Replacement tires

btwyx · Nov 11, 2017

Has anyone replaced the tires on their e-tron with an alternative? What did you get? What do you think of them?

I'm used to more performance oriented cars than the e-tron, and usually swap the tires out for something much higher performance. Ours came with the performance package 18" wheels and Pirelli P7 tires. In the dry, the tires have been OK, but have a tendency to spin if I step on it from rest. I was putting that down to the ridiculous amount of torque the electric motor will put through the front wheels.

Today it rained on us while driving, only the second time the car's seen rain in the 6 months we've had it. (Thanks to California weather.) The spinning problem was much worse, as one might expect, and really did not inspire confidence, so I'm considering getting some better tires, now the rainy season is about to hit us.

The treadlife on the P7s has also been pretty sucky, and I'm expecting them to wear out at about 10,000 miles. But now I don't think I want to wait that long.

I want to stick with all season tires. I want to be able to cope with freezing temperatures, or even a bit of snow. The other cars have summer only tires. In the past I've been happy with Continental DWS tires, but even those had a problem breaking free from rest, even in a car which had less than half the torque. Conti don't make those anymore, but have replaced them with the DWS-06 which is my #1 option.

The other option is the Michelin A/S 3+, which is rated even higher than the Conti tires.

arne · Nov 13, 2017

I’m running the Michelin A/S 3 (predesessor to the A/S 3+) on my Porsche 911 for year-round use in western Oregon for the same reasons you note. That tire is quite popular with the local Porsche crowd. Wet traction is great, even when cold. Don’t expect much grip in light snow, though, despite the claims. Although, the 3+ is said to be better in light snow than the 3.

I think it quite likely that I will put them on the etron when I need the next set of tires. I have dedicated snow tires for it so the lack of snow grip is not an issue for me.

hayasa · Nov 14, 2017

I really think that replacement tires should be good quality all-season run flats. This being a vehicle without a spare tire (and the goop = false sense of security) and likely to be a solid commuter which will see lots of miles on poorly maintained streets. Modern run flats are light years ahead of the tires from even a few years ago. They are quieter, lighter, and cheaper than the old ones. And you can drive without the anxiety of a simple flat stranding you in the middle of nowhere.

And yes, winter tires are superior to all seasons. But so are studs. And even better, tracks. Just get the all seasons unless you live in the Arctic, then in that case, get a truck or an SUV with proper tires and good ground clearance.

Red18 · Jul 10, 2024

I replaced the original Conti Sport Contacts with Conti Pure Contacts. The car rides noticeably better, and road noise is way less. See the Consumer Reports review.

SirChargesAlot · Jul 13, 2024

@btwyx , it feels like you may be on the side of the camp that doesn't overly care about pure EV range, but there is some recent discussions on the topic here: https://www.myaudia3etron.com/threads/has-anyone-tried-16-wheels-on-their-a3-e-tron.12178/

In the end, you know your needs best, but for me, I reduced rotating mass weight significantly and increased tire sidewall to improve road compliance but did not compromise on run flats. Don't forget that you don't have a spare in the back. Again, it's all about what you want out of your car and what your use case is the majority of the time.

Keep us posted on the direction you take.

cmc · Jul 14, 2024

Hey there, I plan on getting michelin pilot all season 4s when the time comes... or conti DWS 06+ for $25 less per tire.... I prefer to have better handling and grip over trying to max out a tiny battery... (just run the 1.4T and be happy)