter, safely.
You have already made it through half the season. In this weather, you wear the summer compound fast, so just take it very easy or else you will be buying new tires anyway. Personally, I would want to go down to 18" anyway in pothole season. I have hit a couple here in NJ that made me glad I didn't have my stock rims.
My recommendation: Decide at the end of the season if you felt your life was in jeopardy a couple of times, and then buy the winter tires for next season. I put mine on in November.
Also, if you have survived the winter so far with your summer tires, then be sure to just get winter performance tires. Obviously, you don't need a true winter tire, and you will enjoy being able to have summer fun in the winter, safely.
Or 17"; they work fine and give a little more pothole confidence.
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435 Posts
17" wheels are not allowed on a S5. 18" barely fit with the beefy brakes.
My mistake. http://www.a5oc.com/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif They do fit quite nicely on the A5.
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