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Winter tyre choices for an SQ5

24K views 37 replies 18 participants last post by  Snow Man  
#1 ·
We live in Aberdeen where winter tyres have been a must on our M5. I really like the look of the optional 21" alloys but winter tyres for them, or the 20" for that matter are I expect hard to get and expensive. Have any SQ5 owners given this much thought?

I guess buying a set of 17 or 18" rims for the winter is an option but after needing the winters fitted for the best part of 6 mths, I wonder if there is a good all round tyre that could do winter and summer? probably not but .....

Cheers
mondie
 
#4 ·
I will be buying a set of 20" wheels to pop winters on. German eBay has loads of oem wheels for sale.
If I recall there is a video on you tube of an SQ5 on 18 or 19" wheels... I remember thinking the oem wheels on it looked terrible then in one scene you can see they're a smaller size.
 
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
There are two threads on all season tyres, if you search. One member was very pleased with his choice.

I purchased a set of wheels and wheels and Dunlop winter tyres which I sold with my old banger. I still have the original set of 19in alloys which I believe will fit the SQ5, but I have not tried them yet. I intend to fit winter tyres to those.
 
#6 ·
Michelin do a 'Latitude Alpin' in the 20" size - I'm do scared to search for a price though
Image
 
#7 ·
19's are the smallest wheel that will clear the bigger brakes of the SQ5. On the German Audi site they list 19" winter wheels for the SQ5 but I think it's a 20" winter wheel package for the Uk. I will be fitting 19" because they are 235mm wide, which are better in the snow. Big fat tyres don't work as well
 
#10 ·
Ditto for me and I am hoping the larger wheels will not create a problem.

ZED
 
#14 ·
Sounds promising that there may be no need for winters, but I am trying to understand why that may be. Our M5 would have been useless on summer tyres, is the more aggressive SUV tyre tread the reason the Q5 is ok on summer tyres? Sure AWD helps, but only to get you moving, not to get around corners or stop. However if the Q5 is reliably ok on snow then that increases my desire for the 21" alloys

Cheers
mondie
 
#16 · (Edited by Moderator)
So is there an option for winter tyre package in the UK, or is Jamie's suggestion the best one? I did inquire if I could get the 21" without tyres and put Vredestein all season on... but that was not an option (!?) as expected....
 
#20 ·
I swear by winters. On from November off by April.
If you can get hold of some sensibly priced wheels its worth it.
Whilst you're on your winters your summers aren't getting worn so although its a heavy initial outlay it pays back over time.
The difference is massive and most importantly gives you options should something unexpected happen or more critically allow you to wash off more speed before an accident.
 
#22 ·
I use winters all the time some are changed over some are on all year because of traction all year round for heavy rain at roadsides and better cold weather driving.
Currently the Q has a winter set, A3 winter set other cars running all seasons
 
#23 ·
Agree with jamiekp.
Currently drive a 3.0 Tdi Q5 with 20" 7 spoke alloys and use both winter (Pirelli Ice and Snow 255/45/20V) and standard tyres. Vehicle spends 12 weeks a year in snowy French Alps and I wouldn't be without the "winters" either in France or the UK!
Have also gone for SQ5 with 21" wheel option but current Q5 20" winter tyres (@ ÂŁ940 a set!) still have plenty of tread remaining.
Was considering buying a second set of 20" wheels (eg. www.wheelbasealloys.com) for the new car but I hadn't appreciated that the bigger brakes might create an issue.
Can anyone else confirm that this would be the case?
 
#24 ·
Got a new Q5s+ in March, and always have winters, so bought a set. I wanted 19's or smaller and ordered 17's, but dealer had to call me back to say that AUK specify 20's because of the larger Brembus discs now being fitted. We spent quite a while looking into it, then decided to go for the 20's. The dealer let us have them for cost - the price was not much more than the 17" that was an option on the old Q5. It's a 45 profile which is not so bad, and the winter wheels are less fussy than the standard wheels so easier to clean. You might not need them for 'going' in a 4WD but they sure are handy for 'slowing'. The initial outlay hurts a bit, but over the life of the car it evens out.
 
#25 · (Edited by Moderator)
Guys,

I just ordered an SQ5 and also need to fit winter tyres. My preference was to use 19" rims, my new car won't turn up till September.

I took a chance on a secondhand set of 19" Audi alloys that came off a S-Line car - these were ÂŁ800 from an eBay Trader. The Audi dealer who I ordered my SQ5 from let me try one of the 19" alloys on the front hub of their demo SQ5. It just fitted giving about 4 to 5mm clearance on the rather large front brake callipers. On a jack with the car in neutral we were able to rotate the alloy with two of the bolts nipped up.

This wheel has an offset of ET39 and is a 19" x 8J. Audi part number is:
8R0601025L1H7​



The 20" standard wheel has an offset of ET33 but is 8.5J, 0.5" equates to about 12mm, dividing by two gives 6mm. So this 19" Alloy is in the same position relative to the 20" wheel but will be 6mm further inside the wheel arch with the 235/55 R19 tyres. I don't know if there would be issues with fitting 6mm spacers, other than there my be difficulties centering the wheel on the hub with a slim spacer that is not hub centric.

I don't know if all Audi Q5 Alloys 19" wheels would fit, the amount of clearance between the brake calliper and this alloy was small, I would try first if possible. It will probably be down to whether the internal profile of the alloy gives sufficient clearance to the brake calliper.

Audi Germany lists a 19" Alloy as a winter wheel for the SQ5, there's also a 20" option too. Interesting the 19" is a 7J wheel but the same 235/55 R19 tyre is suggested in the brochure.

The cheapest decent winter tyres I found were Vredesteins at ÂŁ156 a corner at love tyres:

http://lovetyres.com...9/season/Winter

They were shipped next day delivery and turned up as advised at 4pm. So good price and good service from Love Tyres.

I used to run Vredesteins on my BMW X3 and they worked very well, i'd like to hear if anyone has had success with the cheaper brands of winter tyres in snow and ice.

Hope this post helps in deciding whether to use 19" or 20" for winter tyres.
 

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#26 ·
Guys,

I just ordered an SQ5 and also need to fit winter tyres using 19" rims, my new car won't turn up till September.

I got a secondhand set of 19" Audi alloys that came off a S-Line car. The Audi dealer who I ordered my SQ5 from let me try one of the 19" alloys on the front hub. It just fitted giving about 4 to 5mm clearance on the rather large front brake callipers.

This wheel has an offset of ET39 and is a 19" x 8J. Audi part number is:
8R0601025L1H7
View attachment 1036
That is good to know. I kept the 19" wheels of my old Q5 in the hope / expectation that they would fit the SQ5.
 
#29 ·
Anybody got a picture of the winter kit from the German site? I went through the configurator (annoying as alcantara contrasting seat is a option.. and cheaper) and saw the option, but no pictures...
 
#30 ·
I'm just going to buy some of the OEM 20" wheel I think. Paint them in the OEM ti colour and think those with winter rubber will suffice for the UK.
I think it'll look a bit noddy on 19" if I'm honest!

 
#33 ·
Interesting.. the winter 19's are exactly the same as the stock SQ5 20's....
 
#34 ·
You can see them on the video I posted
 
#35 ·
Ahh that makes sense now, I thought they were stock 20's...
 
#36 ·
Did some test fitting at the shop 18x8 will fit as long as it has a +37 offset or lower. I tried using stock 18 inch q5 rims but they have a +39 offset which caused it to rub ever so lightly on the hex shaped bolt on the outside of the caliper. Just got to get tires that will have the same rolling diameter. When I was on the parts computer at work it recommends 19s but you can do 18 as long as you get the proper offset for the 18