Help - 17" wheel size (offset) for 2005 S4 Cabriolet

I recently purchased a 2005 S4 Cabriolet. WHAT a machine!
It came with 18" AVUS S4 wheels (235/40-18 Tires). I am interested in
purchasing 17" wheels for the snowy Connecticut winters and was hoping I
could get some feedback on exact wheel size.

The label on the driver door recommends 215/50x17 for the winter tire size.
Most websites do not list the 2005 and if they do, the 17" size is 235/45-17
which is a bit too wide for my taste in snow.

Question: what is the needed offset for a 7x17 and a 7.5x17.

Thanks in advance for your help
Ramzi in CT

Please reply also to

"Rsmzi Nassar"
>
> Question: what is the needed offset for a 7x17 and a 7.5x17.
>

Your OEM 18x8 rims have an offset of ET43. Anything betw. ET35 and ET43
should work just fine.

Cheers,

Pete

Thanks for the reply. Does that apply for the 7" and 7.5"?
Seems like as the wheel width changes, the ET should change also.
What is safer - a larger ET - correct?

"Pete" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Rsmzi Nassar"
> >
> > Question: what is the needed offset for a 7x17 and a 7.5x17.
> >
>
> Your OEM 18x8 rims have an offset of ET43. Anything betw. ET35 and ET43
> should work just fine.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Pete
>
>

Thanks for the reply. Does that apply for the 7" and 7.5"?
Seems like as the wheel width changes, the ET should change also.
What is safer - a larger ET - correct?

"Pete" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Rsmzi Nassar"
> >
> > Question: what is the needed offset for a 7x17 and a 7.5x17.
> >
>
> Your OEM 18x8 rims have an offset of ET43. Anything betw. ET35 and ET43
> should work just fine.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Pete
>
>

Rsmzi writes:

>Most websites do not list the 2005 and if they do, the 17" size is 235/45-17
>which is a bit too wide for my taste in snow.

I've been driving Quattros for 20 years, and while snow tires are very
important, especially in New England, I have never worried about the width of
the tire. I think you should stick with the 235/40-18, remembering that the
car will be used 90% of the time on clean roads. I know that a more narrow
tire is better in snow, and I have gone that way a few times, but in the long
run, it really didn't matter. You'll be giving up some dry road performance
with the snows, of course, but you'll be giving up more with a narrower tire.
I live in Mass and we get far more snow than you do in CT. I have 255/40-18
snows for my RS6. I went without snows last winter. Quattro will get you just
about anywhere you want to go without snows, but stopping isn't very good.
d;o), nor is it much fun. d;o(
Dave
http://hometown.aol.com/davplac/myhomepage/index.html

"Ramzi Nassar" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for the reply. Does that apply for the 7" and 7.5"?
> Seems like as the wheel width changes, the ET should change also.
> What is safer - a larger ET - correct?

That ET will work for both.

You don't want an ET that's too large because you'll have clearance
issues against susp. components on the inside. And you don't want an ET
that's too small because you'll have clearance issues against the
fenders.

And I also agree with Dave... while 215/50/17 will work, you're giving
up overall stability with that size. Personally I think I'd go for
235/45/17. S4 is a heavy car and it needs wide enough tires to be
stable - both when cornering and when driving at higher speeds.

The benefit of 215/50 over 235/45 in the snow will be marginal, IMO.
And in any case, low clearance will prevent you from going through any
kind of deep snow before the tires will.

If you go with 235/45/17, don't buy 7"-wide rims. Get 7.5" at least.

Cheers,

Pete