Re

[Burl Vibert <bvibert@mercury.kosone.com>]

>Well, I don't know much silica is use in these days since mfrs don't tell 
>in the ads. But my personal experience tend to point the OEM tires as the 
>guilty party. And when I switch to decent set of tires, the problem 
>dissapear.
>
>> OEM tires aren't cheap, they are probably the best tire for your car as they
>> were tuned for your car. If you want a "better" tire, that choice would
>> depend how you define better. Although I agree there are some dogs out
there. 
>> It does seem like somehow Audi's give more shocks than other cars, BTW my
>> Coupe is worse  for shocks than my 5000?
>
>I would say the opposite. OEM aren't cheap, and they tend to be the worst 
>tires around (except those truely expensive mules) -- even for the car it 
>came with. The reason OEM are more expensive, from what I heard, is that 
>they are made to specific design (on whim of car mfrs) -- noise and 
>"safety" come in -- and tight toloerance between batches. But that does 
>not mean they are good tire. Of course, if you're happy with your OEM 
>tire, then there is no reason to switch. But for us who like to throw the 
>car around like Fred Astair throwing his partner, OEM tires are usually 
>despised.
>


Actually some of the major tire companies have decent web sites, some even
include a list of tire ingredients.
I don't really know what you mean by worst, if you mean that they aren't
always the best handling tire, you're right. But those are the tires
specified by the manufacturers, sport models usually come with very good
handling tires as OEM.
As you stated, the OEM tires are made and tuned specifically for the car and
held to tighter tolerances, I can't see how this is a bad thing.  
 If most of the people buying the car are more interested with mileage and
comfort, that's the type of tire that the car will come with. Most of the
public don't want the compromise of giving up gas mileage, tire life, cost
and winter traction for good handling and three season traction.
I, like you usually upgrade to a better handling tire as do many people on
the list. Apparently we have different priorities than most people, I do
seem to buy expensive tires far too often though.
Wonder what rubber will be on the A4 1.8turbo? Prolly not the RS-A.

Burl Vibert
83 Coupe
87 5000CSTq
and some toys