I just searched the forums and couldn't find a thread specifically asking these questions.

I have a 2006 S4 B7 (silver) and I just sold my OEM 18" rims to buy a new set of VMR RS4 reps in hypersilver. I plan to throw some Hankook Ventus V12 Evo tires on them. I read all of the reviews on Tirerack.com and people love these tires. I have a few questions, would be great if some of you guys could share your experience with me. Here goes:

1. I like the idea of the rim/tire filling the wheel well a bit more, but I don't want to tweak the car's ride in the wrong way or rub. Should I go for the 18" or 19" rep rims? Some claim you get slightly better gas mileage with larger rims as they don't spin as much as smaller rims and have more intertia (?)

(Please keep in mind, I plan to put coil-overs on the car in 6mo/1yr to lower it a touch and to improve handling. I also plan to put on RS4 roll bars at that time.)

2. Maybe with the 18's I can put wider tires on it? Now it's on 235 40 18 tires. I wonder if I could put 255 40 18's on it with no rubbing? Otherwise, 255 35 18's??? With the 19's Steve from VMR suggested I keep it to 245 35 19 to avoid rubbing issues. I have to say, I'm a bit nervous to put a 35" tire wall height on the car as I live in LA and roads are rough here. I definitely need a balance between comfort and handling, so I'm leaning towards the 40". That said, maybe the difference is negligible? I'd like to go as wide as possible with a decent ride quality....any ideas?

3. Does anyone own the Kankook Ventus V12's? Your experience with the tires?

4. Here's a bonus question: Is anyone aware of a good chip for the B7 S4? Does this even exist and if so how much HP will I get and for how much? Are there any issues that the chip can cause (problems?)

Thanks in advance for anyone's advice!!

 

I'd go with 19s and 245s. The 19" rim is well proportioned on the B7 (see below). 255s would be overkill; grip and handling on the AWD are great even with 235s. If you're worried about mileage, sell your S4 :-).

There are several chips for the B7. I have the Revo because you can switch it back to stock when you take the car in to the dealer. It's only a 7hp gain but the torque is better and supposedly you have better throttle control. To be honest I didn't notice that big a difference. Full exhaust is a far better investment.

 

Hey thanks for the advice. Yeh, your ride looks great. I like the setup. I decided to go for the 18" rims after doing a bit more research. I live in LA and we have some major road/freeway issues out here. I didn't want to take the chance to bend the rims, knowing I'd probably have to go with 235 or 245 35 19 tires and the sidewall would be pretty low profile. I also plan to lower it in the spring so I was concerned about rubbing if dropped on top of 19's. Sounds like you have a good experience with your setup, but I suspect your roads are a bit better than ours. Ended up going with the Hankook V12 Evo rubber in 245 40 18. Wish me luck...and thanks again!

 

...next step is Koni front struts...H&R springs....and RS4 swaybars...then the exhaust. Slowly but surely we build

 

A 235/35 im XL rated tire, such as Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta, or Eagle F1 is a great choice on 19's. I run the 19" VMR v713's with 235/35 in Colorado and although you need to be somewhat cautious they are very suitable.

FYI, the right offset on an 18" rim would be 35mm front and 25mm rear, assuming 8" wide wheel.