Just wondering.

I'm three days since delivery and just as I was driving by my dealer last night, I noticed a suddenly occuring rhythmical "bump"...like a stone in the tread. So, I drove in their parking lot and inspected my tires. Seems I picked up a screw in the front right tire (how conveeeeeeeeenient???). It was pointing straight up at 12 O'Clock.

A technician came out and pulled it out with pliers. No air leak, no bubbles after a soap solution was applied. I asked if there was any safety concerns and he said I was good to go since it did not go in far enough (it was in the very center valley).

Still, from what I remember from physics, if that area where the screw went in caused any structural weakness, it will just get weaker over time due to the continued force of the air pressure against the interior surface area.

I'm thinking about swapping the Potenza RE040's for Michelin Pilot Sport A/S (about $200/each) and was just wondering if I could get some input.

Buttressing my growing concern was a forum post (Audi) about possible safety issues with Potenza RE040's with a slightly different profile. See http://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/123001.phtml

Thanks,

VG

 

I wouldn't sweat the hole if it didn't puncture. The tires structure isn't centered around the rubber anyways. As for my tires, they may be causing the slight pull to the right that I have. We'll find out next week I guess.

 

I tried to get the 040s traded for Michelin Pilot Sports A/Ss brfore I took delivery but wasn't successful. When the Bridgestones go, about 15,000 miles, i think, I will get the Michelins. I will not go back to the Bridgestones.

Boomer--our tire size is for 17s, the 18s aren't available.

 

There are Pilot Sport A/S fitments for slightly larger rims (8.5" & 9.5"), possibly adequate justification for going to those slightly larger rims....

 

Did the dealer refuse?

 

Keep an eye on the tire pressure.... It could have pierced through just a little so that you get a slowwwwwwwww leak over time.

 

No, by the time the car got here, I was already juggling several different things, so I didn't push it. I had sent the daaler an e-mail inquiring about doing the switch but never got an answer. I tried to do a swap w the tire company I had used for years and they were straight with me, they couldn't make any money off the deal and couldn't get the michelins for a month, so I just didn't bother again.

 

After I wrote the reply, i realized I might have been too cryptic with my answer. If you have the Base, Enthusiast or Touring AT, you can get your 17" tires; 225/50/17 and 235/50/17 in the stock sizes. You can't get the stock sizes for the 18" rears in the Michelins for your wheels. But if you want summer tires for your 18"ers, you can get 3 different brands.

Just be aware the Michelin A/Ss are Ultra High Performace All Season tires as described by the Tire Rack. I wanted to change to these tires because as tested by Tire Rack, they exceeded or equaled the 040s in every test they do. They also rate an 8of 10 in the snow and their wear ratio(UTOG) is 400, compared to the 040s 140(UTOG)!

 

I'm guessing there's no way to rotate the tires on the Z? I've never owned a car with a staggard wheel/tire setup before.