Ride Quality

ca2n said:
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Hopefully somebody with a bit more info can explain it in more detail!
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Thank you for taking the time to reply, appreciated.

I do not have a service booklet but I will inspect the sticker in the boot which I imagine contains the same info. These codes seem very important/useful when looking at parts diagrams. I feel very uneasy about not knowing their full meaning, a bit like waiting for a bus in the summer holidays after ignoring the little asterisk in the timetable that turns out to mean 'School Term Only'.

Andy
 
If you ask the Audi dealer to print out the car specification you get all the codes and a the short description for free. My A2 spec is 3 pages.
 
Birchall said:
As for the tyres
195 40 17s are a tad narrow if they are going on 17" Audi sport alloys. But they my well be ok.

Perhaps some other members have tried these and can comment, but the standard for 17" Audi 9 spoke alloys is 201 40 17 s (or possibly 205 45 17s.

Steve B
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I still use the OEM spec 17" sport rims, but quite early on in my ownership I went from the (standard) 205/40 x17 tyres to 205/45 x17 and ride comfort improved markedly (I no longer swerve to avoid potholes or small irregularities). People say that the 17" wheels are hard to keep in shape, and my early experience bears this out- I had a buckled rim replaced under the Audi Approved used warranty, but (touch wood) since going to 205/45s, have had no issues in that regard. Certainly, on 205/40s, when going into a pothole, there was a hard edge to the crash which made me think that the rim was being clouted, whereas on the 45s, that has disappeared.

The only downside is a (slight) rubbing on full lock. The speedo now reads spot on, rather than 3mph fast as previously.
 
Cloth Ears said:
I still use the OEM spec 17" sport rims, but quite early on in my ownership I went from the (standard) 205/40 x17 tyres to 205/45 x17 and ride comfort improved markedly (I no longer swerve to avoid potholes or small irregularities). People say that the 17" wheels are hard to keep in shape, and my early experience bears this out- I had a buckled rim replaced under the Audi Approved used warranty, but (touch wood) since going to 205/45s, have had no issues in that regard. Certainly, on 205/40s, when going into a pothole, there was a hard edge to the crash which made me think that the rim was being clouted, whereas on the 45s, that has disappeared.

The only downside is a (slight) rubbing on full lock. The speedo now reads spot on, rather than 3mph fast as previously.
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I done exactly the same with my 17” wheels, upped tyre profile to 45’s wouldn’t of thought it would make much difference but It did.

As to rubbing on full lock, same here but you are only moving 3mph at the most isn’t going to do much damage to inner arch trim. I also have mud flaps fitted and they don’t catch.

Ross
 
you could add some 10mm spacers to stop the rubbing. Not sure if that will cause issues elsewhere though.
 
I do think it is very much personal taste, what you are used to/what your body can tolerate and what the roads are like where you drive. I'm running 215/40/17 on the BBS rims (primarily) and don't find it jarring or uncomfortable. Occasionally there can be a crash, if a large hole, but otherwise I don't have a problem. The stock 16s were more forgiving, I'll grant you, but I prefer the aesthetics of the larger wheel.

I'm currently running 14 inch steel rims with winter tyres on my VW up!, but the 17s I have are no bother despite the really short wheel base on said car.
 
Darren C said:
I do think it is very much personal taste, what you are used to/what your body can tolerate and what the roads are like where you drive. I'm running 215/40/17 on the BBS rims (primarily) and don't find it jarring or uncomfortable. Occasionally there can be a crash, if a large hole, but otherwise I don't have a problem. The stock 16s were more forgiving, I'll grant you, but I prefer the aesthetics of the larger wheel.

I'm currently running 14 inch steel rims with winter tyres on my VW up!, but the 17s I have are no bother despite the really short wheel base on said car.
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My wife’s Seat Ibiza has 215/40s and the ride is fine. I suspect 205/40 is just too shallow a sidewall to prevent the rim being clouted, but the marginal extra from 215/40 or 205/45 is enough to make all the difference.
 
There is only 4mm difference in sidewall between 205/40 and 215/40 so I doubt you would feel any difference at all unless you are comparing different tyre makes.
 
That equates to just over 0.1 of an inch in fact (for those of us that still think in inches! LOL)

The 205 40 17 tyres are 23.5" tall, the 215 40 17 tyres are 23.8" tall.

You then have to halve this because it is the radius (I.,e. wheel CENTRE to road) that counts
So the difference is 0.15 of an inch (around a sixth of an inch.

But I truly do not doubt it when people say they can feel the difference, they can obviously feel a difference if they say they can, but it is due to several things

Different makes and types of tyres have different stiffness of sidewall
When you change tyres it could mean that the pressure in them could now be different. A few pounds of pressure will make a noticeable difference
The new tyres have more tread than the old tyres and tread is more flexible when the tread is deeper.
The quality of the tyres could be very different.

So I completely believe that people can feel an improvement in comfort when changing tyres but when it is such a small difference in size it is likely to be due to the above.

I had cheap tyres on my 18" wheels on the "project" A2.
They were 215 35 18 (so a VERY narrow tyre wall indeed.
I was happy with the ride but not happy with the quality of the tyres and the noise they made.
When I changed the tyres to Vredestein ones (a very good make and NOT cheap.
They were exactly the same size 215 35 18 but a very noticeable improvement in ride comfort.
This can only have been due to the above because the dimensions were exactly the same.

Steve B
 
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A very good point ste well written.........It is even more relevant on a motor cycle........years ago I had to get a tyre for my old vespa scooter and it was cheap and nasty but it was all I could afford at the time and the ride was terrible, same size same pressure, I then had the money to buy a better make make tyre and it felt like a different machine.
 
Agree whole heartidly with Steve B on this. In case you haven't extensively read the motoring press magazines etc, time and time again over the decades it's been noted how a supposed out and out sports car or sports saloon can feel awful until a top quality tyre is fitted when all is completely transformed. It really is false economy to fit substandard tyres not only for your pocket but mainly for your well-being and overall enjoyment / happiness.
 
It can also be related to the age of the tyre

newer rubber is more pliant hence more comfortable ride. if the rubber you're taking off is a few years old then you'll definitely notice a ride quality improvement even staying at the same size. Not saying that the 45 section tyres don't improve the ride (more rubber so obvs going to help) but just that there's more going on than just the size change
 
I always use quality tyres. Michelins, Contis mostly. My wife’s Ibiza and the A2 are currently both running the same, Dunlop, tyre. The Ibiza’s ride is much softer, which I accept is almost certainly down to the suspension design, and heavier body; but the difference between 205/40s and 205/45s is definitely the key to it on the A2.
 
The difference in side wall between 205/40 and 205/45 is roughly 10mm, so that could make a noticeable difference.
I think it’s also down to weight and good suspension design. My BMW is running 285/30/21 rears and 245/35/21 front tyres and the ride is still very good, but it does weigh 2 tonnne.
 
Kleynie said:
The difference in side wall between 205/40 and 205/45 is roughly 10mm, so that could make a noticeable difference.
I think it’s also down to weight and good suspension design. My BMW is running 285/30/21 rears and 245/35/21 front tyres and the ride is still very good, but it does weigh 2 tonnne.
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It is still only half an inch difference in sidewall size though.
But many members on here run that size and are very happy with the results.

To improve your comfort you should check your shock absorbers are fresh, check your tyre pressures and use quality tyres.

It is certainly possible to improve the ride by a fair degree, but since the car is so light it doesn't really absorb big shocks well and the car doesn't compress the shock absorbers as much as some cars.

Bentleys and Rolls Royce have a floating on air ride, the weight of the car means that bumps and pot holes don't deflect the whole car, just the springs and shock absorbers.

To get a smooth ride on a light car (such as cars like the Smart car achieve) you need suspension that is so soft that you do lose a fair amount of rigidity in the steering response and cornering roll (you don't have to drive it like a race car to need good steering response and minimum roll, just try avoiding a crash and you need the car to steer as quickly and as accurately as possible.

But as I said in the outset, a smooth ride is something that can mean different things to different people.

So if you are happy with your A2 ride comfort after changing wheels / tyres that THAT is what counts, it is not just a case of science or maths when it comes to how smooth you feel the ride is, that is personal to you (and your passengers).

So perhaps we don't need to debate this one "to death"?

Steve B
 
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