Tires are new, but why so many noise and front-end problems?

["Wade R. Boaz" <wader@bestweb.net>]

Hi,
     On various pieces of advice and reviews, I recently purchased
205/55 ZR16 Bridgestone Portenza S-02 Pole Position tires for my Audi
A4 2.8Q.  The Audi dealer put them on for me during my 45K service,
but I've had many problems since driving it off their lot, and worry
about what happened to cause/reveal these symptoms.

     The car already exhibited some front-end shaking and steering
looseness to begin with, but I attributed some of it to a poor
wheel-alignment from a different dealer and my old tires.  Since the
Bridgestones were installed, the rolling noise is ENORMOUS, though I
have a hard time completely blaming the tires, since they can
sometimes be heard rolling _under_ the louder sounds.

     This worries me, as I suspect the brake pads are part of the
culprit in the noise factor (they look rusted and noise increases as I
brake at slower speeds), plus the suspension on the driver side has
been bottoming and clunking lately (struts?), and the whole front end
has been wobbly at any speed - especially jiggly when accelerating or
turning while applying power (trans?).

     With my 50K warranty almost up, I know that if the dealer finds
nothing in the next couple tries, I'll begin paying $$$ when the true
cause of the noise and shaking is discovered.  I'm looking into a
powertrain-only warranty extension, though it's a rather steep price
around here.

What could have happened by changing my tires to cause such pronounced
poor driving characteristics?  Yes, the wheels were balanced and the
wheel alignment re-checked by the dealer.

Thanks,

- Wade


Wade R. Boaz      2:-)	"Well, I've been to one World Fair, a picnic,
wader@bestweb.net	and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing
			I ever heard come over a set of earphones."
				- Slim Pickens
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