[aidam11]

Ordered Q2 recently and the dealer salesman suggested I buy winter wheels set.
Obviously salesman is there to sell stuff, not to give me totally unbiased advice so I'm wondering, what's the difference between standard Q2 wheel rims (https://www.original-felgen.com/81a601025b8z8.html) and those that they sell as "winter rims" (https://www.original-felgen.com/81a0714978z8.html)

Do I really need two sets of rims - one for winter and one for summer season? I understand there's a greater risk of corrosion damage due to winter road de-icing treatment (salt etc) but the original wheel rim should have the protecting against such stuff or I am wrong?

Does someone have more insight on this topic? What were you told by the dealer regarding this?
Thank you

 

[ormesome]

I don't have winter rims. I do have winter and summer tyres though,. I have the 19 inch wheels as I have the 1st Edition Q2 and im not too fussed. The cost of buying new wheels is way higher than repairing a small scratch on the current alloys and even then I could damage the winter rims so there is no real answer. Only difference is that if like me you have big rims, then they supposedly aren't as good on the snow. You need smaller rims but this might not affect you. Im in Switzerland and no one seems to worry much. Just get some good winter tyres and you will be fine. Iv got Continental Winter Contact. Super so far.

 

[keeper]

No doubt a winter setup is better and provides good grip in the snow.
I had them on my A1 and it was a good investment.

I'm not sure on my Q2 as I now just work from home if it snows.

The Audi route is the most expensive, lots of online wheel dealers will offer a better cost using 3rd party wheels, the other as above is to just do a tire change.
That gives you a twice a year cost of doing that and a small risk of rim damage.

The beauty of 2 wheel sets is you can give you best summer set a good clean and seal over the winter and subject the cheap wheels to winter, you also get some return when you sell them on.

I'd look at the cost of the 3 options and go from there, although I don't think I'd go the Audi route as I don't like the wheel design and it's very expensive.

 

[aidam11]

Thanks guys - especially ormesome this makes a lot of sense. I realised that these "winter" audi rims are made for owners that normally have 19-20-21 inch rims fitted on their cars, especially those with brushed finish are not suitable for ice/salt roads - thanks for explanation.

Now what i'm going to do - since my Q2 will have these 17 inch standard alloy rims i'm just going to buy Conti T850 or 830 and have tyres swapped for winter and vice-versa when the spring comes. Not buying additional set of "winter" rims will save me about 700EUR.

keeper - not sure about the Audi way vs 3rd party. From my quick online research I found that IF I wanted a new set of rims with tyres, buying them from Audi is actually cheaper - at least here in Slovakia. They sell 4 wheels with Continental/Semperit/Michelin tyres on them for 1000-1400 EUR in total - that's up to 350EUR per one complete wheel. However normally you would spend 300-350EUR per one 3rd party alloy wheel with no tyre on it - at least here in my country.

Anyway thanks both for your input