2011 S4: First Thoughts + how terrible are my tires?

"sellphones2493" (sellphones2493)
04/16/2016 at 20:16 • Filed to: None

So this past week I replaced my 5-Month Old 2016 Jeep Wrangler with a 77k mile !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Prestige, for the sake of owning some I actually enjoy. So far, I have absolutely no regrets. Despite the mileage, this thing has absolutely no signs of being ‘used’. No type of wear on the leather, no greasy fingerprints, nothing is faded...the exterior is the same story. The only thing that makes this thing look used is the pair of Maui Jim’s I found in the sunglass holder (apparently worth $100 on eBay).

I’ve already redeveloped an overprotective boyfriend mentality with it - similar to what I had with my S60R....enough that I’m now paying $65 more a month for a garage.

First Thoughts:
- Craftsmanship is great...granted, I’m coming from a Wrangler - but still.
- The POWER : So swift...you hit the pedal and it ever so quietly f***ing moves
- The gearbox : Compared to my old Volvo and my old (yet newer) Wrangler, it’s worlds better. I can’t say I love the ‘shifting suggestions’ that appear on the dash, but it’s an agreeable clutch. The R and the Jeep didn’t have the easiest manual, but this is easy and incredibly precise. It’s weird having reverse next to first instead of sixth.
- The sound: the car is too quiet (we’ll change that), but Bang and Olufsen nailed this sound system. For only $850 new, the acoustics are clear and the base is strong. Having 14 Speakers doesn’t hurt, either.
- The sound system: Frustrating. I had to get an Apple $40 extension to fit new iPhones, and it refuses to work with Spotify, only connecting to my 10 year old iTunes playlists. I’m about to cave and get Sirius again.
- The HVAC system: Over-engineered. It’s annoying; going to turn on my heated seat, having to choose my heat level on the screen, then having to turn off my AC (because it assumes I want heat/AC whenever I have the seat on).

Overall, I can’t complain...it’s been awhile that I’d find myself constantly staring at my car as I walk away.

The Tires:
Same thing happened when I bought my Volvo...the car was traded with bald tires, so the dealer threw on the cheapest set they could find. With the Vo, I got some Nankangs...this time I got these:

It’s a set of Ironman iMove All-Season tires. I can’t find anything online about them, aside from an Amazon listing with mixed-bag reviews. Anyone know anything about these before I impulsively buy another set of Michelin Pilot SS’s?

DISCUSSION (21)

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > sellphones2493
04/16/2016 at 20:22

“Overall, I can’t complain...it’s been awhile that I’d find myself constantly staring at my car as I walk away.”

That’s it! That’s how you know you bought the right car!

Chargingstar - E92 M3 pilot > sellphones2493
04/16/2016 at 20:38

Nice choice on the S4, it looks great. Driving something that you absolutely love makes everything car related different - the drive to work, going to get a snack at midnight, even going to get fuel.

If you’re close to Colorado Springs there is an every Sunday (well, maybe not this Sunday :( ) European cars and coffee near the intersection of Barnes and Powers where you can bounce mod ideas off the other Audi owners.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > sellphones2493
04/16/2016 at 20:57

I know that Carmax uses ironmans on a lot of their cars.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > sellphones2493
04/16/2016 at 21:17

My E55 had the exact same tires on it when I got it. Absolutely terrible. Traction was better than expected, they probably would have lasted a while if I had kept them on. But at any speeds over 50mph they would vibrate like crazy. No amount of precision force-matched balancing and run out measurements ever made it go away. IIRC, the road force measurements were around 100lbs each, for most cars 25lbs is about the limit before vibrations are felt, and good tires usually fall in the 5-20lb range. Basically, they were octagons. I swapped them out for a set of Continental DWS’s, now the car handles better and is as smooth as it could possibly be.

TheOnelectronic > sellphones2493
04/16/2016 at 21:37

The noise problem is easily solved.

sellphones2493 > TheOnelectronic
04/16/2016 at 21:42

Nice! Hopefully I can go windows-down after this snowstorm!

bmil128 > sellphones2493
04/16/2016 at 22:15

I have a ‘14 I’ve had since new. No sport differential but a solid rear sway bar I installed eliminated any understeer. Also consider solid inserts for the transmission and differential mounts, they have really tightened up the feel as well. And if you can afford it get the Pilot Super Sports now. I had Pilot AS/3s as my second set, they were good but these are a world apart, the car is truly on rails with them. The Audizine forums are an excellent resource as well.

Twinpowermeansoneturbo > sellphones2493
04/16/2016 at 23:01

Clutch replacement is $5000, hopefully it lasts you a while. Very nice cars, with very high maintenance. Oh and you should invest in an RS grill. They're very cheap on eBay and make a huge difference to the look of the front end.

Matsayz > Chargingstar - E92 M3 pilot
04/17/2016 at 00:46

Maybe see the gang there tomorrow unless still snowing. Haven't had a free Sunday in awhile

E92M3 > sellphones2493
04/17/2016 at 01:02

$65 for a garage is a deal. I would of gladly paid that back when I lived in an apartment.

sellphones2493 > E92M3
04/17/2016 at 01:26

Its $90 a month but outdoor parking is $25

Chargingstar - E92 M3 pilot > Matsayz
04/17/2016 at 02:51

Second free Sunday in a row for me and it looks like we are gonna get snowed out. Summer tires on now, poor car has to spend all weekend in the garage :(

Tapas > sellphones2493
04/17/2016 at 04:22

Really? That outdoor parking fee is bullshit.

Matsayz > Chargingstar - E92 M3 pilot
04/17/2016 at 09:07

Well it’s still balls cold outside so we’ll see if I actually leave the house.

sellphones2493 > Twinpowermeansoneturbo
04/19/2016 at 00:18

I got a quote for a new clutch (out of curiosity) from my local indy mechanic and was quote about $2,400...not cheap but certainly not the dealer-worthy 5k. I don’t really like the RS grill...I think it makes it look cheap :(

sellphones2493 > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
04/19/2016 at 00:19

So far I haven’t challenged them too much, but from what I have done, I can tell you these things are LOUD. I feel like I’ll use them for the summer and then get a new set of Pilot SS’s next season.

sellphones2493 > Chargingstar - E92 M3 pilot
04/19/2016 at 00:20

See you there in a few weeks! I can’t tell you how I feel about driving from Boulder to the Springs at ~5am!

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > sellphones2493
04/19/2016 at 00:32

Yeah I know what you mean. If mine hadn’t been octagons I would have kept them a while longer. Tires aren’t cheap, might as well use what you’ve got.

Twinpowermeansoneturbo > sellphones2493
04/19/2016 at 01:26

Yeah that's not quite as bad. Still very pricey for a clutch though.

Chargingstar - E92 M3 pilot > sellphones2493
04/19/2016 at 09:24

Oh man I don’t know if it would be worth the drive. How about cars and coffee in Layfayette instead?

sellphones2493 > Chargingstar - E92 M3 pilot
04/20/2016 at 01:02

Sounds more like it :)