NewNiceMrMe Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Right, this is really starting to annoy me now. Whilst wheel spin is apparent in dry conditions if you lay it on a bit thick....in the wet it's atrocious. The Audi ESP system is utter garbage and it's fecking dangerous. The front tyres on my car are the PZero's and have done 1,500 miles now. So, my question is simple - what do you guys have on the front? I have NEVER come across a car where this problem is so apparent as in the A4 TDi. It's shockingly bad. It was raining heavily down here last night and on every occasion I needed to pull off with a degree of moderate pace (junctions, slip roads etc)...the front wheels spin. It's sh1te. I will get the whole set of tyres changed if need be (especially as I wouldn't be paying) so I just want to know what the Audiphilia recommend as the ultimate grippy tyre to offset the sh1t that is Audi's ESP on this model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon_golf_tt Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Your tyre pressure aint too high, are they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PetrolDave Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 I fitted Yokohama AVS Sport to my TD1 130 Sport Avant (which I had chipped to 160bhp) - after that I had to be a real hooligan to get more than a momentary chirp from the front tyres in the dry and only moderately sensible in the wet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmmlmmam Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 I've been impressed with the ESP, not too intrusive. I think it is designed to allow limited wheelspin before raining things back. I think it is also designed to ensure both wheels are running at the same(ish) speed. i.e it will allow both to spin to a greater extent than it will one if the other is still gripping. Is it tramping at all, or just spinning? I'm thinking dampers and tracking. I don't think your tyres are the best in the wet but they certainly shouldn't be dangerous. Sounds like the cars got a problem to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBM Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Buy a B7 - its way better ESP, engine etc than in the B6 - and I've had both... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 [ QUOTE ] so I just want to know what the Audiphilia recommend [/ QUOTE ] Quattro Have to agree though that the ESP on my TT (with quattro) was horrendous. Taking off from a standstill it would often activate and it seemed to be when lorries were fast approaching. I regularly would turn off ESP for those moments. The Torsen quattro is a huge improment on my S4 but the least instrusive I've found is on the RS6 which lets you really play before it comes in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 I have PZeroR's and never get wheel spin and I certainly floor it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBM Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 [ QUOTE ] I have PZeroR's and never get wheel spin and I certainly floor it. [/ QUOTE ] Even in the wet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted October 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Your tyre pressure aint too high, are they? [/ QUOTE ] Checked - and they're spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted October 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 [ QUOTE ] I've been impressed with the ESP, not too intrusive. I think it is designed to allow limited wheelspin before raining things back. I think it is also designed to ensure both wheels are running at the same(ish) speed. i.e it will allow both to spin to a greater extent than it will one if the other is still gripping. Is it tramping at all, or just spinning? I'm thinking dampers and tracking. I don't think your tyres are the best in the wet but they certainly shouldn't be dangerous. Sounds like the cars got a problem to me. [/ QUOTE ] I'd be very surprised if it was a problem with this specific car. It's only done 11,500 miles and is a year old. I might well get it checked out just in case though. I still think it's the car's sh1t ESP though. I really do. I've spoken to another guy at lunchtime who has an A4 TDi too (although granted, it's the saloon) and he too has the same problem in the wet in particular. I could be being over critical as it's grip is never going to compare with the huge wheels on the back of the 6, but my wifes 320d has similar sized wheels/tyres to the A4 Avant and the traction is perfect - we get very little spin at all. I just don't understand it. It really does take the edge off what is a very good car indeed IMO. I actually prefer the A4 to my wifes 320d now, but this ESP system is doing my head in and in the wet, given the choice, I'd take out the 320d over it every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizze Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 I had a 320dSE Touring with an auto box and even when mapped to 180bhp there was only spin if you really slammed on the gas. In the A6 it can be quite frightening when even damp on the roads. Mind you the BMW was rear wheel drive, so not really a fair comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBM Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Mr Me - My old B6 GmbH Sport always suffered badly in the wet. ESP kept coming on and Mrs UBM asking "Did you just wheelspin again"...... The B7 seems better somehow - it still comes on but only when really pressed in the wet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Mine isn't great in the wet TBH, but I don't find it a problem. I try to use a little more finesse and a little less right foot and it does the trick. I've found that hammering the car in 2nd (dry) or 3rd (wet) is the best way to win any traffic light GP. The 1.9TDi's are really, really torquey and the ESP is quite.. unintrusive until you do something silly IMO. I don't mind it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A3Floyd Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Mine's fine I've got a new set of Pirelli P6000's on mine and they grip really well. If I do really welly it, the ESP always cuts in very quickly. I do get a tiny bit of spin but the ESP cuts it well within 1 second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdiesel Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 I had a B6 2.5TDi (163ps) and never had any issues with traction. The ESP should contain the wheelspin. It was an SE though and the softer set up does improve traction over the Sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durrsaku Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 I have Dunlop sports on mine and don't have any problem with wheel spinning. As stated above i find the ESP not very intrusive and leaves space for driver involvement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon_golf_tt Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Your tyre pressure aint too high, are they? [/ QUOTE ] Checked - and they're spot on. [/ QUOTE ] What psi are you running. If you're up near 40 it could be worth trying the low 30's to see if this makes a difference. My FWD golf has 250bhp and 278lbs/ft - in the wet it's possible to wheelspin 4th sometimes! Anyway it's very susceptible to tyre pressure - too high and no grip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted October 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Your tyre pressure aint too high, are they? [/ QUOTE ] Checked - and they're spot on. [/ QUOTE ] What psi are you running. If you're up near 40 it could be worth trying the low 30's to see if this makes a difference. My FWD golf has 250bhp and 278lbs/ft - in the wet it's possible to wheelspin 4th sometimes! Anyway it's very susceptible to tyre pressure - too high and no grip! [/ QUOTE ] They're on 35 front and rear. I've been doing a little bit of research online and I didn't realise Michelin did a Pilot Sport for the 17" wheels. They do a 235/45/17 that runs at 32 psi. It'll sacrifice a bit of ride quality of course but I might give it a go. Anyone else ran PS's on an A4 Avant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 All I can say is that you must be driving it like you stole it. I had to turn the ESP off on mine to get the wheels to spin, and since buying the Avant, I drive like I'm driving Miss Daisy so it's never been a problem. It could just be that the times you mention have all been on greasy roundabouts/junctions but that seems unlikely. All I can say is that mine was fine all through last winter and it had real cheapo tyres on it. (They were all new, but fitted by the dealer, I don't even know what make they were.) It is possible that there's something wrong with the ESP system, but that seems unlikely too. How's the car when you swithc the system off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBM Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 I have Michelin PS1's on 18's on mine - it grips like a good un! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chav Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Right, this is really starting to annoy me now. Whilst wheel spin is apparent in dry conditions if you lay it on a bit thick....in the wet it's atrocious. The Audi ESP system is utter garbage and it's fecking dangerous. The front tyres on my car are the PZero's and have done 1,500 miles now. So, my question is simple - what do you guys have on the front? I have NEVER come across a car where this problem is so apparent as in the A4 TDi. It's shockingly bad. It was raining heavily down here last night and on every occasion I needed to pull off with a degree of moderate pace (junctions, slip roads etc)...the front wheels spin. It's sh1te. I will get the whole set of tyres changed if need be (especially as I wouldn't be paying) so I just want to know what the Audiphilia recommend as the ultimate grippy tyre to offset the sh1t that is Audi's ESP on this model. [/ QUOTE ] Remind me, is your car auto or manual. Is it that you're not used to FWD? I have 220bhp through my front wheels and I rarely get wheel spin, but then I'm used to it I guess. I have Kumho tyres. Grip seems the same in dry and wet as with previous Dunlop SP 9000's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 In the wet, my traction control kicks in very promptly. I tried spinning it the other day, but it just won't let me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Doe Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Chris, it sounds to me like you might just be driving like a , and you have nothing better to do than constantly weigh up the Audi against your missus's 320...just take hers out instead, chop the Audi in for another Beemer (coz you know you want to!!) and stop feckin moaning! Audi UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 I've got Dunlop SP9090s on mine and would agree it suffers from wheelspin in the wet if you try to be a bit too agressive in first gear. Knowing how hard you can push it is the trick and I can usually make rapid getaways without too much wheelspin. In defence of ESP - it's the traction control that could maybe do with a tweak. I agree it takes too long to stop the wheelspin in first (if at all because you've usually changed gear ). It handles wheelspin in second and third no problem. The ESP (stability program) works a treat. The road into our estate is downhill, on a bend with the camber running away trying to throw you off the road. If you approach it too quickly in the wet you can immediately feel the car adjusting and backing off as required to correct itself. So IMO, the Stability Program bit is fine but the traction control when in first gear is a bit pants and doesn't cut in as soon as soon it might. When pulling out of junctions quickly in the wet you cannot just floor it and expect the TC to rescue you; it requires a more gentle foot at first and once you're moving, then you can floor it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Chris, it sounds to me like you might just be driving like a , and you have nothing better to do than constantly weigh up the Audi against your missus's 320...just take hers out instead, chop the Audi in for another Beemer (coz you know you want to!!) and stop feckin moaning! Audi UK [/ QUOTE ] Dave, I'd get if I were you, before Chris 's you!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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